Kevlar and ZX is pretty darn good. What about Poly/ZX?

[HunterST]

I have enjoyed the Kevlar and monogut zx hybrid, but I'm not completely sold on it yet.

I wonder about a bed with Poly mains and zx crosses. It seems like it would soften up the string bed but retain the spin of a full poly set up. It might be more like a poly/nat gut hybrid like a lot of pros use than is a poly/synth gut hybrid.

Has anyone tried this?

 

[skydog]

I have tried ZX mains on Big Hitter Silver crosses, king of like a poor man's gut/poly hybrid. I was using that particular set up when some TE moved in and decided to stop using poly. Compared to the Kevlar/ZX hybrid, it did not generate as much spin nor was it as comfortable. I did not try the poly main ZX cross hybrid so the spin may be a bit better when reversed, but not sure that you will find the comfort improved.

Give it a go and let us know how it plays.

 

[bigmatt]

I do a lot of hybrids with poly mains and ZX crosses, mostly with RPM Blast, and it's been well-received. Spin is a little less, but power and comfort are much improved.

 

[ByeByePoly]

I have enjoyed the Kevlar and monogut zx hybrid, but I'm not completely sold on it yet.

I wonder about a bed with Poly mains and zx crosses. It seems like it would soften up the string bed but retain the spin of a full poly set up. It might be more like a poly/nat gut hybrid like a lot of pros use than is a poly/synth gut hybrid.

Has anyone tried this?

Never hit zx, but remembered reading this thread:

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/monogut-zx-findings.478804/

 

[travlerajm]

A fresh bed of kevlar/poly, at the right tension (lowish) is the best you can do for all-around performance. It's probably my second choice combo after kev/Zx. Choose a dent-resistant poly for best results. And drop the tension a bit compared to kev/zx to account for the increased stiffness.

 

[Muppet]

It sounds like an expensive option. When the poly mains die the ZX crosses will still have a lot of life left. But because they're the crosses, you'll have to waste them to remove the poly mains. And ZX isn't cheap.

 

[travlerajm]

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[travlerajm]

It sounds like an expensive option. When the poly mains die the ZX crosses will still have a lot of life left. But because they're the crosses, you'll have to waste them to remove the poly mains. And ZX isn't cheap.

Actually, poly/zx is one of my favorite combos, but it has to be string a certain way to work long-term. You need to thoroughly prestretch the poly, and then also wait for each pull on the dropweight to settle. And you need to use the high tension differential too. If you don't do both of these things, the poly will die as Muppet suggests.

I strung my Blade 98 about 18 months ago SPPP 17 mains at prestretched 90 lbs, with ZX Pro black prestretched 40 lbs. I skipped the outer mains. Amazingly, it's still playing just as well today as it was a few hours after I strung it. Surprisingly, the thoroughly prestretched poly (I stretched the heck out of it), holds tension better than kevlar over the long term since kevlar eventually frays, so my poly/zx combo is still holding the high differential, and getting the advantageous performance of an"ESP" style stringjob. That is, great spin and excellent control of launch angle. It proabably has more than 80h of hitting on it. Still plays great even though the poly is half sawed through by the zx.

 

[Sander001]

On my Wilson 97S, I have Zyex mains with a poly cross(Pro Line 2 1.20) and it's pretty damn good and long lasting. I strung it very low (50/32) and that really helps.

 

[ultradr]

Actually, poly/zx is one of my favorite combos, but it has to be string a certain way to work long-term. You need to thoroughly prestretch the poly, and then also wait for each pull on the dropweight to settle. And you need to use the high tension differential too. If you don't do both of these things, the poly will die as Muppet suggests.

I strung my Blade 98 about 18 months ago SPPP 17 mains at prestretched 90 lbs, with ZX Pro black prestretched 40 lbs. I skipped the outer mains. Amazingly, it's still playing just as well today as it was a few hours after I strung it. Surprisingly, the thoroughly prestretched poly (I stretched the heck out of it), holds tension better than kevlar over the long term since kevlar eventually frays, so my poly/zx combo is still holding the high differential, and getting the advantageous performance of an"ESP" style stringjob. That is, great spin and excellent control of launch angle. It proabably has more than 80h of hitting on it. Still plays great even though the poly is half sawed through by the zx.

I just can not believe you went 90 lbs on poly,... prestretched !