Hybrid advice needed - mix with Babolat VS Natural Thermogut 16 Touch

[ClubHoUno]

Hello,

I need some advice. I would like to try Babolat VS Natural Thermorgut 16 Touch in a hybrid mix with another string.

I'm in doubt whether to go for the VS Gut in the crosses or the mains.
Sometimes my string breaks in the mains, but mostly they break in the mains.

I suffer from a sore elbow from time to time - probably from using a Pro Hurrican Tour string in both crosses and main strings.
I love the power I get from poly strings - just need to try a natural gut in some sort of mix with either a poly string or a Multi Filament string.

I've been reading through the board and have found lots of advice in here - thanks for that, but I need some advice in this thread as to what I should opt for

I just bought 4 packs of the Babolat VS Natural Thermogut 16 Touch strings, 4 packs of the Technifibre X-one Biphase 16 Red strings and 8 packs of Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power Spin 16. I already have 8 packs of the Babolat Pro Hurrican Tour strings. I hope I can mix some good hybrids up with these strings - but would like some advice from other users in here :lol:

Just need to know the benefits from putting the VS Natural gut in the crosses versus the mains and if a hybrid of natural gut and multi filament may feel too mushy :shock:

Thanks for helping me out here, guys

4.5 player, 2 Wilson K-Factor K6.1 95 18/20 and 2 Wilson K-Factor K6.1 Team 18/20. I switch to the K-Factor K6.1 Team, when/if my elbow starts hurting during a match.

 

[ClubHoUno]

BUMP for some answers, please......

 

[bcast66]

Technifibre X-One BiPhase 16 & Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power Spin 16 i actually use this set up which is very funny lol. the biphase feels similar to gut exept it lasts a bit longer and is cheaper. the alu power spin has added alot of spin to my game now i have been able to incorporate angle shots. i use head microgel prestige mid sized. x-one biphase is on crosses and big banger is on mains the mains are strung at 59 while the crosses are strung at 57. i string the mains tighter because during stringing the mains loosen up if you string mains before crosses. the set up works like a charm if you got another question you can just respond.

 

[ClubHoUno]

Technifibre X-One BiPhase 16 & Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power Spin 16 i actually use this set up which is very funny lol. the biphase feels similar to gut exept it lasts a bit longer and is cheaper. the alu power spin has added alot of spin to my game now i have been able to incorporate angle shots. i use head microgel prestige mid sized. x-one biphase is on crosses and big banger is on mains the mains are strung at 59 while the crosses are strung at 57. i string the mains tighter because during stringing the mains loosen up if you string mains before crosses. the set up works like a charm if you got another question you can just respond.

Hey, thanks for your reply

I actually just opted for the Signum Pro Plasma HEXTreme 16L Pure instead of the Luxilon ALU Power Spin as the "durable" main string in my hybrid setup because two of my friends played with both the Luxilon and the Signum Pro Plasma for the past 2 weeks and both agreed on that the Signum Pro was better at holding the tension compared to the Luxilon string and felt better overall after 2-3 hours of play. The Luxilon is great for the first 1-2 hours, but then very fast starts to loose tension, feel and begin to pass on vibrations to the arm of the player. The Tour guys, who use Luxilon, will never notice this, because they don't use the string for more than 2 hours max.

So I will mix the Signum Pro Plamsa HEX Pure (mains) with the Babolat VS gut Thermo 16 Touch (crosses) and hope this hybrid will perform great for me.

 

[bcast66]

i tried the babolat vs touch and absolutely hated it compared to x-one biophase. it felt like a big trampoline and i lost my lovely pop sound. be carefull triple tie the knot because if you dont it will unravel.

 

[000KFACTOR90000]

Hey, thanks for your reply

I actually just opted for the Signum Pro Plasma HEXTreme 16L Pure instead of the Luxilon ALU Power Spin as the "durable" main string in my hybrid setup because two of my friends played with both the Luxilon and the Signum Pro Plasma for the past 2 weeks and both agreed on that the Signum Pro was better at holding the tension compared to the Luxilon string and felt better overall after 2-3 hours of play. The Luxilon is great for the first 1-2 hours, but then very fast starts to loose tension, feel and begin to pass on vibrations to the arm of the player. The Tour guys, who use Luxilon, will never notice this, because they don't use the string for more than 2 hours max.

So I will mix the Signum Pro Plamsa HEX Pure (mains) with the Babolat VS gut Thermo 16 Touch (crosses) and hope this hybrid will perform great for me.

I personally disagree with the choice - I like the luxilon and have tried to replace it with something cheaper including the sppp hex but at the end of the day when using a premium string like gut I now always go with a premium poly like luxilon alu power.

ps I use the gut the mains.

 

[ClubHoUno]

i tried the babolat vs touch and absolutely hated it compared to x-one biophase. it felt like a big trampoline and i lost my lovely pop sound. be carefull triple tie the knot because if you dont it will unravel.

