In praise of Kevlar/ZX hybrid!!!

I have been using the Kev/ZX (16g in both) at 60 x 48 lbs in my Pro Kennex Black Ace 315 (modified) since April and loving the results. I tried all sorts of tricks in my Prince Tour 98 ESP to keep the Kev mains from moving in that open 16 x 16 pattern, but never quite was able to prevent it over the past few years. Same string bed in my BA 315 since April and I have not had to move my mains once And not getting the same level of wear in the Kevlar mains that I was in the Prince.

As mentioned above, I have been using my Wise to prestretch both the Kevlar and ZX and have had great results. My rule of thumb on stringing the ZX crosses is to let the Wise keep pulling until it’s retensioning gap exceeds 5 seconds. Probably takes 30 to 40 seconds on each cross, but it creates a pretty consistent string bed that lasts a real long time. (25% prestretch setting, slowest pull speed). Definitely not a record breaking stringing time, but it produces a consistent string bed that will last until a Kevlar main gets sawed through.
 
comeback said:
Great podcast by TT about Ashaway ie Kevlar, ZX etc
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Listened to this podcast, again, the other night and heard something I somehow missed before. According to the Ashaway guy, there are two types of Kevlar that are available from DuPont and Ashaway has been using the fabric variant in their weave/braided tennis string which is significantly softer and vibration absorbent compared to the other variant which goes into products such as canoes, helmets, etc. He also claimed that Agassi was using Ashaway Kevlar and a natural gut hybrid when he won his first Wimbledon. (the rumor I always heard was he was using Prince Pro Blend, but as we all know, Agassi was not always using what he was sponsored to be using).

Listening to to pod cast will not prevent the haters, but there is some more good info in there for those who would like to do more research on the string before trying it.

Still playing the same Kevlar/ZX stringbed since April in my Black Ace 315 @ 60 lbs x 48 lbs and still going strong. Starting to see some wear on the Kevlar mains, but there is no noticible loss in playability.
 
travlerajm said:
Back with Kevlar 16g/zx pro black on my Ultra Tour, prestretched at 52 lbs.

Still nothing else quite compares.
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I occasional have a stray thought about trying a new string but it never lasts beyond my next time on the court. Watching the action I get on the ball with this hybrid is simply mesmerizing. There is no greater feeling than watching someone on the other side of the net give up on a ball that they assume is out only to have the ball dive inside the baseline.
 
I am going to be 67 in 2 months. I still get to hit tennis balls with folk up to UTR 9+ and they even have some fun.
skydog said:
There is no greater feeling than watching someone on the other side of the net give up on a ball that they assume is out only to have the ball dive inside the baseline.
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I can't count the number of times that exact thing has happened.

Depending on age, skill set and just how your body is holding up I still think that Ash Kev x ZX is a great compromise string that allows a rec player to have spin, durability and comfort. I gave away a Babolot Pure Storm Tour strung with this to a young up and comer Nashville singer song writer who plays tennis and he is enamored with it .

It may not be what a UTR 13 20 yr old wants or needs for an hours play but for a rec player who can generate racket head speed, enjoys spin and likes their arm while keeping the price reasonable for 10+ hrs I don't think there is anything else better.
 
I was looking through some YouTube videos on Agassi’s racquet setup when he was stringing Ashaway Kevlar and Natural gut and came across n interesting stringing pattern. Agassi had his Radicals strung with Ashaway Kev in the mains except for the outer two in which he started his natural gut for the outer mains and continued it into his crosses.

What is the purpose for starting the natural gut on the outer mains? Is there a benefit to doing so?
 
skydog said:
I was looking through some YouTube videos on Agassi’s racquet setup when he was stringing Ashaway Kevlar and Natural gut and came across n interesting stringing pattern. Agassi had his Radicals strung with Ashaway Kev in the mains except for the outer two in which he started his natural gut for the outer mains and continued it into his crosses.

What is the purpose for starting the natural gut on the outer mains? Is there a benefit to doing so?
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I think it was mainly because the kevlar was too short. Or at least that's what I've heard.
 
Any feedback on if anyone has tried all the various different gauges of Kevlar (16, 17, or 18g) in the mains with monogut zx 17g and which main string gauge pairs best with zx 17g?
 
I have two half-sets of Kevlar 17 and a set of Zx 17 ready to go once the natural gut in one of my racquets pops. It'll be nice to get a side-by-side for Kevlar/Zx vs Gut/Poly.
 
strcmp said:
Any feedback on if anyone has tried all the various different gauges of Kevlar (16, 17, or 18g) in the mains with monogut zx 17g and which main string gauge pairs best with zx 17g?
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I’ve tried all 3 gauges. All play well. But I prefer 16g for better stability of playing characteristics and much longer string life. 16g lasts 3x as long as 17g, and 17g last 3x as long as 18g.

