Automatix
Legend
Do you find a noticeable amount of extra mileage when going up per particular gauge e.g. Triax 1.28mm->1.33mm-> 1.38mm?
Kobayashi Maru String Scenario
- Thread starter g4driver
- Start date
Automatix
Legend
If you don't mind sharing:
1) What racquet do you use a 1.38mm gauge in?
2) What's the softers round poly in your experience?
3) What's your go to soft round poly and why?
1) In a 98 prokennex q+ tour pro (315g) with a 16x19 string pattern. Quite open.
2) Ghostwire and Msv Swift.
3) By a slight margin I prefer Swift because it is softer, cheaper and not inferior to ghostwire in other categories (control, tension stability, spin). And the response is not muted at all.
Automatix
Legend
Thanks. What gauge do you use? I'm interested if your setup is thick mains and thin crosses or the diameter of the cross string is close to the main.
The closest possible. 1.30 mm Swift and 1.27 mm ghostwire. I want also to point out the fact that in these multi/poly hybrids the Swift flattens out and breaks before the main while ghostwire saws the main.
Automatix
Legend
Interesting info! Thanks!
Followup question: Have you tried Ashaway Monogut ZX in the crosses?
No, I haven't!
Automatix
Legend
Too bad! I'd love to hear your experience on multi/ZX hybrids.
How about Origin/RPM Soft/Evolution mains? Sorry if I missed your previous feedback on those, if there was any.
I'm interested in comparing feedback from others.
I've playtested hybrids such as Origin x Cream (1.30 x 1.28), Origin x Ghostwire (1.30 x 1.22), Triax/Origin (1.28 x 1.30), Rucanor Hy-O-Sheep PS-40 x Origin (1.40 x 1.35).
I was thinking to try it but I am very content with my current setup that I stopped experimenting. I have settled on Multifeel 1.35/Swift 1.30.
Automatix
Legend
You string for yourself I presume?
Yes. This setup lasts around 8 hours. Not the most cost friendly but quite friendly to my arm!
Automatix
Legend
Multifeel is snapping in that one, right?
Sorry if it's turning into an interrogation but I'd also like to know if you have any experience with Polyfibre strings e.g. Viper or Evolution?
Viper was AFAIK very soft and contained polyolefins (the stuff Isospeed ribbons in some of their softest multis are made of) though I was never able to figure out if it was soft because of the polyolefins or the major initial tension drop.
Even with multifeel, msv swift snapped first. I am currently checking the setup in another racket (prince phantom 100 o3) to find out if I will get the same result.
No problem at all. I have played only with Black Venom and that was many years back. But I remember it being a stiff and control oriented string....
Automatix
Legend
Interesting...
Looking forward to reading about it!
Surprising... wen I used it many moons ago it felt to me like one of the softest polys out there.
I will inform you. Keep in mind that I was swinging an aeropro drive at that time!
longtimelurker
Professional
How was this setup for you?
DJ-
Hall of Fame
Comes at a good time, gonna string Babolat Origin 16g mains with Ghostwire 1.27 x's @53/51lbs inmy two prince 16x18 frames. Hoping to get at least 30hrs.Just wanted to post an anecdotal testimonial to this thread, with another thanks to @g4driver.
So the same 3.5 male I converted from full-bed Addixion to RPX 1.30 / Cream 1.28 (in a crispy G360 Radical MP no less), sent me this shot a couple weeks ago, after finally breaking an RPX main at the 70-hour mark -- yes, you read that right -- SEVENTY:
He said playability remained excellent the entire time, snapback was pretty much as good as off the stringer, and -- most importantly -- his arm feels great.
For those who see that hour count and are freaking out, a gentle reminder: we're dealing with a partial-poly that is ~50% rubber and a multiester that is >50% non-poly, combining to make a string bed that doesn't suffer from full plasticization.
Hope that helps someone who may be wondering what kind of longevity can you get from a setup such as this.
I would potentially swap Cream and Swift in that order. At least in the hand, Swift feels more firm than Cream, with higher surface hardness. Strung in the racquet, it still kind of feels that way as well, and short of having enough playtesting time to confirm my supposition, I'd predict Cream will still be more gentle on multi mains. We'll see how that prediction bares out here soon enough...
unfortunately, I didn't play it for long, so didn't give it much of a chance. it still felt a little stiff to me initially, so i went back to my usual setup of gut/poly.
technically, i didn't have any pain so i don't think it was necessarily the HGS/GW combo but i didn't want to risk it.
