What String Combo to use for 100+ hours a month of play/practice - Kevlar???

[anubis]

Yes, I agree I need to do something different which is why I am looking for a solution and was hoping for an answer other than "restring your racquet every few days (10-15 hours)". At the beginning strings probably did not matter quite as much for me, but the difference in fresh strings and dead poly continues to make a bigger and bigger difference as my skills improve and playing more difficult opponents.

you are looking for a "solution" where there is no problem. having to restring every 10 to 15 hours is completely normal and expected when you play with high performance strings. You aren't going to get the performance that you need to play at your level with strings that will last literally dozens of hours before they die.

Your best solution is to do what all the pros do: have multiple racquets. I have 3 of the same racquet with the same strings and same tensions, and in the height of tennis season I'm only playing 10 hours per week.

In your case, I recommend 6 identical racquets with the same strings and tensions. You can probably get away with only re-stringing once per week, and you always have fresh strings.

Honestly, I have friends who are 5.0s that compete nationally. They are sponsored by major tennis brands and get free racquets every year. They restring their racquets every single day. they buy reels and reels of string. They play as much or more than you.

All I can say, is you're living the life of a semi-professional tennis player and this is how it is. It can be tedious, but be thankful you have this opportunity and that you're healthy and without injuries (I hope).

good luck

 

[Power Player]

Ok, OP is super analytical - it works, it has made him successful.

Also, I applaud your confidence in reselling every 2 years in this housing market. I honestly love stuff like this, and love reading about it.

Since you are really focused on efficiency, it makes sense that you would think over practicing will get you to the place you want to be. It won't work that way. You have to factor in recovery time in sports or you will get hurt and derail everything.

Past that - without a doubt buy a stringing machine.If at all possible do not get a drop weight. Since you are smart about money, let me drop a few facts in :

1. No string job will last as long as you want. The closest is natural gut. So either get natural gut or read on.

2. The cost of getting a racquet strung is $20-$30, so let's call it $25. At the rate you play, you need to have 2 sticks ready. I would string one a week with the hybrid setup you use so that way you are rotating in a fresh stick and the old one can be an emergency backup until it is restrung. That will cost you $100 a month in stringing fees.

3. If you buy a reel of OGSM for $40 and a reel of Black Magic for $95ish your string beds will cost you less than $5.

4. If you buy a good stringing machine for $500 you will pay for it in less than 6 months, and your total cost for tennis stringing will be $20 a month.

5. Im summation, following my system you will always have a fresh stringbed every week and your total cost for stringing will be under $30 a month after the initial investment of a string machine and 2 reels.


Hope that helps.

 

[jason586]

I read most the TT posts on Iontec strings and read that you thought Iontec Hexa 1.25 was too soft even after you went up to 52 lbs.
*Did you use it in a full bed or hybrid? (I'm planning on trying it with a full bed)
*Did you ever try higher than 52 lbs?
*Did you try raising the tension on the crosses to firm up the Hexa 1.25 stringbed ?
*The most recent poly used is Genesis Black Magic - How would you compare BM to Hexa 1.25 and which feels softer/less crisp?
*I read that you felt you lost some feel as well with the Iontec Hexa - I have been playing with a leather grip (no overgrip), so maybe that will help with some of the the lack of feel?
*My Vantage 95" is an open pattern 16x19, but it is the firmer 70 flex. So the 1.25 Hexa may play well in it since it is a firm racquet? (I also like a boardy feel in a racquet. My favorite feel to date was my i.prestige MP 18x20 with full poly, but the weight was too much over time as mine was nearly 13oz with dampener, leather, and overgrip.)

Ok, OP is super analytical - it works, it has made him successful.

Also, I applaud your confidence in reselling every 2 years in this housing market. I honestly love stuff like this, and love reading about it.

