KLIP or VS Black gut as cross
- Thread starter Boricua
- Start date
TheOneHander
Professional
I mean, if you're going for a cross string, might as well go cheaper. And KLIP isn't a bad string by any means.
The Big Kahuna
Hall of Fame
Using Gut as the cross string is sacrilege. Total waste of money. Do like Federer and use the gut as your Mains with Poly crosses. MUCH better performance.
Rabbit is correct, use a cheaper gut for the crosses if you are set on using it for the crosses, as most of the feel is from the main strings, and the Nat gut will soften up the hit with the crosses.
I have hit with Nat gut mains and alu crosses, and alu mains with gut crosses compared them both switching back and forth. Much prefer the gut mains, and my now set up is all gut mains and crosses, but then again I hit old school style, relatively flat ball hitter and used Nat gut for over 50 years.
jmacdaununder2
Legend
Hee-hee...
LOBALOT
Hall of Fame
I fall for that every time out here. I login see a response I want to respond to so I do.
I then look further up and find the thread started in 1909.
Tar Heel Tennis
Professional
yeah, but the posters in 1909 can't hold a candle to us 2020 tennis maestros!
LOBALOT
Hall of Fame
Exactly, although they did ask some interesting questions back then....
Steve Huff
G.O.A.T.
Most of the gut/poly hybrids I string for people started out with poly in the mains. I've convinced them to try it the other way, and none have switched back. All said they get more spin and better feel by having gut in the mains. Plus, they really haven't noticed much difference in durability. When the gut was in the crosses, it always got worn through first. With gut in the mains, it wears out first, but the stiffness of the poly crosses keeps it from stretching to the point of breaking, so overall durability is about the same.
I started out with poly in the crosses, but the gut was breaking too frequently. Maybe about 12 hours. (I'm not much of a string breaker normally). I switched them around and now get about twice as much durability. I don't recall much difference in playability. So now I'm curious.
I'm going to switch back to gut in the mains and see what happens.
I'm going to switch back to gut in the mains and see what happens.
LOBALOT
Hall of Fame
That is my experience too. I see a lot of players with RPM / NXT or 4G / NXT Hybrids. I really don't get it. I have many friends who I have convinced to try replacing their "softer string cross" hybrids with either gut / round poly or multi / round poly hybrids and they are all are blown away when they give it a shot.
I just strung one today (See my post in the Stringing Section). This guy is an old fart like me and was playing a full bed of RPM blast because his son is a tournament player who uses it and his coaches all pushed it. The dad would show up to our friendly mixed doubles matches with his arm all wrapped up from playing with the RPM. He asked if I could restring his racquet. I set him up with a multi/round poly hybrid (He did not want to spend for gut). He states he gets just as much spin while at the same time more comfort and it lasts 2 months before he snaps it. He is really happy.
yeah, but 1909 is long before Al Gore invented the Internet!
