Cheapest, stiffest, most spinny nylon for Hybrid

[WYK]

Like the title says. I am gonna spend the off-season experimenting with nylon crosses - no gut, it's Ireland and it's 60-100% humid all the freaking time - also I said 'cheap'.
Will likely be using ALU or Revolve in the mains, but open for suggestions there.
Thanks for your input in advance(she said).

 

[TennisandRamen]

Just curious, if you want something stiff and spin-friendly, why are you looking into nylon? Wouldn't a poly cross give you what you're looking for?


As far as cheap you can't get much cheaper than POSG or Duraflex as a starting point

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[WYK]

Just curious, if you want something stiff and spin-friendly, why are you looking into nylon? Wouldn't a poly cross give you what you're looking for?

Maybe I should be more clear and say I will be experimenting with hybrids and want to try more spin friendly nylons to start. Oh wait - that's exaclty what I already put in the title.

 

[TennisandRamen]

Maybe I should be more clear and say I will be experimenting with hybrids and want to try more spin friendly nylons to start. Oh wait - that's exaclty what I already put in the title.

POSG, smartass

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[Slowtwitcher]

Not sure why but poly/SG or poly/multi hybrids are not very popular here.

 

[lelopez]

If you're willing to consider soft polys, Pro's Pro Concept has worked very nicely for me. It is super soft, holds tension relatively well, and is fairly slick, allowing mains to move around easily. Very cheap too.

 

[WYK]

I have concept here. It's far stiffer, especially once it settles, vs Nylon or multis. It is also very low powered.
What I am trying to do, which I thought for some crazy reason would be obvious, is find a hybrid that will make it easier on the arm and cheaper to live with an expensive, stiff poly main.
I string racquets for the club, and the more options I have the better. I test strings during the off-season.

So, basically, I am trying to find a synthetic that will last, has a slickish coating, and isn't gonna break the bank. I have Head MLT on the way. It's not cheap like PSG, but it's certainly an option.

 

[lelopez]

10-4. If you feel Concept is too stiff then definitely should have no business with a poly.

When you say Head MLT, I assume you're referring to Velocity? That is a very good choice; soft, responsive, won't have a tension issue if you're playing with a poly main. Tried it a few times but got about the same durability as syn. gut. (in the mains). Used it as a cross with syn. gut as well as poly mains too. As a cross with syn. gut seemed like a waste. Super soft setup, but durability was crap. With poly mains worked best, but I did not find it to offer significant benefits in comfort over Concept, while spin generation and durability were lower. Still a good setup, just not better than with Concept cross for me. However, it is fairly slick for a multi so I think you may like it.

Another good option may be Forten Sweet.

 

[crabby]

Gosen AK pro... Set of multi for 5€, if you buy 5...

 

[WYK]

One of the nuances folks miss out on with poly mains and synth crosses is you can usually get through an entire season as a club player on the set up, and if it does wear, it's usually the crosses and not the poly. The crosses can easily be removed and cheaply replaced.

 

[Humbi_HTX]

I have used Wilson NXT and it lasted long enough before finally breaking but it frayed rather quick as soon as the black coating wore off early on its life and the nudges would lock up the mains.

PSGw/DF was pretty good, if a little stiffer than other SG and definitely stiffer than multis. It lasted long enough it was time to cut the stringbed before it broke.

GOSM has been my choice for all my frames because it is more comfortable and as durable as other SG options like PSGDF or Gamma. For the price you really can't beat it. I have tried 16, 17 and currently all my 3 frames have 18g as crosses.

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[Hansen]

One of the nuances folks miss out on with poly mains and synth crosses is you can usually get through an entire season as a club player on the set up,

going through an entire season with a stiff poly main isn´t a good idea in the first place. and let it in and only replace the crosses is a terrible idea.

 

[WYK]

going through an entire season with a stiff poly main isn´t a good idea in the first place. and let it in and only replace the crosses is a terrible idea.

I wondered why it took so long for such a post...
Thanks for your concern.
A season in Ireland is 3 months at best. If the poly loses it's spring, I'll replace it, trust me. This ain't my first rodeo. I've been stringing poly for over a decade.
Also, the cross is going to be a solfer synth. Which goes a long ways to softening a stringbed even with kevlar in it, let alone poly.
These are mostly for maybe once or twice a week club players that don't have full swings. A poly will last a season easily. I am trying to find a combo that is cheap and easy on them because they are usually older and want softer strings, but still want a poly in the main. Some want it for spin, others want it to keep the strings in place.

 

[WYK]

I was also considering Prince Lightning XX 16g squash string for the crosses since it likes to be strung 25-35# in a squash stick. I see folks get away with stringing it at up to 55#, so it might do well in a cross at 40-45lbs with a poly at 45-50...

