Poly cross for gut that performs like Tour Bite, lasts like CoFocus

Maui19

Hall of Fame
Like many of you, I have been trying to find the ideal gut/poly hybrid setup. I use Pacific Natural Gut 16g in all my mains, and 17g poly in all my crosses.

My best performer so far has been Tour Bite. Great combo of power and spin. The problem is that it doesn't last very long. The next best setup, and my current string, has been Big Hitter Blue Rough. I love this setup, but the BHBR just saws right through the gut--far more quickly than anything else I've tried.

The best lasting setup I've had has been with CoFocus. That string just lasts and lasts, but I would like more power and spin than it provides.

I've also tried Cyclone, Hepta-Hex, Hurricane Feel, RPM Blast, and Lux 4g.

I have some Kirshenbaum Pro Line II on the way.

So what cross will perform like Tour Bite (or BHBR) that won't die fast or saw the gut mains?

(I also tried a full bed of BHBR and love that way that plays, but it is a little harsh for my ailing wrist. I'm not married to the idea of gut if I can get a high-performing full bed setup that is arm/wrist friendly.)

Thanks for any input.
 

kazamzaa

Rookie
I'm using the Big Hitter silver 17 at the moment. Seems to hold tension better than Co Focus. Only logged five hours yet. Time will tell what happens when the poly dies, but so far so good. It is stiffer than msv. Maybe not only because it holds tension better.
So go for the BHS 17 if you're looking for great tension maintenance and control.

I have Yonex Poly Tour Pro 16L on the way. I will report how it goes.
Previously tried luxilon's alu power, alu power Rough, alu power spin, msv cf and hex and some others.
 

Maui19

Hall of Fame
I'm really looking for the kind of power and and spin I get from Tour Bite but that lasts longer. I would be very happy if I could find a higher-performing version of CoFocus--that stuff lasts forever.
 

JT_2eighty

Hall of Fame
I have been in a similar boat. Love the gut/poly setup, and always looking for that "perfect" cross that has all the benefits of the best strings without any of their drawbacks that each also have (some die fast, some feel great but have too much power or not enough spin, etc etc etc).

On the one hand, there isn't one that lasts forever but plays like Tour Bite or ALU. Those two in particular are unique and amazing when fresh but go downhill sharply, I agree.

Then you have CoFocus with amazing longevity and comfort, and Mosquito Bite which also lasts forever, with my favorite 'feel', but neither have that massive "heavy ball" spin you can get from fresh TB & ALU. Perhaps TB Soft has the blend of both, but I've not tried that yet. Shaped crosses seem to shred my gut faster than I can afford.

While I'm still on the hunt for the 'magic cross' that's the best of all worlds, I think you have to trade longevity for playability. The magic cross doesn't exist.

That said, the closest I've gotten so far is either Luxilon Supersense (out of print but TW still has it, and plays somewhere in the middle of ALU & CoFocus, with good longevity), or Polyfibre Viper (amazing feel like Cofocus with better spin/power over time). Also, ALU also fits the bill if you can stick with it after it dies, as it comes back to life, somewhat, after being dead for a couple matches/practice sessions after the first 'death'. But, it lacks consistency as it goes from fresh to death to 'revival'. It's like three strings in one, but not in a great way.

I think frame and string pattern also play a big role in which string will be the best for your style in the longrun. In a dense, flexy midplus, I've been happily surprised with PF Viper... it's giving me CoFocus-like longevity with MosquitoBite-esque feel, although nothing matches the spin of TB, it's a sufficient second place.
 
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kazamzaa

Rookie
Just came home after a two hour playing/training session. I have hit approximately 7 hours now, with gut/BHS17. Probably have found my new favorite poly cross.
No real complaints so far. It certainly is firm. I wouldn't call it stiff.
Control is so much better than with msv co focus 17.
Let's hear other opinions about BHS17 as a cross? Anyone?
 

Gut4Tennis

Hall of Fame
genesis black magic is all I will use in the crosses with my gut

you must try it

lasts very long and gets great spin
 

MarrratSafin

Hall of Fame
I have been in a similar boat. Love the gut/poly setup, and always looking for that "perfect" cross that has all the benefits of the best strings without any of their drawbacks that each also have (some die fast, some feel great but have too much power or not enough spin, etc etc etc).

On the one hand, there isn't one that lasts forever but plays like Tour Bite or ALU. Those two in particular are unique and amazing when fresh but go downhill sharply, I agree.

Then you have CoFocus with amazing longevity and comfort, and Mosquito Bite which also lasts forever, with my favorite 'feel', but neither have that massive "heavy ball" spin you can get from fresh TB & ALU. Perhaps TB Soft has the blend of both, but I've not tried that yet. Shaped crosses seem to shred my gut faster than I can afford.

