As a result, players who are used to hitting with a stiffer, control-oriented option will likely find this string overpowering. HEAD Hawk Tennis String. Over a year, you should restring your racquet the number of times you play in a week. Stiffer, lower power strings with less shock absorption tend to offer greater precision and control. Over the past few weeks we let players, who usually string their rackets very tight (between 60-62 lbs, these guys are high level 17 year old junior players) test strings at 47lbs. Instead, check out Tecnifibres NRG2 and Babolats Origin, which will deliver plenty of power with the added benefit of more control. With that in mind, Ive made a point to highlight each strings tradeoffs in addition to its strong points. MAINS: Co-Polyester more info CROSSES: Multi-Filament more info SUMMARY: The co-polyesters' durability, excellent spin generation and controlled power dominate. Theyre also perfect for recreational players that dont play frequently or occasionally play for exercise. Luxilon ALU Power doesnt disappoint in the durability department, one of the polyester categorys trademark features. Unfortunately, with their growing popularity over the past two decades, more and more players have suffered from arm injuries and discomfort, especially when combined with a stiffer tennis racquet. Most players are rarely asked these questions and will be happy to share their thoughts. Here are a few additional multifilaments that I recommend. The Blade provides modern control for aggressive players. If youre a beginner or intermediate player, youll most likely just use the strings that came with their racquet. As with all tennis strings, theres always a tradeoff, and Prince Premier Touch is no exception. Solinco Confidential is a newer string released in 2020, but its quickly gained popularity as a strong contender for one of the best polys. Color: Silver or Blue. The length of time a set of strings can maintain tension and quality play or performance is its playability duration. Lower string-on-string friction means more spin, as the strings snap back into place quickly after being displaced by the ball. One of the best benefits for beginners is tension retention. www.prokennex.com. One of Wilson NXTs standout features is its power, which it delivers through the combined effort of 1,600 individual microfibers. Here are a few alternatives to Solinco Confidential that deliver reliable durability, and Id recommend you checkout. Home > Gear > Strings > Best Tennis Strings, Improve your game alongside our community of tennis players. Thinner, softer strings tend to hold their tension better. Check Price On Amazon. Although I dont recommend changing strings frequently, its worthwhile to consider your options periodically. As a reminder, the main strings characteristics will dominate the racquets feel. They tend to be softer (less stiff) and are easier on the arm. Combined with the ultra-soft stringbed that lacked feel, the string keeps me on my toes because its response isnt as predictable, making it difficult to find control and precision. Relative to other tennis strings, I had to work significantly harder to generate topspin, and even my best efforts left me wanting more. With it, youll get Wilsons Natural Gut and Luxilon ALU Power Rough polyester to strike an exceptional balance between comfort, power, spin, control, and feel. By pushing their limit Wilson hybrid string has come up with WILSON NXT Power 40-Feet String. unstrung with a balance of 315mm. 16L/1.28mm: Medium gauge found in Luxilon strings; best for competitive players looking for . Join the conversation with other members of the community. Cant decide which color to buy? Once again, lowering the tension at which you string your racquet can also help to make your strings more comfortable. Without question, Luxilon ALU Power exemplifies what modern players expect from a poly in terms of control, spin, and durability. Recommendations. A 16 gauge for one company might be a 16L (L stands for "light," which basically means it's halfway between two gauges, think of a 16L as a 16.5) for another. Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. WILSON Synthetic Gut Power 40-Feet Tennis String Set. They also tend to be the most expensive strings, and therefore usually only used by advanced players. Best for Control: Solinco Hyper-G. I particularly enjoyed the heavy topspin I could produce on my groundstrokes and found it helped provide tons of spin on my kick serve, which enhanced the balls rebound off the court well out of most player strike zones. If youre a heavy hitter or chronic string breaker that requires extra durability to prolong the life of your strings, look no further than Solinco Confidential. For one thing, as a beginner you most likely wont be breaking strings with your play. One of the most common scenarios that competitive tennis players face is overheating. Premium options If you want a super comfortable, high-performance tennis string thats fit for the pros, then check out Babolat VS Touch or Wilson Champions Choice Duo. However, not all polyester delivers equal performance, so it pays to know your options. Softer, more powerful strings will also be more forgiving if you arent able to hit the ball in the middle of the racquet, which improves accuracy (in addition to power) for beginners. Your email address will not be published. Many players seek polyester strings for their control, spin, and durability. If youre looking to follow suit, then theres no doubt that polyester tennis strings are a fantastic choice. One of the most common injuries in our sport istennis elbow. Have you tried Mantis Comfort Synthetic or Gosen Tour 3? In-depth Resources My pick for the best synthetic gut tennis string, which I cover in greater detail in this guide, is Prince Synthetic Gut. As tennis has evolved with stronger players and more aggressive shot-making, controlling the ball has become increasingly important. HEAD Hawk Touch Tennis String. Check out their latest evolution, dubbed Prism, the same great string in a rainbow of colors. All else equal, a thicker string will be more durable and offer less spin potential, while a thinner option will be less durable and provide more spin potential. So this may not