Has anyone had any experience with versions of the new open pattern spin rackets, and if they may actually play well with a non-poly synthetic or multi? Got a demo of the Wilson Six.One 95 spin, but am waiting for the weather to clear to have a chance to try it. Actually it is for my son, who is about to start college tennis. It is strung with poly. He is hitting a six.one 95 16/18 right now, and prefers a hybrid poly/ synthetic over all poly. Wondering with these really open string patterns if they might actually play good without poly, for those of us that don't have the modern extreme topspin games? At some point it seems like almost too much spin.... My son hits spin, but not as much as most 18 year olds.
New Spin Rackets - Better with Non-Poly?
- Thread starter lstewart
- Start date
g4driver
Legend
I have 3 Steam 99S frames, and have tried them with full poly, gut/poly, poly/multi, Technibre's new HDX Tour 16g (a very durable multi with poly fibers).
Here's my .02:
a) 16x15 patterns doesn't work with anything other than full poly or gut/poly.
b) a 18x16 pattern might work with a poly/syn gut or poly/multi but I don't consider a 18x16 pattern in the same category with the Steam 99S and Pro Staff 95S and those 16x15 pattern. The 18x16 pattern Blade 98S and Six.One 95S don't come near the spin of the Steam 99S
The issue with the 16x15 frames is the ability to flatten out a ball. My string setup in my signature helps me flatten out the ball with the Steam 99S.
I personally think the folks at Wilson went completely overboard with the Spin Effect Frames and starting throwing darts at a board hoping to "Hit" near the board.
What Wilson could have done better IMO, is actually get feedback from their target audience (juniors, recreational adults, and Pro who used the Steam 99S) and then taken that feedback and tailored it.
Wilson choose to go with the "Let's throw darts" approach IMO, hence the Steam 99LS (too light for anyone), the Blade 98S, the Six.One 95S with the 18x16 pattern, and the Pro Staff 95S with it's 16x15 pattern.
I expect Wilson to continue to tweak this Spin Effect market. Maybe one day they might poll the folks buying them or demoing them and actually use the feedback they get. I love my Steam 99S frames, but I had to modify them and find the right string combo, which was much more difficult for me to find than compared with my older 16x19 pattern Wilson Pro Opens.
Spin frames work with any type of string, but the big issue for a lot of players is durability. I find that on my ESP frame, multifilaments fray too quickly, so I'm limited to solid core strings.
Ashaway Monogut ZX 16 mains with Gamma Marathon 15L crosses works great on my 16x16 frame, but it does need to be tight. I go to 66 lbs. Even at that tension it's much more comfortable than poly at 10 lbs less, and it lasts me over 10 hrs compared to 3-5 hours for most 16g full poly. I've also heard it works well with Wilson Spin Effects frames.
Ashaway Monogut ZX 16 mains with Gamma Marathon 15L crosses works great on my 16x16 frame, but it does need to be tight. I go to 66 lbs. Even at that tension it's much more comfortable than poly at 10 lbs less, and it lasts me over 10 hrs compared to 3-5 hours for most 16g full poly. I've also heard it works well with Wilson Spin Effects frames.
g4driver
Legend
Not for me - poly or multi mains move and lock out of place I use multi crosses in my Steam 99S frames-leaving the player with two choices:
A) play with main strings crooked as dog's hind leg
B) straighten the mains after very point
No Thanks -
Have you played with multi crosses in a Steam 99S ? The 18x16 pattern frames aren't nearly as bad IMO and maybe your Prince 16x16 pattern work, but Monogut Isn't really a multi- it is some Frankenstein string
lol
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darklore009
Hall of Fame
you can use other strings besides a poly, but you would have order a thicker string since the pattern is open and would notch the mains a lot faster.
Thanks for all the useful comments, all makes sense. I miss the old days when you decided if you wanted to play with a wood Kramer or Dunlop; or a Head Professional. Then you either strung it with synthetic or gut. So many choices and options now, it is really hard to tune one in these days.
Using a Prostaff 95S, and for practice I like either Leoina 66 (15L) for a more deadened response, or Prince Tournament Nylon 15L for a more lively response. I'll switch over to my poly setup when I've got a tournament approaching. The power level is higher than poly, but nothing ridiculous; I can still take natural cuts at the ball, control is good, and I have plenty of spin. Flattening out isn't difficult to do. Stringing them is a breeze, so I don't really care if I have to replace some $2 string (and I constantly play with a fresh bed). I regularly rotate with playing our 4.5-5.0 players, so it can work (I still lose badly, but that ain't the string ).
