Most durable strings

[TwistAndShout]

My son is breaking a string every 30-45 minutes when we have pure rally hitting sessions at the club. Its a running joke with the stringer that we can't get through an hour of court time, which itself costs $22/hr. I cannot be spending $50 for each hour hitting session. We are using RPM blast 16g and Head Graphene 360 rackets 16x19. We also tried 17g Kirschbaum ProLine II and those break quicker. Is there any chance these rackets are harder on strings than Babolat Pure Aero (the racket I use and I break every 6 weeks lol)? Should he consider a 18x20 pattern racket? If so, we have to buy 4-6 rackets so that will be expensive.

 

[shadow01]

Breaking 16g rpm blast in under an hour?!? How old is your son and how hard is he hitting the ball?! But even more importantly $22/hr for court time?!? Our rates are $50-80 per hour!
Sorry I don’t have any value to add - other than giving Kevlar a try? I have never used it but hear that it’s not harsh on your arm as the hype suggests. But again - I have no experience with it. Side note, my son’s string breaking is what lead me to buy a stringing machine.

 

[Deleted member 781523]

damn your son hits hard. So 17g is actually thinner than 16g. What you probably will want to do is move up to 15g (1.35mm) RPM Blast. If that doesn’t work, you try and find an even more durable 15 gauge string like Duralast,
or give Kevlar a try. 18x20 would definitely help but obviously changing rackets should be last resort since it will change feel, launch angle, etc

also maybe whoever is stringing is making a mistake? Seriously, breaking 16g poly in less than a hour consistently is pretty crazy

 

[Aretium]

Buy stringing machine and some rackets.

Could try rpm 1.35? It's not as stiff as some say

 

[esgee48]

Problend or Kevlar mains would be an option. Another option is poly mains and a softer cross like SG same gauges or thinner mains than crosses. Bab SG is fairly durable with poly mains.

You forgot to mention where your son breaks the string. If it is due to notching in the middle of the stringbed, then the above will work. If due to mishits near edge, not sure poly mains will help.

 

[Chairman3]

Just to clarify, he is breaking it in the center, correct?

 

[TwistAndShout]

Breaks at the top of the racket- Mains every time. Video is a year ago- he's grown!

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Y7o-ugfrqrA

 

[TwistAndShout]

Problend or Kevlar mains would be an option. Another option is poly mains and a softer cross like SG same gauges or thinner mains than crosses. Bab SG is fairly durable with poly mains.

You forgot to mention where your son breaks the string. If it is due to notching in the middle of the stringbed, then the above will work. If due to mishits near edge, not sure poly mains will help.

I'll take a picture of his 4-5 breaks next week lol.

 

[TwistAndShout]

damn your son hits hard. So 17g is actually thinner than 16g. What you probably will want to do is move up to 15g (1.35mm) RPM Blast. If that doesn’t work, you try and find an even more durable 15 gauge string like Duralast,
or give Kevlar a try. 18x20 would definitely help but obviously changing rackets should be last resort since it will change feel, launch angle, etc

also maybe whoever is stringing is making a mistake? Seriously, breaking 16g poly in less than a hour consistently is pretty crazy

Its constant hitting for any hour- not match play. I have 4-6 balls in my pocket and re-feed if one of us hits the ball out.

 

[Chairman3]

If he is not breaking in the center of the string bed then he is breaking from a shank/mishit, which is a technique issue.
Someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Stefanm]

Breaks at the top of the racket- Mains every time. Video is a year ago- he's grown!

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Y7o-ugfrqrA

If he’s breaking it at the top, it’s probably either a grommet issue or shank hits.

 

[TwistAndShout]

What about Solinco Confidential?

 

[Chairman3]

If he is consistently breaking near the frame (outer edges of stringbed), there is no string that will survive this.
It is racquet science, I am not being rude or not trying to be, just saying that string won't solve this type of breakage issue.

 

[Jster]

Change your stringer (discreetly) for 1 string job to see if there is any difference.
Too many variables to think about.

 

[esgee48]

I know several ex D1 who broke strings very frequently when they were just hitting AND still growing. Their mechanics were not stable because of growth spurts and trying to hit hard. They would bring 3 racquets out and break all 3 in their hitting sessions. Now that they are adults still playing league (yes we do have league at that level) when these guys practice, they bring 2 racquets and break nothing. I feel very old and short when they’re hitting on the same tier.

Tell your son to focus on hitting cleanly rather than hard. Polyester shears easily on mishits near the frame.

Now if breakage is frequently near the same grommet, it may be time to put new grommets on the frame. HTH

 

[blai212]

tell him to hit softer and with less spin…

all jokes aside, he’s a big hitter…they break strings, that’s what they do (he could be in a geico commercial). Also OP never specified which head graphene 360 racquet but from the video it looks like the Speed MP which is a string eater. Try the Speed Pro which is what Djokovic uses…I believe it’s 18x19 or 18x20. His overall power and spin may suffer but durability and directional control will increase. If he doesn’t like it, buy him a cheap stringer and tell him he can string his own racquets.

 

[LocNetMonster]

Demo 18x20 frames with 15g string. When you find one he likes, buy at least two. Three, if he is playing tournaments.

FWIW, I was stringing for a guy who said he was ranked nationally as a junior. Hit with him twice. Buttery stroke with heavy-*** groundstrokes. He could chew through sGut in less than 30 min in a hitting session in a 16x19 pattern. Gave him full bed poly once. It lasted just under 2 hours. He brought me two frames a week like clockwork during Covid.

 

[NewcomerfromBalkan]

Luxilon Big banger original or TF Razor code 1.30 gauge would worth a try.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

-switch to 18/20 frame!
-some are better than others
-as mentioned above, DEMO

 

[Steve Huff]

Breaking 16g rpm blast in under an hour?!? How old is your son and how hard is he hitting the ball?! But even more importantly $22/hr for court time?!? Our rates are $50-80 per hour!
Sorry I don’t have any value to add - other than giving Kevlar a try? I have never used it but hear that it’s not harsh on your arm as the hype suggests. But again - I have no experience with it. Side note, my son’s string breaking is what lead me to buy a stringing machine.

Our court time costs nothing--indoor, outdoor clay, outdoor hard.
As for the original poster: 1) definitely buy him a stringing machine. It will pay for itself quickly. 2) Get the 18x20 racket. I don't normally recommend this, but I think it will be a benefit to your son and your wallet. 3) Try the 15L polyesters before going to Kevlar. Kevlar string should be your last resort.

 

[graycrait]

@TwistAndShout , 28 yr old comes to me and says he is breaking 16g poly too fast and even tried 15g poly. I strung one of his Pure Drives with 16g Ashaway Kevlar mains x Ashaway Zyex 17g in the crosses at 62/58lbs. Big drop in tension initially in those strings then they settle in, don't ever lock up, and the Kevlar frays then breaks. After 6 or 8 weeks he breaks the strings and brings all his Pure Drives and says more Ash Kev x Ash Zx please. He hasn't been to see me in a couple months, but tells me he loves the string. Those strings might be worth a try. Lots of info on those strings on TT.