Multi mains poly/syn gut crosses. Input appreciated.

[tdhawks]

Need to take a break from my poly/poly hybrid.
Golfers elbow has been barking a little too frequent and need to adjust.

I generally use Big Spin in the mains/Cream in the crosses strung at 47/45.

All court player that utilizes a lot of spin so looking for a comfortable hybrid that will still give me spin potential.

Would I be better served to put a slick poly cross with a multi in the main or synthetic gut in the cross?

I’ve been looking at NRG, Velocity, Multifeel, Triax, and RPM Soft.

I’m open for any suggestions and recommended tensions based on information provided above.

Thank you.

 

[thenewbig3]

Multi Main / Syngut crosses makes no sense to me since SGut will just gum it up early... Full multi would be better
Syngut mains / Multifeel crosses have better snapback that full syngut. Any multi / Multifeel crosses should work also.

2 Easy Options to start based on your multi or multi/poly interests
1. Triax-16 51 x 49 > Multifeel16 > Velocity16
2. Triax-16 X Cream-17 51 x 47

This thread has a lot of random information if you like to read

Thread 'Kobayashi Maru String Scenario'

Aug 31, 2020

The player breaks the Hyper G Mains of a Hyper G 1.30mm/1.25mm Head Hawk set up in his Ai 98 in 12 hours, he now has a serious elbow injury and wants to keep playing but you can't use "poly" or Kelvar.

Can you find him a solution with these restrictions: 1) the setup lasts at least 10 hours 2) does not hurt his elbow 3) no poly/kevlar 4) reasonable cost ($15 a frame for strings max, but the lower the better)

Background: I've been stringing for a high-level 4.5 player who bounces between 5.0 and 4.5. He's a doctor in his mid-40s. He hits a lot of spin compared to...

• g4driver
• Replies: 520
• Forum: Strings

• 

 

[Mungo]

FWIW Triax, HDMX, Cream and GW ….in any combo were irritating to my wrist. I understand why it could make sense to try them first…but not inconceivable that you’ll need to give up poly strings to meet your objectives. Am finding great satisfaction in FB NG as well as hybrids of multi, Syn gut, and NG. My performance is unaffected!

 

[stapletonj]

this is the poor man's gut/poly*. Nice.......but there ain't nothing like gut

* unless you live in , like, Seattle

 

[maksp]

Prince duraflex yellow andv1 25mm black ogsm were only syn guts I could get to last at least 5 hours, with smooth round poly main like ptp

 

[tele]

Full bed of hdmx feels more comfy to me than velocity, and it is less launchy ime. It frays pretty fast but keeps sliding (I only used it in 18x20 racquets in a full bed). Although I recommend healing before reintroducing poly, the most comfortable crosses I have used (I have used cream before) that you can get in the us/europe are prince warrior response and polyfibre tcs (which is actually polyethylene)．

 

[BenC]

Multi Main / Syngut crosses makes no sense to me since SGut will just gum it up early... Full multi would be better
Syngut mains / Multifeel crosses have better snapback that full syngut. Any multi / Multifeel crosses should work also.

TF multis are different though - I've used Triax and X1 Biphase mains with TNT2, OGSM, and Prince SG with Duraflex crosses and all have stayed unlocked until the mains broke.

Have to get the tension right or it gets launchy though.

 

[thenewbig3]

TF multis are different though - I've used Triax and X1 Biphase mains with TNT2, OGSM, and Prince SG with Duraflex crosses and all have stayed unlocked until the mains broke.

Have to get the tension right or it gets launchy though.

Havent tried this combo you mentioned.. I guess the primary benefit is average cost reduction as mains tend to break anyway right?

Only arm friendly hybrid I use occasionally is sgut x poly - breaks quick but is cheap and cheerful and i can string myself.

 

[maksp]

Multifeel is great as mains or cross but started fraying 3rd hour n snapped at 5... or else it's my favorite cross

 

[BenC]

Havent tried this combo you mentioned.. I guess the primary benefit is average cost reduction as mains tend to break anyway right?

Only arm friendly hybrid I use occasionally is sgut x poly - breaks quick but is cheap and cheerful and i can string myself.