 

[jason586]

Well, I have played with the Kevlar hybrid for 4 days - 10 sets of doubles, 7 sets of singles and about 5 hours of hitting balls/rallying.
I can definitely say that Kevlar 50lbs/OGSM 56lbs has less spin than Genesis BM 56lbs/multi 60lbs. I can also say that this Kevlar hybrid has been a disadvantage over a poly hybrid in singles play for me - once I start playing 4.0+ players.
I played a 3.5 friend, and he won 3 games over 3 sets which is on par with what he usually gets off me. But when I played a 4.0 player the next day, the slightly less pace and spin from the Kevlar hybrid gave him opportunities on balls he normally does not get from me. Also, I did not get near as many free points off my serve as it was slowed enough to make a difference as well. I played the following day against another 4.0, and the results were the same. Everything was a notch down i.e. balls that were normally winners he could get to and rallying balls that were normally returned neutral he was able to be more aggressive on. When I went out with my wife, she even noticed the difference at her level. I switched to my poly hybrid, and she no longer could handle the spin and pace on the same shots. I switched back again to the Kevlar stick, and she could again handle the same shots with slightly less pace and spin.

The Kevlar did have great control, and it helped keep my two-handed backhand in check. I also very much liked playing with it at net in doubles. The stiff bed made volleys easy to control and put where I wanted. I actually like most aspects of playing the Kevlar in doubles except for serving. Again, singles was a different story as I mostly stay on the baseline except for coming in on short balls.
Another big positive of hitting with Kevlar so far is that it was forcing me to grow in my tennis play.....almost like playing with blades in golf.
I have to be much better with my placement and angles.
I have to really make sure I'm not cheating and use the entire kinetic chain on my groundstokes.
I had to coil my shoulders much further back on serve to gain extra spin and pace. When I served with my poly/multi hybrid with the new extra coiling, the pace and spin was unreal.

I understand that you want to practice what you play for consistency, but I think I might keep one racquet with the Kevlar hybrid as it helps reminds me where I might be getting sloppy/lazy.
The Kevlar has not lost any of its playability over about 15 hours. Honestly it feels like it is grabbing the ball more, and I am getting more spin the longer it plays. I have not completely given up on playing singles with Kevlar as next time, I will string it with a slicker co-poly cross like MSV Co-Focus and drop the tension from 50lbs/56lbs to 45lbs/50lbs; I had no pain issues with the Kevlar/SG hybrid.
But at this point, I can not imagine any Kevlar hybrid being more spinny and having enough pace to compete with even a low cost full poly bed such as Iontec Hexa.

 

[zapvor]

wow. kevlar for that much court time.

 

[tlm]

Ok, OP is super analytical - it works, it has made him successful.

Also, I applaud your confidence in reselling every 2 years in this housing market. I honestly love stuff like this, and love reading about it.

Since you are really focused on efficiency, it makes sense that you would think over practicing will get you to the place you want to be. It won't work that way. You have to factor in recovery time in sports or you will get hurt and derail everything.

Past that - without a doubt buy a stringing machine.If at all possible do not get a drop weight. Since you are smart about money, let me drop a few facts in :

1. No string job will last as long as you want. The closest is natural gut. So either get natural gut or read on.

2. The cost of getting a racquet strung is $20-$30, so let's call it $25. At the rate you play, you need to have 2 sticks ready. I would string one a week with the hybrid setup you use so that way you are rotating in a fresh stick and the old one can be an emergency backup until it is restrung. That will cost you $100 a month in stringing fees.

3. If you buy a reel of OGSM for $40 and a reel of Black Magic for $95ish your string beds will cost you less than $5.

4. If you buy a good stringing machine for $500 you will pay for it in less than 6 months, and your total cost for tennis stringing will be $20 a month.

5. Im summation, following my system you will always have a fresh stringbed every week and your total cost for stringing will be under $30 a month after the initial investment of a string machine and 2 reels.


Hope that helps.

This is good advise but I don't understand the reason for not buying a drop weight machine.