Polyamide monofilaments: why they didn't become popular?

[FV_Br]

Hi,


I just recovered from a tennis elbow and golfers elbow episode, and will be using polyester strings again, so playing with multifilaments and/or polyamide monos will be the way to go from now on.

But where are the other options for Polyamide monos? I can see only Babolat Origin and Angell Halo 1 as options right now. Why they didn't become popular in a world of very stiff racquets?

 

[Automatix]

My take on the subject...
First of they are not the best of both worlds - monofilament poly spin & multifilament comfort.
In addition Origin is not cheap, you can achieve similar results with a nice budget multi/poly hybrid. Angell Halo 1 on the other hand is not widely available.

 

[esgee48]

Polyamides is another name for generic Nylon. All multis and SGs have this stuff as part of their composition, also some polyesters. Manufactures add additives for stiffness and surface hardness; other polymers when spinning out the strings. Polyesters are just another class of polymers. Co-polymers are polyesters with other polymers or other polymers with some polyesters.

 

[FV_Br]

Polyamides is another name for generic Nylon. All multis and SGs have this stuff as part of their composition, also some polyesters. Manufactures add additives for stiffness and surface hardness; other polymers when spinning out the strings. Polyesters are just another class of polymers. Co-polymers are polyesters with other polymers or other polymers with some polyesters.

The way they used the nylon with Origin is totally different than the nylon used in syntethic guts. A mono nylon used for fishing, for example, does have nothing to do with Origin.

 

[esgee48]

Additives are added for specific desired properties. This secret sauce is why the manufacturer can charge so much more for Element vs SG.

 

[Dartagnan64]

polyamide monos run pretty expensive compared to polyesters and most multis. Don't know if that's an R&D thing or a Manufacturing thing. While Origin does seem to maintain tension a bit better than alot of multi's, it's not dramatic enough to really warrant the cost. You can get some multi's with 90% of the durability and tension maintenance for half the price. And probably find multis with better performance for similar prices.

I do love Origin, but I'm not sure its a substantially better string than some coated multifilaments out there.

 

[CopolyX]

Nice write up sync gut
http://www.tennisindustrymag.com/articles/2015/07/15_nylon_vs_poly.html
Still pertinent...

 

[Ramon]

Polyamide is just nylon. It has always been nylon. The use of the chemical name is just marketing. If you actually think Origin is in a totally different class, you've been fooled by marketing.

 

[CosmosMpower]

I've hit with Halo 1 and it's an interesting string. Pretty elastic and really soft but due to the thin gauge gives you good spin and power. It moves around a lot like a syn gut and gets stuck out of position quickly. You have to use WD40 or some kind of spray to keep the strings sliding on each other correctly. It's also not very durable, I never break strings and actually broke a set in about 12 hours.

Origin seems to be a good string if you're a soft multi user that wants a little bit more control. It's stiffer than Technifibre NRG2 and X1 Biphase but still pretty soft. The full retail price is too high in my opinion but I've seen it on sale for 9.99 here and there.

 

[HitTheBall]

I’m thoroughly enjoying Halo 2 string. I wasn’t so keen when I first tried it about a year ago. But now it is my string of choice. It grips the ball very nicely when you let loose and swing fast. At lower tensions you can feel it sink in and grip. It takes a bit of getting used to and settles after the first session as it has more power than regular poly. Strings don’t stick like halo1 and it is very durable - plays decently for min. 2 weeks. It is a bit like a more powerful and more comfortable version of Sonic pro edge. From memory comfort is similar to head velocity (also polyaimide I think). Definitely for me way more comfortable and fun to play with compared with Origin.

 

[Dartagnan64]

Polyamide is just nylon. It has always been nylon. The use of the chemical name is just marketing. If you actually think Origin is in a totally different class, you've been fooled by marketing.

I think Origin is a different string than syn gut or multifilament. It's not just marketing. It's more comfortable than polys and co-polys and holds tension better than most multis. It's not a spinny string. To be honest, it's closest doppelganger is Natural Gut in most respects.

All nylons are not the same. Just as all Multifilaments and Polyesters are not the same. Manufacturing processes and additives give significantly different properties to strings with similar basic chemical makeups.

 

[Ramon]

I think Origin is a different string than syn gut or multifilament. It's not just marketing. It's more comfortable than polys and co-polys and holds tension better than most multis. It's not a spinny string. To be honest, it's closest doppelganger is Natural Gut in most respects.

All nylons are not the same. Just as all Multifilaments and Polyesters are not the same. Manufacturing processes and additives give significantly different properties to strings with similar basic chemical makeups.

Any maker of premium synthetic gut strings can say exactly the same thing and they can legally call their strings Polyamides because that's what they are. The racquet I'm using right now happens to have Origin in the crosses. I actually like it a lot, but I'm torn about buying more of it because of the price. It's an impressive string, but to me it's a nothing more than a very good synthetic gut.

 

[FV_Br]

I think Origin is a different string than syn gut or multifilament. It's not just marketing. It's more comfortable than polys and co-polys and holds tension better than most multis. It's not a spinny string. To be honest, it's closest doppelganger is Natural Gut in most respects.

All nylons are not the same. Just as all Multifilaments and Polyesters are not the same. Manufacturing processes and additives give significantly different properties to strings with similar basic chemical makeups.