be that important of a factor when choosing a string, since even a more comfortable co-poly, nylon, or natural gut string will be durable enough. So if you play four times a week, then restring you racquet four times a year. This string is similar in some ways to the Wilson NXT, in that its a very comfortable string that offers a lot of power and sacrifices some control and spin. Its worth noting that the comfort associated with softer polys is relative to the classic stiffness of a typical polyester. Your email address will not be published. Dunlop Explosive Bite Price: $17/set; $230/reel Gauges: 16, 17. The result is a blend of string attributes. Here are the specs for the Diadem Elevate 98 tennis racquet. A big part of what produces a string with a greater sense of control is a consistent response or knowing what to expect every time the ball leaves the stringbed, and Hyper-G checks the right boxes to make that happen. If you're a fan of natural gut but can't justify the cost, consider using string savers to extend its life and reduce the cost of restringing. As a general rule, the softer the string, the more power it has. Similar to the Blade V8 racquets, the Clash 100 Pro features the biodegradable Agiplast bumper and grommets which reduce waste while maintaining high performance. The amount of shock and vibration a player feels when hitting with different strings informs comfort. Tension loss results from the strings stretching over time and with impact. Natural gut strings are the softest, most comfortable string, and remain soft even at high tensions. When it comes to Luxilon ALU Power alternatives, one of my favorite places to look is among the line of Luxilon strings. Babolat VS Touch (16-1.30mm) Natural Gut String (Black, 16) Recommended tension range: 130/16 : 24 kg/53 lbs - 32 kg/70 lbs. Along with practical tips to inform your decision, insight into my rating process, and thoughtfully selected alternatives to expand your options, youll have everything necessary to confidently choose your next set. OUR HISTORY 145 YEARS YOUNG. The areas where it gives up the most are the spin, control, and feel departments. If youre new to tennis or a parent helping guide your child, you may be concerned about whether or not your strings are adequate, which is an excellent consideration that Im happy youre investigating. If theres a defining characteristic of this hybrid string set, its the fact that its Roger Federers choice one of if not the games greatest player of all time. You can then adjust your requirement appropriately to even tighter or looser (towards the upper or lower end of the range). Strings that snap back into place after hitting and dont move much or require constant straightening will have higher movement ratings. Its a useful measure because some strings are highly durable and resist breakage but require frequent replacement to preserve the quality of the strings performance. Therefore, I strongly recommend players consider this facet before trying it. . Its an excellent string with a long-standing positive reputation in the tennis community. The properties of the string are greatly diminished when you have to string your racket so tightly unless it is . We hope you love this article. A tennis string tension of 55 to 65 pounds is considered high. That said, the trade-off is that a lower tension tends to give you less control. Conventional wisdom evolved to matching string replacement over the course of a year with the amount of times played in a week. The best part about hybrid string setups is combining the best of two worlds in natural gut and polyester tennis strings. The spin and low power of RPM Blast allow me to take full swings and significant cuts at the ball, resulting in topspin that enables me to clear the net with confidence that the ball would dip back into the court, and I never feel I have to worry about the ball sailing long. Before you choose a tennis string to play with, you should know which characteristics to look for, including the pros and cons of choosing one over another. . However, this tends to come with the drawback that they arent as forgiving and can be harsh on your arm. Some tennis strings return significantly more energy when striking a ball, making it easier to generate pace. Perhaps youre looking to hit a bigger serve or groundstrokes, or youd like to add a little pop to a more flexible, control-oriented tennis racquet. All tennis racquets come with a recommended string tension range (usually around 40 60 lbs). As you look to buy a new set of tennis strings, it pays to know how frequently you should replace them. Its often tempting for beginners to use polyester tennis strings because theyre popular among professional tennis players. One of the challenges that players have faced over the years is that strings come with distinct pros and cons. With players like Rafel Nadal on tour, one of the most sought-after attributes for tennis players is the ability to generate massive topspin. A few years back, the options for soft polys were sparse. Babolat RPM Blast takes topspin to the max. The more the strings can grip the ball, the more spin they will generate. Although there are undoubtedly more comfortable strings on the market, Ive found Hyper-G Soft to perform best in this category relative to other soft polys, which makes it unique. That is, no set of strings delivers exceptional marks across the board. English Franais Deutsch Italiano Espaol. Let's dive in! If youd like to dive deeper into the topic, check out my article on tennis string gauge, which provides a full explanation. Weve just scratched the surface on the topic of tension, so if youd like to learn more about its implications on your racquets performance, check out my article on enhancing your game with the ideal tension. Best Budget: Wilson Synthetic Gut Power Tennis String. The middle of the recommended tension range is a good place to start on the quest for the perfect racquet tension. 5 offers from $6.95. And finally, using a string that is too stiff, or strung at too high a tension may also hurt your arm and wrist over time. Step 4: Identify an Appropriate Tension. At the same time, youll find a softer feel and increased playability by using Wilsons natural gut in the mains.