Can strings make a control oriented racquet powerful?

[TennisViking]

How much more powerful can a racquet become with the right strings?

Background: I love my Yonex Ezone 100 but it does sometimes cause me elbow discomfort. I have demoed the Ezone 98 with poly strings at 22 kg (48 pounds, Poly Tour Pro) but it still felt significantly less powerful than my Ezone 100. However I am curious to know if a racquet such as the Ezone 98 with a string such as Triax, Velocity MLT, Tecnifibre X-One , at the right tension, could become closer in the power department to a racquet such as the Ezone 100. I could of course order a new demo but thought I reach out to this great community first

I played previously many years with a Volkl Vsense V1 Pro which I loved but eventually I surrendered and went after more power and switched to the Ezone 100. My game did benefit from increased power but my arm is not 100% convinced ……even though I use Velocity MLT.

I use the Velocity MLT at 24 kg in the Ezone 100.

 

[esgee48]

You can make any frame more powerful by using the right string at the right tension for your swing. Polyester/copoly type strings are not powerful compared to regular nylons. Even less if compared to NG. You could probably Velocity at 48# and it would be softer and more powerful than PTP. Drop the tension on the Velocity to 42# in the EZ98 and it would be much more powerful. If you want even more power, try regular NXT at 46# in the EZ98.

 

[Yamin]

Yes absolutely, but you might as well try dropping the tension on the 100 before switching to the 98 version. I suspect you'll still have elbow discomfort. Velocity is also lower powered for a multi.

 

[n8dawg6]

the ezone 98 is significantly different from the ez100, in my experience. you can give the 98 more pop by using a multi, or even SG, but its still going to be quite different in a number of respects. that being said, once upon a time, ive had the ai98/100, dr98/100, first gen ezone 98/100, and current ezone 98. different strokes for different folks, but the only ones i wish id hung onto are the 98s.

 

[esm]

If you love EZ100, then you’d love VC100 too…. Just ask @ryushen21
(Maybe he will mention how good the VC95 is too… lol)

 

[TennisViking]

Thanks guys for your input.

My first impression after I last demoed the Ezone 98 was that it was far more different that I had anticipated. I would however love to try the Ezone 98 again with a nice multifilament at 21-22 kg (46 - 48 pounds) to see if I can make it more powerful.

Do you think putting a multi at such low tension in the Ezone 98 will make the feeling kind of weird and mushy….?

I really enjoy the Ezone 100 with the Velocity MLT as it feels almost like a poly but still is more comfortable. Feels crisp for being a multi and it gives me a decent control. The Ezone 100 has a nice string pattern that is more dense in the center which really suites me.

I do actually also own the Vcore 100 which is nice but the multistrings really move around a lot in that racquet due to the more open string pattern…..drives me crazy.

I played with the Volkl Vsense V1 Pro before but a knee injury made me search for more power. However my arm is not happy……so I need to find something comfy that I can make powerful…..

 

[Deleted member 775108]

Use Triax 16 @ 48 lbs with the 98 - Will be more powerful and crispy and yet will have the spin to keep it in the court. I bet MLT @ 48 lbs will fly on you.

 

[str33tspirit]

For sure! I went from the DR 100 to the Radical MP. I dropped 2 or 3 pounds, went from 16L to 17G and I also put either Gosen micro sheep or Multifeel in the cross to my Hyper G soft. I used to use Tout Bite on my DR100, then in the last year I played with it, I went to Hyper G. It was a nice transition and I adapted the way I played a bit. My backhand and volleys improved. I lost a bit of pace on my forehand but it could be me getting older lol.

 

[Frankc]

OP, to answer your question - definitely. Dropping tension on your current string will make some difference. MLT, as stated above, is certainly a low powered multi.
To really raise the power level greatly, stay away from Poly and move to either SG or a softer, more dynamic multi.
To illustrate, I adore my Fischer Vacuum 90 mids - but these are so demanding and beyond low powered. Yet low tensions in a softer, dynamic multi increases greatly the size of the sweet spot and puts a whole bunch of power on tap... Almost unplayable for me with poly or low powered multis - a joy with a quality lively multi like Tecnifibre TGV or Gosen Latex Touch at low/mid tension.

 

[TennisViking]

Thanks again to all of you. Very valuable info. I previously tried some other multis in my Ezone 100 such as Tecnifibre X-One and Babolat Xcel, but they were so powerful in the Ezone 100 that I had to up the tension to +25 kg (+55 lbs) and I didn’t like the feel. When I tried the Velocity MLT at 24 kg it immediately felt really nice.

