EverSliding Strings from A to Z

[maxpotapov]

Please add all string setups where mains do not "get stuck" and just keep sliding on crosses (around sweet spot).
In a separate list, add setups that "lock up" over any period of time.
Also please add links to relevant discussions and articles:

Dented = Dead, http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=518842
Disclaimer: Please restring when strings get stuck, http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=521694


Mains/Crosses to Keep Sliding

Ashaway Kevlar / Monogut ZX 10-20+ lbs lower (Shroud)
Babolat Tonic+ / Head Hawk (SpinToWin)
Babolat VS Touch / MSV Focus Hex (TimothyO)
Gosen OGSM / Gosen Polylon
Gosen OGSM / Solinco Outlast (oble)
Gosen Polylon / Gosen OGSM
Pacific Prime Gut / Luxilon M2 Pro (JT_2eighty)
Pacific Tough Gut / Weiss Cannon Mosquito Bite
Prince Original Synthetic Gut / Pro's Pro Vendetta (BretH)
Wilson Natural Gut / Signum Pro Firestorm (Cerps)
Wilson NXT Tour / Luxilon 4G (torpantennis)
.
.
.


Mains/Crosses to Lock Up

Ashaway Kevlar / Synthetic Gut (Shroud)
Ashaway Kevlar / Ashaway Dynamite 18 (Shroud)
Babolat Tonic+ / Luxilon 4G (SpinToWin)
Natural Gut / Luxilon 4G (torpantennis)
Volkl Cyclone Tour 18 / Gosen OGSM 18
Wilson Natural Gut / ALU Power Rough (Cerps)
.
.
.

 

[SpinToWin]

Not get stuck: Tonic+/Hawk

 

[mikeler]

I've never seen a string bed that never gets stuck and I've tried a lot of strings.

 

[Cerps]

Not get stuck: Wilson Natural Gut/ Signum Pro Firestorm
Get stuck: Wilson Natural gut/ ALU Power Rough

 

[maxpotapov]

I've never seen a string bed that never gets stuck and I've tried a lot of strings.

We talk about denting/notching of the crosses. And only sweet zone (maybe I should be more specific).
For example, Gosen Polylon simply polishes Gosen OGSM crosses, they thin out and snap eventually. But full Gosen OGSM locks up from day 2 of hitting.

 

[torpantennis]

I've never seen a string bed that never gets stuck and I've tried a lot of strings.

If strings just "get stuck", like fraying or just "glue like" extra friction, then that's not as bad as sharp denting/notching of crosses. If the crosses are dented, then the mains are totally stuck and stringbed plays bad and can cause injuries.

To avoid denting of crosses, you'd want "soft surface" mains, and crosses that have "harder surface" than the mains. Then the crosses won't dent, but instead will stay smooth and allow at least some kind of movement of the mains, throughout the life of the stringbed. On mains however you'll see grooves due to the "saw through effect" of the harder crosses.

 

[torpantennis]

NXT Tour/4G will eventually be a bit "glue like", because the mains lose elasticity and increase friction. But still, that's nothing like denting of 4G crosses with gut mains.

 

[JT_2eighty]

I've never seen a string bed that never gets stuck and I've tried a lot of strings.

Agreed, over time, everything will dent and/or get stuck if you use it up.

I think the question is, which ones lasted the longest for you?

If strings just "get stuck", like fraying or just "glue like" extra friction, then that's not as bad as sharp denting/notching of crosses. If the crosses are dented, then the mains are totally stuck and stringbed plays bad and can cause injuries.

To avoid denting of crosses, you'd want "soft surface" mains, and crosses that have "harder surface" than the mains. Then the crosses won't dent, but instead will stay smooth and allow at least some kind of movement of the mains, throughout the life of the stringbed. On mains however you'll see grooves due to the "saw through effect" of the harder crosses.

For me, and I've also tried waaay too many strings, hybrids etc, than any normal player should (although probably on par with us tt tw string folks), the best setup that I tried where mains slid for the entire playtest, even after months in the bag after the playtest, was
Pacific Prime 16 main / Luxilon M2 Pro 16L crosses, strung at 61/58 lbs in my 18x20 MP.

I think part of the reason is the dense pattern keeps strings intact so well, and they have a smaller distance to slide and snap. That said, there are still a lot of other strings that in the same racquet, did not last nearly as long as Prime/M2.

 

[DrumWizOHBD]

String Savers = EverSliding

Any setup with String-a-lings :shock:

Serously, if you really want to make any setup avoid premature notchulation, fill the string bed with Elastocross or string-a-lings: Problem solved. The strings will still "move" and not necessarily snap back all the time, but you can avoid a locked up stringbed for sure.

+10 points for EverSliding

 

[mikeler]

...I think the question is, which ones lasted the longest for you?...

This makes more sense. Probably a full poly setup has been best for me in this regard.

 

[LeeD]

STBite 16 at lower tensions.
While it's got shape, a square, it's slick, smooth, and shiny, allowing free sliding out and back into position.

 

[SCRAP IRON]

I've never seen a string bed that never gets stuck and I've tried a lot of strings.

I second that motion...

 

[torpantennis]

This makes more sense. Probably a full poly setup has been best for me in this regard.

This tends to be the case, if you're a hard hitter and break e.g. gut/poly in like less than 5h. I'm not a string breaker, and I can play with most any stringjob for 15-20h before they break. Multis lose elasticity and go mushy/gummy in about 5h. Full poly tends to go dented and dead in 8-12h. I'm now at 20h with gut/4G, gut mains are still great but the crosses are dented and should be restrung. Next up I'll try gut/Hawk, that could last maybe 30-40h!