I like the 17g zx pro because the kevlar always breaks first. Then I recycle the used zx and use it for several stringjobs because it doesn’t show signs of surface wear when the kevlar is sawn through.

I like the black, which is a little bit slicker than the natural.
 
travlerajm said:
I’ve tried all 3 gauges. All play well. But I prefer 16g for better stability of playing characteristics and much longer string life. 16g lasts 3x as long as 17g, and 17g last 3x as long as 18g.

I like the 17g zx pro because the kevlar always breaks first. Then I recycle the used zx and use it for several stringjobs because it doesn’t show signs of surface wear when the kevlar is sawn through.

I like the black, which is a little bit slicker than the natural.
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I see.. I use kevlar 18g / monogut zx 17g and the kevlar always pops first. Usually after 1-2 weeks of playing. I've never broken a monogut zx before.
Maybe i'll try Kevlar 17g next if it has 3x playing time as 18g.
 
I decided to string up and modify a Head MicroGEL Radical OS to specs similar to Agassi in his prime. Leather grip, BlueTac in the tubes, lead at 3&9. It is a bit different than Agassi specs as I prefer 10 points HL so my weight distribution is a bit different in the lead placement and grams in the head and tubes. Final weight 367 grams 11 points HL. (This is lighter than my normal specs @ 380 grams).

Mains Ashaway Kevlar 16g @ 62 lbs. Crosses black Monogut ZX 16g @ 50 lbs. (Side note, I think I may have an answer on why Agassi had natural gut on the last two mains. 21ft was recommended for the mains and I still needed a bridge to get the last two mains pulled. Only 17 ft for the crosses Which was plenty for Zyex. If his stringer was using half sets, not enough Kevlar for the mains or decided not to waste the 3 feet of natty gut and used it in the last two mains).

Finished up a couple hours before drills this evening so I brought it out to the court. It was a bit unusual playing at the lighter weight, but I was able to adapt relatively quickly. Once I hit several balls, the stringbed settled in nicely and I was pleased with the results. Per the usual, I was able generate good top spin and under spin with the same ease as most other racquets I have tried the hybrid in. There were a couple of flyers that I can attribute to the weight adjustment period and/or lapse in technique. I look forward to getting back out there for another go to see how it performs.
 
20211126_Brokenstring3_v6.jpg


For a giggle, I finally hit THROUGH the ball, when the synthetic gut cross snapped, after snapping the Kevlar+ twice. FYI, the CrossFire was first strung in late June 2018. ZXP lasted one restring. Well, I think I got my money's worth, don't you think?
 
I have strung up a second MicroGel Radical OS @ 58 lbs x 48 lbs. Jury still out on this one as I only have one session with it, hoping to get out next week with it. Felt good off the stringer, but never quite got in the groove with it as it broke in.
 
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skydog said:
I have strong up a second MicroGel Radical OS @ 58 lbs x 48 lbs. Jury still out on this one as I only have one session with it, hoping to get out next week with it. Felt good off the stringer, but never quite got in the groove with it as it broke in.
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I like it on all my frames, but I think smaller head sizes really bring out the advantages of this combo.
 
skydog said:
I have strung up a second MicroGel Radical OS @ 58 lbs x 48 lbs.
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I have an acquaintance who strings his own and he swings MG Rad OSs. He uses 16G Ash Kev mains and NRG2 crosses. He had no clue that ZX existed. His NRG2 gets chewed up by the Ash Kev in relatively short order. I explained ZX to him. He was skeptical but he did buy some but I have not seen him since.

I have strung a lot of Ash Kev x ZX and never understood the appeal of the big differential. I tried it a few times and went "ho hum." I have this theory that both Ash Kev and ZX drop around 15% before the combo "settles," maybe even a bit more and I use a constant pull linear machine on a low pull setting.

djNEiGht said:
tension recs for a 90 si thin beam racquet 16x19?
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I don't use Ash Kev x ZX in low power thin beam rackets. I think the combo works best in powerful open pattern rackets. In my Volk 93 18x20s I think either a very thin poly or even better a thinner gauge syn gut works best. I have nearly 68 yr old arms though, so your mileage may vary.
 