But, a softer racquet is what my elbow needs and therefore I will order a new demo but this time with another setup.

Thank you guys. Really great answers from all of you.

Tennis is such a lovely sport. immensely fun, demanding, challenging and life long improvement journey

 

[Dartagnan64]

Control tweeners with a hybrid of gut or multi mains with poly crosses is my arm health set up of choice.

For people with arm issues, using the frame for control and strings for power makes the most sense. The current dynamic of power frames with control strings is for people with elbows of steel.

 

[Deleted member 775108]

Control tweeners with a hybrid of gut or multi mains with poly crosses is my arm health set up of choice.

For people with arm issues, using the frame for control and strings for power makes the most sense. The current dynamic of power frames with control strings is for people with elbows of steel.

What's your experience or thoughts of ultra low power racquets (say the Phantom 100X solid beam or maybe Phantom 100P) with higher power thick spin oriented crisp multi string (Tecnifibre Triax 15L or 16) at low tension (48 lbs)?

 

[alexg]

Interesting that you are looking at the Ezone 98. I thought the DR 98 was very comfy but the Ezone 98 was not.

When I had elbow trouble, my recovery racquet was the first Ezone 100 (the green and yellow one, just after the DR series), with Velocity MLT 16G at 52 pounds. This has to be the most muted, vibration free setup I have tried. The velocity MLT is low powered for a multi, but a medium powered string in the grand scheme of things. Huge, huge sweet spot, to the point that I didn’t really know where I hit the ball on the racquet face. It’s a great recovery setup because it’s a 300g racquet with a 320 or so SW, so it’s not demanding on the shoulder. The thick (16G) soft string just sucks up the shock and vibrations. And the frame, while stiff number wise, is not buzzy at all. Some lower rated RA frames are buzz machines, Eg the Pure Strikes of all sizes.

Use whatever feels vibration free, and then learn to hit using your hips as a source of power instead of your arm. If your forearm muscles are tense at contact, only the most comfy racquet and string setups will keep you away from TE.

 

[TennisViking]

Interesting that you are looking at the Ezone 98. I thought the DR 98 was very comfy but the Ezone 98 was not.

When I had elbow trouble, my recovery racquet was the first Ezone 100 (the green and yellow one, just after the DR series), with Velocity MLT 16G at 52 pounds. This has to be the most muted, vibration free setup I have tried. The velocity MLT is low powered for a multi, but a medium powered string in the grand scheme of things. Huge, huge sweet spot, to the point that I didn’t really know where I hit the ball on the racquet face. It’s a great recovery setup because it’s a 300g racquet with a 320 or so SW, so it’s not demanding on the shoulder. The thick (16G) soft string just sucks up the shock and vibrations. And the frame, while stiff number wise, is not buzzy at all. Some lower rated RA frames are buzz machines, Eg the Pure Strikes of all sizes.

Use whatever feels vibration free, and then learn to hit using your hips as a source of power instead of your arm. If your forearm muscles are tense at contact, only the most comfy racquet and string setups will keep you away from TE.

My elbow problems started (golfers elbow, on the inside of the elbow ) when I switched to the Ezone 100. I was however playing with the PolyTour Pro string at 23-24 kg (51-53 pounds) and for 6 months all went wonderfully. The pain came all of the sudden and has been present now for 6 months. I switched to multifilament strings and in the end after trying many different ones, I settled for the Velocity MLT 1.30/16 at 24 kg (53 pounds). The Velocity at 53 pounds to me feels more comfortable than the X-One at 55 pounds. I use an elbow strap but pain doesn’t go away. I also use the FlexBar a lot, stretches etc but very persistent problem.

Could well be that the elbow is in such a condition that any racquet with any strings , still causes problems. Who knows. But, I really want to get rid of it so pretty much keen on having one arm friendlier racquet available. Maybe it helps, maybe not, but desperate measures in desperate times

I do like my Ezone 100 a lot as it is quite light but still offers a really great stability and the sweet spot is massive. Very easy racquet to play with. But, even with the Velocity at 53 pounds, it does feel “stiff” and when I think back to my previous racquet, the Volkl Vsense V1 Pro, the feeling in the Volkl was indeed a feeling of more arm friendly.

The current Ezone 98 (version 2020) is supposed to be quite arm friendly compared to the Ezone 98 before as they softened up the feeling, especially in the upper hoop.

