The amount of shock and vibration a player feels when hitting with different strings informs comfort. Best Arm Friendly String for Intermediate Players: Wilson NXT Soft. If youre going for durability and control, Id recommend stringing the Luxilon in the mains. Prince Premier Touch also packs a highly respectable level of power. These strings offer a ton of control and spin, are very durable, and are surprisingly comfortable for stiffer, control-oriented strings. This element stands out from all areas of the court, but I found it particularly well-suited up at the net. However, this strings unique because it also plays super crisp and doesnt lose its plush feel at higher tensions. Head Rip Control is one of the more comfortable control-oriented strings. For many players, this is an ideal scenario. Determine a recommended tennis string tension within the racquets range based on your skill level, degree of arm trouble, and preference for power or control. Volkl Psycho Hybrid. A few years back, the options for soft polys were sparse. The Blade provides modern control for aggressive players. They have a world-class selection, including Luxilon ALU Power Rough, ALU Power Spin, ALU Power Soft, 4G, and Element. If youre a big hitter who frequently breaks strings or wants to extend each restrings life, youll need a durable option that lasts. However, if a low-powered string is appealing and you havent experienced any issues with your arm, it will be a good fit. Whats the next step down from Hyper-G in the poly field ? The main factors that you will want to consider are power, spin, comfort, control, touch, string movement, playability duration, and . Hybrid stringing with natural gut and polyester is a double-edged sword. With that in mind, here are a few quality alternatives to consider if youre looking for a string that meets these criteria. Its also a very affordable string, making it a great option for beginners, casual player, or anyone who isnt worried about having a high performance tennis string. Its a stiff string, and you might try the Solinco Tour Bite Soft if youre looking for a similarly low-powered, softer, more comfortable string with some of the same emphasis on control and spin. Read our weekly recap of the 5 most interesting things we dig up in tennis. Tennis Warehouse Europe Tennis Warehouse Europe Tennis Warehouse Europe Tennis Warehouse Europe. Its an excellent string and comparable to Babolats, delivering similar specs overall. However, X-One Biphase stands out as an ultra-comfortable string that does a great job absorbing shock and reducing the impact on your arm without losing the liveliness that makes this string a crowd favorite. Read our full review of the Solinco Hyper-G tennis string. We hope you love this article. Multifilament tennis strings are composed of hundreds or thousands of tiny microfibers woven together to form a single strand with similar qualities to natural gut, so its a fantastic, less expensive alternative. Within the past 10-15 years,polyester tennis strings have become hugely popular, allowing players like Rafael Nadal to take massive cuts at the ball and redefine our expectations and whats possible with topspin. 5. 5 offers from $6.95. It was a soft multifilament with moderate power and good all-around performance. Have fun out there! For example, if you play two times a week, you should restring four times a year or every three months. Regarding performance, here are the most common characteristics that players seek out when researching new strings. The more you have, the more you can swing through the ball while maintaining confidence it will clear the net and drop back into the court. Unfortunately, natural gut is often cost-prohibitive for most players, so its not usually my first recommendation. Combined with a great polyesters trademark ability to snap back into place and the lower power that allows you to increase your racquet head speed confidently, you end up with loads of topspin to help further dictate placement. For example, many players will find multifilaments too powerful and lacking in the spin department, while polyesters tend to be harsh on the arm. However, the best are those that align with your needs and deliver the performance-enhancing characteristics you desire. So if youre looking for a little extra pop or spin from your strings, or if you want them to last longer and feel better on your arm, then try dropping the tension a few pounds to the lower end of your racquets recommended tension range. In 1875, Pierre Babolat developed the first tennis string made of sheep gut, and the evolved, more refined Babolat natural gut theyve worked to perfect has remained the premiere natural gut tennis string ever since. However, for a better understanding of when to restring, there are several factors Id encourage you to consider, including: I speak to each of these in my dedicated guide on restringing, which Id encourage you to explore if youd like to learn more. 