Do you alternate your rackets or use one with back-ups?

Do you alternate your racket or use one with back-ups?

  • Alternate your rackets equally - set up same

    Votes: 18 41.9%
  • Use a main racket and use others as back-up - set up same

    Votes: 12 27.9%
  • Use multiple rackets with different set-ups depending on conditions/situation

    Votes: 13 30.2%

  • Total voters
    43

BMC9670

Hall of Fame
Hi All,

I see a lot of variation here and am curious how many of you:

1. Alternate your rackets equally - set up same
2. Use a main racket and use others as back-up - set up same
3. Use multiple rackets with different set-ups depending on conditions/situation

Personally, I've been alternating my two rackets equally, but when I recently broke a string playing in a flex league, I was worried about the second breaking as it had been played an equal amount. So, I've been thinking of using one and keeping the back-up fresh.

Pros/Cons?
 

0d1n

Hall of Fame
I have 3 of my main. I usually have 2 of them with same setup and one with a slightly different one to accomplish a purpose...or for experimenting.

If heat / sweating is not an issue I play with one 'till it breaks and then change to the next one.
If it's really hot I may alternate the 2 identically setup ones for the dry grip during the matches...as I rarely have time to actually change overgrips when playing competitively.

For example I currently have 2 set up @ 341 grams 332 ish SW with 32.1 ish balance, and one set up at 337 grams with a sw of 328 and a 32 cm balance.
I'm playing indoors on carpet currently so sweating is not an issue. I'll play one of the 2 heavier ones usually, but if I feel a bit tired or late on more shots than I should due to various factors during the match I might pick up the slightly lighter one. It's not different enough to completely change my timing, but "lighter enough" to make a slight difference.
 
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goran_ace

Hall of Fame
Back in the day, before I even knew what polys were, when I was a chronc string breaker, and more importantly when I didn't have to pay for string, I would show up to tournaments with 4-5 identical freshly strung rackets and would rotate. As a tournament would go on I would restring as needed and would play the freshest strung racket(s) first in the rotation.

These days I carry 2-3 rackets in the bag and play with one racket a few times in a row, basically until the poly drops tension. Once I feel it's dropped far enough I'll string another racket and relegate the first one to a backup role.



More to add: I never tinkered with weight or balance during a tournament. Racket set ups were identical. I would sometimes change string tension during a tournament +/- 2 lbs depending on conditions, or if the weather forecast was a little iffy on rain I would string for example 2 rackets for outdoor matches and 2 for indoor in case of rain.
 
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coolblue123

Hall of Fame
Actually I have two setups depending on my opponent.
For hard hitters, I played with higher tension
For Top Spinners and others, I played with a lower tension.

My justification was that I didn't need to generate as much pace for the hard hitters so I need a racquet with more control.
However for others, I loosen the tension slightly so I can more pop out of my strings.
 

mctennis

Legend
I use 3 of the same racquet. One is a hybrid, two have full gut string set ups. The only true difference is that one gut/synthetic set up is strung a little looser. Other than that I alternate the two gut set ups when I play.
 

N23

Semi-Pro
4 of the same with same hybrid setup. Only thing that is different are the overgrips or replacement grips. Weird. But I'll choose the racquet that "looks" good to me in the bag, then go from there. But if after playing I feel the tension lower or my shots going long, I'll switch out.
 

roundiesee

Hall of Fame
Option 2- I use my favourite out of the 3 I have till the tension drops (when balls starts flying everywhere :) ) then I use the next one with fresher strings; when all have been exhausted I'll take them all to be re-strung again, and the cycles continues..
 

stoo

Semi-Pro
Have 2 main sticks with exact same setup. I alternate them at the beginning of each new set until it's time to restring.
 

Maui19

Hall of Fame
I have two racquets with identical setups. I play one exclusively until a string breaks, then I play the other. However I will hit a little (in practice) with the freshly strung racquet to seat and stretch the strings. This way the (fresher) backup racquet plays more like the older if I have to do to it during a match.
 

dlk

Hall of Fame
I'm a virtual rookie (2 years experience), so I have three different racquets, I use my main racquet (Prince EXO3 Black) & only use the others if I break a string, which is rare. The back-up's are good loners.
 

fuzz nation

G.O.A.T.
Varying conditions or situations occur pretty much between my ears.

Every racquet I use only feels "right" for me with one setup. Once I find it, I stick with it in that frame. The only time I'll go significantly looser with one of my string jobs is when I need a racquet to work better for me in especially cold outdoor conditions. That means either right now or in March when I might be out hitting when temps are in the low 40's or even high 30's.

I like having different racquets in my bag, although some of our pals here think this is a bad idea. It works for me though, when my favorite frames just don't feel right. If I'm "off" and need something slightly lighter and quicker, having that option in my bag can erase that distraction. That's just me - I'm not playing to earn my lunch money or anything.

With matched frames that have the same string layout, I like using one 'til it snaps (or just turns to mush), then going to the fresh one.
 

flashfire276

Hall of Fame
I try to have each of my racquets the same amount of time used on them, so I won't be wasting too much money on strings.
So everytime I pop my strings, I play with the next one until that one pops. Then the cycle keeps going.
 

baba123

Rookie
i have 4 rackets two pairs i use one for a hard hitter that is lighter to swing and one for anybody else where i have more time to perform my swing
 
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