If they are really using natural polyamide, probably is silk or something similar. If that is the case, the price and the qualities are justified. My wife just strung with Origin 16 and she is loving it, even coming form hybrids with RedCode/Sensation.

 

[Dartagnan64]

Any maker of premium synthetic gut strings can say exactly the same thing and they can legally call their strings Polyamides because that's what they are. The racquet I'm using right now happens to have Origin in the crosses. I actually like it a lot, but I'm torn about buying more of it because of the price. It's an impressive string, but to me it's a nothing more than a very good synthetic gut.

Well even Kevlar is officially a polyamide. Polyamide is a generic broad class of fibres including nylon. Syn guts will be unique polyamides as will Origin and Kevlar. And they all can have unique properties. I think Origin's properties are unique compared to most synguts I've tried. It's softer. It holds tension better. It's more durable.

Premium price should never come down to composition, but rather manufacturing process and properties should define the cost. If it's harder to make and has superior properties to syn gut, it should be more expensive. In general with strings I've noticed that you get what you pay for. The decision is always, "is that improvement in string performance worth the extra cost for someone that is playing tennis for fun."

 

[proracketeer]

What about DoubleAr?
What about snapback?

 

[12oz]

I just ordered 4 sets of origin and hoping big things from it. Yes it plays similar to most multis and is an awful lot more expensive but I have read that it notches like a poly and doesn’t fray like a normal multi or natural gut.

If this is true it will be one of a few options to hybrid with a shaped poly with relatively good playability and softness.

That in itself makes it worthwhile and different, doesn’t it?

 

[graycrait]

I just ordered 4 sets of origin

I had ordered a reel of Origin once. It is a "dead" sort of string in my opinion. No one, and I mean no one, told or asked me to restring their racket with it once they had tested it out. I used it fullbed, hybrid with gut, hybrid with Zyex, hybrid with poly and hybid as a cross with Ashaway Kevlar mians. I would just as soon use Prince Premier Control or Wilson Sensation for that sort of feel of string fullbed. As a cross I would rather use Zyex than Origin. But I do have a POG 90 1-stripe strung with fullbed Origin and this thread will force me to take it out for a hit again.

 

[WestboroChe]

First of all let me say you should not be playing with poly if you already have had both TE and GE.

I recently tried Diadem Evolution which is a polyamide monofilament. It’s very comfortable very muted feeling and low powered. Spin production was good but not great; certainly not on the level of poly.

So to repeat what others have already said here these types of strings don’t offer the best of both worlds. But they do offer a bit of each.

 

[12oz]

I had ordered a reel of Origin once. It is a "dead" sort of string in my opinion. No one, and I mean no one, told or asked me to restring their racket with it once they had tested it out. I used it fullbed, hybrid with gut, hybrid with Zyex, hybrid with poly and hybid as a cross with Ashaway Kevlar mians. I would just as soon use Prince Premier Control or Wilson Sensation for that sort of feel of string fullbed. As a cross I would rather use Zyex than Origin. But I do have a POG 90 1-stripe strung with fullbed Origin and this thread will force me to take it out for a hit again.

Maybe I got it all wrong, but feeling dead (like a poly) can be a good thing which means a higher level of control and when you combine that with a soft feel and good tension maintenance that’s something you can’t find in another string?

 

[graycrait]

Maybe I got it all wrong, but feeling dead (like a poly) can be a good thing which means a higher level of control and when you combine that with a soft feel and good tension maintenance that’s something you can’t find in another string?

Hey! You might like it. It isn't that I disliked it but for $20.00/set it did nothing for me that I couldn't find elsewhere. Maybe with a "modern" stiffer racket it would be nice. I mainly play with low RA relatively heavy 25-35 yr old rackets. I can get control, long term tension maintenance and durably play-ability at a better price with Ashaway Kevlar x Zyex hybrid.

 

[12oz]

So how does it compare with ashaway monogut zx? It’s a monofilament as well, but material is different I figured?

 

[ByeByePoly]

I had ordered a reel of Origin once. It is a "dead" sort of string in my opinion. No one, and I mean no one, told or asked me to restring their racket with it once they had tested it out. I used it fullbed, hybrid with gut, hybrid with Zyex, hybrid with poly and hybid as a cross with Ashaway Kevlar mians. I would just as soon use Prince Premier Control or Wilson Sensation for that sort of feel of string fullbed. As a cross I would rather use Zyex than Origin. But I do have a POG 90 1-stripe strung with fullbed Origin and this thread will force me to take it out for a hit again.

Dead? It's one of the most powerful strings I have hit ... rocket launcher fb @55. Maybe you mean feel ... and yes, that is different for everyone. I did notice one thing about it compared to Velocity. With V ... easy swing or max feels fairly arm friendly consistent. With O ... I think it feels good (very good) on full cuts, but notice some semi-harshness on off pace shots. My main problem with fb O was too much power and little spin. O/V @55/52 resolved the power and spin for me, but still didn't love it for touch shots. I actually don't love fb V feel on touch shots either, but close enough given my overall play with it. Velocity is simply better than PPC or Sensation imo for anyone trying to come close to poly with a multi. But yeah ... feel ... and feel in different racquets ... we all like different things. FB Velocity doesn't feel/play the same in my old RA 61 Yonex than my RA 68 Volkl. It's amazing how the same string can feel so different in different racquets.