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. Today's co-polyester monofilament strings also deliver increased power and comfort depending on the additives used. Even at a higher tension, the ball quickly rebounds from the strings. That said, the trade-off is that a lower tension tends to give you less control. As a result, you get a blend of each string categorys features, which provides players with a balance that only a hybrid setup can offer. Solinco Confidential delivers on this front, which helped me to dictate points. While powerful, Tecnifibre gets the ingredients right with a string that delivers excellent feel and touch. Tourna PS-200-16 Tennis Strings. They also tend to be the most expensive strings, and therefore usually only used by advanced players. My pick for the best polyester tennis string for 2023 is Luxilon ALU Power, which has developed a cult-like following and is wildly popular on the ATP and WTA tours. In particular, multifilament tennis strings offer above-average playability and exceptional comfort. Softer strings offer more power, less control, and more shock absorption (more comfortable and easier on the arm). Dunlop Explosive Bite Price: $17/set; $230/reel Gauges: 16, 17. They tend to offer a lot of control, and are better suited for experienced players. But this premium monofilament delivers more comfort . As a multifilament, Prince Premier Touch combines thousands of individual fibers to build a string resembling natural guts makeup. Natural gut strings are the softest, most comfortable string, and remain soft even at high tensions. Compared to the Wilson NXT, it may also be a bit more durable. It means these types of tennis strings are best for experienced players, and not for beginners. The final string to make this list is Dynawire, which is one of the best values for any type of tennis player who enjoys playing with a nylon monofilament. The length of time a set of strings can maintain tension and quality play or performance is its playability duration. In response, many string manufacturers have introduced updated formulations of their polyester strings with a softer feel thats easier on a players arm, delivering a more comfortable response. If youre looking for an arm-friendly tennis string with excellent comfort and can afford the higher price tag, I recommend you check out a natural gut like Babolat VS Touch or Wilsons Natural Gut. Its also worth noting that a hybrid can consist of two gauges of the same string it doesnt have to be two entirely different types. . Although common with natural gut and multifilaments, it may be a turnoff for some. You really get a crisp feel from this string set up, whilst being able to access as much . 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. As you review my selections, keep in mind that Ill only allow one string to win best of for a single category. Contents [ hide] 1 Best Tennis Strings: Characteristics. Hands down, natural gut is the most powerful string on the market, and Babolats VS Touch stands at the head of its class. Helpful Tip. One of the most common scenarios that competitive tennis players face is overheating. OUR BELIEF: When initial research on Tennis Elbow (TE) was conducted flaws in technique and mechanics were often cited as the cause of the discomfort. My pick for the best synthetic gut tennis string, which I cover in greater detail in this guide, is Prince Synthetic Gut. 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. Best for Spin: Babolat RPM Blast. Best Overall: Babolat VS Touch. If youre a beginner to intermediate player, youll probably want to opt for softer (less stiff) strings that prioritize comfort and power over durability. The tennis string gauge, as well as the string itself, varies quite a bit depending on the different levels of players. Exploring products for our tennis strings guide, we discovered that they retail anywhere from $4 to $40. Many players make the mistake of not revisiting their string choice as their skills develop, which is one of the many reasons Im an advocate for helping players learn as much as possible about their gear. In this regard, polyester tennis strings are excellent low-powered options that make them an ideal fit for players seeking control. If using a stiffer string material like polyester, we'd recommend stringing looser to avoid arm injuries. An exciting development for this time-tested polyester is a slew of new colors available for purchase, including blue, green, red, and lime. More often than not, when players take the time to evaluate their needs seriously, theyre happier with the strings they choose, even if it takes some time to find the right set. $16.00. Relative to traditional stiffer polyesters, Hyper-G Soft offers a subtle bump in power, which may turn off players looking for maximum control. Most tennis strings are between 15 gauge (thickest) and 18 gauge (thinnest). Made from quality and durable materials, Wilson Federer Adult Tennis Racket is a great tennis racket for tennis elbow. Check out their latest evolution, dubbed Prism, the same great string in a rainbow of colors. Price: $$. Indeed, these cricket influencers, as regularly featured on top bookmaker apps like Dafabet, are high-authority sources of information and guidance when their followers want to make buying decisions relating to . For one thing, as a beginner you most likely wont be breaking strings with your play. Despite its name, the most significant tradeoffs with Luxilon ALU Power are power and comfort. 4. Built with more than 1,000 ultra flexible fibers that are bonded with stretchy polyurethane, NXT has been meticulously engineered to dampen the brutal force of ball impact. B = Bottom of Frame. The main tradeoff youll make with Tecnifibre X-One Biphase is with spin. Once you play with your racquet strung at that tension, youll start to develop a baseline for its performance that you can use to make adjustments. You can also check out our Summary & Recommendations at the end of this post, for the best strings for beginner, recreational, intermediate, and advanced players. The closer to the top of the range, the more control and less pop a player will experience. The main thing you give up with Wilson NXT is durability, which is easily the biggest complaint about the string. While you wont get access to some of the higher-end features available with natural gut, multifilament, or polyester strings, you should find that these strings are great all-around performers for the price. #10. 