Isospeed Cream / Technifibre HDX Tour>= Gut / Poly [emoji848]

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
Yes. Post was for you.

I will compare 1.30mm Velocity crosses in an apples to apples comparison versus HDX tour 1.30mm crosses with Cream mains in both.

Two frames: same Cream Main in both frames. The only difference will be the crosses. One gets 1.30 Velocity. The other frame 1.30 HDX Tour.

I will mark the bottom crosses with a sharpie after each set I play. One color for singles on one side of the stringed. Another color on the other side of the string bed for doubles. Basically keeljng track of when the crosses break, because they will break first.

Let me post a sample picture for you.

Red mark = 1 set doubles
Blue mark = 1 set singkes

b22667a4913253150014d0592092fb1d.jpg


No speculation or guesswork.

no reason for me to put multi in my mains as they just break mucn faster.

I get much more life out of multi crosses than multi mains. If I use the same strings Velocity & Cream or Velocity & Head Hawk, the setup with poly mains / multi crosses last me longer.

Clever play logging scheme. Those marks would be safe there in my racquet ... but maybe not near the tip. :p

I hope you also have a need to know if v or hdx lasts longer as a cross for you with Cream. Don't do that for me since I won't be playing with Cream.

"no reason for me to put multi in my mains as they just break mucn faster. "

Yes, and not suggesting you do. When someone finds a great setup that works for them, they should stick with it (says the guy still experimenting past fb Velocity :rolleyes:). I was just pointing out if a player restrung cream/multi at the hour mark the multi fuzzed up, that is the same as a break. So if you fuzzed hdx to your fuzz limit at 6 hours, and the multi main broke at 6 hours, then same difference. If you don't have a fuzz limit, then yes, the measure is breakage. I have a friend that plays with rpm/sensation for a month, and then he restrings. By the end of the month the sensation needs to be mowed.

I hit fb hdx for another hour today. Even at 55 F, 55# on LO is "a little" too powerful. I pulled out the fb v strung @52, and it was still perfect for me. I really like the hdx, so my guess hdx/v at something like 55/55 will get me there. Both v and hdx are slippery, so I suspect they will work fine together.

My guess is you could hybrid cream, hdx, velocity in all permutations, and they would all play good. If you break strings quicker, go with cream mains ... unless your arm is sensitive to cream.

Good input, thx ...

Edit: FYI ... I have started to keep my hours played (and who) in my RT tension reading comments. I used to keep it in a log in notes on iphone, but when I'm checking tensions after play anyway, easy to add a comment.
 

scotus

G.O.A.T.
Clever play logging scheme. Those marks would be safe there in my racquet ... but maybe not near the tip. :p

I hope you also have a need to know if v or hdx lasts longer as a cross for you with Cream. Don't do that for me since I won't be playing with Cream.

"no reason for me to put multi in my mains as they just break mucn faster. "

Yes, and not suggesting you do. When someone finds a great setup that works for them, they should stick with it (says the guy still experimenting past fb Velocity :rolleyes:). I was just pointing out if a player restrung cream/multi at the hour mark the multi fuzzed up, that is the same as a break. So if you fuzzed hdx to your fuzz limit at 6 hours, and the multi main broke at 6 hours, then same difference. If you don't have a fuzz limit, then yes, the measure is breakage. I have a friend that plays with rpm/sensation for a month, and then he restrings. By the end of the month the sensation needs to be mowed.

I hit fb hdx for another hour today. Even at 55 F, 55# on LO is "a little" too powerful. I pulled out the fb v strung @52, and it was still perfect for me. I really like the hdx, so my guess hdx/v at something like 55/55 will get me there. Both v and hdx are slippery, so I suspect they will work fine together.

My guess is you could hybrid cream, hdx, velocity in all permutations, and they would all play good. If you break strings quicker, go with cream mains ... unless your arm is sensitive to cream.

Good input, thx ...

Edit: FYI ... I have started to keep my hours played (and who) in my RT tension reading comments. I used to keep it in a log in notes on iphone, but when I'm checking tensions after play anyway, easy to add a comment.

