The Official 18x20 String Pattern Club

[jsm1373]

The amount of control and predictability I get with 18x20 is just on a whole other level. Very happy to join this club, and I’m shocked 18x20 is not used more widely, especially at the intermediate level where more control is generally needed.

100% agree. For me, 18x20 is the only racquet spec that won't change with a new stick. Modern frames and string have so much power, am surprised more folks don't opt for the control of a tighter pattern. Hit with a 16x19 PS97 the other day and had no idea where the ball was going relative to my usual Six.One 18x20

 

[Rysty]

Former 18x20 hater here. Couldn't stand the board-like feel of a dense string bed. Craved the lively feel of 16 mains (previously used Pro Staffs and Pure Controls). But now that I'm older, I've come to appreciate the predicable response of an 18x20 - especially on off center hits as I'm still getting my game back following a long break. What also helped was learning that I can string poly at much lower tensions (48-52 lbs usually) to improve the feel and power of an 18x20.

My words exactly. I still use an open 16x19 on clay, but on any other surface a dense 18x20 is the way to go. You just have to string it low enough to avoid that boardy feeling. My choice is Angell TC 95.

 

[MomentumGT]

Reviving an old thread lol

Freshly strung these 18x20 beauties and went out for a few hours hit session! Blade BLX Tour with VS Natural gut @ 55lbs and a Radical Zebra MP with Hyper G @44lbs

https://imgur.com/a/FH5nXbS

 

[Grafil Injection]

I'd be interested to hear about the Zebra's control at 44lbs. I found mine to be extremely powerful at mid-50s tension with poly.

 

[SupahMan5000]

i'm a diehard 18x20 user, if only 18x20 wasn't my least favorite pattern to string haha

 

[CiscoPC600]

Reviving an old thread lol

Freshly strung these 18x20 beauties and went out for a few hours hit session! Blade BLX Tour with VS Natural gut @ 55lbs and a Radical Zebra MP with Hyper G @44lbs

https://imgur.com/a/FH5nXbS

How was the blade?

 

[MomentumGT]

I'd be interested to hear about the Zebra's control at 44lbs. I found mine to be extremely powerful at mid-50s tension with poly.

i thought the control was still there which kinda surprised me since it was hyper g 1.20. I felt the Blade Tour had noticeably more power @55 than the Zebra that night especially on flat first serves and on my bh side. SV felt great too.

Zebra was just solid all around and my kicker was really pulling off the court

 

[MomentumGT]

How was the blade?

Surprisingly very comfortable. I didn’t think the strings would make that big of a difference but it did. My usual tension with poly is 44lbs so I was a little worried going up to 55lbs with a bum shoulder. The racquet felt great up at the net and I could really flatten out inside out fh. Spin was lacking compared to a poly but I don’t have issues of spraying shots felt very controlled. Makes me rethink leaving polys lol.

The racquet is very solid overall and as long as my foot work was good I didn’t have issues hanging with big hitters. I think I still prefer my Blade 93 Amplifeel and Kblade 93 over the BLX