6. Like some of the other polys on offer from Solinco, Confidential is a 4-sided string, which offers a bit of extra added bite. My Absolute Favorite. Only a few polys out there manage to do both well. As a result, players who are used to hitting with a stiffer, control-oriented option will likely find this string overpowering. To the surprise of many players, manufacturers create natural gut tennis strings by weaving together several strands of cow intestine. While Wilson NXT packs a punch on the power end of the spectrum, it still provides excellent feel and delivers all-around playability that suits a broad range of styles and skill levels. Polyester and Co-poly - for advanced players who break strings often. Thankfully, to the delight of many players, Solinco delivered. Premium Polyesters. PERFECT STRING FOR SPIN: Luxilon Big Banger ALU Spin 16 Gauge - 127 Polyester (Poly) Tennis String Set - 40 Feet is a five-sided (pentagonal) string designed to add spin and control to the advanced player's game. As a general rule, the softer the string, the more power it has. Of all the strings available to players, Kevlar is one of the least powerful strings. My recommendation: The first two rackets should be strung at the same tension to provide a back-up if a string breaks. This year, Im awarding the best synthetic gut tennis strings to Prince Synthetic Gut, a classic offering that delivers comfort and adequate power at a wallet-friendly price. Thanks for dropping by. Polyester strings are a stiff string and tend to be harder on the arm. When it comes to the synthetic gut family of tennis strings, its all about value, and Prince Synthetic Gut delivers with an excellent price point. 3. WILSON Synthetic Gut Power 40-Feet Tennis String Set. Intermediate levelers need to invest in $10-$20 strings, while the pro gamers will require heavy-duty designs costing around more than $20 for a set. Gauge is the thickness of the string. You can then adjust your requirement appropriately to even tighter or looser (towards the upper or lower end of the range). Key: M = Main String. 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. One of the challenges that players have faced over the years is that strings come with distinct pros and cons. Because it's. Both are multifilaments with similar playing characteristics to X-One Biphase. These types of string will all contribute to different factors in the way the string plays. 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. Manufactured in the United States, the HAWK POWER TENNIS STRINGS are designed for high-performance players who want to add even more explosive power to their games. A higher touch rating will help a player execute with more precision and greater control over the ball. This post was written by the Tennis Department staff. For intermediate players that suffer from tennis elbow, the Wilson NXT Soft is the perfect choice because of the good mixture of comfort and power. A tennis string tension of 55 to 65 pounds is considered high. Specifications: Brand Name: WILSON. Strings are widely available at 17 or 16 gauge, with 17 being a thinner string and 16 thicker. That is, no set of strings delivers exceptional marks across the board. Lower string-on-string friction means more spin, as the strings snap back into place quickly after being displaced by the ball. Without question, Luxilon ALU Power exemplifies what modern players expect from a poly in terms of control, spin, and durability. Hyper-G Soft offers more pop than the original, which most players will find translates to marginally less control. Here are the tension ranges we'd aim for the first time you get your racket strung: Nylon/Gut: 50-60lbs (22.5-27kg) Hybrid: 46-56lbs (21-25.5kg) *Because polyester is a stiffer material, string 2lbs (1kg) looser than nylon. Required fields are marked *. Nylon strings are often the string of choice for beginners and intermediate players, since they are softer, more comfortable, and provide more easy power than polyester or co-poly strings. There are quite a few alternatives to Prince Synthetic Gut. What sets it apart from the rest is that its firm and ultra-low powered, which allows you to take massive swings at the ball while maintaining added precision. Intermediate and advanced players For players who want ultimate control, we recommend the Solinco Hyper-G and the Babolat RPM Blast. With that in mind, I recommend players check out Wilsons Control Duo Hybrid, a combination of Wilson NXT Tour and Luxilon ALU Power. There are no absolutes when it comes to string tension; what is most important is that you can control the ball while playing the game. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for visiting my site. Solinco Hyper-G Heaven Tennis Strings. Short advice - Always string as low tension as you can. Each delivers fantastic performance relative to cost, so if you find one cheaper, have an affinity to one of the brands, or enjoy a specific color, then go with that option. I also love that this string comes in two colors, natural white and black; the latter looks as good as it performs. Learn more. As tennis has evolved with stronger players and more aggressive shot-making, controlling the ball has become increasingly important. If youd like to dive deeper into the topic, check out my article on tennis string gauge, which provides a full explanation. There are also different types of string materials available. In this case, Ive named Solinco Hyper-G the best tennis string for control.