What strings should I use?

[tennispro492]

I hit the ball hard with a lot of spin. I have always used either multi or syn gut, various types including RIP control, Velocity MLT, Wilson Sensation, Babolat Xcel etc. I'm not sure of the gauges to be honest. I normally string at 20kg (44 pounds) and I use a Prince Beast racquet.

The problem is I break the strings regularly, I would guess between 5-20 hours of play. Due to the financial crisis as a result of covid I have been made redundant and I can't afford to restring once every month or two anymore like I would normally.

What string will last me a long time whilst still being fairly comfortable? The reason I string at low tensions and use a Prince racquet with O ports is because of previous arm issues which have long since resolved, so kevlar or something might not be appropriate.

Open to any suggestions! Thanks in advance

 

[PKorda]

5-20 hours is a very wide range, if you're getting towards upper end no need to switch. You don't really want to play with strings for longer than that anyway. That said, you could try a soft poly. You can search for threads on that for ideas.

 

[Steve Huff]

I'd try something like Gamma Marathon 15L. Keep stringing low. It's probably the longest lasting, non-poly you can get.

 

[tennispro492]

5-20 hours is a very wide range, if you're getting towards upper end no need to switch. You don't really want to play with strings for longer than that anyway. That said, you could try a soft poly. You can search for threads on that for ideas.

Thanks for the reply man.
The thing is I really can't afford to restring again any time soon. Can anyone recommend strings that are difficult to break whilst still being fairly comfortable?

 

[jriddy35]

I'm hitting Velocity 16g right now. Have got ~3.5-4 hours and can't really see to much fraying so far, which seems better than the last couple multi's I've played. Can't tell you if it will eventually fall of a cliff or not. You might have an idea depending on how much you have already played with it. If you're worried about cost's all Head strings are 20% off at TW right now, so you buy some while it's cheap too.

 

[socallefty]

Strings have to be soft to be comfortable - if they are soft, they break faster especially if you are a hard-hitter. Poly is stiff and might break less frequently, but it loses its elasticity and ‘goes dead’ within 20 hours too after which it feels harsh and low-powered - it also might lose tension enough to cause a lose of control. So, what you are asking for might not be possible. Have you considered buying strings by the reel as it is cheaper?

 

[MasterZeb]

A durable multi or synth gut would be youre only way if you don’t want to string a lot. Maybe something like Mutlifeel or triax

 

[fuzz nation]

Thanks for the reply man.
The thing is I really can't afford to restring again any time soon. Can anyone recommend strings that are difficult to break whilst still being fairly comfortable?

First thought would be Prince Premier Control (PPC) in the 15L gauge.

One of the stronger high school boys on the team I coach was dealing with some significant golfer's elbow a couple years ago at the start of the spring season. He was playing with a Pure Drive strung with... of course... Bab. RPM Blast. When the elbow troubles seemed to be getting worse, I quickly swapped him into PPC 16, which I had on hand at home.

The PPC 16 brought a solid bump in the comfort department right away, but this dude was a "farmer strong" player and would chew through a set of that 16 ga. string in only 3-5 days. So we picked up some of the heavier 15L and I was surprised to see him get a big bump in service life from that gauge. The 15L would last him maybe a little more than two weeks of daily pounding, but his golfer's elbow also cooled out completely well before the end of the season.

I'm not generally wild about multi's, but PPC doesn't seem to be susceptible to tension loss compared with others in the multi family. I still keep a reel of this string on hand for any string jobs I catch where I need to install a fresh multi or switch somebody into a softer alternative.

 

[tennispro492]

First thought would be Prince Premier Control (PPC) in the 15L gauge.

One of the stronger high school boys on the team I coach was dealing with some significant golfer's elbow a couple years ago at the start of the spring season. He was playing with a Pure Drive strung with... of course... Bab. RPM Blast. When the elbow troubles seemed to be getting worse, I quickly swapped him into PPC 16, which I had on hand at home.

