Shroud Kevlar review

a friend in tennis string commerce .
Shroud has taught me many things on These boards .
He is an aramid resource like none other I've come across.
So which leads me to this .
Shroud .
Which is the best Kevlar 17 gauge or 16 gauge that you can still purchase in the market place.
Prince is no longer available plus it doesn't come in reels and I'm needing reels .
What is the best in your opinion ?
 

esgee48

G.O.A.T.
He uses Ashaway Kevlar in 17 or 18 Gauge. It's not the Kevlar + stuff and definitely not the stuff in Crossfire. The latter 2 have coatings that he did not really like. @Shroud will hopefully confirm.

There's another poster (can't recall id) who says that the Kevlar strings from Clark is similar. Pros Pro and KlipperUSA also sell reels of Kevlar.
 

teekaywhy

Professional
Ash. kev. is hard to get through blocked grommet holes. It's just like soft braided rope.
@Irvin makes a good point except I've tried to no avail on capped GPPs getting Kevlar mains to the indicated tie off as the hole is occupied. Had to swap to the neighborhood cross tie off instead.
That said, I also use Ashaway Kevlar 17g.
 

Ihatetennis

Hall of Fame
He uses Ashaway Kevlar in 17 or 18 Gauge. It's not the Kevlar + stuff and definitely not the stuff in Crossfire. The latter 2 have coatings that he did not really like. @Shroud will hopefully confirm.

There's another poster (can't recall id) who says that the Kevlar strings from Clark is similar. Pros Pro and KlipperUSA also sell reels of Kevlar.
I think Clarke is awesome, it's technora which is basically the same as aramid and Kevlar, the coating is also very good if you order the reel, I found it to be thicker than what was sold in sets.
 

Shroud

G.O.A.T.
He uses Ashaway Kevlar in 17 or 18 Gauge. It's not the Kevlar + stuff and definitely not the stuff in Crossfire. The latter 2 have coatings that he did not really like. @Shroud will hopefully confirm.

There's another poster (can't recall id) who says that the Kevlar strings from Clark is similar. Pros Pro and KlipperUSA also sell reels of Kevlar.
I think you nailed it. Though the kev+ isnt as bad as you make it sound.
 

Shroud

G.O.A.T.
a friend in tennis string commerce .
Shroud has taught me many things on These boards .
He is an aramid resource like none other I've come across.
So which leads me to this .
Shroud .
Which is the best Kevlar 17 gauge or 16 gauge that you can still purchase in the market place.
Prince is no longer available plus it doesn't come in reels and I'm needing reels .
What is the best in your opinion ?
Hey tprotx!! Esgee got it right. Been using the ashaway 18 and 17g almost exclusively

Forten 18g sucked and broke while stringing at 86lbs....never had Ashaway do that at the same tensions

Ag kevlar 15g was a bust too in that it wasnt as stiff as the Ashaway and the coating wasnt good either.

I have some wilson, gamma, prince and Forten iirc in packs but never seem to get around to trying them because the ashaway is so good.

But that is all with poly crosses. Iirc you are doing full beds?? I did the 15g AG kevlar as mains with ashaway crosses at 86/86 and it was decent in that the AG was 15g and the ashaway 17g and with babalot elextrocrosses there was ok snapback

Recently i did full Ashaway 17g in a profile 2.7 95 at 86/56 with string savers and it was great but i missed some snapback in that setup

Fwiw Graycrait has tried all the kevlars i think and keeps coming back to ashaway....

Though kevlar will destroy your arm, wrist, elbow and shoulder, destroy your sexual prowess and probably give you Zeeka...there may be a reason prince took it off the market if they really did...
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
@Irvin makes a good point except I've tried to no avail on capped GPPs getting Kevlar mains to the indicated tie off as the hole is occupied...
Have you tried a pathfinder awl or a blunt needle. The trick is to install the awl / needle in the tie off hole from inside the frame before you tension the anchor string. I try to make sure my awl / needle is on the top of the anchor string, because my knots tend to be tied on top and if the string is on top of the outside string runs it prevents crossovers outside the frame too.

For capped frames I try to make sure my top crosses are always pre ran in before I tension the outer mains. I have a customer that uses full poly in a capped prestige mid and if the grommet is blocked forget it. When installing the crosses on my 6 point I'll usually Perrin any string that may be blocked by the outer top supports when I have capped rackets too. I start from inside the frame on both sides. Nothing is harder than trying to see the hole from the outside on grommets blocked by the support. I know there is a little opening in the cap by the hole but it is sometimes really hard to get a Kevlar string in from the outside by the supports.
 

teekaywhy

Professional
Never tried sticking the pathfinder awl before tensioning. I'll have to try that. I just have concerns over reference tension. Maybe I'll try it after I tension the anchor string.
The challenge is that the microgel caps seem to have smaller grommet holes on the 7th main tie off as contrasted with the GPP stock caps which match the stringing pattern. On some older frames where the bumper has seen more than 10-15 string jobs, the anchor string grommet is sufficiently deformed such that I can actually shove the Kevlar in with some luck.
Thanks!
 
