Which Big Banger Alu Power do Pros use?

M

max pl

Rookie
TW sells:

Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power 16L String
Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power Rough 16L String
Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power Fluoro 17 String
Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power Spin 16 String

Based on info at colinthestringer and other places, it seems that most pros use some form of Alu Power. TW sells four different versions and I'm wondering if its any specific one. Are these polyester strings or something else?

I ask because my brother and I have been using RPM Blast exclusively and both love it. My brother, however, is developing elbow pain and I'm attributing it to the use of poly.

We'll likely test the Alu Power even if its polyester, but if its not and is easy on the elbow, thats even better for my brother.

Thanks
 
Luxilon would be horrible for your elbow.

I'd stick with a soft multi. Mantis comfort synthetic is about as soft as it gets.
 
He'd be ok with synthetic, but everyone we've ever tried lacks power. Same goes for multis.
People here recommend NR2 all the time and yet its one of the worst strings I've ever played with.

I'll get some of that Mantis stuff to try though since its' pretty cheap.

Thanks

edit: is elbow pain exclusively caused by string type or is technique also a big factor.
 
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They're complementary. Technical issues when using the wrong string type = TE. I did NOT say bad strokes, just the way that person hits the ball. Example: I can play full poly all day long and never have had any elbow pain whatsoever. A person I string for is a grad student but played upper D2 tennis and gets TE from even some soft hybrids. So, the open level player whose strokes far surpass mine gets TE, and I don't. No idea why.
 
And what you said doesn't make much sense: multifilaments should have far more power than polyester. The one U&C suggested, however, is one of the lowest powered out there. It is the best for TE if you cannot afford gut, though.
 
That was gonna be my next question.

I just read that Gut doesnt lose its playability til it snaps. Is this true? If I can get over a month of play with gut, and its safe for my brothers elbow, I'd definitely use it above anything else. I just dont want to restring gut every two weeks like we are with our current poly setup as that'd be too costly.

Lastly, still looking for an answer to the question about Alu Power if anyone has it.
I may actually buy trial packs of the both the Alu Power and Wilson NXT that TW now offers.
 
To answer your first question, it's one of the first two. I don't know of any pros using Fluoro or Spin. Djokovic plays ALU, Federer plays ALU Rough, as examples.
 
max pl said:
That was gonna be my next question.

I just read that Gut doesnt lose its playability til it snaps. Is this true? If I can get over a month of play with gut, and its safe for my brothers elbow, I'd definitely use it above anything else. I just dont want to restring gut every two weeks like we are with our current poly setup as that'd be too costly.

Lastly, still looking for an answer to the question about Alu Power if anyone has it.
Click to expand...
Yes that is true. Gut plays the same during its entire life, and might actually get a bit better when it's near death (no scientific reason for this, at least none that I have seen). You may get a month out of gut, but it depends on how you hit. If you're restringing the poly because you break it, then full gut is not for you at all. Perhaps a gut mains, poly cross hybrid though.
 
pvaudio said:
And what you said doesn't make much sense: multifilaments should have far more power than polyester. The one U&C suggested, however, is one of the lowest powered out there. It is the best for TE if you cannot afford gut, though.
Click to expand...


Listen to this guy.
 
Yeh we dont break strings at all but we play exclusively with poly.

I tried various synthetics, multis, and polys and we both determined we love poly the most.
NR2 and Gossen Micro Sheep, both strings I read alot about on these boards last year, are both extremely disappointing.

I think I'll continue to use RPM Blast and try out the Alu Power stuff, and I'll get my brother some gut to try, hoping that it eases his elbow pain.
 
Before you spend the money on gut, mikeler (3 posts up) has an enormous thread on multifilaments. It would pay to take a look or to ask him what might work since he's the (un)official multi guru. :)

What both of you may like actually would be a poly/Gosen hybrid.
 
pvaudio said:
They're complementary. Technical issues when using the wrong string type = TE. I did NOT say bad strokes, just the way that person hits the ball. Example: I can play full poly all day long and never have had any elbow pain whatsoever. A person I string for is a grad student but played upper D2 tennis and gets TE from even some soft hybrids. So, the open level player whose strokes far surpass mine gets TE, and I don't. No idea why.
Click to expand...