 

[fuzz nation]

My elbow problems started (golfers elbow, on the inside of the elbow ) when I switched to the Ezone 100. I was however playing with the PolyTour Pro string at 23-24 kg (51-53 pounds) and for 6 months all went wonderfully. The pain came all of the sudden and has been present now for 6 months. I switched to multifilament strings and in the end after trying many different ones, I settled for the Velocity MLT 1.30/16 at 24 kg (53 pounds). The Velocity at 53 pounds to me feels more comfortable than the X-One at 55 pounds. I use an elbow strap but pain doesn’t go away. I also use the FlexBar a lot, stretches etc but very persistent problem.

Could well be that the elbow is in such a condition that any racquet with any strings , still causes problems. Who knows. But, I really want to get rid of it so pretty much keen on having one arm friendlier racquet available. Maybe it helps, maybe not, but desperate measures in desperate times

I do like my Ezone 100 a lot as it is quite light but still offers a really great stability and the sweet spot is massive. Very easy racquet to play with. But, even with the Velocity at 53 pounds, it does feel “stiff” and when I think back to my previous racquet, the Volkl Vsense V1 Pro, the feeling in the Volkl was indeed a feeling of more arm friendly.

The current Ezone 98 (version 2020) is supposed to be quite arm friendly compared to the Ezone 98 before as they softened up the feeling, especially in the upper hoop.

Good advice already. I think you're smart to stay away from the poly given your elbow situation and the fact that you're looking for perhaps some free power. The first step toward a more arm-friendly layout with our equipment seems to be making the switch to softer string regardless of what racquet we're using out there.

Multifibers usually have a more lively personality than poly options, but the only downside I find with multis is that they can steadily degrade for me as I use them - they can soften up to the point that they become too unpredictable. I like synthetic gut for its moderate softness and overall performance, but I use the softer ones in my own racuqets. Those include Forten Sweet, Volkl Classic, Prince Original, and Kirschbaum. A couple popular syn. guts that are relatively stiff include Prince SG with Duraflex and Gosen OG Sheep Micro. These are just too clunky for me in a full bed.

One other tweak you could consider is to add a little weight to the handle of your Yonex to give it a little extra head-light (HL) balance. When I do this with my own racquets, I place 1/2" lead tape on my grip and cover that with an overgrip. You can leave that in place for a while if you want, adjust it by adding or removing some, and if the experiments don't help your cause, it's easy enough to remove it and go back to your stock layout.

Altering a racquet's balance by adding weigh to the handle is less subtle than adding a little weight to the hoop. You may need to to put between a quarter to a half-ounce of lead on the handle to get a couple points of extra HL balance. Since this weight is added essentially "in your hand" and not out toward the other end of the racquet, this shouldn't make your frame unwieldy. It could actually become easier to swing around. If you go too far though and the head seems to become twitchy and unpredictable, then you probably have too much HL balance for that particular frame.

 

[Frankc]

Fuzz,
Good advice - some also find that more weight in the hand area stabilizes the feel of a racquet. Many pro golfers have weights under the hands in the control clubs. Funny, how it all comes down to physics, mass....

 

[Arak]

You can make any frame more powerful by using the right string at the right tension for your swing. Polyester/copoly type strings are not powerful compared to regular nylons. Even less if compared to NG. You could probably Velocity at 48# and it would be softer and more powerful than PTP. Drop the tension on the Velocity to 42# in the EZ98 and it would be much more powerful. If you want even more power, try regular NXT at 46# in the EZ98.

I personally find that if you drop tension below a certain threshold on nylon and gut, you lose both power and control. I think the threshold is around 50-51 for nylon and 54-55 for gut. Not that I have ever strung so low, I normally string much higher, but a friend of mine strings gut at 48-53 and I wanted to try it for myself. I was surprised to find that there is loss of power and loss of directional control. I thought it would become a rocket launcher but that wasn’t the case.

 

[cortado]

I bought a VCore Pro HD and it came with natural gut mains and poly crosses.
That string combo at tension of 52lbs was incredibly powerful, even though the racquet is not (flexible, thin beam, 97 head, 18x20 pattern).
I could barely keep serves inside the service box initially.

 

[Frankc]

I personally find that if you drop tension below a certain threshold on nylon and gut, you lose both power and control. I think the threshold is around 50-51 for nylon and 54-55 for gut. Not that I have ever strung so low, I normally string much higher, but a friend of mine strings gut at 48-53 and I wanted to try it for myself. I was surprised to find that there is loss of power and loss of directional control. I thought it would become a rocket launcher but that wasn’t the case.

Perhaps - so much depends on the string pattern and the flex pattern and the neutral gripped or extreme gripped techniques... and the string... generalizations for all can be far more than tricky.

 

[TennisViking]

Thanks again for all replies. Always good to get valuable information.

