huge list of strings

[TheLambsheadrep]

im looking for cheap, spin heavy string. i looked through tenniswarehouse and got a nice big list. it would be cool if anyone has used a string on the list (or a different gauge of it) to say what they liked/disliked about it and to give it a yes or no overall.

Ashaway Crossfire 17 Kevlar
ASHAWAY MonoGut 16L
Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 17g
Gamma Gut 2
Gamma Synthetic Gut 18
Head FiberGEL Spin 16
Head RIP Control 17
Klip Scorcher Gold 17
Luxilon Monotec Zolo 16L
MSV Focus Hex 17L
Prince Synthetic Gut 17 Duraflex
TOPSPIN Cyber Flash String 17G
Volkl Cyclone 17
Wilson Extreme 17 Synthetic Gut

a little more expensive
Luxilon Big Banger Original 16
Luxilon Big Banger Timo 17L

Also, what is the benefit of hybridizing your string pattern, what are some good recommendations? and lets say if you hybridize 2 diff strings, so you use half of each, can you save the second halves for the next stringing?

 

[pvaudio]

Wow, you have a HUGE number of different types of string there. What's your playing style?

 

[DAS2011]

I have played with:

Ashaway Crossfire 18 -
No spin, low power, very stiff. Made the sweet spot seem smaller, but it felt very solid. Great durability.

Head RIP Control 17 -
Again, low power and low spin. Strings move a lot and durability is low.

Prince Synthetic Gut Duraflex 16, 17 -
Pretty plain. I've only ever used it in the crosses of hybrids. It many cases, it outlasts the poly mains I would put in.

MSV Focus Hex (can't remember gauge) -
Yeesh, it has been a long time since I have played with these. If I recall correctly, they are pretty good. Spin was great, but for a poly, it was only average. Also, I believe it was fairly soft for a poly. I never broke them, so durability was great, but tension maintenence was only average.

As per your question: If you have two packs of string and they are both 40 ft, you can cut each in half and string two racquets with hybrid jobs. So yes, if you string one hybrid job, you will have enough string left to do another hybrid job.

 

[retlod]

If you want spin heavy, axe all the non-poly strings off of your list. Unless you're a freak string breaker with an iron elbow, nix the kevlar. That leaves:

ASHAWAY MonoGut 16L
Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 17g
Luxilon Monotec Zolo 16L
MSV Focus Hex 17L
TOPSPIN Cyber Flash String 17G
Volkl Cyclone 17

No experience with MonoGut or Zolo. PHT is fairly expensive. MSV Hex is a jack-of-all-trades offering--it's not bad at anything but not great at anything either. I like it as a cheap cross. CyberFlash and Cyclone are great as well. What about Topspin CyberBlue?

 

[TheLambsheadrep]

Wow, you have a HUGE number of different types of string there. What's your playing style?

i tend to hit flat, even when brushing up and trying to get an arch in the shot. it looks (to me) like its on a line passing a foot or less above the net.

 

[TheLambsheadrep]

If you want spin heavy, axe all the non-poly strings off of your list. Unless you're a freak string breaker with an iron elbow, nix the kevlar. That leaves:

ASHAWAY MonoGut 16L
Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 17g
Luxilon Monotec Zolo 16L
MSV Focus Hex 17L
TOPSPIN Cyber Flash String 17G
Volkl Cyclone 17

No experience with MonoGut or Zolo. PHT is fairly expensive. MSV Hex is a jack-of-all-trades offering--it's not bad at anything but not great at anything either. I like it as a cheap cross. CyberFlash and Cyclone are great as well. What about Topspin CyberBlue?

I hardly ever break string, i usually have to cut them when theyre dead. i tried kevlar once, too long ago to remember the good things about it but know that theres nothing outstandingly wrong. on tw, it says "Polyester strings have rapidly gained popularity on the pro tour. Offering excellent durability and a distinct feel, polyester strings are a good fit for hard hitting, chronic string breakers." i def hit hard, but no go on the chronic string breaker part.

 

[Donny0627]

I Use Pro Hurricane 17, and I can't say tht the string has any real weakness. It just is a good all around string. However, it does drop tension pretty fast in the first 2 hrs of hitting...

 

[TheLambsheadrep]

I have played with:

Ashaway Crossfire 18 -
No spin, low power, very stiff. Made the sweet spot seem smaller, but it felt very solid. Great durability.