 

[ron schaap]

I wondered why it took so long for such a post...
Thanks for your concern.
A season in Ireland is 3 months at best. If the poly loses it's spring, I'll replace it, trust me. This ain't my first rodeo. I've been stringing poly for over a decade.
Also, the cross is going to be a solfer synth. Which goes a long ways to softening a stringbed even with kevlar in it, let alone poly.
These are mostly for maybe once or twice a week club players that don't have full swings. A poly will last a season easily. I am trying to find a combo that is cheap and easy on them because they are usually older and want softer strings, but still want a poly in the main. Some want it for spin, others want it to keep the strings in place.

not all poly is stiff really. yonex tpt is very soft indeed as others and you could string lower tension. but if it loses elasticity or snapback or.. its time to restring

 

[fuzz nation]

Like the title says. I am gonna spend the off-season experimenting with nylon crosses - no gut, it's Ireland and it's 60-100% humid all the freaking time - also I said 'cheap'.
Will likely be using ALU or Revolve in the mains, but open for suggestions there.
Thanks for your input in advance(she said).

Although Forten Nylon is really cheap, I don't use it in the hybrids I string for some locals. Gosen OGSM 16 is typically what I like as a cross and I usually pair it with either Isospeed Baseline or Volkl Cyclone in the mains. The OGSM is inherently a little more slippery than some others, at least when it's fresh, and its durability is also pretty good.

OGSM is a little more firm compared with some other syn. guts. If you want a little more softness in a hybrid, you could try Prince Original SG or Volkl Classic, but I don't think either one of those has the same smooth & slippery surface as the Gosen. Forten Sweet is even softer that those two, but I wouldn't expect the durability to be on quite the same level as the OGSM.

 

[Humbi_HTX]

The durability and cost of the GOSM makes it my favorite choice for SG and the slick properties makes it a great cross string on a hybrid stringing.

I have been trying 18g for over a month now and there is no durability issues so far, even using Firewire, Spiky Shark or Proline II Rough on the mains have not caused any fraying yet. I had gone from 16g to 17g on the previous string jobs and because the cross was still in great shape, I wanted to try thinner and I am quite happy with the feel and performance of the 18g.

Take in consideration I am not a string breaker (recreational/club player) that hits the courts 3 times a week playing singles, doubles or just rallying.

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[Garro]

Have you tried Prince Topspin 15L? I get more spin from that string than probably any other non-poly and it's very cheap too.

 

[Remioli]

I have been curious, hope people don't mind me asking on this thread. Does the cross have that much of an effect on spin? I've read smooth crosses are better, is that accurate?

 

[Humbi_HTX]

I have been curious, hope people don't mind me asking on this thread. Does the cross have that much of an effect on spin? I've read smooth crosses are better, is that accurate?

Smooth and slick crosses are "better" because the main strings are able to move and snap back with less wear and locking up than using the same string as a cross. I think the idea behind slick crosses is more about durability and extending playability of the strings.

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[WYK]

I think it must be said - I am going to be experimenting. So stuff like what Humbi said is perfect. I want to test this stuff out and see if it has anything to it.

 

[scotto777]

I hit flatter and just don’t like the feel of poly. I’ve been using full bed Yonex Dynawire 16L and that provides plenty of spin and comfort without too much movement. I prefer it to head velocity. I’m a 4.5 using Ezone 100 FYI.

 

[Humbi_HTX]

Every time I have done a full bed of the same string I notice more nudging in different areas of the string bed, no matter the type of string, it seems to lock up sooner than when using a hybrid string job. Once the strings have locked up and moved all over the place, the control is gone and I have to start adjusting the strings in between points.

I have noticed a much longer play life and more consistent playability during that time when using a hybrid string bed with a slick cross.

 

[WYK]

If you're willing to consider soft polys, Pro's Pro Concept has worked very nicely for me. It is super soft, holds tension relatively well, and is fairly slick, allowing mains to move around easily. Very cheap too.

I should add this because I feel sorta bad about shooting you down at first - I use concept as a cross regularly in my own string jobs. I find it doesn't colour the stringbed much, is slick, maintains tension as well or better than most mains I would use, and lasts a good long time. And, of course, is dirt cheap. So for a poly on poly hybrid, I give it a thumbs up.

I have an NXG with HG in the mains at 50 and Concept in the crosses at 47, and the spin has to be seen to be believed.

 

[beepee1972]

Some basic syngut like Babolat or Kirschbaum will give you (nearly) same feel as more expensive multis, when used as a cross string I reckon. Try the slick ones, without spiral on the outside or Duraflex like build up

 

[1HBHfanatic]

-gamma ocho series!
-several 8sided synthetics
-they should add extra bite

 

[esgee48]

Soft and spin friendly, use Bab Spiral Tek in the thinnest gauge you can get, 17 Ga. POSG 17 is better than PSDF. Gosen OGSM comes in 18 Ga.