Speaking of the so called power racquets such as Ezone 100 and Vcore 100, seems most brands follow a similar strategy that the “power” racquet (ex: Pure Drive, FX 500) are very stiff but they do have a slightly less open string pattern, while the “spin” racquets have slightly lower flex but instead have very open string patterns (Pure Aero, SX 300, Vcore 100).

In my case, I prefer the string pattern in the Ezone over the very open string pattern in the Vcore 100, but the Vcore 100 does feel more comfortable even though only has a 3 point lower stiffness rating (71 vs 68 unstrung for Ezone vs Vcore) . I noticed the same with Pure Drive vs Pure Aero. Unfortunately, I really dislike the very open string patterns. I would love to have a Vcore 100 or Pure Aero with a slightly tighter string pattern and it would also make them easier to play with multifilament strings as too open string pattern is not ideal with multifilaments.

 

[Arak]

Perhaps - so much depends on the string pattern and the flex pattern and the neutral gripped or extreme gripped techniques... and the string... generalizations for all can be far more than tricky.

And most importantly swing speed.

 

[beltsman]

How much more powerful can a racquet become with the right strings?

Background: I love my Yonex Ezone 100 but it does sometimes cause me elbow discomfort. I have demoed the Ezone 98 with poly strings at 22 kg (48 pounds, Poly Tour Pro) but it still felt significantly less powerful than my Ezone 100. However I am curious to know if a racquet such as the Ezone 98 with a string such as Triax, Velocity MLT, Tecnifibre X-One , at the right tension, could become closer in the power department to a racquet such as the Ezone 100. I could of course order a new demo but thought I reach out to this great community first

I played previously many years with a Volkl Vsense V1 Pro which I loved but eventually I surrendered and went after more power and switched to the Ezone 100. My game did benefit from increased power but my arm is not 100% convinced ……even though I use Velocity MLT.

I use the Velocity MLT at 24 kg in the Ezone 100.

Yes, gut poly.

 

[Frankc]

And most importantly swing speed.

That is a given when one considers neutral gripped or extreme gripped techniques. The linear/neutral gripped game never emphasized swinging out of ones socks. Never...
And there you go again, - sweeping generalizations - swing speed (velocity) is just another variable ... as is Mass if you believe in Physics.

 

[Arak]

That is a given when one considers neutral gripped or extreme gripped techniques. The linear/neutral gripped game never emphasized swinging out of ones socks. Never...
And there you go again, - sweeping generalizations - swing speed (velocity) is just another variable ... as is Mass if you believe in Physics.

Well, since you seem to be an expert on the physics involved in tennis, I will refrain from commenting further, and leave it to the experts

 

[Dartagnan64]

What's your experience or thoughts of ultra low power racquets (say the Phantom 100X solid beam or maybe Phantom 100P) with higher power thick spin oriented crisp multi string (Tecnifibre Triax 15L or 16) at low tension (48 lbs)?

I've definitely used Velocity in those frames and run tensions around 50lbs.
Often what I'll do with the low powered phantoms is put a more powerful string in mains like Gut or synthetic gut and then a lower power string in the crosses like poly or Velocity. But a full bed of low powered multi is a great choice as well if you are fine with adjusting strings all the time. I like poly crosses just because they are slippery.

 

[Deleted member 775108]

I've definitely used Velocity in those frames and run tensions around 50lbs.
Often what I'll do with the low powered phantoms is put a more powerful string in mains like Gut or synthetic gut and then a lower power string in the crosses like poly or Velocity. But a full bed of low powered multi is a great choice as well if you are fine with adjusting strings all the time. I like poly crosses just because they are slippery.

I've not had not good luck with poly crosses (only tried Ghostwire) and multifilament mains.. They seem to lock up for me withing a few hours and lose all their spin.

 

[Dartagnan64]

I've not had not good luck with poly crosses (only tried Ghostwire) and multifilament mains.. They seem to lock up for me withing a few hours and lose all their spin.

klip NG doesnt lock up on ghost wire crosses. At least not for sliding over the crosses.

 

[rrepp]

I'm older now so I need to protect my joints. I'm using a Prince Phantom 100x 305 racquet. Customized with a little weight at 12 o'clock. I like using multifilament that provide power, like NGR2, and string them at around 50-52 lbs. Lovely feel and nice on my joints. I also using gut/poly hybrids, but the multis just keep it simple, and they work so well. I've also got a Prince TT100 310 which I probably play better with, but it transfers a little more hurt to my joints after couple of hours of hitting so I generally hit with the 100X. No poly!!