I'm about to try string up Ash Kev 16 and ZX 16 in a Steam 99S. Planning to do 58/58 unless it's good idea to drop the ZX 16 down a few lbs.
 
happyandbob said:
Ash Kev 16 and ZX 16 in a Steam 99S
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16x15? That should be fun. I really do think at 58/58 after a couple of hours of hitting that stringbed will be around 48lbs. I also don't think Ash Kev x ZX pings on Racket Tune or Tennis Tension like other strings. I think, but don't know, that the braided "uncoated" Ash Kev absorbs vibrations both for Apps and my elbow. I used to always string this D1 player's rackets 62/58 in a 100" 16x18. I string a young 5.0 player's PDs at 62/58 and he likes it. I strung my APDs and PD arbitrarily at 58/58 because I don't need to change the setting on my machine or write out a note or sticker. When you are talking a significant initial tension loss it doesn't seem to matter all that much with this combo. The ZX stretches so much it is really interesting. I prestretched a half set of ZX a couple of times 28" permanent elongation. That was with a winch outdoors. Using that winch on Ash Kev and you only get a couple of inches. One problem with Ash Kev is tying off the last mains. A little bit of lost tension when tying off really affects the last main or two and likely the stringbed over time. So tighter on the Ash Kev mains might be better. I use the Gamma Cam Pliers and an awl at tie off and my stringbeds could not be better. And just when I was getting smug about not breaking ZX while stringing I snapped it on the last tie off knot of the ZX crosses. I blame it on the brandy.
 
Bloviator said:
I think it's helpful here to specify if strung on a lockout vs constant pull.
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When I was using my LO NEOS 1000 tension head and not prestretching the bejeezus out of Ash Kev with my winch I would pull tension on the Ash Kev 3x on each main. On un-prestretched ZX I would pull slow. This seemed to negate the need for a manual prestretch. When I prestretched Ash Kev on the winch to near the breaking point and leave it for 10 minutes, remove it from the winch then immediately take it in and string it up with the LO Neos tension head that turned out to be pretty "boardy" feeling. I think with Ash Kev when removed from the winch and let it hang up for a day or more its "coil" memory, what little there is in that fiber, would return negating much of the effect of the manual prestretch.

ZX mono is such an anomaly among strings it is hard to describe to the uninitiated. I have used ZX fullbed a number of times, as well as hybrided with nat gut, poly and syn gut. I pretty much hate it in any way except as a cross with Ash Kev and then it is quite interesting and useful to me and to a few others.

With the Wise I just have the pull selection on the slowest pull setting and string as normal both Ash Kev and ZX without an manual prestretching and 58/58 seems to turn out fine. I have had no complaints from players who used to get manual prestretched string jobs using my LO. I am quite happy how it is turning out for my own play. But I do respect the tension loss of each of these string types so tend toward higher reference tensions.
 
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Well that sucked, but it's done. First time I wasn't paying attention because I was watching TV as I was stringing and broke the ZX tying the last knot. (n)

The second time, the ZX broke while I was pulling tension in the middle of the string bed. Maybe I kinked it unknowingly (n)

Third time's a charm I guess. Well one thing's for certain, that most expensive string job ever!
 
happyandbob said:
The second time, the ZX broke while I was pulling tension in the middle of the string bed. Maybe I kinked it unknowingly (n)
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I have done that a couple of times and I think I have fixed that problem. I never clamp off next to the grommet. I think that hard 90 degree turn with no ability to stretch causes a break like that with this strange string. I always clamp at least 1/2" away from the frame. I haven't had a "midway" ZX breakage since I started doing that. But that knot thing, got to tie a loose knot and let the springiness of the ZX hold the knot. Just when you tell yourself, "I'll just snug that up a smidge" - wham, it snaps off like a toothpick. I had been knocking back the brandy that last time and that is exactly what I did, "just snug that knot up a little tighter." Hold my beer and watch this...
 
When pulling tension on the Wise, how long does it take yours to find tension? I manually prestretched a 20' length about 8 or 9 inches then did 58 with 10% prestretch. It would jump to 63 then drop to 58, then drop to 54 and then it took like 45 seconds to finally settle at 58. I've been emailing back and forth with Dan at **********, he says my unit isn't affected by the firmware update that some folks have had to load on theirs, he says mine is too new. But whenever I'm doing a multifilament, every other string it takes the Wise up to 2 minutes sometimes to find reference tension.

graycrait said:
When I was using my LO NEOS 1000 tension head and not prestretching the bejeezus out of Ash Kev with my winch I would pull tension on the Ash Kev 3x on each main. On un-prestretched ZX I would pull slow. This seemed to negate the need for a manual prestretch. When I prestretched Ash Kev on the winch to near the breaking point and leave it for 10 minutes, remove it from the winch then immediately take it in and string it up with the LO Neos tension head that turned out to be pretty "boardy" feeling. I think with Ash Kev when removed from the winch and let it hang up for a day or more its "coil" memory, what little there is in that fiber, would return negating much of the effect of the manual prestretch.

ZX mono is such an anomaly among strings it is hard to describe to the uninitiated. I have used ZX fullbed a number of times, as well as hybrided with nat gut, poly and syn gut. I pretty much hate it in any way except as a cross with Ash Kev and then it is quite interesting and useful to me and to a few others.