While I'm still on the hunt for the 'magic cross' that's the best of all worlds, I think you have to trade longevity for playability. The magic cross doesn't exist.

That said, the closest I've gotten so far is either Luxilon Supersense (out of print but TW still has it, and plays somewhere in the middle of ALU & CoFocus, with good longevity), or Polyfibre Viper (amazing feel like Cofocus with better spin/power over time). Also, ALU also fits the bill if you can stick with it after it dies, as it comes back to life, somewhat, after being dead for a couple matches/practice sessions after the first 'death'. But, it lacks consistency as it goes from fresh to death to 'revival'. It's like three strings in one, but not in a great way.

I think frame and string pattern also play a big role in which string will be the best for your style in the longrun. In a dense, flexy midplus, I've been happily surprised with PF Viper... it's giving me CoFocus-like longevity with MosquitoBite-esque feel, although nothing matches the spin of TB, it's a sufficient second place.

JT, does the Viper not lose quite a bit of tension like most Polyfibres? I have tried almost all of their line apart from Viper but I do have a set. My current strings are Pacific gut with Mosquito Bite crosses on PT630, similar to you.

The Luxilon Supersense suggestion is interesting.. I still have some in stock, might try them at some stage. Think it may die fast like Alu though.
 

souledge

Semi-Pro
Like many of you, I have been trying to find the ideal gut/poly hybrid setup. I use Pacific Natural Gut 16g in all my mains, and 17g poly in all my crosses.

My best performer so far has been Tour Bite. Great combo of power and spin. The problem is that it doesn't last very long. The next best setup, and my current string, has been Big Hitter Blue Rough. I love this setup, but the BHBR just saws right through the gut--far more quickly than anything else I've tried.

The best lasting setup I've had has been with CoFocus. That string just lasts and lasts, but I would like more power and spin than it provides.

I've also tried Cyclone, Hepta-Hex, Hurricane Feel, RPM Blast, and Lux 4g.

I have some Kirshenbaum Pro Line II on the way.

So what cross will perform like Tour Bite (or BHBR) that won't die fast or saw the gut mains?

(I also tried a full bed of BHBR and love that way that plays, but it is a little harsh for my ailing wrist. I'm not married to the idea of gut if I can get a high-performing full bed setup that is arm/wrist friendly.)

Thanks for any input.

What doesn't last long, the gut or the poly? (For TB and BHBR)
 

Rjtennis

Hall of Fame
I think you will like Pro-Line II. Anything with edges like tour bite just isn't worth it as it saws right away.
 

coloskier

Legend
Define "lasts longer". Any poly is dead after three weeks anyway whether you play with the racket or not and should be cut out.
 

Rjtennis

Hall of Fame
Define "lasts longer". Any poly is dead after three weeks anyway whether you play with the racket or not and should be cut out.

I disagree with that. The gut will play fine and all the crosses are really doing is adding some stiffness to the string bed.
 

JT_2eighty

Hall of Fame
JT, does the Viper not lose quite a bit of tension like most Polyfibres? I have tried almost all of their line apart from Viper but I do have a set. My current strings are Pacific gut with Mosquito Bite crosses on PT630, similar to you.

The Luxilon Supersense suggestion is interesting.. I still have some in stock, might try them at some stage. Think it may die fast like Alu though.

I haven't tried others in the PF line, so I can't make a good comparison. The tension loss so far is not translating into loss of control like it does with CoFocus for me. Viper has nice pocketing, and in the PT that allows for great control when combined with Gut mains (I'm using Tough 16L mains).

Lux SS definitely did play well for a long time, unlike others in the Lux lineup. If you currently are good with WC MB crosses, I would stick with that. It is definitely my all-round #1; it does everything very well, without any downsides really. I just know for those with open patterns it probably isn't going to last long, but for those of us with dense midplus or mids, it is an amazing cross.
 
My favorite is L-tec 4S mainly because it offers good power, spin, and tension maintenance and lasts about 14 hours which so far is the best I can hope for in a poly cross.

Other strings might offer better spin performance but they last only about 8 to 10 hours.
 

Maui19

Hall of Fame
Define "lasts longer". Any poly is dead after three weeks anyway whether you play with the racket or not and should be cut out.

I would like to get 12 hrs of playing time out of a string bed.

I am addicted to the spin and pop of Tour Bite and Blue Rough. I just want them to last a little longer.

I also really like the full bed of Blue Rough, but I can already tell it is going to take a toll on my ailing wrist.
 
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