String breaking problem- looking for a durable poly

[JSeba11]

Long time lurker, first time poster here. I string at home and I have a family member who is breaking strings very frequently. He is a strong 4.0 and is using a Dunlop Force 100 Tour racquet. Full bed of Tecnifibre Black Code 4S/ Ice Code/ Red Code Wax all breaks in 3-6 hours. He has also tried Luxilon Adrenaline and that broke in under 6 hours. The cost of trying all of these new strings is adding up, and he needs a poly that would make it at least 10 hours. Each racquet breaks at a center main, and it is never on a shank, so I know that's not the cause. The grommets are all in good condition. The string pattern is quite open for a 16x19, and I think this is what causes the mains to notch and then break quickly. Any recommendations for a poly that is more durable? What would be the most durable poly out there you guys have used?

Also, if possible, he would like a poly on the softer side since he's had tennis elbow in the past, but for now, the main concern is durability and finding a string that will last longer. Thanks.

 

[thatguyoverthere440]

What gauge? Considered going thicker?
Also, softer co-polys like the ones you listed tend to break easier.

 

[CornOnTheCob]

4G is durable but from what I hear isn't that great of a string. Maybe Luxilon BBO? Otherwise you could try a cheaper poly like Gosen Polylon or one of the softer Kirschbaum poly's

 

[JSeba11]

He has been using the thickest gauge of all of these strings. A more expensive poly would definitely be worth it if it lasted twice as long. Maybe try classic, stiffer polys like 4G, BBO, or ALU Power and see if the durability improves? If more durable polys are too painful, then the only option might be cheaper, softer polys to bring the cost down and just accept the fact that he will break it quickly.

 

[Strawbewwy]

have you looked into kevlar/zx?

 

[thatguyoverthere440]

Stiffer strings will generally last longer but it goes without saying they're harsher on the arm. Make sure they can handle it.

 

[JSeba11]

Kevlar would definitely last longer. I remember seeing some old thread from jolly where Kevlar completely destroyed his frames. Is that type of frame damage from Kevlar expected or am I being too worried? Would Kevlar be too stiff?

 

[Strawbewwy]

check the kevlar/zx thread, i've tried it once and i think because of the tension i chose i didn't like it exceptionally, however i had a feeling that it could be a wonderful thing and made a note to try again later. - in fact one of my remarks was that the damn stringbed won't freaking break so i can re-string it to try another one. there's tons of information on there and the frame damage may be from the high tension differential people put (i think i've seen 90/40 lb), i tried 60/40 myself on a blade 98 18x20 and it was comfortable but the power level wasn't quite where i liked, but i knew that a little fine tweaking of it would make it fantastic

 

[jwocky]

@JSeba11
- Around which crosses do these center mains break?
- Is this location consistent?

 

[JSeba11]

Center mains break right around the 6th-8th cross from the top every time

 

[n8dawg6]

if alu power doesnt do it, consider switching to an 18x20 frame.

 

[Injured Again]

I've tried about 20 different poly strings since the beginning of the year and I'd recommend trying the Tourna Big Hitter Silver 7 Tour in 16 gauge. I tried it in the 17 gauge and it lasted a long time for me without significant notching, and while retaining a lot of playability. It's more powerful than the typical poly but still retains decent control.

Read about it on the TW sponsored playtest sticky at the top of the thread list. It's now my go-to string and for the price, it's a terrific value as well.

 

[JSeba11]

I've tried about 20 different poly strings since the beginning of the year and I'd recommend trying the Tourna Big Hitter Silver 7 Tour in 16 gauge. I tried it in the 17 gauge and it lasted a long time for me without significant notching, and while retaining a lot of playability. It's more powerful than the typical poly but still retains decent control.

Read about it on the TW sponsored playtest sticky at the top of the thread list. It's now my go-to string and for the price, it's a terrific value as well.

Thanks for the feedback. I noticed that not a single one of the playtesters broke it during the test. May be a string for him to check out. Maybe the testers are all non-string breakers like myself, but the reviews seemed encouraging.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

its the wrong racquet/pattern too open, (100" 16/19), too big and to open for that player/swing,
get a 98" version of that racquet and/or a 18/20 pattern
that will last longer
head radical mp would be a good alternative, just 1 of many..

 

[Injured Again]

Thanks for the feedback. I noticed that not a single one of the playtesters broke it during the test. May be a string for him to check out. Maybe the testers are all non-string breakers like myself, but the reviews seemed encouraging.

