Hybrids to try?

Power Player

Bionic Poster
I'd love to try a hybrid. I really like the poly I am using, but I hear lots of folks talk about hybrids and how they can save your arm in the long run. So I am wondering what combos I should try.

I play with heavy topspin and am a baseliner. I swing hard and string at 58 pounds on my 335.

Basically I am a big fan of having control and spin, and making the power on my own. What kind of hybrid combos should I check out?
 

sawedust

New User
I use SPPP as you do, but I hybrid it with Gosen OG Micro.

Some things I get out of it:

// cheaper
// feels great
// easy on the arm (and the wallet)
// great durability
// nice spin potential (not as much as a full poly job)
// looks awesome

I'm sure others will have more to say about it. =]
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
I use SPPP as you do, but I hybrid it with Gosen OG Micro.

Some things I get out of it:

// cheaper
// feels great
// easy on the arm (and the wallet)
// great durability
// nice spin potential (not as much as a full poly job)
// looks awesome

I'm sure others will have more to say about it. =]


Wow..interesting..how did you come across that combo? It sounds great. Especially if it is not powerful..I will probably string at 58 pounds to keep it all under control too.
 

sawedust

New User
Wow..interesting..how did you come across that combo? It sounds great. Especially if it is not powerful..I will probably string at 58 pounds to keep it all under control too.

I had problems playing with full poly, probably stemming from the times when I played with full Lux. Hurt the elbow and kept having to re-string.

Then I stopped playing tennis.

When I got back into it, the local stringer recommended I try SPPP as it was softer than Lux, cheaper, and would last longer. He also suggested creating a hybrid as it was cheaper and easier on the arm than a full poly job.

Some syn guts I've tried as a hybrid:

// Wilson NXT 17
// Wilson NXT Max 17
// Wilson Sensation 17 (ughhhh)
// Technifibre NRG2 17
// Gosen OG Micro 17

The NXT strings didn't feel nice on the racquet, it was a bit weird. Can't quite explain the feel but it wasn't what I was looking for.

I snapped the Sensation within a few rallies. Keep in mind it was on a cross too. Horrible quality and durability.

The NRG2 was also nice, great feel and playability while the strings were fresh. However, it started getting expensive to have to hybrid the two for both of my rackets (since I don't string). Towards the end of the strings' life the feel became quite mushy and there was absolutely no feedback whatsoever, so that's another reason why I kept looking.

Came on to the TW forums and looked for recommendations about a nice, cheap syn gut with great feel and playability and Gosen OG Micro popped up.

Went to the shop and had them string up my rackets with SPPP 17 @ 54lbs // Gosen OG Micro @ 56 lbs and it's excellent.

After breaking in the strings for a few hours, it is THE best setup I have played with. Everything feels just right.

Of course, my opinion may vary from others but this was my experience with the hybrid. :)
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Thanks for the Gosen tip. I dropped off my 335 today to get it worked on.

The stringer is one of the best in Orlando, and it was my first time going to him. I like him because he is kind of picky and snobbish. One time I walked into his store with an old Head racquet just to show a lady working there what kind of racquets I liked, and while she used a gauge to get the swing weight he was like "I will not string that"..lol.

Anyway, when I asked for the Signum Poly, he immediately was like "we will not use that string here". Maybe it is just because he is a luxilon vendor...I don't know.

So I went with some Lux Big Banger ALU spin in 17. I had that done at 55 pounds. He did the Gosen OG micro across and that will be at 60. He seemed into that little setup.

So we shall see. I love the hybrid concept. Glad I made the thread.
 
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