tennisinoc
Semi-Pro
What do you think is best for Natural Gut mains? Textured or round? Why?
Poly cross for Natural Gut mains: Textured or Round?
- Thread starter tennisinoc
- Start date
Cobra Tennis
Professional
Textured is going to eat the gut up
tennisinoc
Semi-Pro
What about "Rough" or "twisted" type strings?
hrail
New User
Depending on the textured poly string.
In my case the normal rounded Luxilon Alu is worse for the gut than the Alu Rough, it saws the gut quickly.
I can't explain why but Alu Rough has a textured shape that doesn't hurt the gut as much, it has less friction than the regular one and the string snap back is better too.
In my case the normal rounded Luxilon Alu is worse for the gut than the Alu Rough, it saws the gut quickly.
I can't explain why but Alu Rough has a textured shape that doesn't hurt the gut as much, it has less friction than the regular one and the string snap back is better too.
alu rough is not very "rough" actually as the texture is very light. TF RuffCode is also lightly textured.
I think a smooth or a lightly textured slick poly like ALU rough or TF RuffCode can be good cross strings.
I would not use a twisted string like SigPro Tornado as a cross as it is very rough and will saw the mains and limit slide.
I think a smooth or a lightly textured slick poly like ALU rough or TF RuffCode can be good cross strings.
I would not use a twisted string like SigPro Tornado as a cross as it is very rough and will saw the mains and limit slide.
1HBHfanatic
Legend
gosen sidewinder is mildly round, textured, could work ok with gut mains, no hard edges
solinco tour bite, or msv focus kex, types of textured strings would shred the gut mains (both these polys are the sharpest/hard ive come across).
babolat rpm is fairly round for a textured poly, could provably do a bit better then the last 2 suggestions, but it still would prematurely damage gut
an 8 sided poly, or more, would be a shaped poly i would look for if i had to string in this way
solinco tour bite, or msv focus kex, types of textured strings would shred the gut mains (both these polys are the sharpest/hard ive come across).
babolat rpm is fairly round for a textured poly, could provably do a bit better then the last 2 suggestions, but it still would prematurely damage gut
an 8 sided poly, or more, would be a shaped poly i would look for if i had to string in this way
anubis
Hall of Fame
The whole point of putting a poly in the crosses is to allow the natural gut to slide around better. If you use a rough cross string, then you're just locking down the natural gut mains: you're just throwing money away. If you really want to use rough cross strings, then put a multifilament in the mains to cut costs.
Bender
G.O.A.T.
I use ALU Rough crosses, although I voted for round poly.
On paper, round should be better, especially as far as string longevity is concerned.
However, in practice it is different. I tried ALU smooth crosses, but for some inexplicable reason, the feeling was noticeably different, and it didn't work for me.
I switched to ALU Rough crosses just to see if there would be any difference, and it surprisingly felt a lot more lively / crisp to me, so I stuck with it.
Good news for me was that as far as string longevity was concerned, ALU Rough crosses did not kill the gut mains any quicker than did the smooth.
On paper, round should be better, especially as far as string longevity is concerned.
However, in practice it is different. I tried ALU smooth crosses, but for some inexplicable reason, the feeling was noticeably different, and it didn't work for me.
I switched to ALU Rough crosses just to see if there would be any difference, and it surprisingly felt a lot more lively / crisp to me, so I stuck with it.
Good news for me was that as far as string longevity was concerned, ALU Rough crosses did not kill the gut mains any quicker than did the smooth.
Smooth and shiny cross poly, for easy sliding back into place and little friction on the gut mains.
But, I suspect a rectangular smooth poly, like SolincoTourBite, might be less friction AND less notching than a round smooth poly cross. The flat's align with the mains, providing more surface area to reduce notching, and the shiny smoothness of STBite slides very easily.
But, I suspect a rectangular smooth poly, like SolincoTourBite, might be less friction AND less notching than a round smooth poly cross. The flat's align with the mains, providing more surface area to reduce notching, and the shiny smoothness of STBite slides very easily.