I have had success using the starting clamp to really flatten out the last couple of inches of the kevlar. Once you squish it down as much as possible, it becomes a little easier to guide it through tight spots.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
Never tried sticking the pathfinder awl before tensioning. I'll have to try that. I just have concerns over reference tension. Maybe I'll try it after I tension the anchor string.
If you try to force the pathfinder awl in after you tension the anchor string you stand a real good chance of breaking the awl. Those awls are made of very flimsy tubing and will bend or break very easy. I know there is a center round point to the awl and Gamma says you can force it in but I would not do that.

But OTOH if you do force it and destroy the awl can I hav it? LOL All I need is the tube part.
It won't go no matter what.
So you're saying it is impossible to string the racket with Kevlar? Oh yee of little faith.
 
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esgee48

G.O.A.T.
I harden the tip of the Kevlar with either nail polish (or super glue). I steal the GF's nail polish. :) Flatten it (inch or 1.5 inch), brush it with polish and let dry, put a sharp point on it and it will go thru blocked holes with no problems.
 

Shroud

G.O.A.T.
When i first started stringing i recall having trouble with kevlar several times but now it just doesnt happen...
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
If you string kevlar in your own racquets, you can cheat by pre-weaving all the mains (while reclining on your couch) before you mount the frame on the stringer, then tension afterward (I go up gradually in several 25-lb increments to avoid excessive lopsided stresses on the frame), using my fingers to "walk" across the stringbed to release the slack and even the tension each time. Kevlar is unlike other types of strings because it is both braided and able to slide around corners while tensioned without damaging it.

For me, it's an easier and more relaxed way to string kevlar mains. It also results in better results (more even tension all the way across and better tension stability without a break-in period if you prestretch), whereas the conventional method results in looser outer mains that bleed slack toward the middle during a break-in period.
 

Aretium

Hall of Fame
He doesn't. It is just synthetic gut with a kevlar paint job. He is the only consumer of kevlar aside the military so he gets a sponsorship deal.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
You do what? By the time you get to the 8th main you will be over 200 pounds.
No. To string my mains at 90 lbs, I start at 40 lbs (one side, then the other), then 65 (one side, then the other), then 90 (one side, then the other). So I only need to grip the string with the tensioner 6 times. And for each of these 6 times, I walk off the slack across the stringbed and re-level the dropweight to horizontal a couple of times. This ends up being faster and easier (for me) than tensioning all 18 mains individually, and also gives a more evenly tensioned stringbed with more stable tension. You can do this with kevlar, but not with most other types of string.
 

Crocodile

G.O.A.T.
For me Kevlar strings equal arm death, I don't know too many people who still use this stuff. Yes it won't break very often, but your arm will.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
For me Kevlar strings equal arm death, I don't know too many people who still use this stuff. Yes it won't break very often, but your arm will.
Yes it is a good thing poly came around when it did or Agassi (who played with kevlar most of his career) would have had to retire weeks earlier.
 

Crocodile

G.O.A.T.
Yes it is a good thing poly came around when it did or Agassi (who played with kevlar most of his career) would have had to retire weeks earlier.
Both poly and Kevlar are bad choices for most of the playing public, I don't know why you would do it to yourself.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
Both poly and Kevlar are bad choices for most of the playing public, I don't know why you would do it to yourself.
Never liked poly much but liked kevlar/sg hybrid except for the loss of power. I played with it for a long time and never had any arm problem with it. I guess to each his own.
 

Shroud

G.O.A.T.
For me Kevlar strings equal arm death, I don't know too many people who still use this stuff. Yes it won't break very often, but your arm will.
Have you tried kevlar with a cross string that allows the mains to snapback? Not syngut or multi but a poly?

Anyhow its doubtful many if any have played with a stiffer stringbed than i have (see the signature) and there is a big difference to the arm when the mains move. Kev/syngut is how most try kevlar and ime that is harsher than kev/poly.

Maybe its the high swing weights but kevlar is fine for my arm and done right it could work for most people
 

Crocodile

G.O.A.T.
Have you tried kevlar with a cross string that allows the mains to snapback? Not syngut or multi but a poly?

Anyhow its doubtful many if any have played with a stiffer stringbed than i have (see the signature) and there is a big difference to the arm when the mains move. Kev/syngut is how most try kevlar and ime that is harsher than kev/poly.