MSV Focus Hex (can't remember gauge) -
Yeesh, it has been a long time since I have played with these. If I recall correctly, they are pretty good. Spin was great, but for a poly, it was only average. Also, I believe it was fairly soft for a poly. I never broke them, so durability was great, but tension maintenence was only average.

As per your question: If you have two packs of string and they are both 40 ft, you can cut each in half and string two racquets with hybrid jobs. So yes, if you string one hybrid job, you will have enough string left to do another hybrid job.

so the Ashaway Crossfire would be good for flat hitting and the MSV Focus Hex for spin?
and the string doesnt "go bad" once cut and left until the next stringing?

 

[TheLambsheadrep]

I Use Pro Hurricane 17, and I can't say tht the string has any real weakness. It just is a good all around string. However, it does drop tension pretty fast in the first 2 hrs of hitting...

i saw a guy hit with it, had the most amazing pop sound

 

[retlod]

Any poly is good for spin. Just because a string is shaped or textured doesn't mean it will allow for better spin. There is a lot of physics in stringbed behavior in poly setups. I don't understand most of it, but I do know that fresh poly is awesome for spin. It loses tension fast, as well as its slick surface. When the string isn't slick or tight, spin drops and shots fly long.

And no, untensioned poly does not degrade or go bad.

 

[TheLambsheadrep]

No experience with MonoGut or Zolo. PHT is fairly expensive. MSV Hex is a jack-of-all-trades offering--it's not bad at anything but not great at anything either. I like it as a cheap cross. CyberFlash and Cyclone are great as well. What about Topspin CyberBlue?

what are the pros/cons of hybridizing the string bed?

 

[retlod]

Using a syn gut as the cross string softens the string bed a bit. A multi softens is more. Gut softens it a lot. A poly/poly hybrid is really only good for saving money if you use a cheap cross that you like.

 

[pvaudio]

I Use Pro Hurricane 17, and I can't say tht the string has any real weakness. It just is a good all around string. However, it does drop tension pretty fast in the first 2 hrs of hitting...

Whether people want to admit it or not, Pro Hurricane is still one of the originals and still one of the all time greats.

 

[petercoffey]

My 5 favs in no particular order are...

Prince Topspin 15L
Topspin CyberFlash 16

Isospeed Baseline Spin-Speed 17
Tourna Big Hitter Silver Rough 17

Pro Hurricane 16

you can mix and match for different set ups

 

[TheLambsheadrep]

Using a syn gut as the cross string softens the string bed a bit. A multi softens is more. Gut softens it a lot. A poly/poly hybrid is really only good for saving money if you use a cheap cross that you like.

so the only advantage of a hybrid is to soften the string bed?

 

[DAS2011]

so the Ashaway Crossfire would be good for flat hitting and the MSV Focus Hex for spin?
and the string doesnt "go bad" once cut and left until the next stringing?

I mean you could say Crossfire is good for flat hitters, but I seriously cannot reccommend it. There are just too many better strings out there, and it is ROUGH on your body. It produces no spin whats so ever, and in my opinion, flat hitters should look for strings that give them more spin, so that they can keep their flat strokes and still get some action on the ball.

Focus HEX is great for spin. However, if you are thinking of hybriding this with crossfire, I would reccomend that you do not. While some people hybrid polys with kevlar, they usually do so at super low tensions and still, it would be quite rough on you elbow.

And no, synthetic strings (syn gut, poly, kevlar, etc) do not "go bad" if they aren't strung in a racquet. I have left a couple half sets of string in my garage for many months and then strung them and they played is if they were fresh out of the package. However, I would imagine that natural gut would be a different story. If you had a half set of gut, you will want to keep it in an air/mositure tight container and use it sooner rather than later.

 

[GlenK]

Don't try Luxilon Monotec Zolo 16L either. You may love it and they stopped making it. Once existing inventory runs out, that's it.

The string I love now they quit making it too.. I hate that.. :grin:

 

[pvaudio]

so the only advantage of a hybrid is to soften the string bed?

Or to let your supply of poly last longer since it goes dead quickly compared to syn gut...which doesn't. The other reason to do hybrids is to either accentuate or remove a certain attribute of either string. You might cross a really cheap gut with polyester to make it more controllable, or cross a stiff poly with gut to increase the feel.

