Velocity tension for baseline testing?

[Holdfast44ID]

I switched to the latest Babolat Pure Strike 98 16x19 (11.8 oz after adding tungsten tape/putty) & have been tested gut/poly hybrids (55/55) and full beds of poly at 52/50. Tried 16 and 17g setups. I'm also testing a full bed of Klip Legend 17g at 60/60 as I'm trying to save my elbow. The launch angle reminds me of my HS and college days... Anyway, I have yet to test Velocity 17g after reading good things about it and am wondering what is a good tension to start at. Perhaps, between gut and poly at around 55/55? or 55/53? Or do you recommend you string Velocity as tight as gut? I have my own machine with constant pull tension head (stringing for 25 years or so). Have not strung up a multi 15 years.

 

[Traffic]

Let's see, my son plays with a PS 98 (16x19) and I believe the range is 50-60 recommended. I string his poly @ 49/48. If I were to have him hit with Velocity, I would probably string 53/52 as a starting point.

If you string 55/54, the accuracy goes up slightly. Pocketing goes down. Power is nominally different. Velocity has lower launch angle than gut.

 

[ByeByePoly]

Here is 1700+ posts on Velocity :

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/head-velocity.586942/

I recommend velocity 16g natural over 17g or black. More based on our "book of V" thread above than my tests. I just tried 17g once (black) ... felt much more stiff than the natural 16 to me.

With v 16g ... most of us found we needed to lower tension from mid-tension. It's pretty low powered for a multi, and a little lower tension added "some" feel (very muted multi). So mid-tension - 3lbs isn't a bad place to start. I played a lot of hours fb v @52lbs and that is about right for me. I currently have it strung at 54/52 and that is good also. String movement varies from players and frame ... I got very little movement @55 ... but more @52. I have a tight 16x19 ... and hit flattish/moderate topspin.

 

[Dartagnan64]

17g Velocity in a Pure Strike? Somewhere in the 54-52 lb range. Velocity gets too boardy and lacks feel at higher tensions and really adds some necessary pop and dwell time at lower tensions.

 

[Holdfast44ID]

Thanks for the feedback! I have some sets of V 17g (natural) and will probably start at 52/50 in a full bed. The full bed of Klip Legend 17g at 60/60 feels great on the arm, great at blasting laser beam low drives (like in college days). I just have to get used to the low launch angle & the fact that the strings are rated just a 2.0 for spin by TW. I hit the fh drives and serves with accuracy & power but struggle on topspin bh drives (end up hitting flatter). BH slices are very good with gut. Velocity, on the other hand, has a high spin rating. I'm really curious to see how they play in a full bed & if they feel "crisp" yet easy on the arm. If I go back to poly in any way, it will be in the upper 40's if a full bed or as a hybrid, maybe with poly in the main & V in the crosses. I don't care about string cost or restringing. I string my own rackets and just want to find & stick with something that works in the way of string & tension.

 

[Holdfast44ID]

I just strung up V at 54/52 last night. For some reason, while stringing that string was really slipping in my clamps & also was causing some glide bar movement compared to other strings. These are soft and slippery strings.

 

[ByeByePoly]

I just strung up V at 54/52 last night. For some reason, while stringing that string was really slipping in my clamps & also was causing some glide bar movement compared to other strings. These are soft and slippery strings.

Smell it ... fresh v natural smells like WD40