I think i was a little sore already from lifting weights and also using cyclone and solstice power recently so just figured i'd go with what works for me and still feels comfortable.
lot of positive feedback for HGS/GW in this thread though it seems, so might be a good fit for you.
Joined TT just to comment on this thread.
I have had good performance from Full Bed Triax 1.33 @ 52lbs for about 7-8 hours before it locks up pretty badly with noticeable notching in my 2021 Radical MP. So I was excited to try Triax/Cream hybrid to try to extend the life of the string job.
Here was my initial setup:
-2021 Radical MP
-1.33 Triax mains @ 53lbs; 1.28 Cream crosses @ 49lbs
The first ~2 hrs of play were nice; I could generate decent spin while power/depth was effortless. After that, however, the mains started to slide out of place and I started launching uncontrollably. Moving the mains back and forth, there didn't seem to be notching and they'd still slide fairly well. As I really liked the initial feel, power, spin, and control, I'm hoping for some expertise/guidance for moving forward.
I am next trying 55/51, hoping that higher tension will give (a) greater control overall; and (b) longer snapback life on the mains.
Also, I will note that the initial string job may not have been *great*. The crosses had fairly noticeable curve ... this wasn't my regular stringing shop but it was a stringing service at a tennis facility I play at. Maybe I should try the same combo at my regular place (that has very consistent string jobs)?
I have had good performance from Full Bed Triax 1.33 @ 52lbs for about 7-8 hours before it locks up pretty badly with noticeable notching in my 2021 Radical MP. So I was excited to try Triax/Cream hybrid to try to extend the life of the string job.
Here was my initial setup:
-2021 Radical MP
-1.33 Triax mains @ 53lbs; 1.28 Cream crosses @ 49lbs
The first ~2 hrs of play were nice; I could generate decent spin while power/depth was effortless. After that, however, the mains started to slide out of place and I started launching uncontrollably. Moving the mains back and forth, there didn't seem to be notching and they'd still slide fairly well. As I really liked the initial feel, power, spin, and control, I'm hoping for some expertise/guidance for moving forward.
I am next trying 55/51, hoping that higher tension will give (a) greater control overall; and (b) longer snapback life on the mains.
Also, I will note that the initial string job may not have been *great*. The crosses had fairly noticeable curve ... this wasn't my regular stringing shop but it was a stringing service at a tennis facility I play at. Maybe I should try the same combo at my regular place (that has very consistent string jobs)?
g4driver
Legend
Triax 1.38mm is thicker than than HDMX 1.35mm . He breaks strings faster than any client I have except for one 5.5C USTA rated youngster
The difference in price per reel was negligible.
Plus -- and it's a fairly big plus -- Triax (and RPX) has about 20-25% more poly in it than HDMX, which I find gives it at least a little bit more wear resistance, gage per gage.
Funbun
Professional
I ended up trying HDMX 1.35 mains/ALU Soft crosses in an Ezone 98+ and the mains broke in 2 hours.
Probably sticking to Triax 1.38/ALU Soft for now; that breakage made me hesitant on trying the lower gauge 1.33 Triax for the tradeoffs they seem to present.
I think it helps that Triax 1.38/ALU Soft and HDMX 1.35/ALU Soft felt almost exactly the same to me.
Likely not, as RPX is about the same firmness and is the slightest bit more crisp. I'd look to swap out Cream for TF Multifeel Black 1.30 crosses, which will give you better feel, more comfort, more easy pop, and not all that much less control, and if that still doesn't do it, swap Triax out for HDMX, Wilson NXT Control or Volkl Power Fiber Pro.
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jmacdaununder2
Legend
Where would the Triax/Xalt (new kid on the block) fit in?
Solemn
New User
@g4driver has been very kindly providing stringing advice to me over the years through PMs regarding my wrist issues. Just wanted to add that the Triax 133 / YPTA 125 works very well for me in a 16x19 pattern (Yonex 22EZ98) but have recently switched to the MF Black 130 / YPTA 125 with similar durability but at a much better price! Lasts around 14 hours; I am at a USTA 4.0-4.5 level based on UTR with a western grip forehand and 2HBH.
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Thanks for the tip. Triax with MF crosses didn’t help much, so now on to Volkl PFP with MF crosses.
g4driver
Legend
Sorry I missed your last two messages. I'm not sure if Tech fiber still makes 1.35 mm MF in black but I'll check when I get home
jmacdaununder2
Legend
Still curious where Xalt fits in: Would Triax/Xalt be more comfortable than Triax/Volkl PFP for example?
I tried 55/51 and had the same issue as 53/49 ... strings out of place and unpredictable launch after only 1-2 hours of hitting.