Sounds like you’d want to string your HDX a few pounds higher next time.
 

esgee48

G.O.A.T.
@ByeByePoly , since your stringer knows you're a strange and wonderful guy, you could ask him to emulate a CP on his LO. He would need to pull the strings 2x before clamping. You'll remove some elasticity and the inherent power should drop. You could still do 55# or less. Other option is to try 57-58# and pull once. You may have to do a traffic and step on the string bed. o_O

Or just admit the V is your string until they stop making it.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
@ByeByePoly , since your stringer knows you're a strange and wonderful guy, you could ask him to emulate a CP on his LO. He would need to pull the strings 2x before clamping. You'll remove some elasticity and the inherent power should drop. You could still do 55# or less. Other option is to try 57-58# and pull once. You may have to do a traffic and step on the string bed. o_O

Or just admit the V is your string until they stop making it.

I know V completes me. The thing is I'm a guy ... every now and then you need some strange. Oh ... now the hdx/v makes sense. 3-way.

hahaha ... yeah ... tell my stringer to pull twice. Good one. :D
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
How do you deal with racquets that have a different midpoint tension? String midpoint of that or still 55?

Look ... my rule makes no logical sense. Also, it's a new post TE rule. I have only had one racquet (well, two of them) post TE ... the org v1 pros... 50-60lbs.

If I ever move to a geezer fly swatter 110, I will revisit my rule. :p
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
Never mind. I do not know what I am doing.

Was this for me? Maybe from my:

"hahaha ... yeah ... tell my stringer to pull twice. Good one. :D"

If so, that wasn't a comment on your experise. It was a comment about the pain I would incur suggesting any stringing technique to my stringer.
 

beltsman

G.O.A.T.
What is more powerful, cream/hdx or cream/velocity?

Does cream supply enough spin in these setups?

What about using luxilon element in these setups instead of cream?
 

Muppet

Legend
I would normally say to use the poly in the crosses for the most spin and power. Round polys usually have smooth and slick coatings. But with Velocity it's a very slippery string with kind of a powdery surface. I haven't seen HDX yet as it's out of my price range. I have velocity on the crosses of 3 of my 4 favorite racquets,

ZX 1.27/Velocity 16
PL Evolution 1.25/Velocity 16
Black Force 1.14/Velocity 16

Velocity is looking like a keeper for my cross strings.
 

scotus

G.O.A.T.
I would normally say to use the poly in the crosses for the most spin and power. Round polys usually have smooth and slick coatings. But with Velocity it's a very slippery string with kind of a powdery surface. I haven't seen HDX yet as it's out of my price range. I have velocity on the crosses of 3 of my 4 favorite racquets,

ZX 1.27/Velocity 16
PL Evolution 1.25/Velocity 16
Black Force 1.14/Velocity 16

Velocity is looking like a keeper for my cross strings.

Is $13.30 a set out of your price range? It’s cheaper than ZX.
 

Muppet

Legend
Is $13.30 a set out of your price range? It’s cheaper than ZX.
I've been struggling with the same type of sale pricing with Kirschbaum PLII and Evolution. By the time I've decided to go with it as my regular string, it will have slipped back up to regular price. I found Velocity for $6.66 with a regular price of $9.95.
 

Muppet

Legend
Is $13.30 a set out of your price range? It’s cheaper than ZX.
If I make it my regular cross string, I'd buy multiples when I make an order. I could buy 3 Velocity for $20 or 3 HDX for $45. That's a big difference. And I'm not looking for that much of a boost in power. And the sale prices would go away, not as badly for Velocity.
 

scotus

G.O.A.T.
If I make it my regular cross string, I'd buy multiples when I make an order. I could buy 3 Velocity for $20 or 3 HDX for $45. That's a big difference. And I'm not looking for that much of a boost in power. And the sale prices would go away, not as badly for Velocity.

I wouldn’t call HDX Tour a significant boost in power unless you insist on keeping different strings at the same tension (like someone we know around here, haha).

HDX Tour goes on sale at least 3x a year. I just plan ahead and buy plenty each time.

But I understand your not wanting to spend that much money for the cross string.
 
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scotus

G.O.A.T.
Where are you seeing 13.30? it's at $19.90 on TW

Not allowed to divulge that piece of info as per the forum rules.

