Titan Natural Gut 17g/Head Synthetic gut PPS 16g playtesting...
Frame: Wilson KFive 108 with Triad technology (for tennis/golfers elbow)
Tension:
Mains: Titan Natural Gut 17g @42 lbs (29 hours old)
Cross: Head Synthetic Gut PPS g @38 lbs (freshly strung)
Stringing
I re-used the Titan natural gut 17g Mains (29 hours old) because it is still in good condition (no notching/fraying)
I re-strung just the crosses.
String Savers
I put 52 babolat elastocross ($7.95) string savers on the sweetspot: 10 on each #1 mains, 8 on each #2 and #3 mains.
stringing complaints:
1. No complaints stringing Head Synthetic gut PPS 16g. The string feels very soft and slippery.
Link to other string playtests:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=377604&highlight=ricardo
Day 1 (04-30-11) 31 hours Titan gut, 2 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 2 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
I notice the following about this hybrid compared to the previous 2:
- Less powerful
- Not as soft
- More solid (firmer)
- Less bite
This could be due to the crosses being thicker (16g) compared to the previous 2 which are 17g.
I will keep using the crosses until it breaks. Maybe it will change characteristic after 4 hours of hitting.
Day 2 (5-4-11) 33 hours Titan gut, 4 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 2 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
No fraying on both mains/crosses.
Day 3 (5-6-11) 35 hours Titan gut, 6 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 2 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
Both mains/crosses are still in good condition.
Day 4 (5-8-11) 38.5 hours Titan gut, 9.5 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 3.5 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
Both mains/crosses are still in good condition. This is amazing. Both could last another 20 hours.
At 38.5 hours, titan NG could last another 20 hours. What's going on here? will it ever break?
I will not use Head Synthetic Gut PPS 16g again. I may use the thinner version thought (17g) because it would be softer and could have more bite.
Day 5 (5-9-11) 40.5 hours Titan gut, 11.5 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 2.5 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
Both mains/crosses are still in good condition. however, i can see minimal notching on the mains where there are no string savers. this could be due to the crosses being thicker than the previous crosses i used or because Head Synthetic Gut PPS 16g is a string eater like T.E-Matrix. At any rate, i will not use Head Synthetic Gut PPS 16g again. I may use the 17 or 18 gauge though...
I am putting more string savers as soon as i see notching on the mains.
Note: looser crosses may help prevent notching.
I un-strung the old crosses and strung it again using the 16x14 (skip holes in the sweetspot area) instead of 16x20 pattern. i am expecting more spin. the downside maybe that the gut mains will break faster. we will see..
Day 6 (5-11-11) 42.5 hours Titan gut, 13.5 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 2 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
Both mains/crosses are still in good condition. however, i can see minimal fraying on the mains. this could be due to the fact that i converted my string pattern from 16x20 to 16x14: my racket became a string eater.
16x14 observation:
I noticed the following:
- more spin
- more comfort
- less control
- higher trajectory (requires swing adjustment).
- faster string fraying (mains) resulting in faster string breakage..
After the strings break, i will not use the 16x14 string pattern again, at least not with Natural Gut mains.
Day 7 (5-13-11) 44.5 hours Titan gut, 15.5 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 2 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
Both mains/crosses are still in good condition. however, i can see increase fraying on the mains. this could be due to the fact that i converted my string pattern from 16x20 to 16x14: my racket became a string eater.
16x14 observation:
I noticed the following:
- more spin
- more comfort
- less control
- higher trajectory (requires swing adjustment).
- faster string fraying (mains) resulting in faster string breakage..
I decided to cut out the crosses because of a significant loss of control and the rapid string (mains) deterioration.
Frame: Wilson KFive 108 with Triad technology (for tennis/golfers elbow)
Tension:
Mains: Titan Natural Gut 17g @42 lbs (29 hours old)
Cross: Head Synthetic Gut PPS g @38 lbs (freshly strung)
Stringing
I re-used the Titan natural gut 17g Mains (29 hours old) because it is still in good condition (no notching/fraying)
I re-strung just the crosses.
String Savers
I put 52 babolat elastocross ($7.95) string savers on the sweetspot: 10 on each #1 mains, 8 on each #2 and #3 mains.
stringing complaints:
1. No complaints stringing Head Synthetic gut PPS 16g. The string feels very soft and slippery.
Link to other string playtests:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=377604&highlight=ricardo
Day 1 (04-30-11) 31 hours Titan gut, 2 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 2 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
I notice the following about this hybrid compared to the previous 2:
- Less powerful
- Not as soft
- More solid (firmer)
- Less bite
This could be due to the crosses being thicker (16g) compared to the previous 2 which are 17g.
I will keep using the crosses until it breaks. Maybe it will change characteristic after 4 hours of hitting.
Day 2 (5-4-11) 33 hours Titan gut, 4 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 2 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
No fraying on both mains/crosses.
Day 3 (5-6-11) 35 hours Titan gut, 6 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 2 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
Both mains/crosses are still in good condition.
Day 4 (5-8-11) 38.5 hours Titan gut, 9.5 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 3.5 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
Both mains/crosses are still in good condition. This is amazing. Both could last another 20 hours.
At 38.5 hours, titan NG could last another 20 hours. What's going on here? will it ever break?
I will not use Head Synthetic Gut PPS 16g again. I may use the thinner version thought (17g) because it would be softer and could have more bite.
Day 5 (5-9-11) 40.5 hours Titan gut, 11.5 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 2.5 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
Both mains/crosses are still in good condition. however, i can see minimal notching on the mains where there are no string savers. this could be due to the crosses being thicker than the previous crosses i used or because Head Synthetic Gut PPS 16g is a string eater like T.E-Matrix. At any rate, i will not use Head Synthetic Gut PPS 16g again. I may use the 17 or 18 gauge though...
I am putting more string savers as soon as i see notching on the mains.
Note: looser crosses may help prevent notching.
I un-strung the old crosses and strung it again using the 16x14 (skip holes in the sweetspot area) instead of 16x20 pattern. i am expecting more spin. the downside maybe that the gut mains will break faster. we will see..
Day 6 (5-11-11) 42.5 hours Titan gut, 13.5 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 2 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
Both mains/crosses are still in good condition. however, i can see minimal fraying on the mains. this could be due to the fact that i converted my string pattern from 16x20 to 16x14: my racket became a string eater.
16x14 observation:
I noticed the following:
- more spin
- more comfort
- less control
- higher trajectory (requires swing adjustment).
- faster string fraying (mains) resulting in faster string breakage..
After the strings break, i will not use the 16x14 string pattern again, at least not with Natural Gut mains.
Day 7 (5-13-11) 44.5 hours Titan gut, 15.5 hours Head Synthetic Gut PPS
I hit for about 2 hours using moderate topspin on both wings.
Both mains/crosses are still in good condition. however, i can see increase fraying on the mains. this could be due to the fact that i converted my string pattern from 16x20 to 16x14: my racket became a string eater.
16x14 observation:
I noticed the following:
- more spin
- more comfort
- less control
- higher trajectory (requires swing adjustment).
- faster string fraying (mains) resulting in faster string breakage..
I decided to cut out the crosses because of a significant loss of control and the rapid string (mains) deterioration.
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