Cost reduction for sure. Maybe a bit more durability than full bed multi where the crosses fray and break first.

Also a sgut/poly user sometimes but have had to go even softer recently.

 

[tdhawks]

Tried Triax 16g with Poly Tour Pro 18g in the crosses. 50/47. Felt great. However it only lasted 45 min as I snapped the Triax.

 

[d-quik]

Tried Triax 16g with Poly Tour Pro 18g in the crosses. 50/47. Felt great. However it only lasted 45 min as I snapped the Triax.

Shouldn't you go with thinner mains and thicker crosses?

The thinner and harder cross will slice through the thicc, juicy, succulent mains

 

[Trip]

So, a few thoughts here.

First, no one has thought to ask about the racquet in question, which could be a factor in string playability. Upon doing a bit of digging, that appears to be a VCore 98 2023.

Next, if you're coming from Big Spin mains, I presume you know that you're going to lose a significant amount of ball bite and static grip by substituting in a round partial-poly/non-poly main. So a technique adjustment (more deliberate swipe and racquet face closure) will probably be necessary, at least to some degree. That can take a fair amount of retraining time, so be patient.

All of that said, if Triax 1.33 / PTP 1.20 was enjoyable enough but Triax was snapping in 45 minutes, I would sub out PTP for Cream 1.28 (that you're already used to anyways) and retry. Cream is usually more gentle on partial/non -poly mains, as it has a lower surface hardness and higher compressibility than most other poly's (mainly due to being ~50% rubber), so it won't apply as aggressive a notching effect on Triax, plus there is something magic that happens between the SPL coating and PU400 matrix of TF strings and IsoSpeed's liquid wax impregnation in most of their polys, Cream included, that just promotes completely unimpeded snapback for most of the string bed life. These two things combined often makes softer mains that are more vulnerable to physical wear last considerably longer, Triax included.

Next, if Triax 1.33 / Cream 1.28 still results in Triax breaking earlier than desired, I would try bumping up the Triax gauge to 1.38 and seeing how much extra time that buys you, if any.

Beyond that, you might try something like Prince Lightning Pro 1.30 in the mains, which is a synthetic-ester with a playability of around 70% syn-gut, 30% multi, and has an incredibly slippery outer layer with 2 PET poly ribbon wraps below, that usually does a good job of protecting the deeper innards from further wear, and works great as a hybrid main (currently have Lightning Pro Black 1.30 / Toroline Wasabi-X 1.23 @ 55/50 going on 20+ hours in a '21 CX 200 with only around 20% notching in the sweet spot and full snapback alive and well – a god-tier combo, at least in that frame, and for my mechanics, albeit admittedly I'm usually not much of a string breaker).

Lastly, another angle would be a super soft shaped poly main in place of Big Spin – something like MSV Focus Hex +38, or similar – combined with Cream crosses. That combo may just be gentle enough to keep the arm happy.

Hope some of that helps. Any questions, feel free.

 

[tdhawks]

Thanks, Trip.

Currently out of Cream, that is why I went PPTP with the main.

I do have a set of Wasabi X 1.23 on hand until my new reel of Cream arrives. Also have Ghostwire available in 16g and 17g.

If I went the route of Triax again, would you suggest pairing that with the Wasabi or Ghostwire I have?

Or would I be better suited with the Lighting Pro with the X like mentioned?

Thanks for your insight.

 

[tdhawks]

Shouldn't you go with thinner mains and thicker crosses?

The thinner and harder cross will slice through the thicc, juicy, succulent mains

This made me laugh, but you nailed it.

 

[ProbableCharlie]

Beyond that, you might try something like Prince Lightning Pro 1.30 in the mains...

I'm a convert to the church of Prince-Lightning-in-the-mains.

I've tried both the Lightning Pro. and the older XX and both work (I got 200 metres of the old XX laughably cheaply so I have to defend it. It works similarly.) although the pro. is better. Just about any round-ish poly works with it for crosses although some are better than others and I'm not confident that strongly faceted or shaped poly would be good – more on that, later.