Did you try the Babolat VS Natural Gut Touch in a hybrid setup or a pure natural gut setup ?

I like poly strings, believe it or not, as I'm a hard hitter. But I like some of the characteristics of natural gut (great at keeping the tension, arm friendly and great on feel shots). This made me think, that a hybrid of a great poly and a natural gut string may be the best combination for me and my game.

 

[ClubHoUno]

I personally disagree with the choice - I like the luxilon and have tried to replace it with something cheaper including the sppp hex but at the end of the day when using a premium string like gut I now always go with a premium poly like luxilon alu power.

ps I use the gut the mains.

But the Luxilon Alu Power will loose its tension quickly - the SPPP Hex will not according to many people. I agree that the Luxilon string might be the best poly like string ever - but only for the first 2-3 hours of play. After that it looses tension, feel and transports the vibrations directly into the players arm.

The SPPP Hex does not do that. It holds tension very very well.
I think you're wrong, when you don't consider the Signum PPP Hex a premium Poly string. Based on a lot of other players reviews and my two great friends reviews (they are both top senior players and coaches) the SPPP HEX performs great - and is one of the best poly strings at keeping tension. The big negative thing about poly strings is there lack of ability to keep the tension for more than 2-3 hours of play. In my view, it's right up there along the Luxilon strings.

Price is not the big issue for me - I simply want the best possible hybrid of natural gut and the best poly like string. However I don't want to string my rackets every 1-2 hours. I'm afraid the Luxilon string might be the kind of string, that needs to be restrung after 2 hours of play.

I would like a setup, where I know it's time for a new string job, when the natural gut string breaks in my hybrid.

If I used the Luxilon string in the hybrid, I'm afraid the Luxilon string might lose it's great playing characteristics before the natural gut string even breaks.

Thanks for your comment

 

[bcast66]

"will not according to many people"

well thats the key words their other people. if you dont know them in real life they probably have not bought the strings before, or suck at stringing racquets. all i got to say is i have had luxxilon big banger 16 on my racquet for over a month 1 time no tension loss what so ever. and it was stiff as a board. my freind does say pro plasma hextreme is good but i stick with luxilon untill i switch my string set up again which will probably be in 2 years.

yes i did try babolat vs touch with luxxilon and hated it. it felt like a trampoline and there was no crisp pop noise. i put the biophase in and it felt alot better same feel but no trampoline and i got a nice pop so i stick with it, and it just so happens that it is cheap lol.

basically all strings are is preference and sound plays a big part of string set up to me. if it doesent sound right its not working right for me.

 

[ClubHoUno]

"will not according to many people"

well thats the key words their other people. if you dont know them in real life they probably have not bought the strings before, or suck at stringing racquets. all i got to say is i have had luxxilon big banger 16 on my racquet for over a month 1 time no tension loss what so ever. and it was stiff as a board. my freind does say pro plasma hextreme is good but i stick with luxilon untill i switch my string set up again which will probably be in 2 years.

yes i did try babolat vs touch with luxxilon and hated it. it felt like a trampoline and there was no crisp pop noise. i put the biophase in and it felt alot better same feel but no trampoline and i got a nice pop so i stick with it, and it just so happens that it is cheap lol.

basically all strings are is preference and sound plays a big part of string set up to me. if it doesent sound right its not working right for me.

You have a good point there.

I'll buy some Luxilon ALU Power Spin and some Signum Pro Poly Hextreme and test them in a hybrid with Babolat Natural gut Touch Thermo. We'll see which one I prefer. I also agree that sound plays an important role too. It has to sound good to your ears, in order to play great

 

[ClubHoUno]

"will not according to many people"

well thats the key words their other people. if you dont know them in real life they probably have not bought the strings before, or suck at stringing racquets. all i got to say is i have had luxxilon big banger 16 on my racquet for over a month 1 time no tension loss what so ever. and it was stiff as a board. my freind does say pro plasma hextreme is good but i stick with luxilon untill i switch my string set up again which will probably be in 2 years.

yes i did try babolat vs touch with luxxilon and hated it. it felt like a trampoline and there was no crisp pop noise. i put the biophase in and it felt alot better same feel but no trampoline and i got a nice pop so i stick with it, and it just so happens that it is cheap lol.

basically all strings are is preference and sound plays a big part of string set up to me. if it doesent sound right its not working right for me.

BTW I forgot - for how long do you play with your hybrid poly/Multi setup in your strings - until they break or until you don't like the tension of the strings anymore ?
How much playing time do get out of your current hybrid setup ?

 

[PROTENNIS63]

Hybrid it with Big Big Bander ALU Power Spin.

 

[bcast66]

i break them 2 weeks usally in my 18x20 string pattern but i hit really hard. probably anywhere from 15-30 hours