pro staff 97ls string thoughts

[JB5]

Hi,

My daughter demoed some rackets a year ago (age 13) and chose a pro staff 97ls (18x16). I noticed that strings lasted much longer in my 16x19 racket than her pro staff. Now realizing that the 18x16 pattern will really eat up strings quickly.

She started with NXT 17g strings, then moving to NXT 16g, which lasted about a month each. Then NXT Duramax 15g lasted 2.5 months (nice but want to use thinner gauge to help with her topspin).

Note: she hits mostly flat even with the spin effect racquet, so probably wouldn't get that racquet for her if starting over, probably better off with 16x19, 16x20, or even 18x20 (more control and stability since she doesn't rely on much spin so far).

At this point, assuming I stay with this racket, was thinking about a couple options:

1. hybrid: NXT 17g on mains, poly on the cross (like Lux Element or ALU POWER, 16 or 16L gauge) for added durability
2. pure poly like Luxilon Element (since the 18x16 pattern is soft, less dense, she can probably withstand the harshness of poly on both main and cross)

note: we always string so far at 57 lbs, so planning on continuing that (unless any reason not to).

Would appreciate any feedback, as until a year ago I haven't played for 30 years, and tennis has changed quite a bit so I'm catching up!

 

[dsp9753]

I play with a 97LS myself. I always string it with a full bed of Poly at 57 lbs. Sometimes I get wild and do 57 lbs in the mains and 54 lbs in the crosses. I haven't had any issues. Except I need to restring every 1 to 2 weeks depending on what strings I use.

 

[lidoazndiabloboi]

Hi,

My daughter demoed some rackets a year ago (age 13) and chose a pro staff 97ls (18x16). I noticed that strings lasted much longer in my 16x19 racket than her pro staff. Now realizing that the 18x16 pattern will really eat up strings quickly.

She started with NXT 17g strings, then moving to NXT 16g, which lasted about a month each. Then NXT Duramax 15g lasted 2.5 months (nice but want to use thinner gauge to help with her topspin).

Note: she hits mostly flat even with the spin effect racquet, so probably wouldn't get that racquet for her if starting over, probably better off with 16x19, 16x20, or even 18x20 (more control and stability since she doesn't rely on much spin so far).

At this point, assuming I stay with this racket, was thinking about a couple options:

1. hybrid: NXT 17g on mains, poly on the cross (like Lux Element or ALU POWER, 16 or 16L gauge) for added durability
2. pure poly like Luxilon Element (since the 18x16 pattern is soft, less dense, she can probably withstand the harshness of poly on both main and cross)

note: we always string so far at 57 lbs, so planning on continuing that (unless any reason not to).

Would appreciate any feedback, as until a year ago I haven't played for 30 years, and tennis has changed quite a bit so I'm catching up!

Your 1st option of NXT with a poly cross would actually give you less durability as the poly string would cut into the NXT more as the strings move. You can flip it and try ALU Power in the main with NXT in the cross. It's going to feel a little more harsh, but durability wise, it should increase.

Your 2nd option of Luxilon Element. Personally I love Luxilon Element, its got great power, feel and softness, but it lacks in spin and durability for me. The only reason I dont switch over to Element is because it breaks in 4 sessions or so. An all poly setup will definitely give you more in the durability department, but will be stiffer on the arm. If she can handle it, that might be the way to go. A friend of mine with this exact same racket, uses Hyper-G 16 and loves it.

Ultimately, i would try out different combos to figure out what work for your daughter. If she doesn't like a setup, move onto something else. Best of luck!

 

[esgee48]

Flat hitters could use any multi or softer SG. At her age, keep the diameters at 17-16 Ga. Neither multi or SG have to be really expensive. And you can continue to string at 57 lb or lower if she is coming from NXT. As she adds spin to her game, transition her to poly mains and a soft cross. But only if she breaks strings in less than 20 hours of hitting. 12-16 hours is a reasonable string life if you spin. [At least it is for me.]

 

[Jonathan P.]

Hi, as @lidoazndiabloboi mentioned the NXT/poly will give you less durability. I would instead hybrid the NXT with a synthetic gut to keep the comfort and save a few dollars in string price. You can also try a soft poly but if she play mostly flat the poly will go death long before the string break so you will also have to restring frequently.

 

[JB5]

Thanks for all responses! Had a question, just to make sure I understand.

So far, the 3 times we've restrung her racket (NXT 17g, NXT 16g, Duramax 15), it was the cross strings that broke. I assumed that's how it always is, but maybe it's because she's using an 18x16 pattern (less cross strings so they go first). So just want to confirm, since it doesn't seem intuitive, if we went hybrid (soft poly & NXT), would the NXT in main & poly in cross be more durable (than poly in main and NXT in cross)?

