FullPoly to hybrid. Less control? Or just softer.

[18X20Newbie]

Hey everyone! Got a hitting partner that plays full Prince Poly EXP 18 at 53 lbs. in his EXO Graph 93. He likes everything about it - spin, control, power BUT thinks it's a smidge stiff.

He's reluctant to put a multi in the crosses OR lower tension for fear of less control or added power (which he doesn't want). I suggested try a multi in the crosses at the same tension 53 for the least change in power or control.

As he is also reluctant to change or try different strings, so he says he'll just lower tension to 50. I told him that will barely change the stiffness.

What do you guys think?

 

[tennis_pr0]

It all depends on what you're looking for. I'm with your friend that I would never use anything but all poly, unless an it gets to a point where my arm can't take it anymore. Putting a soft multi in the cross would indeed reduce the stiffness and add a little bit of power; however, when you do this you take away some of the aspects that poly gives. Poly is a string that will really grip the ball and allow you to hit out on every shot. For someone who is use to all poly, switching to a hybrid would be a much different feel off every shot.

 

[18X20Newbie]

Thanks tennis. So you're saying that just lowering the tension should be option #1 to give a little more comfort? Wouldn't that also provide a little more power?

How about a multi in the cross at a HIGHER tension like 58?

 

[tennis_pr0]

Well you said your friend won't try anything else, yet he feels that the full poly setup is a bit too stiff. Any poly at any tension is going to be stiff. Going from 53 to 50 will not make much of a difference, especially when the poly breaks in and loses tension, which takes about an hour, it will feel basically the same.

If your friend wants something more comfortable, there are two options: The first, like you said, would be to throw a multi in the crosses. The second would be switching to a different poly, something softer like a co-poly. I use sonic pro which is a co-poly, and there are many others out there.

 

[000KFACTOR90000]

I find the thinner gauges play stiffer. Maybe try the 17 or 16 gauge ?

 

[18X20Newbie]

The hybrid might be an easier transition for him - at least he still has his "normal" string in the mains.

I've heard Sonic Pro is a good co-poly. Maybe I'll try it out.

Thanks again!

 

[tennis_pr0]

The hybrid might be an easier transition for him - at least he still has his "normal" string in the mains.

I've heard Sonic Pro is a good co-poly. Maybe I'll try it out.

Thanks again!

Glad I could help.

 

[18X20Newbie]

I find the thinner gauges play stiffer. Maybe try the 17 or 16 gauge ?

I thought the opposite was true. Thinner = more elasticity = softer feel (based on the same string).

For myself, gauge is the LAST thing I change. Thanks guys for the suggestions!

 

[000KFACTOR90000]

I thought the opposite was true. Thinner = more elasticity = softer feel (based on the same string).

From a squash site but interesting -

But here’s another factor to consider: at the same tension a thin string is stretched more than a thick one, so the thin string behaves as if it’s tighter. If you’ve been playing with 17 gauge string, strung at 27lb tension, and you switch to thinner, 18 micro-gauge, to obtain more power, you’ll probably want to reduce tension to 24lb or so. At 27lb the thinner string would feel too tight, and you’d actually sacrifice power compared to the thicker string. (For jargon junkies, we’ll call this phenomenon ‘relative tension’.)

http://www.squashplayer.co.uk/magazine/string_matters.htm

 

[18X20Newbie]

From a squash site but interesting -

But here’s another factor to consider: at the same tension a thin string is stretched more than a thick one, so the thin string behaves as if it’s tighter. If you’ve been playing with 17 gauge string, strung at 27lb tension, and you switch to thinner, 18 micro-gauge, to obtain more power, you’ll probably want to reduce tension to 24lb or so. At 27lb the thinner string would feel too tight, and you’d actually sacrifice power compared to the thicker string. (For jargon junkies, we’ll call this phenomenon ‘relative tension’.)

http://www.squashplayer.co.uk/magazine/string_matters.htm

Hmm... Like we need more factors to make our decisions better or more confusing...

Gets easier to understand why Pros don't like to change anything...