Intro To Strings

In the world of racquet sports it’s amazing to see how many players will be so concerned about what racquet they play with, going to great lengths to find that “perfect stick” for their game. Then, for reasons unknown to mankind, will give very little consideration as to the string or tension used. For the record, we in the business of racquet sports believe that the strings are to the racquet, what the engine is to a high performance race car. So here’s a little food for thought on the subject.

Listed below are some common materials that strings are made of:

1. Nylon
2. Natural gut
3. Kevlar
4. Polyester

NYLON is basically what everyone refers to as synthetic gut. There are so many variations of this stuff out there today that a player can get confused just reading the list. Keep in mind however, that in the last 15-20 years there’s been a vast improvement in nylon string. If you’re a player that tends to follow the pack and you’re using synthetic string then you’re in good company. Over 90% of the players out there today are using synthetics.

NATURAL GUT is an entirely different animal-pun intended. It’s the standard by which all others are measured. Made from beef intestines (no not cat gut) this stuff is the real deal. Remember what we said about the elasticity of string? Well, nothing matches the elastic properties of natural gut-nothing! Gut has been and still remains the overwhelming choice of touring pros that prefer maximum feel in the racquet. Think of it this way. If you spend the money for natural gut you’re probably going to keep it in the racquet much longer than your usual synthetic (man this stuff is expensive!) Eventually the gut will lose its playability and you’ll have to restring but during this process, you’ll soon see that your set of gut kept playing much better for a longer period of time. Now imagine the player on the tour. These players are restringing before every match (the majority of them) and many are using natural gut. This means they’re getting maximum playability through their entire match-EVERY MATCH THEY PLAY! Natural gut offers unsurpassed “feel” of the ball and because of its natural texture, it tends to grab or cup the ball better than any other string. Another characteristic of natural gut that is often overlooked is the fact that it is more elastic at higher tensions, say between 55-70 lbs. When string stretches at higher tensions the gut is going to continue to stretch more, while a synthetic product will start to level off more as the load increases. One last thing about gut; if you’re one of those unfortunate players suffering from tennis elbow, there’s nothing better than natural gut for your game and you arm. We’re starting to see more pre-packaged hybrids on the market these days and as mentioned above, finding a durable string

KEVLAR is by far the most durable string out there but it’s also very stiff. Talk about lack of elasticity, this stuff is meant for one thing and one thing only-the string breaker. It’s always (or at least should be) used as a hybrid string where the kevlar is installed for the mains and the cross strings are a softer more elastic material to tame the kevlar down a bit. It’s suggested that you should reduce the tension by approximately 10% with kevlar but this is only a recommendation. Each player will have to find their own way if they plan to use this string.

POLYESTER  is another very durable string that we’re seeing more and more of on the pro tour these days. However, keep in mind that poly loses its tension quicker than standard synthetics so adjust accordingly. Poly is also used as a hybrid for most recreational players but in many cases it’s used in the entire string bed on the pro tour. So why do so many pros use it if it loses tension so fast? Remember that most pros are restringing before every match. If you’re getting 2-4 hours of good play from the poly before it starts to lose tension pro players don’t have to worry about the tension loss. They’re usually restringing before they ever get to that point and if they get into a longer match, they can just switch to a racquet with a fresh string job. Now, as to the “why” they like the stuff your guess is as good as ours. As with many things it’s a personal choice and some players like that “dead” feeling that they get with kevlar or poly.

PLAYABILITY VS. DURABILITY

For the record, whoever invents a synthetic string that plays like gut and is as durable as kevlar is our hero! Until that day comes you’re stuck with two solid choices and several “in-betweens”. The two consistent ones are playability and durability. These two constants in the string will be determined by the strings composition and its gauge.

Playability

Everybody wants it and if you want it bad enough you’re going to pay a premium price to get it. This means you’ll be buying natural gut because as we said before, this is the standard by which all others are measured. Here are some possible choices:

A) More expensive models

1. Babolat Natural Gut
2. Bow Brand Natural Gut
3. Ashaway MonoGut
4. Gosen Remplir
5. Wilson NXT Tour
6. Wilson NXT Max

B) Lower priced models

1. Prince Synthetic Gut Original
2. Wilson Stamina
3. Gosen OG Micro Series

Durability

It’s no secret what’s going to happen for those of you who want more string life. If you want a more durable string you’re going to make sacrifices, primarily in playability and feel. You have several options ranging from a multitude of hybrid arrangements with poly or Kevlar or switching to a thicker gauge string of the model you’re currently using. Remember however, when using a hybrid with stiffer mains with poly or Kevlar, or thicker gauge nylons that these strings are not as elastic as thinner nylons or natural gut and you’re sure to notice it. Of the strings listed below, two are notable for their ability to stretch more than standard poly strings. Luxilon 4G and Gosen Sidewinder are softer and more elastic, particularly, the Gosen Sidewinder. Sidewinder also has two raised outer fibers that give the string additional texture for grabbing and biting into the ball. Here are a few choices in the durable category:

1. Luxilon 4G
2. Luxilon Big Banger ALU
3. Prince Pro Blend
4. Gosen Sidewinder
5. Babolat Pro Hurricane
6. Ashaway Crossfire

The important thing to remember is to restring on a regular basis. Your string’s elasticity will diminish over time and this will have an adverse effect on your racquets performance, which can translate into missed shots on the court. A new string job is a small price to pay to insure maximum performance from your racquet.