Good protoplasm? Your tendons just stand up better to repetitive use and shock? You eat lots of vegetables and he doesn't? :) Gotta be something about how you're constructed.
 
retlod said:
Good protoplasm? Your tendons just stand up better to repetitive use and shock? You eat lots of vegetables and he doesn't? :) Gotta be something about how you're constructed.
Click to expand...
Yeah I honestly don't know. Guys like him who would send me packing in 20 minutes get elbow pain and I don't. Now, to be fair, I do have a blown shoulder so I know what pain is like. Thankfully, string doesn't affect that. In this instance, it's not like it's an age issue either seeing as he's a whopping 4 months older than I am.
 
pvaudio said:
Yeah I honestly don't know. Guys like him who would send me packing in 20 minutes get elbow pain and I don't. Now, to be fair, I do have a blown shoulder so I know what pain is like. Thankfully, string doesn't affect that. In this instance, it's not like it's an age issue either seeing as he's a whopping 4 months older than I am.
Click to expand...

I think Technique has everything to do with tennis elbow! The smoother and more solid your technique is, the easier it is on your body, REGARDLESS of what the string/racket combo is, relatively speaking. I'm sure that if you used a stiff beginner frame (125in headsize) with full luxilon at like 70lbs, you'll probably get elbow pain, but if you stay within reasonable equipment setups, and you have solid technique, your arm won't suffer. I have very smooth technique and don't suffer any tennis elbow from equipment, and I use poly, that's how I know, and I have a very weak arm. ALSO Just because one has great technique and smoothness doesn't mean they are better than one with worse technique. Not all D2 tennis players have super good, smooth, healthy technique and therefore that would explain why your friend has problems. Just my 2 cents though and I'm sticking with it.
 
That's why I made sure to emphasize the part about me not meaning bad strokes. Simply different aspects of the stroke. I think in my case, it's likely just genetic because my older sis only had elbow pain once many a year ago. She consistently plays with dead poly now because she doesn't have time to restring anymore and doesn't get hurt still lol
 
max pl said:
He'd be ok with synthetic, but everyone we've ever tried lacks power. Same goes for multis.
People here recommend NR2 all the time and yet its one of the worst strings I've ever played with.

I'll get some of that Mantis stuff to try though since its' pretty cheap.

Thanks

edit: is elbow pain exclusively caused by string type or is technique also a big factor.
Click to expand...

technique is easily way more influential than string set up. but string plays a factor yes
 
Chyeaah said:
If you have flawless technique, poly won't hurt, unless on very hard drives or offcenter hits.
Click to expand...

Yes, but the world just isn't perfect and neither are the majority of people's hitting. When I'm playing a lot, I can hang with and beat 5.5 players. I love poly and how I play with them. But...polys just kill my wrist. Problem is, even when I'm playing well, I don't hit cleanly every time.
 
Chyeaah said:
If you have flawless technique, poly won't hurt, unless on very hard drives or offcenter hits.
Click to expand...

See, poly doesn't bother my arm at all in hybrids as long as I'm swinging hard and making the poly "move." Lighter hitting/feeding jars my arm a lot more then serving or hitting groundies.

-Fuji
 
TheRed said:
Yes, but the world just isn't perfect and neither are the majority of people's hitting. When I'm playing a lot, I can hang with and beat 5.5 players. I love poly and how I play with them. But...polys just kill my wrist. Problem is, even when I'm playing well, I don't hit cleanly every time.
Click to expand...
I obviously cannot call you a liar, but I would be careful with statements like this. If you're beating 5.5 level players aka open level players, then you have had a ranking at some point or were playing top tier college tennis not that long ago.
 
Wilson Champion's Choice Hybrid is lasting longer than I want. I stopped keeping track after 2 months ( playing 2 to 3 times a week). I string low so maybe that has something to do with it (50/48). The gut in the mains slides nicely along the poly. At this point being 2 months in this hybrid the notch the poly made in the gut is 1/16 to 1/8 inches deep. Meaning the gut has about 7/8 thickness left. No fraying to speak of either. As you can imagine the poly is dead by now but this isn't a hindrance. I lost a little power from the dead poly but it still helps with control. I may just mount the racket and replace the poly since I'm getting bored. lol

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Wilson_Champions_Choice_Hybrid_16_String/descpageACWILSON-WCC16.html
 
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pvaudio said:
I obviously cannot call you a liar, but I would be careful with statements like this. If you're beating 5.5 level players aka open level players, then you have had a ranking at some point or were playing top tier college tennis not that long ago.
Click to expand...