I'm an aggressive and hard hitting (for my age) USTA 4.5 player and traditional poly strings last somewhere in the 10-15 hour range before breaking, if I let them go that long. I sawed through a set of Volkl V-Square in 4 hours in my 18X19 pattern racquet. The 17 gauge Tourna Silver 7 Tour went 15 hours with only moderate notching - it had lost a bit of elasticity and grip on the ball by that point but still was pretty much unchanged on flatter shots. It probably could have gone another 5 hours before wearing through, so a lot more durable than practically every other string I tested.

 

[JSeba11]

its the wrong racquet/pattern too open, (100" 16/19), too big and to open for that player/swing,
get a 98" version of that racquet and/or a 18/20 pattern
that will last longer
head radical mp would be a good alternative, just 1 of many..

Yes, this is actually my 17 year old twin brother who has this string breakage problem, he has demoed many racquets and always prefers the Force 100 Tour. He even bought a Dunlop/Srixon CX Revo 2.0 (98") and played a tournament with it and didn't play as well. I think the first step would be try 2 or 3 more strings and if he's still breaking strings, look for a new racquet. Thanks for the feedback everyone, Silver 7 Tour is definitely on the list for him to try.

 

[JSeba11]

sawed through a set of Volkl V-Square in 4 hours

Side note; I am currently hitting V-Square and love the spin potential. I am not a string breaker so durability is not an issue for me

 

[whorng]

Center mains break right around the 6th-8th cross from the top every time

Since you guys narrowed down the breaking point use some string savers.

 

[hurworld]

Kevlar would definitely last longer. I remember seeing some old thread from jolly where Kevlar completely destroyed his frames. Is that type of frame damage from Kevlar expected or am I being too worried? Would Kevlar be too stiff?

@J011yroger tried the kev/zx combo?

@JSeba11 you can get the Ashaway Crossfire ZX pack to try. Doesn't have to string at high differential, maybe 60/50 or 60/40 to start. But definitely thoroughly pre-stretch the ZX and Kevlar first.

 

[mhkeuns]

I would still suggest trying the 4G. To me, poly strings offer inherently better control, even compared to the Kevlar strings. I hit pretty hard but am not a string breaker., so what is important to me probably doesn’t really apply to your brother. What do you think causes the string breakage with your brother. Does he hit much harder than most players you know or play against people who give him heavy balls to hit back? Or, does he hit with lots of spin! Maybe there is a pattern that you can detect and go from there.

 

[fuzz nation]

Side note; I am currently hitting V-Square and love the spin potential. I am not a string breaker so durability is not an issue for me

If you want to consider a poly with a reasonable price tag, TW sells full reels (660') of Isospeed Baseline for $40. Their site shows that they're expecting a re-stocking of both the 16 and 16L gauges on July 21st. Baseline doesn't seem to be any more durable than other poly options, but feedback seems to indicate that it's a bit softer than average for this string type.

This doesn't solve your durability issue, but the cost of these reels is much more reasonable than just about everything else in the poly family.

 

[JSeba11]

I would still suggest trying the 4G. To me, poly strings offer inherently better control, even compared to the Kevlar strings. I hit pretty hard but am not a string breaker., so what is important to me probably doesn’t really apply to your brother. What do you think causes the string breakage with your brother. Does he hit much harder than most players you know or play against people who give him heavy balls to hit back? Or, does he hit with lots of spin! Maybe there is a pattern that you can detect and go from there.

He hits a very heavy forehand, and the racquet’s 16x19 pattern is so open it could almost be mistaken for a 16x16 if you didn’t count the strings. There’s got to be some polys out there that last longer than the strings he’s tried, thanks for the suggestions everyone.

 

[JSeba11]

@J011yroger tried the kev/zx combo?

@JSeba11 you can get the Ashaway Crossfire ZX pack to try. Doesn't have to string at high differential, maybe 60/50 or 60/40 to start. But definitely thoroughly pre-stretch the ZX and Kevlar first.

Here’s the link to that thread, look at the pics of what the Kevlar did to his frames.

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/can-i-use-an-n90-bumper-on-a-k90.314188/

 

[J011yroger]

@J011yroger tried the kev/zx combo?

@JSeba11 you can get the Ashaway Crossfire ZX pack to try. Doesn't have to string at high differential, maybe 60/50 or 60/40 to start. But definitely thoroughly pre-stretch the ZX and Kevlar first.