But Google it and you need to click on the link, since it’s the price for buying 3 sets or more, you may not see the special price on the search-result page.

I actually ordered from TW and had them price-match the other place, which TW gladly did.
 

g4driver

Legend
What is more powerful, cream/hdx or cream/velocity?

Does cream supply enough spin in these setups?

What about using luxilon element in these setups instead of cream?

Velocity is more muted than HDX Tour. I prefer X1 and HDX Tour are crisp multi.

Plenty of spin with cream/hdx tour but full poly like cylcone,,Cyclone Tour, V-Torque Tour provide more spin.

I don't use Lux polys but I string various Lux strings. Lux Natural Gut is nice by the way.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
I wouldn’t call HDX Tour a significant boost in power unless you insist on keeping different strings at the same tension (like someone we know around here, haha).

HDX Tour goes on sale at least 3x a year. I just plan ahead and buy plenty each time.

But I understand your not wanting to spend that much money for the cross string.

"unless you insist on keeping different strings at the same tension"(like someone we know around here, haha)

Fake news. Upper limit of 55 ... but will cheat on 55 with lower depending on string. :p

Good to know TW will match the place that is against the rules for me to name. What? :cool:

I can see @Muppet 's point ... emergency unplanned :p HDX is much more expensive than unplanned Velocity. HDX doesn't seem slicker than Velocity to me, so not sure why HDX would make a better cross. I guess they might fuzz up at different hour marks with poly main.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
I actually ordered from TW and had them price-match the other place, which TW gladly did.

When you only buy a few sets at a time, shipping $ can factor in. I could ask TW, but maybe you can answer this. If someone bought 6 $13 ($78) price matched HDX sets from TW, would the TW
free 2 day shipping still apply?
 

beltsman

G.O.A.T.
Velocity is more muted than HDX Tour. I prefer X1 and HDX Tour are crisp multi.

Plenty of spin with cream/hdx tour but full poly like cylcone,,Cyclone Tour, V-Torque Tour provide more spin.

I don't use Lux polys but I string various Lux strings. Lux Natural Gut is nice by the way.

I take it that any combination of Cream with Velocity/HDX Tour will be far more powerful than full Cream (or, in my case, full Hyper-G)?
 

scotus

G.O.A.T.
When you only buy a few sets at a time, shipping $ can factor in. I could ask TW, but maybe you can answer this. If someone bought 6 $13 ($78) price matched HDX sets from TW, would the TW
free 2 day shipping still apply?

Yes, and if a competitor offers a better shipping deal (say, free shipping for $50 or over instead of $75), TW matches that, too. But it has to be the same sort of delivery (2 day, e.g).
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
I take it that any combination of Cream with Velocity/HDX Tour will be far more powerful than full Cream (or, in my case, full Hyper-G)?

I have now played fb cream, velocity and HDX. I have found all three to be at similar power at following tensions:

50 - Cream 1.28
52 - Velocity 1.30
55 - HDX 1.30

So maybe Cream/HDX 50/55 about same power as fb Cream 50, but Cream/HDX 50/50 more powerful.
 
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g4driver

Legend
I bought 20 sets of 1.35mm HDX Tour for $199.95.

That puts HDX Tour at $10 a pack, and $5 per cross.

Considering 1.35 HDX Tour outlast Velocity as a cross and plays well even as it frays, I have an $8.50 setup in my frame. I string my own frames and buy strings in bulk.

$6.99 cream per pack
$9.99 HDX TOUR per pack

$8.5 per strung frame..
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
I bought 20 sets of 1.35mm HDX Tour for $199.95.

That puts HDX Tour at $10 a pack, and $5 per cross.

Considering 1.35 HDX Tour outlast Velocity as a cross and plays well even as it frays, I have an $8.50 setup in my frame. I string my own frames and buy strings in bulk.

$6.99 cream per pack
$9.99 HDX TOUR per pack

$8.5 per strung frame..