That was last year, when I was playing a lot but yes, I can beat some good college players. Certainly not a majority of the time, but occasionally, yes. It also depends on how you rate "top tier". Do you mean upper Division I? No, they'd kill me now. I'm not delusional.
5.5 isn't exactly open. Upper 5.5 players are though. I used to play a guy who won the CHOC 5.5 (massive tourney in CA). Honestly, he beat me most of the time but I would get lucky occasionally.
Point isn't about me though. I'm just saying, being a good player is only one factor in whether polys cause arm issues.
 
I switched to poly four years ago, and at that time got tennis elbow. However, it was not due to the poly, it was due to a small timing issue on my serve. Once that was fixed, tennis elbow went away. I have been playing with full poly for years now, currently using all pro hurricane tour at 54 lbs, play every day, and never have a problem with elbow, shoulder, wrist, etc. I do agree that with proper technique (good timing, smooth, relaxed strokes) that tennis elbow should not be an issue with basically any string.

I do recommend all poly for my higher level students like some of the high school kids I teach, and again, they generally have relaxed, clean technique and not one of them has developed tennis elbow. Now, I have also had some of my lessons who don't have perfect technique, some of my older lessons, and tired a few poly setups, I can honestly say that the ones where they do have some technical issues, elbow/shoulder pain did develop.

I think this should clear things up with poly and tennis elbow. I will say two final things though. Tension does have a lot to do with it. I almost never string poly above 55 lbs for anyone. I am a big proponent of stringing poly at the lower end of the tension spectrum for two reasons. One, you don't loose control, if you have a modern swing then you basically just get more top spin and slice on your shots, and two, with lower tensions, poly will be less harsh on your arm. I do remember however hitting with one poly that did give me wrist problems, and that was technifibre prp red code 16g at 56 lbs, man that stuff was stiff!

Hope this clears some things up.
 
Lambsscroll said:
Wilson Champion's Choice Hybrid is lasting longer than I want. I stopped keeping track after 2 months ( playing 2 to 3 times a week). I string low so maybe that has something to do with it (50/48). The gut in the mains slides nicely along the poly. At this point being 2 months in this hybrid the notch the poly made in the gut is 1/16 to 1/8 inches deep. Meaning the gut has about 7/8 thickness left. No fraying to speak of either. As you can imagine the poly is dead by now but this isn't a hindrance. I lost a little power from the dead poly but it still aids in control. I may just mount the racket and replace the poly since I'm getting bored. lol

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Wilson_Champions_Choice_Hybrid_16_String/descpageACWILSON-WCC16.html
Click to expand...

It will only last me for about a month.
It really depends on the strokes you have and the geometry of racquet.

90% of my plays are topspin. Very little slice, flat strokes (other than serves) are almost unheard of.

The hybrid on my Vcore 100S breaks around a month's time (~2 hrs a week), but on my EXO3 Graphite 100, it can go on and on and on....
 
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max pl said:
TW sells:

Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power 16L String
Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power Rough 16L String
Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power Fluoro 17 String
Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power Spin 16 String

Based on info at colinthestringer and other places, it seems that most pros use some form of Alu Power. TW sells four different versions and I'm wondering if its any specific one. Are these polyester strings or something else?

I ask because my brother and I have been using RPM Blast exclusively and both love it. My brother, however, is developing elbow pain and I'm attributing it to the use of poly.

We'll likely test the Alu Power even if its polyester, but if its not and is easy on the elbow, thats even better for my brother.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I used BB Alu Power 16L for about 9 months hybridded with cheap syn gut. Worst wrist pain of my life towards the end of that time. I switched to Forten Sweet 16 in the mains with mantis comfort in the crosses. Not as playable, but pretty good overall. No pain.

The BB went dead really quick too. I would restring every week if you go with it. Your brother should seek something softer or the TE won't go away.
 
if you have elbow issues stay away from Luxilon. However, if you want to try it I would suggest Fluoro softer than the other three you mentioned.
 
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