If you string for yourself, a cheap poly is a great option. My pro stringer takes too much money for me to string poly each 6-8h.

 

[maxpotapov]

STBite 16 at lower tensions.
While it's got shape, a square, it's slick, smooth, and shiny, allowing free sliding out and back into position.

But what happens when it "loses shape"?

 

[maxpotapov]

Any setup with String-a-lings :shock:

Serously, if you really want to make any setup avoid premature notchulation, fill the string bed with Elastocross or string-a-lings: Problem solved. The strings will still "move" and not necessarily snap back all the time, but you can avoid a locked up stringbed for sure.

+10 points for EverSliding

I thought it bumps up stringbed stiffness, but maybe it can be offset with lower tension?
Still, I would not try to prolong life of full poly setup with Elastocross, because poly would die anyway

 

[maxpotapov]

Not get stuck: Wilson Natural Gut/ Signum Pro Firestorm
Get stuck: Wilson Natural gut/ ALU Power Rough

Wilson Champion's Choice locks up? That's surprising! :shock:

 

[maxpotapov]

This makes more sense. Probably a full poly setup has been best for me in this regard.

I cut out full Head Sonic Pro after second hitting session. It was quite good when it was fresh, but I could really feel the difference the next outing.

I would be very surprised to see any full poly or multi/syn/gut setup that does not lock up

 

[oble]

Gosen OGSM/Solinco Outlast in the EverSliding group.

Btw, is that your new business name? :lol:

 

[maxpotapov]

Gosen OGSM/Solinco Outlast in the EverSliding group.

Btw, is that your new business name? :lol:

Kind of goofy, isn't it?
I'll change the name of the group, please suggest new names

 

[BretH]

Prince syn gut mains / vendetta crosses- mains get dented so they don't slide up and down but I couldn't get them to stop sliding and snapping back side to side. Finally cut it out after 15 hours or so just because I figured the poly was getting near outta lifespan.

String tension of course must play a factor. My setup is around 44 lbs for the syn gut mains and 40 for the poly crosses.

 

[maxpotapov]

Prince syn gut mains / vendetta crosses- mains get dented so they don't slide up and down but I couldn't get them to stop sliding and snapping back side to side. Finally cut it out after 15 hours or so just because I figured the poly was getting near outta lifespan.

String tension of course must play a factor. My setup is around 44 lbs for the syn gut mains and 40 for the poly crosses.

It's OK when mains get notched, it's a problem when crosses get dented and prevent mains from moving
Which exactly Prince Synthetic Gut?..

 

[maxpotapov]

Updated the list, thanks for contributions!

Interested to get more setups that lock up. Just look at your racquet, try to move central mains with your fingers and post your results here!

 

[BretH]

I've used Prince Original Syn Gut with and without duraflex. And yes, the mains notch so the crosses don't slide, but that makes absolutely no difference to me. The mains sliding and snapping give very nice spin.

I think any reasonably tough Syn Gut would work fine here - I'll likely try Sweet 16 at some point. But multis break within a hitting session - and I am not really a string breaker.

 

[penguin]

I have a racquet with Global Gut/ Mosquito bite and stringsavers which hasn't locked up, even though it is quite worn now and seems to have got launchy. Does cheap gut get launchy or is it just that the poly is now dead?

nb without elastocrosses the strings wouldn't snap back when it was a fresh job.

 

[maxpotapov]

I have a racquet with Global Gut/ Mosquito bite and stringsavers which hasn't locked up, even though it is quite worn now and seems to have got launchy. Does cheap gut get launchy or is it just that the poly is now dead?

nb without elastocrosses the strings wouldn't snap back when it was a fresh job.

Interesting information on Elastocross!
Still, I'm worried that they stiffen up the stringbed :/

 

[penguin]

Interesting information on Elastocross!
Still, I'm worried that they stiffen up the stringbed :/

Hmm, well at the tension I had it it was overpowered without them so the extra control (tension increase? having more spin from snapback?)) was a big improvement. Gut's still going to be softer than other strings, no?

 

[maxpotapov]

^^Will definitely try them in full gut setup

 

[maxpotapov]

I can see that sweet spot is less prone to crosses denting problem, because mains naturally move more in this area. Likewise, flatter-hitting players are more likely to have "locked up" stringneds and, at the same time, care less about this problem.

 

[maxpotapov]

Crosses denting less in the sweet spot area is probably the reason for Federer to use Elastocrosses above the sweetspot (where heavy flatter serves and shots can go)

 

[Shroud]

Sliding till the mains break:

Ashaway Kevlar/ Monogutzx with the monogut strung 10-20+ lbs lower

locking up

Ashaway Kevlar/ Syngut crosses
Ashaway Kevlar/ Ashaway dynamite 18

 

[JT_2eighty]

Any poly main I've tried with gut crosses, or syn gut crosses, gets locked up fast.

Nevermind the debate about the value of putting gut in the crosses, there are some who like it so leave it there, but point is gut and syn gut crosses fray quickly and the poly gets stuck out of place fast.

Other locking up strings are full beds of most syn guts. have yet to try N.vy, that one may last a little longer from the sound of it.

Full bed of gut also gets frayed and locked up quickly. This is a good one to use string savers because while they may stiffen the feel a little, with gut it's barely noticeable (and tends to help tame the power).

 

[TimothyO]

Never get stuck: VS Touch / MSV Focus Hex

 

[maxpotapov]

Never get stuck: VS Touch / MSV Focus Hex

Is Focus Hex sawing through the BT7 VS Touch fast?