20 sets might be 3 years of tennis for me. There might be a new hotter string by then. I am looking at one summer as a long-term commitment. :p
 

g4driver

Legend
20 sets might be 3 years of tennis for me. There might be a new hotter string by then. I am looking at one summer as a long-term commitment. :p

I got maybe 16 hours out the 1.30mm

Plus I string about 50-60 frames a month in the spring and summer. Two guys using the Cream/ HDX Tour setup besides me. One 4.5 and a 4.0 both in Open Patterns. A 16x18 Prince Textreme Warrior 100 for the 4.5 and a Pure Aero for the the 4.0
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
I got maybe 16 hours out the 1.30mm

Plus I string about 50-60 frames a month in the spring and summer. Two guys using the Cream/ HDX Tour setup besides me. One 4.5 and a 4.0 both in Open Patterns. A 16x18 Prince Textreme Warrior 100 for the 4.5 and a Pure Aero for the the 4.0

I get 1-2 frames a month strung, unless I am looking for that hotter string.
 

drak

Hall of Fame
I got maybe 16 hours out the 1.30mm

Plus I string about 50-60 frames a month in the spring and summer. Two guys using the Cream/ HDX Tour setup besides me. One 4.5 and a 4.0 both in Open Patterns. A 16x18 Prince Textreme Warrior 100 for the 4.5 and a Pure Aero for the the 4.0
Curious as to what breaks first - the cream mains or HDX crosses? and have you trien a Monogut ZX cross with the Crea mains? also do the HDX crosses last significantly longer than Velocity crosses?
 

g4driver

Legend
Curious as to what breaks first - the cream mains or HDX crosses? and have you trien a Monogut ZX cross with the Crea mains? also do the HDX crosses last significantly longer than Velocity crosses?

1d62b6d6cb2bf3696e35f0d572ed749f.jpg


The HDX Tour 1.30mm snapped around 16 hours. I upgraded to 1.35mm HDX Tour for the second attempt.

Not sure which I hate worse, Monogut ZX or Excel. But then again, was never a fan of disco in the 70s back when it was all the rage.

And yes that is John Candy in the photo. Bill Murray and Ivan Reitman played the main characters. Judge Reinhold doesn't look hold enough to drink in that classic sweatshirt.

bcbce04c72ef6a4bace49522db38bb8b.jpg
 

g4driver

Legend
@drak I am logging sets of doubles and singles with HDX Tour 1.35mm crosses.

When that snaps I restring another frame with Velocity 1.30mm mains and log sets of singles and doubles.

When that snaps, I restring the final time with 1.30mm HDX Tour

My guess is 1.35mm HDX Tour gets me 20 hours.
HDX Tour 1.30mm 16 hours.
Velocity 1.30mm about 14 hours.

I will play till the crosses break. I am not going to put 10 sets of singles on the Velocity crosses and only 2 on the HDX Tour ones. I will do my best to keep the sets of singles and doubles on each frame within 2 sets first benchmark frame.

I hit with two 4.5 guys in singles about once a week and several 4.0 guys. I play doubles with 4.5, 4.0, And a few 3.5 guys in a 7.5 Combo type match.
 

smithie

Semi-Pro
@drak I am logging sets of doubles and singles with HDX Tour 1.35mm crosses.

When that snaps I restring another frame with Velocity 1.30mm mains and log sets of singles and doubles.

When that snaps, I restring the final time with 1.30mm HDX Tour

My guess is 1.35mm HDX Tour gets me 20 hours.
HDX Tour 1.30mm 16 hours.
Velocity 1.30mm about 14 hours.

I will play till the crosses break. I am not going to put 10 sets of singles on the Velocity crosses and only 2 on the HDX Tour ones. I will do my best to keep the sets of singles and doubles on each frame within 2 sets first benchmark frame.

I hit with two 4.5 guys in singles about once a week and several 4.0 guys. I play doubles with 4.5, 4.0, And a few 3.5 guys in a 7.5 Combo type match.

Did you manage to get a comparison in the end?
 

g4driver

Legend
Did you manage to get a comparison in the end?

My iPhone died and I had to buy another one. I forgot to snap the photo of the busted 1.35mm HDX. It didn't last much longer than the 1.30mm and honestly I actually think the 1.30mm got better. That is disappointing given the price of 1.35mm HDX Tour @ $10 a pack.