As someone noted above - yes, they go crooked, but as far as I'm concerned, it's cosmetic. I'll straighten them between points, but I can't say that I can tell any difference.
The life is not long, and to be honest if he is not going to be stringing his own rackets, I don't think it's worth it. I get people asking how I like the 95S and the answer is the same - I like mine, but I wouldn't even consider buying them if I didn't string.
Good luck to your son in playing college - I never played NCAA (we only have womens teams anyways), but I have been doing the USTA ToC (college club level). There are a decent number of players coming off of NCAA teams competing in those leagues, and they are incredible.
).As someone noted above - yes, they go crooked, but as far as I'm concerned, it's cosmetic. I'll straighten them between points, but I can't say that I can tell any difference.
The life is not long, and to be honest if he is not going to be stringing his own rackets, I don't think it's worth it. I get people asking how I like the 95S and the answer is the same - I like mine, but I wouldn't even consider buying them if I didn't string.
Good luck to your son in playing college - I never played NCAA (we only have womens teams anyways), but I have been doing the USTA ToC (college club level). There are a decent number of players coming off of NCAA teams competing in those leagues, and they are incredible.
Time to learn . My team really only had 2 people who actively strung, myself being one of them, so we ended up covering most of the rackets for our team. He very well may run into a situation like that - but availability to be stringing is not constant.
I usually estimate that one racket is one week until breaking the strings under my conditions - if I'm playing with the higher level players a lot in a given week, probably less. Just as a point of reference from what I expect out of my setup.
. My team really only had 2 people who actively strung, myself being one of them, so we ended up covering most of the rackets for our team. He very well may run into a situation like that - but availability to be stringing is not constant.I usually estimate that one racket is one week until breaking the strings under my conditions - if I'm playing with the higher level players a lot in a given week, probably less. Just as a point of reference from what I expect out of my setup.
M
Mementi
Guest
I have the Wilson Six One 95s and it plays great with full poly around 23 kg (51 lbs) on mains and crosses. I like to know what string tension you guys are using for spin rackets?
SCRAP IRON
Professional
There is good reason you like that set up- It may be the top hybrid known to mankind!
PGlock
Rookie
I have been playing with the Six.One 95S for several months now and have tried full poly beds and hybrids. For me the hybrids of poly mains and syn gut crosses have played better, mostly because they provide more control for me. So right now, I am using a thinner gauge of textured poly in the mains at 48 lbs and and a mostly solid core cross at 52 lbs. I will be trying some multis in the crosses next.
I would really have to increase the tension if I were using a full multi bed in the 95S and I think it would be OK. I don't think it would be my first choice though.
I would really have to increase the tension if I were using a full multi bed in the 95S and I think it would be OK. I don't think it would be my first choice though.
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g4driver
Legend
If you look at the stringing patterns and headsize of each Wilson frame, the most open Wilson is the Steam 105S, followed by the PS 100LS, Steam 99S, PS 95S, Blade 98S, and finally the Six.One 95S
When speaking of the 95S, their are two 95S -the PS with it's 16x15 pattern and the Six.One with it's 18x16 pattern
The 18x16 patterns aren't much different than any 16x18 pattern IMO in terms of spin generation or string breakage, so anyone speaking about Wilson Spin Effect frames should really specify which frame they are taking about. The Six.One 95S might work fine with multi hybrids, but there are hundreds of Steam 99S owners who will tell you they don't work at all.
I can't get 10 sets out of my full poly in a Steam 99S, so there is no way a multi will last longer. Pacific Tough Gut 16g/ HH 16g gives me a month - my most durable set up yet.
When speaking of the 95S, their are two 95S -the PS with it's 16x15 pattern and the Six.One with it's 18x16 pattern
The 18x16 patterns aren't much different than any 16x18 pattern IMO in terms of spin generation or string breakage, so anyone speaking about Wilson Spin Effect frames should really specify which frame they are taking about. The Six.One 95S might work fine with multi hybrids, but there are hundreds of Steam 99S owners who will tell you they don't work at all.
I can't get 10 sets out of my full poly in a Steam 99S, so there is no way a multi will last longer. Pacific Tough Gut 16g/ HH 16g gives me a month - my most durable set up yet.
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