Sander001
Hall of Fame
Makes sense; the grippiest tires are slicks.
torpantennis
Legend
Agree. I'm tempted to try Focus Hex. It's supposed to have much better tension maintenance than Tour Bite.
torpantennis
Legend
OTOH, slick ice is not grippy at all.
tennisinoc
Semi-Pro
As of now, the clear leader is Round.
But riddle me this, if round is the consensus and truth, why is it that Wilson and Babolat chose a textured poly in their hybrid sets?
(Alu rough & RPM blast)
This should be an interesting response.
But riddle me this, if round is the consensus and truth, why is it that Wilson and Babolat chose a textured poly in their hybrid sets?
(Alu rough & RPM blast)
This should be an interesting response.
Sander001
Hall of Fame
Still could be grippier than textured ice due to surface inconsistency interrupting the application of friction.
Does not TWU have friction statistics on strings that show some rough strings are slicker than some round strings. I think textured strings might have less surface contact thus less friction.
Anyhow, a quality smooth round poly or a slightly textured poly should work a treat.
Kirshbaum Max Power has very good tension maintenance numbers so I would give it a try. It is round. They have a Rough version but I have not tried it.
Anyhow, a quality smooth round poly or a slightly textured poly should work a treat.
Kirshbaum Max Power has very good tension maintenance numbers so I would give it a try. It is round. They have a Rough version but I have not tried it.
Irvin
Talk Tennis Guru
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I've had absolutely no problem with TB cutting the gut. In fact, 9 times out of 10 the poly has broken first, and then I just restring the crosses and get another 15 hours out of the set of gut.
1HBHfanatic
Legend
interesting. let me ask. Did you notise the S.TB flatening or loosing its edge against the MAINS? Any notiseble shredding?
Oh. WhT racquet have you tried this on? Pattern?. Tnx.
o0lunatik
Professional
According to the rule of physics, yes. I've played through many sets of VS Gut crossed with Tour Bite and find that it doesn't wear out any quicker than when I have a smoother poly like SPPP or Big Hitter Blue. I normally restring two cross to one gut main before I even cut out my main. I get approx 40-45 hours on a half set of gut with two cross string jobs. At the end of the day, I still prefer a smooth poly just, b/c of the snapback and how strings stay in place.
Blitzball
Professional
I've used Champions Choice a few times and the rough poly doesn't really seem to hinder durability at all. Like some others have said, the round polys might saw in more quickly. We all have theories. Just go out and try both and see what works best for you.
And if someone tells you textured isn't as good, well just know that it's good enough for Federer and plenty of other touring pros.
And if someone tells you textured isn't as good, well just know that it's good enough for Federer and plenty of other touring pros.
tennisinoc
Semi-Pro
Tour pros get fresh free string jobs all day. Us little mortals don't have that luxury. I don't have the luxury to experiment with really textured crosses because if it does saw into the gut faster, I'm out $24 bucks faster! Hence my poll. I am just curious why the Wilson & Babolat hybrid sets chose a textured vs. round if round is better.
SpinToWin
Talk Tennis Guru
Because it's what the (most popular) pros use.
RPM Blast as a cross has one of the shortest playability durations ever. Plays spectacularly well as long as it lasts, bit it ain't long by any measure. A (top) pro won't care because he gets a new string job every few games.
Lambsscroll
Hall of Fame
Some textured polys actually have less of a melting effect against the natural gut than a smooth poly. Less friction less melt.
That makes SO much sense I will try on a hex poly with NG mains, thanks
Steve Huff
G.O.A.T.
My personal favorite was Klip Legend/Pacific X Force, but I string for a 4.5/5.0 guy that swears by Klip Legend/Genesis Twisted Razor. He tried a round string at first, but found he gets more spin with the new set up, and it lasts just as long, if not longer that previous.
Sander001
Hall of Fame
Really important to string it without it twisting or you will destroy the gut mains faster.
Exactly. The spin comes from the mains snapping back. The crosses simply support the mains and allow them to slide.
OlivierJulienB
Rookie
Generally speaking, round poly cross with gut mains is better than with textured poly cross.
But some textures seem to work better than others. How do you consider Alu Power Rough? I have read that it works (almost) as good as a round poly as a cross with gut mains.
But some textures seem to work better than others. How do you consider Alu Power Rough? I have read that it works (almost) as good as a round poly as a cross with gut mains.