Never did.

J

 

[travlerajm]

Long time lurker, first time poster here. I string at home and I have a family member who is breaking strings very frequently. He is a strong 4.0 and is using a Dunlop Force 100 Tour racquet. Full bed of Tecnifibre Black Code 4S/ Ice Code/ Red Code Wax all breaks in 3-6 hours. He has also tried Luxilon Adrenaline and that broke in under 6 hours. The cost of trying all of these new strings is adding up, and he needs a poly that would make it at least 10 hours. Each racquet breaks at a center main, and it is never on a shank, so I know that's not the cause. The grommets are all in good condition. The string pattern is quite open for a 16x19, and I think this is what causes the mains to notch and then break quickly. Any recommendations for a poly that is more durable? What would be the most durable poly out there you guys have used?

Also, if possible, he would like a poly on the softer side since he's had tennis elbow in the past, but for now, the main concern is durability and finding a string that will last longer. Thanks.

Babolat pro xtreme.

 

[n8dawg6]

Never did.

J

dude, youve never lived until you have tried kevlar/zx at 250/25 (lbs). tie one end of the zx to a doorknob and the other end to a tooth and slam the door until your teeth are all yanked out. then it will be prestretched.

 

[Sander001]

Long time lurker, first time poster here. I string at home and I have a family member who is breaking strings very frequently. He is a strong 4.0 and is using a Dunlop Force 100 Tour racquet. Full bed of Tecnifibre Black Code 4S/ Ice Code/ Red Code Wax all breaks in 3-6 hours. He has also tried Luxilon Adrenaline and that broke in under 6 hours. The cost of trying all of these new strings is adding up, and he needs a poly that would make it at least 10 hours. Each racquet breaks at a center main, and it is never on a shank, so I know that's not the cause. The grommets are all in good condition. The string pattern is quite open for a 16x19, and I think this is what causes the mains to notch and then break quickly. Any recommendations for a poly that is more durable? What would be the most durable poly out there you guys have used?

Also, if possible, he would like a poly on the softer side since he's had tennis elbow in the past, but for now, the main concern is durability and finding a string that will last longer. Thanks.

What’s the tension? Dropping the tension often has a big benefit for durability. It could take a bit to get accustomed to, but the benefits of more spin, arm friendly ness and the durability is easily worth it!

 

[JSeba11]

Worked down in tension from 56 lbs towards 50lbs now. Maybe going down into the 40s would help him with durability.

 

[hurworld]

dude, youve never lived until you have tried kevlar/zx at 250/25 (lbs). tie one end of the zx to a doorknob and the other end to a tooth and slam the door until your teeth are all yanked out. then it will be prestretched.

What a toothless claim!

 

[LocNetMonster]

Try a set of Prince XC Tour. IMHO, it is the last step in poly before making the jump to Kevlar.

 

[flanker2000fr]

I've tried about 20 different poly strings since the beginning of the year and I'd recommend trying the Tourna Big Hitter Silver 7 Tour in 16 gauge. I tried it in the 17 gauge and it lasted a long time for me without significant notching, and while retaining a lot of playability. It's more powerful than the typical poly but still retains decent control.

Read about it on the TW sponsored playtest sticky at the top of the thread list. It's now my go-to string and for the price, it's a terrific value as well.

Jumping on the bandwagon there a bit, as I just transitioned to a Prince Phantom 93P 14x18, which I love, but obviously end up breaking more string than the 18x20 version of that frame I used to play with.

In the 20 strings that you tried, was there the Hyper G 16 or 16L by any chance? And how did the Tourna compare, especially for durability and comfort? Thanks.

 

[Injured Again]

Jumping on the bandwagon there a bit, as I just transitioned to a Prince Phantom 93P 14x18, which I love, but obviously end up breaking more string than the 18x20 version of that frame I used to play with.

In the 20 strings that you tried, was there the Hyper G 16 or 16L by any chance? And how did the Tourna compare, especially for durability and comfort? Thanks.

I did try Hyper-G in the 1.30 gauge a few months ago. The backstory is that I used a Babolat Overdrive 110 with a 16X19 pattern and 1.35 Diadem Solstice Power until the beginning of this year, when I transition to an SW104 that is a much tighter 18X19 pattern. What I was really looking for was to regain the higher launch angle I had with the Babolat. I initially thought I wanted to go with a thicker string in the SW104 because I wanted a bit more mass in the hoop but eventually figured out that it worked better for me to use a thinner gauge and to put lead tape at 3 and 9 o'clock.