Tried again with my regular, high-quality string shop:
-2021 Radical MP
-1.33 Triax mains @ 55lbs; 1.28 Cream cross @ 55 lbs
I think this might be it. Feels great. Excellent power/depth, but very controllable. Have also been able to hit (1) dipping cross-court, (2) loopy topspin lobs, and (3) return heavy balls with depth, pace, and spin all with relative ease. After ~3.5 hrs, strings are staying in place and still sliding well with slight notching on the mains. Really appreciate the pop on my 2HBH. The only downside so far is that it is tough to get much kick on serve but that could just be very poor form/technique.
@mdj05tt - Triax (and RPX, up until it was recently discontinued) / Cream is one of the best non-gut-non-poly / poly hybrids going. Very good amount and longevity of snapback (tends to last the entirety of the string job life), very good snapback-derived spin, excellent pocketing and dwell time with very reliable trajectory (due to a combo of pocketing and round strings), all while offering a nice moderated balance of controlled power. It also offers nearly indefinite comfort as well, as Triax/RPX is only a partial poly and Cream is ~50% rubber, so neither string will ever fully plasticize (ie. "go dead"), allowing the combo to play safely until breakage (at least in almost every case). Also serves as a nice "gateway drug" to help non-poly players start to dip their toes into the poly swimming pool, without throwing them into the deep end right away.
Anecdotal support: RPX/Cream was key in helping my hitting partner transition from full-bed multi (Babolat Addixion) to full-bed poly (first Square-X/Cream, now full-bed Atomos), and he credits the step-by-step approach we took in gradually integrating the poly feel as the reason why the transition felt as seamless as it has.
Anecdotal support: RPX/Cream was key in helping my hitting partner transition from full-bed multi (Babolat Addixion) to full-bed poly (first Square-X/Cream, now full-bed Atomos), and he credits the step-by-step approach we took in gradually integrating the poly feel as the reason why the transition felt as seamless as it has.
Indeed. I started with FB Triax in part based on reading this thread nearly a year ago. It was my first step away from syn gut after I was breaking Wilson Power with only ~4-5 hours of play.
During a winter sale at TW that offered Solinco Buy 2, get 1 Free sale, I also got to try Tour Bite Soft and Confidential. I have 3x of the 2021 Radical MP so I keep 1 as a "test" frame for different string setups. On the "test" frame, I did like Confidential 1.20 @ 50lbs, so I do have some limited experience with full-bed poly. Honestly, there are some days where the Confidential plays really well and some days where the Triax/Cream plays really well. In general, I think I have a slight preference for Confidential in singles, and a slight preference for Triax/Cream in doubles. I can feel the comfort difference in Triax/Cream the day after playing. Planning to stick with it for the next few weeks of both singles and doubles to see how it ages. I feel like the Confidential drops off at around the 7-8 hour mark for me, long before reaching the point of breaking.
I hear you there, with my experience and many of those I play with being similar. I think it's because, in singles, with more time to setup and hit more deliberately, we appreciate a more calm, composed, lower-powered string bed, whereas in doubles, having both extra explosiveness and dwell time are welcomed, in providing more pop with less effort (to offset the shorter takeback and follow-through that is often forced upon us) and give us that fraction-of-a-second more time of being able to decide what we want to do with the ball, as it sits on the strings just a bit longer.
Analogous setup: my preferred singles setup in my customized Prestige MP-L's is a p/p hybrid of Gamma Ocho Silver 1.30 / Head Hawk Black 1.30, whereas for doubles, it's Ocho Silver 1.30 / Kirschbaum Syn Gut Natural 1.30. The extra pop and dwell from from the KB syn gut crosses is nice for the reasons I described above!
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@Trip, I think the reasons you described also make it a good 2nd set stick for me in singles. When I start to fatigue, the extra pop/power not only helps me get the ball over the net, it gives me the confidence to use a higher spin swing path so that, even when tired, I can send heavier and deeper balls than I could had I stuck with the poly stick from the 1st set.
(Edit to add: bolded self-quote because I have been playing this setup as my primary in both singles and doubles for the last week or so and it has performed better than any of my prior tests at 53/49, 55/51, and 55/53 ... even tension 55/55 on mains and crosses in this setup seems to have the best snapback life/longevity that I've seen so far and much less notching than when I was doing full bed Triax at 54).
Update: I broke the Confidential 17G hitting with one of the club pros on Friday afternoon around the 12-16 hr mark (hard to say as I alternate racquets). But have mostly been playing the Triax/Cream @ 55/55. Got the Confidential 17G restrung at 50 lbs and hit rally balls with my wife last night with it and as soon as we finished warmup and started swinging out ... sharp forearm pain. I'll be exclusively on Triax/Cream @ 55/55 for the foreseeable future.
jmacdaununder2
Legend
I'm wondering if the Triax might slide slightly better on Yonex Poly Tour Air?