The PPC 16 brought a solid bump in the comfort department right away, but this dude was a "farmer strong" player and would chew through a set of that 16 ga. string in only 3-5 days. So we picked up some of the heavier 15L and I was surprised to see him get a big bump in service life from that gauge. The 15L would last him maybe a little more than two weeks of daily pounding, but his golfer's elbow also cooled out completely well before the end of the season.

I'm not generally wild about multi's, but PPC doesn't seem to be susceptible to tension loss compared with others in the multi family. I still keep a reel of this string on hand for any string jobs I catch where I need to install a fresh multi or switch somebody into a softer alternative.

Thank you! Currently your suggestion is good along with another for Gamma Marathon 15L.

Since I string so low anyway I'm not too bothered about tension loss. I always have to move my strings back into position in between points if I want it to look normal.

Ideally I'm looking for at least 40 hours before they break and I guess a thicker gauge would help with that.

Poly might last a long time but if it goes dead then it's no good I suppose, so I might as well stick with multi and syn gut.

 

[Bagumbawalla]

I have not used them, myself, but you might try some of those String-a-ling type string savers (like Federer uses).

 

[pico]

Try any Pro Pro strings I think. Super cheap for a reel.

 

[Slowtwitcher]

Kevlar/ZX. Definitely not stiff.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

-what is breaking first, main.strings or cross.strings??

 

[Steve Huff]

Thank you! Currently your suggestion is good along with another for Gamma Marathon 15L.

Since I string so low anyway I'm not too bothered about tension loss. I always have to move my strings back into position in between points if I want it to look normal.

Ideally I'm looking for at least 40 hours before they break and I guess a thicker gauge would help with that.

Poly might last a long time but if it goes dead then it's no good I suppose, so I might as well stick with multi and syn gut.

Do you string your own rackets? If you do, shoot me a message at stmt@comcast.net

 

[tennispro492]

-what is breaking first, main.strings or cross.strings??

Usually the main strings I think

 

[1HBHfanatic]

Usually the main strings I think

-great ^, i was hoping you'd say that
-that is where you need to focus first!!
-try a thin gauge copoly at 3-4lbs lower than the crosses
-what i would try: 18g/17gcopoly.mains.40lbs with 16g( RIP control, Velocity MLT, Wilson Sensation, Babolat Xcel etc. ).crosses at 44lbs

 

[tennispro492]

-great ^, i was hoping you'd say that
-that is where you need to focus first!!
-try a thin gauge copoly at 3-4lbs lower than the crosses
-what i would try: 18g/17gcopoly.mains.40lbs with 16g( RIP control, Velocity MLT, Wilson Sensation, Babolat Xcel etc. ).crosses at 44lbs

Thank you that is interesting. Isn't there a danger that the poly will just wear through the multi and snap it?

I have used rpm blast in the mains and xcel in the cross before at 44lbs and the xcel frayed and snapped after about 6 hours.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

@tennispro492
-for string breakers, "strings are going to break!!" prolonging that time is your goal!!,
-ideally, i would preffer poly/syn.gut, that is a better option for many characteristics (control, power, price, but also DURABILITY)
-syn-gut is a bit better in durability than multis
-the key with combos, is to find the right tension for your racquet
-anyway, it is worth a try

 

[tennispro492]

@tennispro492
-for string breakers, "strings are going to break!!" prolonging that time is your goal!!,
-ideally, i would preffer poly/syn.gut, that is a better option for many characteristics (control, power, price, but also DURABILITY)
-syn-gut is a bit better in durability than multis
-the key with combos, is to find the right tension for your racquet
-anyway, it is worth a try

Cheers mate i think I will try a syn gut as they are more durable than multis. have you ever tried string savers?

 

[1HBHfanatic]

@tennispro492
-"string savers" are like earrings on a men!?!,,, they don't belong!!, haaaaaa, kinda kidding
-i've grown to hate string savers!,
-since i string lots of racquets, string savers are like shrapnel inside the stringing room, (at time of cutting strings), they make a huge mess, every time.
-i have used them sparingly ,(to see for myself "what all the fuzz is about") but i did not notice much difference
-and since i am not a string breaker, they really don't offer/have much of a benefit for me!!..