Kevlar with multi cross low tension (Wilson NXT) is multi low tension really bad
- Thread starter 2ndServe
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2nd Serve Ace
Hall of Fame
Not sure why you wouldn't do ashaway zx cross. Best of both worlds!
Was wondering if you ever tried this combo out? I am thinking of trying it.
I did it was terrible for me, just a rocket launcher, I'm now back to string in 60lbs.
I think if you are really compact swings, slice and dicer it might be ok. Just no control stringing that low a tension.
tennisbike
Professional
To OP:
Good for you experimenting with different strings and tensions.
Perhaps the rest of the world knows the exact stage of your experimentation, I or other casual readers do not. You casual off hand question, contains few specifics, will only get casual general response with much guessing. For all I know, you are simply playing around and not very serious, i.e. systematic.
Depending on how you string your Kevlar string and what kind it might have different consequence pairing with low tension poly or s.g. or multi strings. I have the experience of using the same Kevlar string over multiple cross strings. The following are my recommendation:
Good for you experimenting with different strings and tensions.
Perhaps the rest of the world knows the exact stage of your experimentation, I or other casual readers do not. You casual off hand question, contains few specifics, will only get casual general response with much guessing. For all I know, you are simply playing around and not very serious, i.e. systematic.
Depending on how you string your Kevlar string and what kind it might have different consequence pairing with low tension poly or s.g. or multi strings. I have the experience of using the same Kevlar string over multiple cross strings. The following are my recommendation:
- Read, study the "official" Kevlar, ZX thread. There are a lot of information plus both positive and positive comments.
- Tune your string bed using different cross string setup. If you string yourself, just know that it is possible to use the same Kevlar main and restring the cross to tune your string bed. This is not an acceptable main stream stringing practice. You can change cross strings and change the tension of cross string to tune the string bed. Just make sure you mount the racket securely before removing the cross strings.
- "Walking" the tension from center out is a mandatory procedure before reinstalling the cross strings. It is a common knowledge that Kevlar stretches little, but it does stretched out over use. The peculiar thing is because of this low stretch, any small segment of un tensioned Kevlar translate to huge tension lose. Plus the center mains loose tension faster then the side mains. By walking the tension, one can bring the center mains to have higher tension than the side, even if the overall main tension degraded. My understanding of the way string bed degrade is that center gets loosen over time. If you have an even tension across the string bed, it should play fairly consistently.
- Once the cross string is installed, the tension of main will come up to close to what it was. Don't worry, it will come up, although it felt like threads before installing cross strings.
- Last thing, it might still need break in period. I found that it tends to play stiff off the stringer. Age the string bed and it gets better.
What tension did you string the Kevlar mains?
60lbs, it feels tight at the start but after 1 or 2 days it's really nice imo. It lasts so long sometimes I just restring the cross But when I restring the cross after a few months I can feel and touch the kevlar by itself an it feels like 20lbs
tennisbike
Professional
I guess that you stated when you removed the main to get ready to install cross, you can feel the Kevlar main and it felt like 20 lbs.
My experience using SM over multiple restring shows that the center main can be as low as 10 lb, indicated on SM. If you do not want "hot spots" on the string bed, you need to "walk" the tension so that the center mains are high and even at perhaps 20 and tapper down toward 10 at perhaps 6th main. Then even at about 45 to 50 lbs at the cross, the control is still good. Most people think 60 lbs installed is 60 lb everywhere on the string bed and that is completely false. Yes, 60 lbs cross will tighten up the slack center main. But if you want longevity as well as playability, then do yourself a favor and learn to walk the tension. Now, you can walk it and pluck it to feel the tension across. But I do not trust my ears, so I use SM to help me measure the tension across the mains.
Without a consistent measuring device, string experiments are just fun and games.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
That’s getting seriously frugal. Clever.
Since I started my first string job of Ashaway Crossfire +Plus string job, I have been experimenting with tension of the cross strings.
I started tension at...
1. 50/56 per Ashaway recommendations stringing Mains lower 10-15 percent using the synthetic gut it came with- Felt too hard/board and tight for my taste but love the control.
2. Restrung Cross only at 48lbs (1.24 Pros Pro Istring super soft) - Felt much better. Softer hit with a little pocketing and power.
3. Restrung Cross only at 30lbs (1.24 Pros Pro Istring super soft) - Will report after hitting tomorrow
The Ashaway+Plus main strings have loss some tension but I don't have a string meter to tell how much.
Can anyone recommend a good string meter?
tennisbike
Professional
Either Babolat or Tourna work the same way. I use Tourna.
What you use is not as important that you use it consistently and systematically to learn about how your string bed changes over time, and over different string setup.
And I recommend that you learn how to walk the tension from #2 main out to increase and even the tension in the center mains. I think this is important for a consistent string bed response instead of having hot spots, ppl refer this as tramline.
What you use is not as important that you use it consistently and systematically to learn about how your string bed changes over time, and over different string setup.
And I recommend that you learn how to walk the tension from #2 main out to increase and even the tension in the center mains. I think this is important for a consistent string bed response instead of having hot spots, ppl refer this as tramline.
"3. Restrung Cross only at 30lbs (1.24 Pros Pro Istring super soft) - Will report after hitting tomorrow "
I wanted to report that the cross string at 30lb was a little too loose for my taste. Was able to hit well but did have more trampoline than I like. Had to be more careful with full swings
4. Restrung the Cross at 40lbs (1.24 Pros Pro Istring supersoft) - This seems to be what I was looking for. Good pocketing, power and still had control with full swings/cuts at the ball.
"I wanted to report that the cross string at 30lb was a little too loose for my taste. Was able to hit well but did have more trampoline than I like. Had to be more careful with full swings
4. Restrung the Cross at 40lbs (1.24 Pros Pro Istring supersoft) - This seems to be what I was looking for. Good pocketing, power and still had control with full swings/cuts at the ball.
Thanks! I will pick up a Tourna string tension meter and use it consistently as you mentioned. Right now after restringing my cross 3 times I really have no idea what tension my main strings (started at 50lb) are now. A string meter would really help so I would know what full string job tension I should start at now that I found the current tension I like.
tennisbike
Professional
Get and keep a notebook to keep track of your string jobs. And use SM right off the stringer to see how the mains are and crosses are. Recheck with SM after a few hitting session to observe the trend. And when you restring, check w/o cross.
Learn to Walk the tension. I think that is the ticket for keeping the string bed response consistent.
You can also try JET or JayCee, or proportional stringing method. Using SM you can see how they are similar/different. And see how the variation of SM reading correspond to how the string bed play.
Have fun!