Maybe its the high swing weights but kevlar is fine for my arm and done right it could work for most people
I know of a pro in the 80's who used to combine the Kevlar wth some gut in his hi ten and to get it to snap back he sprayed it with something, I'll find out what is was but it made the ball spin a lot. There was this guru in South Australia who used to help the pros get an advantage by tinkering with the string set ups.
 

Shroud

G.O.A.T.
I know of a pro in the 80's who used to combine the Kevlar wth some gut in his hi ten and to get it to snap back he sprayed it with something, I'll find out what is was but it made the ball spin a lot. There was this guru in South Australia who used to help the pros get an advantage by tinkering with the string set ups.
Yes that would help but having a string that doesnt lock like gut would be better.

Looking forward to hearing what was used
 

skydog

Professional
I am a convert to Kevlar/Monogut ZX hybrid. My arm feels way better with this combo than any poly hybrid I tried. Poly crosses with Monogut ZX mains was probably the least harsh of any of the poly hybrids, but even that hybrid does not compare to the Kevlar / Zyex setup.
 

Frost5541

Professional
a friend in tennis string commerce .
Shroud has taught me many things on These boards .
He is an aramid resource like none other I've come across.
So which leads me to this .
Shroud .
Which is the best Kevlar 17 gauge or 16 gauge that you can still purchase in the market place.
Prince is no longer available plus it doesn't come in reels and I'm needing reels .
What is the best in your opinion ?
I'd say the clarke teknora. epic stuff that, and it comes in reels too! it plays a bit like a full bed of that hybrid kevlar that prince made (i used two sets and discarded the syn gut). worth every penny.
He uses Ashaway Kevlar in 17 or 18 Gauge. It's not the Kevlar + stuff and definitely not the stuff in Crossfire. The latter 2 have coatings that he did not really like. @Shroud will hopefully confirm.

There's another poster (can't recall id) who says that the Kevlar strings from Clark is similar. Pros Pro and KlipperUSA also sell reels of Kevlar.
yup thats me!
 

graycrait

Legend
I play with two different strings setup now. Full poly 55/50 and in my PCG/POG OS Ashaway Kevlar 16G x Ashaway Zyex Pro 17G at 65/60lbs. I use the Prince OS with the Kev/Zyex when and if my elbow starts to act up from using full bed poly. The Prince OS with the Kev/Zyex is my therapy play through stick.

If you want to try the proper Ashaway Kevlar then order a half set and see how you like it when paired with Zyex Pro. Other kevlar/aramids don't work the same as uncoated braided Ashaway Kevlar. Do not buy Crossfire ZX. Although that hybrid uses Zyex the Kevlar it uses is a blend that feels nothing like plain old Ashaway Kevlar. Ashaway Kevlar normally comes in 330/660 reels but TW sells 1/2 sets.

1/2 set 16G Ashaway Kevlar $4.95: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Ashaway_Kevlar_16_1_2_Set/descpageAC-AK6H.html

1 set of Ash Zyex Pro: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Ashaway_MonoGut_ZX_Pro_17_String/descpageACASH-AMGZX17.html
 

rockbox

Semi-Pro
I'm intrigued. So would kevlar and wilson revolve work? What do I get with kevlar/poly vs full bed poly like revolve?
 
Alright boys I need your expertise once again !
Golden set hardline Kevlar string ? Anyone tried it ?'
Also AG international Kevlar anyone tried it ?
I'd be buying in reels so your advice is paramount on my decision :)!
 
Oooooops!!!
The AG international Kevlar is actually a Kevlar plus string . Whatever plus means?
I don't have a clue . Does plus mean it has another string wrapped inside of the Kevlar ?
If that's the case I don't want that one !
I've tried another Kevlar hybrid string before and it felt nothing like aramid Kevlar to me :(
In any event thank you guys for your responses I'm excited to hear what you guys think is the better choice , as I'm coming from a prince pro blend Kevlar mindset . My fave Kevlar so far !
Speaking of that I know we've talked about it but how come prince won't sell their Kevlar in reels anymore ?
Did they ever ? Can't remember ...
 

Zoolander

Hall of Fame
Oooooops!!!
The AG international Kevlar is actually a Kevlar plus string . Whatever plus means?

Hey TP, heres what endless hours of googling told me...

1. Kevlar "plus" apparently means plus PTFE filaments, which is teflon.
2. This supposedly makes the string a little softer and suckier, depending who you talk to.
3. In all 17 people have been arrested for robbing Kim Kardashian.
 
Haha.. thank you zoo:)
Yeah I looked thru my drawer at work to see what I'd strung with in the past as far as kev/ blended string .
I used a Kevlar matrix string and I really didn't care for it . So the plus after my hrs of research finally came up with the same info you found as well ..
So the " plus " is scaring me off ..
Thank you for researching this and providing some much appreciated thoughts .
 
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