Winter - alternative to gut mains

[NRMM]

Hi guys, my setup is lux nat gut/4g SOFT at 56/54 and I live it very much specially after a couple of sessions and it becomes slightly softer; however, as I play on astroturf in the UK, with the winter coming we get a lot of damp conditions as the courts do retain some rain, balls get wet and heavier and guess what.. the strings can last 4 hours, just like this week for me. I was thinking of keeping 1 racquet with my preferred setu for when I play indoors and coming up with a string to replace the nat gut with 4g soft as crosses same tension

I read some threads and Origin 16 and Sensation control 16 come up on top apparently .. as closest to nat gut as you can get with excellent tension maintenance. What do you guys think? I tend to prefer muted strings (luxilon nat gut is quite good at this) as well as with high tension maintenance.. Cheers!

 

[2nd Serve Ace]

Origin is a nice main. Will also mention that klip coated gut is very resistant to moisture and has a muted feel.

 

[NRMM]

Origin is a nice main. Will also mention that klip coated gut is very resistant to moisture and has a muted feel.

It's more than just moisture.. it's really damp conditions when courts are actually wet from the day before or so, balls get really wet and heavy...

 

[Yoneyama]

Try Gosen AK Pro CX (make sure it is the CX version). It is a synthetic gut. I know most people rate a syn gut as a lower tier string, but honestly the AK Pro CX is the closest thing I have used to Natural Gut, it really is as an awesome string.

A close second is a multi called Tecnifibre HDX Tour, but it is a tad more poly like and get's harsher the longer it is kept in. Both of these strings have outstanding, gut-like tension maintenance too.

Check out their specs here: http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/reporter2.php The reason I found these strings and gave them a go was for their tension maintenance performance as recorded in this database.

 

[esgee48]

Head FXP Tour 16. Just slightly stiffer than NG and has good tension maintenance if pre-stretched 5% while installed.

 

[Crozzer95]

X-One Biophase. HEAD Reflex MLT. Anything that's high end Multi will suffice.

 

[12oz]

X-one can fray pretty quickly after top coating notches. Once it gets exposed to moisture it’s pretty much done. I can vouch for origin - good tension maintenance and plays relatively soft at high tensions.

Origin needs a bedding in period though, but after 2-3 hours in plays pretty well compared to Nat gut.

Am going to try next head velocity and ashaway mono gut zx next.

 

[NRMM]

Thanks guys! After reading so much and using the compara strings tool from TW I think the top the 2 strings that keep coming up as the most favourable ones for my hybrid setup is the Origin 16 and the Wilson sensation control 16. They have such good scores on tension maintenance, control and gut feel so really torn now on which shall I try for the winter season..

 

[VacationTennis]

I'm on Sensation 17 and it has way exceeded my expectations for a cheap multi. I would give it a try and just be prepared to restring often especially in those conditions.

 

[ron schaap]

Why use a hybrid anyway?
4g soft is supposedly soft enough when strung low enough and still posses some power and a lot more durability.

 

[Yoneyama]

Why use a hybrid anyway?
4g soft is supposedly soft enough when strung low enough and still posses some power and a lot more durability.

You wouldn't be writing that if you had tried 4G lol. Even the soft version is killer in full bed.

 

[2nd Serve Ace]

Why use a hybrid anyway?
4g soft is supposedly soft enough when strung low enough and still posses some power and a lot more durability.

Maybe give that a shot next summer, but OP should do origin 16/4g for winter season.

Also, sensation is an extremely mediocre string. I would be doing pros pro multi or even prince syngut before that stuff!

 

[USPTARF97]

This time of year I go from using Gut/poly to a lower stiffness full poly string bed at a lower tension. BHS7T.

 

[Ron555]

X-1. Till now no problems. Even in light rain. Does not fray in my setup/game. X-1 main @26kg Cross W. Revolve 1.25/1.30 @24kg. Next try will be sensation & sensation control in mains and revolve in crosses.

 

[hurworld]

Another vote for Head Velocity (black colour) 1.30. I strung it hybrid with Yonex Poly Tour Fire 1.25 @ 52/48 in Yonex VCP97 310 (previous gen). Good from start to finish. Finally popped it last week after somewhere around 20-30h play time.

 

[djNEiGht]

I've been recently using Gamma Professional with a poly cross. Another multi I'd recommend that has a nice coating is Diadem Impulse

 

[speedysteve]

We've had so much rain the last few weeks. Clay wet, balls wetter!

Best I've found is Head Rip Control mains and Prince Premier Control crosses.

I was liking Ashaway Monogut ZX in the crosses but as the temperatures dropped it got stiff and jarring, so back to old faithful Prince Premier Control.

 

[speedysteve]

I played Head Rip Control mains and Prince Premier Control crosses a few times now.
TBH it's just a little too much control and not enough pop.

I have used Prince Premier Touch before so decided to hybrid - Head Rip Control mains and Prince Premier Touch crosses this time.

Had a great hit this evening with this set up.
A little more pop but still good enough control to be able to swing big and with enough spin potential to land them in.
This will now be my go-to winter string set up.
Not had so much fun since summer time gut/poly, and yes this set up is more arm friendly than gut/poly too!

 

[NRMM]

So a lot of votes for Head RIP or Velocity... Any thought on Rexis ?