For the money, buy Velocity 1.30mm by the reel. Hate wasting 3.5 feet of HD Tour. @ByeByePoly @Traffic @Hemi392 approved [emoji6]

HDX Tour 1.35mm outlasts the 1.30mm, but using reels for crosses just makes more sense and honestly both 1.30 mm Velocity and 1.30 mm HDX Tour of these strings do a fantastic job.

The Velocity seems softer to me but they are both quality multis. If you are using a full bed, HDX Tour 1.35mm at $10 is a great deal.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
My iPhone died and I had to buy another one. I forgot to snap the photo of the busted 1.35mm HDX. It didn't last much longer than the 1.30mm and honestly I actually think the 1.30mm got better. That is disappointing given the price of 1.35mm HDX Tour @ $10 a pack.

For the money, buy Velocity 1.30mm by the reel. Hate wasting 3.5 feet of HD Tour. @ByeByePoly @Traffic @Hemi392 approved [emoji6]

HDX Tour 1.35mm outlasts the 1.30mm, but using reels for crosses just makes more sense and honestly both 1.30 mm Velocity and 1.30 mm HDX Tour of these strings do a fantastic job.

The Velocity seems softer to me but they are both quality multis. If you are using a full bed, HDX Tour 1.35mm at $10 is a great deal.

FYI ... just cut out fb hdx 16 at 10 hours ... and only light notching. I have some good notching by 10 hours with fb v. Racquet at stringer ... hdx/v 55/52.
 

Traffic

Hall of Fame
and happy dance has ended :confused: But hey, two hours of happy dancing ain't nothing to sneeze at. My comments are in the Velocity thread. Loved the hybrid, but elbow overruled.
Why do you suppose you were ok with 10hrs of fb HDX but not ok with 2hrs of HDX/V hybrid? Could it be two great tastes don't go together?
Or do you think fb HDX softened up your elbow and the HDX/V put in the finishing blow?
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
Why do you suppose you were ok with 10hrs of fb HDX but not ok with 2hrs of HDX/V hybrid? Could it be two great tastes don't go together?
Or do you think fb HDX softened up your elbow and the HDX/V put in the finishing blow?

I was rolling the forearm a lot during those 10 hours. I was getting soreness/knots I do not get with V. The hdx/v seemed to play even more arm friendly ... so I think more the "softened up".
 

letplaytennis

Semi-Pro
I strung the Cream 17 gauge in the crosses of a friends racket and he really likes this string. Me, however, have broken 2 rackets with Cream 16L in the crosses, both with about 3.5 hours of play: one on a forehand and one on a serve. String snapped perfectly in the middle of the sweet spot. I want to love this string, but I just cannot come to terms with such short play time.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
I strung the Cream 17 gauge in the crosses of a friends racket and he really likes this string. Me, however, have broken 2 rackets with Cream 16L in the crosses, both with about 3.5 hours of play: one on a forehand and one on a serve. String snapped perfectly in the middle of the sweet spot. I want to love this string, but I just cannot come to terms with such short play time.

You gotta let it go. Send your Cream to @Traffic. I was trying to wean him off of Cream, but sucker stocked up on more. :confused:
 

Traffic

Hall of Fame
You gotta let it go. Send your Cream to @Traffic. I was trying to wean him off of Cream, but sucker stocked up on more. :confused:
Cream not for string breakers. Send your unused sets to me.
My sister might be stepping away from fb V to V/C. We'll see... she still favors fb V in her O3 White. But I'm not sure how long that racquet will last. The grommets are failing by the throat.
 

ByeByePoly

G.O.A.T.
A quick one for you guys...
More spin with a Cream cross - Origin or Velocity?

I haven't seen a post here with anyone trying origin/cream. My guess is it would be pretty good. I am hitting origin/velocity now, and it brought the origin spin up to (maybe a little more) than fb velocity which is pretty good. That said, I found velocity/cream 55/50 to have a big jump in spin over fb v @52. Maybe not tonic/cream good ... but a lot closer than I expected.

Edit: btw ... my guess is hdx/cream beats both v/cream and o/cream on spin. That is based on hdx/v having a little more spin than o/v. Also fb hdx has good spin, and fb origin has very little.
 
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