 

[TheLambsheadrep]

Focus HEX is great for spin. However, if you are thinking of hybriding this with crossfire, I would reccomend that you do not. While some people hybrid polys with kevlar, they usually do so at super low tensions and still, it would be quite rough on you elbow.

With your description now I prob wont look into crossfire. I don't know which hybrid combos I would use, but the HEX sounds very appealing. So it's recommended to hybrid a poly with a cheap gut (either synth or natural), and I would want the mains to be the better string correct? Not that I'm comparing myself to them, but do pros use hybrid string beds?

 

[pvaudio]

Honestly, it's all about finding the feel that you like. Some people find a single string that's exactly what they're looking for, some people prefer a combination. I'm not advocating using cheap anything, and especially not gut since cheap cut tends to break. Personally, I used to use full polyester but now use natural gut crosses with poly mains.

As for the pros, yes, many do. For example, Federer and Djokovic use gut mains with poly crosses, Roddick uses poly mains with gut crosses, but Nadal uses full poly.

 

[TheLambsheadrep]

should I keep the gauges same? what specs of the strings should/shouldnt be different?

 

[retlod]

should I keep the gauges same? what specs of the strings should/shouldnt be different?

In a hybrid, anything goes.

 

[DrpShot!]

Tourna's Big Hitter Blue Rough just tested #1 in spin by the RSI. I'd start there:
http://www.racquetsportsindustry.com/articles/2011/02/playtest_tourna_big_hitter_blu.html

 

[TheLambsheadrep]

is too much spin a bad thing? as i said, i tend to hit flat but want more arch to my shots, so should this string help?

 

[Deleted member 120290]

is too much spin a bad thing?

Yes, your opponents will hate you.

 

[COPEY]

Honestly, it's all about finding the feel that you like. Some people find a single string that's exactly what they're looking for, some people prefer a combination.

Right on the money in my opinion.

As for getting more spin when you're a flat hitter, it sounds like you need to alter your grip and mechanics more than anything else. Polys that accentuate spin can only do so if you first and foremost use the type of grip and stroke mechanics that produce severe ball rotation. I can get a significant amount of spin with a basic syn gut if I use a grip in between a semi- and full western and a windshield wiper swing. The same grip/swing combination with poly would make the spin much easier to produce, and it'll accentuate the ball rotation fivefold (depending on the poly, of course).

 

[Ryjapa]

I'm kind of in the same boat here as far as deciding what combination of strings to use. I swing with a lot of spin, and as of right now I am pretty set on using Signum Pro Tornado 17 for my mains, but I dont know what type of cross to use with it. I break strings quite often, so durability is an issue for me, but I've always used a synthetic gut as the cross for feel. I think that if I used a poly cross, it would have to be very soft, but I dont know if it would be worth it to sacrifice the feel of a synthetic gut for the durability of a poly cross. Any advice?

 

[tennisinAZ]

ive tried the 18g of volkl cyclone and that was a very decent string, solid and durable for being 18g. other good cheap strings are gosen polylon ice (thinnest gauge you can get), prince spin 3D( but beware, it goes dead pretty quick), or eiter gamma ZO twist and ZO black ice both in 17g, black ice even 18g is good

 

[TheLambsheadrep]

if i hardly ever break strings, would 18g be ok for me?

 

[TheLambsheadrep]

I have always played with 16g, wanna try 17g, but if i hardly ever break strings, would 18g be ok for me as well?

 

[fortun8son]

Stringing crosses with a multi gives a good visual wear indicator. By the time it frays, your mains are dead, A lot of people leave their polys on waay too long!

 

[TheLambsheadrep]

would Wilson hollow core by a good cross to hybrid with a poly?

 

[fortun8son]

would Wilson hollow core by a good cross to hybrid with a poly?

Hollow Core plays like a good Multi. It may be too pricey to use as a cross, but it should work just fine!

 

[fortun8son]

I have always played with 16g, wanna try 17g, but if i hardly ever break strings, would 18g be ok for me as well?

18 will give more power and spin. Try Luxilon BB Ace(10% lower) crossed with Head PPS 18 (normal tension)

 

[TheLambsheadrep]

Hollow Core plays like a good Multi. It may be too pricey to use as a cross, but it should work just fine!

i played with it as a full string set up this summer, it wasnt bad. regardless of price, would it be a good match with a poly?

and so you are saying id be fine with 18 gauge if i hardly ever break strings? i do wanna start working on my swing technique to add more topspin, but we'll see about that