 

[Jonathan P.]

I have never broke a cross string.... is always one of my mains so that part I don't know, as for you question Multi (your current nxt)/poly hybrid will be more comfortable and less durable than Poly/multi the second will last longer but not as comfy... there is always trade offs. The multi/poly hybrid is not often recommended because multis are very soft the poly cross will cut it in no time. A Poly/Natural gut will cost like 2 times more but will also last several times more.

 

[JB5]

To give an idea of what I'm thinking, what about a hybrid using NXT 17 in the mains and NXT 15L or Duramax 15 in the cross?

Would that have less durability than having NXT 15L in main and NXT 17 in the cross?

 

[JB5]

@Jonathan P, interesting!

I'm also noticing that I personally am using a 16x19 racquet strung with NXT 16g, and my cross strings are the ones which are fraying. I'll look into this, I'm very curious why everyone else is having their mains break while we are having our cross's break!

 

[Jonathan P.]

To give an idea of what I'm thinking, what about a hybrid using NXT 17 in the mains and NXT 15L or Duramax 15 in the cross?

Would that have less durability than having NXT 15L in main and NXT 17 in the cross?

if she is breaking the crosses a thick cross will make more sense.

 

[Jonathan P.]

@Jonathan P, interesting!

I'm also noticing that I personally am using a 16x19 racquet strung with NXT 16g, and my cross strings are the ones which are fraying. I'll look into this, I'm very curious why everyone else is having their mains break while we are having our cross's break!

The only time I broke a cross first was 1 time I tried a poly/natural gut but didn't like that combo, Im been using natural gut/poly for almost 2 years and love the feel, the spin and the power, that's what I have in my mains racquets and also have a third racquet with full poly for the rainy days.

 

[JB5]

final question (I think):

Suppose I'm planning to go with NXT 17g in main, and in the cross either:
a) NXT 15L
b) some kind of soft synthetic gut at 17g (meaning a thin synthetic gut)

would there be any advantage to having a thinner string (ie 17g) in the cross versus a thicker cross (15L), meaning is their a loss of spin or anything?

And for either approach a) or b) above, would it make sense to string the cross at a lower tension to add more spin (extra slippage on cross strings)? (or since she hits mostly flat would that only reduce control by adding more trampoline affect?) Probably I'm overthinking it?!?

 

[Jonathan P.]

final question (I think):

Suppose I'm planning to go with NXT 17g in main, and in the cross either:
a) NXT 15L
b) some kind of soft synthetic gut at 17g (meaning a thin synthetic gut)

would there be any advantage to having a thinner string (ie 17g) in the cross versus a thicker cross (15L), meaning is their a loss of spin or anything?

And for either approach a) or b) above, would it make sense to string the cross at a lower tension to add more spin (extra slippage on cross strings)? (or since she hits mostly flat would that only reduce control by adding more trampoline affect?) Probably I'm overthinking it?!?

yes, overthinking it... thinner gauge might have better spin in theory but in real world not that much... going from multi to poly yes it will be noticeable, but from multi 16 to multi 17 or even from poly 16 to poly 17-18 not that much. If she hits mostly flat and she want to generate top spin first think to look is technique and then strings.

 

[Notirouswithag]

Lux 4g soft at 54, or some similar poly and it should last alot longer

 

[Jonathan P.]

A 13 year old girl going from nxt to 4g at such a high tension... is not something I would do. 4g soft is still stiff as hell.

 

[time_fly]

My son is also 13 and uses the 97LS. I picked up a few packs of Babolat Xcel on sale a while ago that I have been using in it. Since he is also hitting more flat than topspin right now, it lasts pretty well for a multi. I borrowed his racquet for fun and nearly broke a string in one short session because I am a heavy topspinner; adults and big spin hitters will definitely need poly. But until she reaches that point, why not give her something more power and arm friendly?

 

[FedLIKEnot]

My local stringer always recommends pre stretch on all strings going into a spin effect racquet I am not a stringer or even a string guru so not sure if that even makes sense. But I would think a syn gut or co poly should work pretty well in a 16g. I use Wilson Power syn gut as a cross in my 16x15 pattern racquet and its lasted the longest of all the crosses I have used. 4g lasts pretty good as well but its a bit pricer.

 

[topspn]

A buddy of mine plays with the frame weighed up. He uses full bed revolve 16g 54lbs

 

[Notirouswithag]

A 13 year old girl going from nxt to 4g at such a high tension... is not something I would do. 4g soft is still stiff as hell.

