Durability of gut

[atang]

Calling all natural gut experts.

I'm interested in how long natural gut will last. I'm a 3.5 player with moderate topspin shots. I've never broken any polyester string. However, I've seen X-One Biphase 17 fray slightly on my frames after only a week. Would a 17g Klip Legend coated gut last me for around a month before snapping? Also, how vulnerable is gut to moisture? For example, if a tennis ball drops into a puddle and hits my strings, will it ruin my string job?

 

[YULitle]

On the moisture bit: Gut is more vulnerable than other strings, but not as much as it used to be.

On durability: It'll last longer than you think. Wish I was qualified to say more.

 

[scotus]

I'm not much of a string breaker, because I serve and volley mostly.

But I still break Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex 17 in 2 weeks playing 2X a week.

Most natural guts that I have played with last me at least 3 months. I thought Klip Legend 17 was superb in the durability area. It turns out Babolat VS Team 17 is still going strong after 4 months.

Also, how vulnerable is gut to moisture? For example, if a tennis ball drops into a puddle and hits my strings, will it ruin my string job?

If you use coated gut and the coating is still fresh and intact, I wouldn't worry about it. I would just wipe it off.

Having said this, I would not use my gut if I see puddles on the court. You always keep one racquet strung with synthetic for situations like this.

 

[ledor]

Natural Gut is heaveen of strings for all court/serve volley players. The feel lasts forever til you break them and you cry on them to get it wet and they break some more.

Go for Klip Legend! If you can hybrid it with a cheaper cross, do it. Tennis Warehouse sells some strings by the 1/2 set. Type 1/2 on the TW search box.

 

[atang]

Thanks for the quick replies, I really appreciate them.
I just have one more question, If I want to use a hybrid (Klip mains, Gosen OG Sheep crosses), will the durability be increased or decreased? Assuming I string the mains at 56lb and the crosses at 54lb.

 

[scotus]

I use the so-called Mojo setup. Although I don't use Klip Legend 17 anymore, I love the Isospeed Professional on the cross. Give it a try.

 

[jim e]

You were asking of the Durability of gut . You will most likely get different reply from different players. My primary racquet has well over 130 hours on it, all vs gut, was strung at 60 lbs. Started fraying early on, but seems like it is just broken in for me at this point. I really like the way it plays right now. It certainly is the most playable string for me, and since I am not a string breaker, is very cost effective as well.There are a # of facters that can effect the strings. My brother is old school, eastern forehand flat ball hitter, he has well over 100 hours, and very little fraying at all. (he has all gut vs as well). Since we live in the north east most of these hours are indoors.

 

[jjjosh]

I am not much of a string breaker and so gut is the most durable string for me, because it will keep its playability for so long. I did play with gut in moist conditions before and the strings broke that day, if there are any puddles, I learnt my lesson and would not dare use my gut frames.

 

[volleyman]

I just have one more question, If I want to use a hybrid (Klip mains, Gosen OG Sheep crosses), will the durability be increased or decreased? Assuming I string the mains at 56lb and the crosses at 54lb.

You might want to consider stringing the crosses at the same tension as the mains, as the Gosen will lose tension much faster than the gut.

As for durability, when I use a gut/syn gut hybrid, it's about 40/60 as to whether I break a cross or a main first. For me, such hybrids play better, last longer and maintain their playability better than premium multifilaments.

I recommend string savers to extend the life of gut hybrids.

 

[atang]

Great stuff guys, thanks for all the advice. Really helped me out

 

[[d]ragon]

for me, vs gut 17 lasted about a month and 1/4. psgd 18 lasted a month and 1/2 so its pretty good

 

[Djokovicfan4life]

Been using an all Babolat VS team 16 gauge for well over a month and it frays a lot, but that heavenly feel is still there after all that time.

I play 4 to 5 times a week if that helps you, usually for 2+ hours. I hit with heavy spin and decent power, and a pretty big serve.

 

[jim e]

Been using an all Babolat VS team 16 gauge for well over a month and it frays a lot, but that heavenly feel is still there after all that time.

I play 4 to 5 times a week if that helps you, usually for 2+ hours. I hit with heavy spin and decent power, and a pretty big serve.

I thought that team is 17g, and touch was your choice of 15L or 16 in the vs line

 

[thel]

I've been using Babolat VS Tonic 15L mians and Ektelon Powerplay in the crosses for the last few months and the durability of the ugt has been outstanding. I've only broken this combo once so far and the Powerplay crosses were the ones that broke. In my current frame with this combo, the Powerplay is really getting thin in the sweet spot so I expect they'll break soon.

I next plan on trying the Tonic in 16g with the Power play in the crosses. If I can get 2 months of solid play out of that combo, I'll be happy.

BTW, I play with a Wilson nPro (18 x 18 pattern) and string both the mians and the crosses at 60 lbs (max tension) with and Alpha Revo 4000 machine.

 

[Steve Huff]

I use Klip Legend in the mains, a soft multi in the crosses (Head Fibergel Power, Alpha Prodigy or Dunlop Multi). I play 2-3 times/week, doubles, and I normally break the crosses before the gut mains--usually in 3-4 months. If you play a lot of singles, you probably won't get quite that much life, but I'd think you'd get more than a month. Also, depends on how well your stringer strings it.