I've used YPTA & Cream extensively, but as mains with Velocity or VOLKL PFII as crosses and the Cream always feels slightly 'gummy' in comparison with the Air.
I've used YPTA & Cream extensively, but as mains with Velocity or VOLKL PFII as crosses and the Cream always feels slightly 'gummy' in comparison with the Air.
@g4driver As your follower, I get a better comfort experience by switching to the multifilament/polyester you recommend. But recently, due to the improvement of technology, I found that I hate the locked string bed. Recently, I used Wilson NXT Control 1.33/YPTA 54/52. After 4 hours of hitting, the YPTA got stuck in the groove of the NXT Control, making me feel that the entire string bed is very hard and uncomfortable. I can only use the YPTA slightly normally by manually buckling it out of the groove of the NXT Control or hitting other places with fewer grooves. In this case, are there any other recommended solutions besides cutting it off?
Indeed. I found that to be the case with RPX/Triax mains and Cream crosses. Had a medium-hard hitting 4.0-ish client getting 50-60 hours per string job with that combo, and snapback was lasting all the way until the end. No joke. There's something about Tecnifibre's PU400 matrix combining with the liquid wax coating on/in Cream, that just works so well. One of the best hybrids on the market for longest-lasting snapback and consistent playability, for sure.
@Trip @Hansen
OK, I will put Isospeed Cream 1.28
as one of my alternatives to test with Signum Pro X-perience 1.18 and other crisp, comfortable polyesters on Boom MP2024.
Since YPTA was a free gift to me, the cost of switching to Icecream is expected to rise further.
105 (NXT control) + 65 (isospeed) + stringing 30 = 200
vs (40 (X-perience 1.18) + stringing 30) * 2 = 140
to see which performs best in a month.
OK, I will put Isospeed Cream 1.28
as one of my alternatives to test with Signum Pro X-perience 1.18 and other crisp, comfortable polyesters on Boom MP2024.
Since YPTA was a free gift to me, the cost of switching to Icecream is expected to rise further.
105 (NXT control) + 65 (isospeed) + stringing 30 = 200
vs (40 (X-perience 1.18) + stringing 30) * 2 = 140
to see which performs best in a month.
Solemn
New User
After over 1 year of trying multiple set ups with a multi/ natural gut in the mains and poly in the crosses, I thought that my wrist would be ready for a soft poly. I went with MSV Swift 125 / GOSM 122 @ 48/50 in the same and it proved to be too stiff for my body. My wrist and elbow were aching within 15 mins. The elbow had never been an issue before! Scared back into the Multifeel Black with Yonex soft round poly cross set up for the indefinite future. @g4driver knows best after all…
Did you tried Toroline Wasabi?
Myshoulderhurts
New User
I want to say I appreciate all the info in this thread.
I have been using an 2022 Ezone 98 with Triax 1.28/YPTA 1.25 at 55/52 and it has been the most comfortable setup that allows me to play my game (although maybe its a bit too powerful). However, this unfortunately still wasn't comfortable enough so I've decided to ditch the Ezone.
I picked up a used 2023 Vcore 98 since it appears to not give me any arm issues with the same string setup as my Ezone above but at 58/55 tension. However, the string setup does not work as well on this racquet since I think it exaggerates the launch angle even more.
Does anyone have a suggestion that will help me reduce the launch angle a bit? I'm thinking about trying Triax 1.33/Isospeed Cream 1.28 at 56/54 to see if the larger guage will make a difference. Plus, I think I will need the extra durability anyway since the Vcore is much more open compared to the Ezone.
I have been using an 2022 Ezone 98 with Triax 1.28/YPTA 1.25 at 55/52 and it has been the most comfortable setup that allows me to play my game (although maybe its a bit too powerful). However, this unfortunately still wasn't comfortable enough so I've decided to ditch the Ezone.
I picked up a used 2023 Vcore 98 since it appears to not give me any arm issues with the same string setup as my Ezone above but at 58/55 tension. However, the string setup does not work as well on this racquet since I think it exaggerates the launch angle even more.
Does anyone have a suggestion that will help me reduce the launch angle a bit? I'm thinking about trying Triax 1.33/Isospeed Cream 1.28 at 56/54 to see if the larger guage will make a difference. Plus, I think I will need the extra durability anyway since the Vcore is much more open compared to the Ezone.