Ive got a handful of juniors using the same racquet at slightly lower tensions that i strung up and switched st the beginning of this year around March and their all fine

They too were usuing
NXT and chewing through it

 

[SPMoney]

For a young teenager I wouldn’t recommend poly. Too much risk of tendon injury.

Personally I switched to the 97LS recently and after trying a few different strings and tensions I’ve settled on Weiss Cannon Ultra Cable at 48 lbs. It allows me to swing freely, taking big cuts at the ball and still spin the ball in. But for non-topspin players, this racquet is a curious choice.

 

[JB5]

Yeah, right now we're using a hybrid approach (just to see how it works out), with poly in mains and multi's in the crosses. So it's not quite so harsh, but I'm leaning towards going back to all multifilament in future.

True, when we obtained the 97LS I had not researched it. She was still developing her game, but so far it's seems to be steady with some topspin on her backhand and very flat forehand (we'll work on getting more spin but I don't think she'll ever be a big topspin player). Therefore I'm leaning towards switching to the pro staff 97L - I've heard the 16x19 string pattern matches that play style better than the 18x16 pattern. Let me know if you have any thoughts on that...

Wondered about your choice of string tension. For us we started with more than average tension (57 lbs), since the 18x16 pattern is fairly open and felt that more string tension might help a bit with control. Maybe for us that makes sense (not sure), I guess you get lot's of spin so the spin will help with the control.

 

[SPMoney]

16x19 should break less and offer slightly more control but less spin than an 18x16. If you’re using syn gut or multi, 18x16 will likely break a lot of strings. 16x19, less so.

Generally speaking, dropping tension increases spin, power, and comfort. While raising tension increases control. I find the benefits of lower tensions only play well with players who spin the ball. Players who hit flat generally just experience a lack of control at lower tensions.

Poly is a durable, spin friendly, control string. But it is not recommended for flat ball hitters or players with tendon pain. If a player hits a flat ball they are probably better off with a softer string like a multi at higher tensions with a denser string pattern.

I usually don’t string poly higher than 55. I find lower tensions takes advantage of poly’s strengths and mitigates its weakness (for me). With multi or syn gut though, I think higher tensions are fine, even necessary. For this racquet I started with full poly at 52. I tried tourbite, blue hitter rough, fire stroke, pro line x and Ultra Cable all at 52. Finally I dropped to 48 with the UC and I love it. It just works well for my game. The combination of this racquet and strings helps me keep the ball in.

 

[JB5]

Thanks again for all the replies.

I did have another question regarding the 18x16 string pattern on the 97LS. I've heard that for mostly flat hitters the 18x16 is not that desirable since it gives a higher launch angle. Which means that flat shots will not tend to drive through the court as much, they get lofted up at a bit higher angle which takes away some of the advantage of hitting flat (but the launch angle is great for heavy topspin players). Thought being that flat hitters need to win some points on driving it through the court more often while high topspin players will tend to win points by keeping it in play more often. (note that I'm generalizing but I think you know what I'm saying, suppose a flat hitter plays against a high topspin player, all else being equal, the topspin player keeps it in play more and the flat hitter usually has more winners and more unforced errors)

Therefore I think we'd be better off with the prostaff 97L, which has the 16x19 string pattern. Sound good?

 

[Jose Parcerisa]

A friend of my uses Wilson Power Gut 17g (black colour) mains at 53lbs / Wilson Revolve 16g (black colour) crosses at 49lbs, and generates spin like crazy. He uses this combo because is similar to an old prepagacked hybrid from wilson that used back in the day. It is economical and seems to work pretty well.

 

[n8dawg6]

Thanks again for all the replies.

I did have another question regarding the 18x16 string pattern on the 97LS. I've heard that for mostly flat hitters the 18x16 is not that desirable since it gives a higher launch angle. Which means that flat shots will not tend to drive through the court as much, they get lofted up at a bit higher angle which takes away some of the advantage of hitting flat (but the launch angle is great for heavy topspin players). Thought being that flat hitters need to win some points on driving it through the court more often while high topspin players will tend to win points by keeping it in play more often. (note that I'm generalizing but I think you know what I'm saying, suppose a flat hitter plays against a high topspin player, all else being equal, the topspin player keeps it in play more and the flat hitter usually has more winners and more unforced errors)

Therefore I think we'd be better off with the prostaff 97L, which has the 16x19 string pattern. Sound good?

corpse thread, but several of my 4.0 buddies use the 97LS and really like the pattern. theres no trouble flattening the ball once youre used to it. its just a higher launch angle. they do tend to wear out strings more quickly, though.