I was contemplating sticking this under the health forum, but i decided to go here cuz I had some other string question. To the point, I've had wrist problems for the last month, and now my whole arm is getting sore. I switched to Kevlar about...I think 6 months ago, but didn't have a problem then. I just thought of this. Is Kevlar why I have my wrist/arm problems?
Also, is poly softer/easier on the arm than kevlar? I'm gonna guess it is, haha. My current string setup is
Kevlar 16gauge (with some sort of coating) @ 59lbs,
crosses syn.gut 16gauge @ 59lbs
I'm probably going to swap out the kevlar with Gosen poly 16gauge, will I feel a difference in terms of feel/"crispness" i guess? Uhh, not as dead as kevlar. I've never tried poly before. Thanks guys
Oh yeah, I forgot to say I break strings often. kevlar lasts a week. That's why I switched to it in the first place.
EDIT: K, I think I'm going to try Gosen Polyon Comfort 17 and Gosen Jim Courier 16. Does anyone have experience with these two?
Depending on the type of kevlar you use, it can be pretty easy to break! Some Kevlar (Prince Problend and similar) don't really weave the strings, they just bundle them together and slap a coating on. If you haven't already, try Ashaway Kevlar. It'll last you much longer, as Ashaway is woven, and the construction is simply awesome!. If you are breaking ASHAWAY in a week, good luck finding anything else to stay in your frames.
As far as the comfort, you can try stringing the kevlar much lower, since you aren't exactly a prime candidate for downgrading if you are really harsh on your strings.
Polylon Comfort is a good string, it'll be more powerful, but more comfortable than the Kevlar, although switching to a poly isn't exactly going to cure any arm problems, as mentioned above.
Also, are you breaking the kevlar mains, or the crosses?
Well kevlar is the most durable thing you can get but it is also very harsh on the arm and yes it is very dead from the first hit. Poly is good if you find the right kind, for you Id say try a full bed of Kirschbaum (I hope I spelled that right
) super smash or super smash spikey; it is a softer poly with great feel, durability, and excellent tension maintenence (better then any poly I have tried).
Super Smash is a good candidate to try for polys, it isn't the softest poly out there (many newer co-poly options are much better), but it has got a nice, raw, lower powered feel that is probably more similar to the kevlar you're used to than other strings. The tension maintenance is actually pretty poor (sorry to disagree), but it plays well even when it's dead, as the feel is meant to be a little lower powered and 'dead' to begin with.
Skip the poly, it's no healer of tennis elbow, and it has many of the same traits to deal with as the kevlar. Since you break strings frequently your only hope at this point likely is to lay off tennis completely and do the recommended therapy when able to without pain. Standard advice is not to come back until your arm is 40% stronger than before the injury to your tissue or you'll soon get it again.
From TW's Learning Center:
"Polyester - a very durable string designed for string breakers-not much power or feel. Polyester strings became very popular with ATP players, because it provides added durability, doesn't move and "deadens" the stringbed. While this isn't a desireable feature for most recreational players, it is for many of todays ATP and (some) WTA players. They're bigger, stronger, swing faster and use more powerful racquets than players from the past. Often used in hybrids, combining polyester mains with softer synthetic or natural gut mains. This offers the durability benefits of polyester, while reducing the stiff, dead feel. Also easier to string than 100% polyester. Not recommended for beginning players or players with arm injuries."
This is good advice, if you can't take the time off, though, this might just be the ticket to keep you in the game. The full poly job may actually be MORE stressful to your arm, as the poly crosses can be pretty harsh compared to a synthetic cross in a kevlar hybrid. I am of the opinion that the cross string can really determine how stiff a string reacts to your arm.
Well, since I've had 0 experience with poly, I'll go with everyones' word. For now, my choice will probably be cyberpower 17. Does anyone have any experience with Gosen poly strings?
I've played with several gosen poly strings, if you are looking at the Polylon original or Ice, i'd avoid them, the comfort and Sp are where you should be looking. You may have to string the SP up a few lbs, so that might be a deal killer for you. The SP is pretty darn powerful.
Nooooo, not looking for that at all. I liked the feel of it, but I'd rather have a lot of pop and feel. The only reason why I strung it at such high tensions was because I felt a significant difference in control. Do the Gosen strings hold tension well?
They are pretty good, the Comfort is better than the SP. If you want pop and feel, you are a good candidate to TRY a poly, no one can guarantee you'll like it, or that it is right for you. Polylon SP is a decent rec, it's got a TON of pop, and good feel (similar to crisp synthetics). If you want to dive straight into new co-polys, Cyber Power has the pop and feel you'll like. It's powerful, but it sounds like something you might be interested in.
K, just tried multifilament...ehh, kinda like it. I think I liked the poly on the Pure Storm better. Multifilament wasn't too great for me. Any experience with Gosen Polyon Comfort 17/Jim Courier 16?
Which multi did you try? There is a ton out there, but if you are breaking your kevlar in a week, there's no way a multi will last you a long time.
maybe try a denser string pattern to compensate for loss of tension. i had kevlar strung at 63lbs which gave me shoulder problems. dropped it to 55 and haven't had problems since. the mains definitely move more, but still very hard to break. difficult to understand how you are breaking them so quickly. at 55 i get wicked spin and excellent control from a 18x20 string pattern.
but it sounds like you've already decided to change strings...
This is an excellent suggestion, if it's an option. A denser string pattern can GREATLY affect the durability you find in a string. Since you say you're not a huge hitter, you might consider this. Having a denser string pattern will also allow you to try less durable strings, which might satisfy your comfort, pop, and feel requirements all at once.