I think this makes sense because I'm certain the larger portion of the magic is entirely down to the coating on the Prince Lightning mains. Specifically: how hugely it enhances the snap-back. Intuitively, I expect *any* polyester filament that slides nicely against that coating would work for the crosses and one may pick their personal cross string of choice and the setup can be personalised.

On that note: I'm thinking of trying the beloved HEAD Lynx Tour as a cross with the Lightning mains, as an experiment, because I really like the Lynx Tour, on its own, and, due to ineptitude (me forgetting to click "buy" on an order) I ran out of material and ended up with HEAD Hawk crosses I could scrounge up from the odd box on my last restring, last week, and the result (Lightning XX @ 23,8 kg × HAWK Touch @ 22,3 kg) was surprisingly nice, at least indoors. But the Lynx Tour is very shaped so I have reservations about this idea.

What's the vibe? Cool idea: try it and report? Crazy: don't even bother? Oh, and what's the vibe on that setup I ad-lib'd, last week – Prince Lightning XX 17 @ 23,8 kg × HAWK Touch (17??) @ 22,3 kg, in the Gravity Pro (2023). Am I just imagining that it's working? (Do stringers "honeymoon" on string-beds?)

EDIT: I forgot to mention that avoiding joint pain is paramount, when stringing for myself – that's also why I'm using the Gravity racquets. I don't have elbow problems but my right wrist is extremely sensitive and otherwise brilliant setups that work wonderfully for friends give me twinges almost immediately. As far as "ergonomics" are concerned, I've never contrived a string-bed with the Prince Lightning mains that has posed any problems.

 

[Trip]

Thanks, Trip. Currently out of Cream, that is why I went PPTP with the main.

Gotcha. Totally understandable.

I do have a set of Wasabi X 1.23 on hand until my new reel of Cream arrives. Also have Ghostwire available in 16g and 17g. If I went the route of Triax again, would you suggest pairing that with the Wasabi or Ghostwire I have? Or would I be better suited with the Lighting Pro with the X like mentioned? Thanks for your insight.

That's a nice portfolio of poly right there. I would say between GW and Was-X it's probably a toss up on which one Triax would last longer with. If I had to guess, I might lean towards Ghostwire, just because it's a tad softer / more compressible than Was-X, but Was-X is also more slick, counteracting at least some of the density difference. Probably can't go wrong with either.

As for whether to go to Lightning Pro, I think it all depends on the power profile you want. LP is going to offer a fair bit more easy pop/depth per unit tension than Triax, which could be good or bad, depending on what you're looking for. That said, nothing you couldn't also rein in with a bit higher tension, too, so it might also be worth a try just for the heck of it. Lightning Pro / Was-X has really impressed me overall. Exceptional combo. I just wish Toroline made a more crisp-feeling "Was-X Silver" (and no, Enso Pro Carbon is not it), but oh well. Maybe in the future.

@ProbableCharlie - Nice to hear another with such good experiences with the Lightning strings, especially Pro.

As far as "ergonomics" are concerned, I've never contrived a string-bed with the Prince Lightning mains that has posed any problems.

And same here. Currently, Lightning Pro is leading the pack for me as my non-poly/non-gut / poly hybrid main of choice (if Multifeel Black had better durability, that would probably be my #1, but it just isn't beefy enough, even for me, and that's saying something).

The only kicker with Lightning Pro is that the finish on it so slick, that initially, usually for the first 30-60 minutes of your first hit, you might feel some appreciable slippage / lack of grip of the ball on contact. But the slickness of the outer-most facing parts of the string will wear off and friction-up after "break in", while the inner-facing parts at the string intersections remain slick, and then it's all gravy from there.

 

[tdhawks]

My buddy runs one of the local shops in town and offered to throw in 1.30 Babolat VS NG in the mains with 17g Head Lynx in the crosses. Charging me $50 for both racquets as my other with the previous setup is about ready to snap as well.

He wanted to get some feedback on that specific combo so we are going to try that.

Never tried gut so this will be interesting…

 

[d-quik]

This made me laugh, but you nailed it.

Okay but seriously though, shouldn't you put the harder and thinner string on the mains? The mains slide ACROSS the crosses, so if the crosses are thin, it should really slice into the mains, no? The crosses do not slide across the mains, so a thinner main will never slice into crosses.