Anyhow, I tested Hyper-G and Tour Bite, both in 1.30, back to back. My notes say that I thought Hyper-G had a bit more grip on the ball but a bit less power than Tour Bite, and that tension loss in the Hyper-G made it less playable after about ten hours, while Tour Bite continued to be playable for several more hours. I also wrote that Hyper-G has a more muted contact feel where Tour Bite is crisp and feels more like the strings are compressing and biting into the ball, even if it doesn't produce as much spin. Hyper-G was a bit softer on mis-hits.

Tourna Silver 7 Tour looks very similar to Tour Bite, and I played both of these in about a 1.20 gauge relatively close together as well. Comparing Silver 7 Tour to Hyper-G, it is more powerful by a significant margin, about as spin capable, a bit crisper feeling, a bit worse control (mostly from the higher power levels), has a higher launch angle, is more resistant to notching, and seems less sensitive to tension loss. Playability was excellent for ten hours and very decent for 15 hours in the 1.20 gauge of Silver 7 Tour without breaking. I'd also say comfort levels are roughly equal. Hyper-G is more muted and "thuddy" on the sweetspot, and a bit more cushioned when mis-hitting. Silver 7 Tour is crisper and a bit more springy on the sweetspot, and a bit more jarring when mis-hitting.

I honestly could play with either and be happy. For me, there are three deciding factors. First, I get the higher launch angle. Second, I found the power to absolutely addictive. And third, the price point for Silver 7 Tour just can't be beat.

My blade with Hyper-G 1.30:

Closeup of the string:

 

[flanker2000fr]

I did try Hyper-G in the 1.30 gauge a few months ago. The backstory is that I used a Babolat Overdrive 110 with a 16X19 pattern and 1.35 Diadem Solstice Power until the beginning of this year, when I transition to an SW104 that is a much tighter 18X19 pattern. What I was really looking for was to regain the higher launch angle I had with the Babolat. I initially thought I wanted to go with a thicker string in the SW104 because I wanted a bit more mass in the hoop but eventually figured out that it worked better for me to use a thinner gauge and to put lead tape at 3 and 9 o'clock.

Anyhow, I tested Hyper-G and Tour Bite, both in 1.30, back to back. My notes say that I thought Hyper-G had a bit more grip on the ball but a bit less power than Tour Bite, and that tension loss in the Hyper-G made it less playable after about ten hours, while Tour Bite continued to be playable for several more hours. I also wrote that Hyper-G has a more muted contact feel where Tour Bite is crisp and feels more like the strings are compressing and biting into the ball, even if it doesn't produce as much spin. Hyper-G was a bit softer on mis-hits.

Tourna Silver 7 Tour looks very similar to Tour Bite, and I played both of these in about a 1.20 gauge relatively close together as well. Comparing Silver 7 Tour to Hyper-G, it is more powerful by a significant margin, about as spin capable, a bit crisper feeling, a bit worse control (mostly from the higher power levels), has a higher launch angle, is more resistant to notching, and seems less sensitive to tension loss. Playability was excellent for ten hours and very decent for 15 hours in the 1.20 gauge of Silver 7 Tour without breaking. I'd also say comfort levels are roughly equal. Hyper-G is more muted and "thuddy" on the sweetspot, and a bit more cushioned when mis-hitting. Silver 7 Tour is crisper and a bit more springy on the sweetspot, and a bit more jarring when mis-hitting.

I honestly could play with either and be happy. For me, there are three deciding factors. First, I get the higher launch angle. Second, I found the power to absolutely addictive. And third, the price point for Silver 7 Tour just can't be beat.

My blade with Hyper-G 1.30:

Closeup of the string:

Thanks for taking the time to write up such a detailed answer. I really, really appreciate. Looks like I will have to give the Tourna a go.

 

[hurworld]

Thanks for taking the time to write up such a detailed answer. I really, really appreciate. Looks like I will have to give the Tourna a go.

Try the Crossfire ZX pack

 

[McEncock]

16x19 is the problem. He should switch to 18x20. If he doesn't, he could try co-poly in thicker gauge like 1.35+

 

[J011yroger]

16x19 is the problem. He should switch to 18x20. If he doesn't, he could try co-poly in thicker gauge like 1.35+

Didn't help me.

J

 

[J011yroger]

J

 

[Shroud]

J

With a stash like that I forsee some more monthly challenges...