Poly in Mains or Crosses? First-time poly/hybrid user

[MattHeup]

I'm looking to get my strings done soon, coming from synthetic gut to multi/poly hybrid. I'm wondering if it makes more sense to put the poly in the mains or in the crosses. Lately, as my current strings have lost tension, I find the ball flying long more and more, which makes me think I should go poly in the mains. However, coming from a synthetic gut that honestly hasn't been replaced in a while, I'm concerned it may be too jarring a change, What do y'all think?

Blade v6 98L 16x19 with synthetic gut at 55lbs, string is old though. Currently thinking I'll go for RPM Blast 17g in mains @ 48-50 ish and X-One Biphase 16g in crosses @ 51-54 ish. I want some more experienced opinions though. I'm roughly a 3.5 player who's just now starting to think about strings and how they affect my game.

 

[Dartagnan64]

For spin, Shape/textured Poly mains, syn gut crosses
For comfort, multi/gut mains, smooth poly crosses

I wouldn't waste money on Biphase for crosses as it's a pretty gummy multi that won't enhance spin at all and it is very pricey. Crosses add very little feel to the string bed so you are throwing money away IMO. You also want your crosses to be a little thinner than your mains to enhance sliding. Unless you are specifically going for a locked string bed.

I'd put RPM Blast in at 50 lbs and use your syn gut as crosses at 52 lbs and see how it goes if you want to try poly.

 

[PKorda]

For spin, Shape/textured Poly mains, syn gut crosses
For comfort, multi/gut mains, smooth poly crosses

I wouldn't waste money on Biphase for crosses as it's a pretty gummy multi that won't enhance spin at all and it is very pricey. Crosses add very little feel to the string bed so you are throwing money away IMO. You also want your crosses to be a little thinner than your mains to enhance sliding. Unless you are specifically going for a locked string bed.

I'd put RPM Blast in at 50 lbs and use your syn gut as crosses at 52 lbs and see how it goes if you want to try poly.

Why would use a hybrid with poly in the cross vs a full bed of multi or gut?

 

[tennisintheeighties]

Poly main syn gut cross beat only syn gut main / poly cross in durability.
For all the rest ( spin / confort / control ) i prefer syn gut main

 

[Yamin]

I'd recommend trying a multi that is more poly like first such as Head Velocity before going down the infinite combos in hybrids.

As for your hybrid question, you may want to go with a round string for the hybrid as a sharp string will cut through the multi more quickly.

Poly in cross vs main kind of comes down to preference. My setups have always gone dead very quickly with multi in mains so I prefer poly in mains. A lot of people do the opposite. I also found spin to be greater with poly in the mains. When it comes to gut, usually goes in mains.

Basically whichever you want more of the properties of should go in the mains.

I suggest you get your own stringing machine if you want to get into hybrids. They get pretty costly.

 

[MattHeup]

Why would use a hybrid with poly in the cross vs a full bed of multi or gut?

I would imagine it's to tone down and balance the properties of multi/gut a bit, especially for gut. Would benefit spin, durability without sacrificing too much feel. I'm not particularly knowledgeable though so that's just what I think would be the case.

 

[BenC]

I almost think of it as a spectrum:
full bed syn gut -> syn gut mains/poly cross -> poly mains/syn gut cross -> full bed poly

I was a long time user of full bed syn gut, tried full bed poly, ended up coming back to syn gut mains/poly crosses (18g). Durability is not great (6-8 hours) but the mains break before I have to worry about tension loss or strings going dead.

 

[joah310]

For spin and feel, poly in crosses. Personally I care more for durability and feel off polys so I keep them in the mains.

 

[Dartagnan64]

Why would use a hybrid with poly in the cross vs a full bed of multi or gut?

Full beds of multi and gut have too high a string to string friction so they don't slide as well and snap back. Since snap back contributes to spin on high powered shots, you want a smooth slippery cross.

Basically the spin enhancing principle is to have a main that has high ball to string friction and a cross that has low string to string friction.

 

[Steve Huff]

Whichever you decide, I almost always string the poly 5# looser than the synthetic or multi.

 

[Winners or Errors]

Poly crosses, multi mains. My current go-to setup is Multifeel Black and Kirschbaum Proline X.

 

[LocNetMonster]

I'm roughly a 3.5 player who's just now starting to think about strings and how they affect my game.

Singles, doubles or both?