With the Wise I just have the pull selection on the slowest pull setting and string as normal both Ash Kev and ZX without an manual prestretching and 58/58 seems to turn out fine. I have had no complaints from players who used to get manual prestretched string jobs using my LO. I am quite happy how it is turning out for my own play. But I do respect the tension loss of each of these string types so tend toward higher reference tensions.
Click to expand...
 
@happyandbob , I don't use a prestretch on my Wise, just the slow speed setting and of course constant pull. There is an initial pull and right on the heels of that there is a secondary pull. I attribute that secondary pull to ZX because I don't get that with syn gut or a multi. But the process is quick, in seconds.
 
travlerajm said:
Back with Kevlar 16g/zx pro black on my Ultra Tour, prestretched at 52 lbs.

Still nothing else quite compares.
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You mentioned that the new method you started using (pounding while stringing) allowed you to not need large differentials anymore.

If I am unable to do this for now (someone else is stringing my frames) then would your described-method of prestretching (anchor + body weight pulses + chair measurements) be enough to get away with one uniform tension, and no differential?

Or is it specifically the pounding method that helped be less reliant on the differential?
 
graycrait said:
@happyandbob , I don't use a prestretch on my Wise, just the slow speed setting and of course constant pull. There is an initial pull and right on the heels of that there is a secondary pull. I attribute that secondary pull to ZX because I don't get that with syn gut or a multi. But the process is quick, in seconds.
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Thanks. Pretty sure my wise is a lemon, but going through Dan's steps before sending back to him. I bought one of his calibrators because he wants me to try that first.
 
Astonish said:
You mentioned that the new method you started using (pounding while stringing) allowed you to not need large differentials anymore.

If I am unable to do this for now (someone else is stringing my frames) then would your described-method of prestretching (anchor + body weight pulses + chair measurements) be enough to get away with one uniform tension, and no differential?

Or is it specifically the pounding method that helped be less reliant on the differential?
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The pounding is just another way to prestretch well that’s especially effective with Kevlar. I think if you just be sure to prestretch the kevlar 2-3” and the zx 24” you’ll be fine.
 
happyandbob said:
Thanks. Pretty sure my wise is a lemon, but going through Dan's steps before sending back to him. I bought one of his calibrators because he wants me to try that first.
Click to expand...

My Wise is pretty old and maybe it has that firmware issue, but I do recall it taking a while to get to reference, especially on zx. I got in the habit of letting it tension and while it was doing that, feeding the next cross. When you said above, "every other string" was the the mains or the crosses?
 
Shroud said:
My Wise is pretty old and maybe it has that firmware issue, but I do recall it taking a while to get to reference, especially on zx. I got in the habit of letting it tension and while it was doing that, feeding the next cross. When you said above, "every other string" was the the mains or the crosses?
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With poly it happens only on the crosses and only occasionally. With multi it happens both mains and crosses. With ZX it was happening on every pull
 
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happyandbob said:
With poly it happens only on the crosses and only occasionally. With multi it happens both manes and crosses. With ZX it was happening on every pull
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Interesting. I don't recall that happening necessarily but I never did multis because the break and sadly I have been out since october with a knee injury and haven't strung in probably over a year to know for sure. I string at 86 so its not like I really need to watch it, and if I was weaving the next cross while it was still pulling, I figured all was good.

Which setting do you have it on? The fastest pull or the slowest?
 
Shroud said:
Interesting. I don't recall that happening necessarily but I never did multis because the break and sadly I have been out since october with a knee injury and haven't strung in probably over a year to know for sure. I string at 86 so its not like I really need to watch it, and if I was weaving the next cross while it was still pulling, I figured all was good.

Which setting do you have it on? The fastest pull or the slowest?
Click to expand...

Slowest speed, constant pull. Poly usually 50 lbs, multi 55, and gut 60.

Sorry to hear about your knee. I can sympathize... I had knee surgery in Dec. What's your timeline for getting back to hitting?
 
happyandbob said:
Slowest speed, constant pull. Poly usually 50 lbs, multi 55, and gut 60.

Sorry to hear about your knee. I can sympathize... I had knee surgery in Dec. What's your timeline for getting back to hitting?
Click to expand...
Thats weird. Will be interested to see what happens with Wise! Mine has been a tank I beat the crap out of it. Not only stringing everything at 86lbs, but while its pulling, I will often pull on the strings (at least on the mains) and the tension shoots up into the 90s. Its been awesome, though I don't string a high volume. One advantage of kev/ 4g is durability.

Knee? Who knows. Its not like I actually went to the doctor. I had this injury before so I have an idea what it takes to heal it. I have just been slammed with work and same with my hitting partner so regardless of injuries I wouldn't be playing that much anyhow. Its a meniscus tear.
 
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