For 2023, I've awarded Babolat VS Touch as the best natural gut tennis string. Its an excellent string and comparable to Babolats, delivering similar specs overall. 6. . Cons. Unfortunately, were not all built with the strength to turn up the heat when wed like. 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. However, its important to note that with each string Ive selected, there will often be tradeoffs in performance. Once again, lowering the tension at which you string your racquet can also help to make your strings more comfortable. However, you can mix any two types of strings as a hybrid. Synthetic gut are multifilament nylon strings. These strings are thinner than the corresponding number, but . Do tennis strings make a difference? $16.00. In the spirit of keeping things simple, I suggest players start with one of those options based on whether theyre looking for more durability or spin and then adjust from there. Our recommendation: Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex is perfect for the average tennis player looking for a low-cost, comfortable string that offers an adequate mix of power, spin, and control. Not only is it relatively hard to break, but it also does an excellent job maintaining tension, which helps extend the strings overall life. Feel free to post a comment below; Id love to hear from you. *Babolat RPM Soft isnt technically a polyester. 138. Therefore, I strongly recommend players consider this facet before trying it. Ultimately, the strings feel results in a highly predictable option that further aids control. review of the Solinco Hyper-G tennis string, View Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour on Amazon, View Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex on Amazon, View Wilson Synthetic Gut Power on Amazon, View Wilson Champions Choice Duo on Amazon, Too stiff and not enough power for beginners, Bright green color (if youre not into that), Too stiff and not enough power for beginners or shorter strokes, Too firm and underpowered for beginners and slower stroke styles, Too firm and low powered for beginners and shorter strokes, Surprising comfort for a control-oriented string, All-around playability good blend of features, Doesnt excel in any particular performance category, Too stiff and underpowered for beginners and shorter strokes. With Wilsons Natural Gut in the mains, Champions Choice delivers more than enough power. With the Clash V2 100 Pro Tennis Racquet, Wilson improves on their most flexible performance frame. If a string is a candidate for multiple categories, Ill only elect it for the one where it performs best. The vast majority of players use 16 or 17 gauge. Before we get into the characteristics of tennis strings, lets talk about string tension. Its hard to beat this combination for players looking for excellent spin potential and comfort. Just dont expect using them to transform your game or flatten the learning curve. Depending on your preferences, you can use tension in a variety of ways, though I do not generally recommend using tension in such a variety. One of Babolat RPM Blasts unique attributes is that its surprisingly comfortable to play with for a polyester tennis string, which makes it a terrific option for anyone looking to test the waters with a poly to help enhance their topspin and control. 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. Players will find Babolat VS Touch delivers power, comfort, and feel. Unless maximum comfort is a must for you, I encourage you to explore alternatives that will provide plenty of comfort and dramatically better overall performance. Helpful Tip. These strings are very durable and generate a lot of spin. Although common with natural gut and multifilaments, it may be a turnoff for some. Luxilon ALU Power delivers outstanding control without sacrificing reliable touch and feel, often a drawback of other polyester tennis strings. In this regard, polyester tennis strings are excellent low-powered options that make them an ideal fit for players seeking control. Gamma Sports Live Wire Tennis Racket String Multifilament Series- Softer Cushioned Feel For Exceptional Power and Greater Control . Kirschbaum Super Smash 17 String. If you suffer from tennis elbow or any other arm injury, youll likely appreciate their ability to reduce shock and vibration. 16/1.30mm: Medium-thick gauge; best for competitive players who break strings frequently. The string used for the mains will dominate the overall feel, while the crosses play a supporting role and modify the racquets feel, giving players more options when stringing. OUR HISTORY 145 YEARS YOUNG. Recognizable with its neon green color, the Solinco Hyper-G is one of the best tennis string of 2020 and one of the favorite strings among the TW playtesting team. Each of these strings delivers above-average comfort in this category. With that in mind, dont underestimate the value of experimenting to find the right set of strings. 1. One of the best benefits for beginners is tension retention. At the same time, youll find a softer feel and increased playability by using Wilsons natural gut in the mains. With so many different options, choosing the right tennis string can be overwhelming. I cant speak highly enough of this strings comfort, so its a no-brainer for players who require strength in this attribute and are willing to sacrifice in some other areas. The Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex is maybe the ideal starter string. Its perfect for players who want a good mix of comfort, control, spin, and power, but dont need exceptional quality in any one category. True to most polyester strings, the lower power allows players to accelerate their racquet head faster to generate added spin without fear of sending the ball long. However, a players racquet and strings also have an impact, with some strings providing players with more potential for generating topspin than others. Polyester tennis strings are some of the best-selling. However, its not overbearing because Luxilon ALU Power Rough is a lower-powered string that balances it out. For one thing, as a beginner you most likely wont be breaking strings with your play. That is, no set of strings delivers exceptional marks across the board. Despite its name, the most significant tradeoffs with Luxilon ALU Power are power and comfort. TW is backordered for NRG, so does anybody have any recommendations? With its polyester makeup and 4-sided construction, Solinco Confidential delivers terrific access to spin. Power and control are inversely related, i.e., a lower power string will increase control, while a high-powered string will decrease control. HEAD Hawk Touch Tennis String. Higher power strings will require less effort to increase the balls speed, while low-powered strings demand more from the player. 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. Deutsch . Natural gut tennis strings are the most expensive category available. Tennis strings are usually made up of one or more of these materials: Polyester, Nylon, and Natural Gut. The Blade provides modern control for aggressive players. For most players, we recommend one of these options. Its often tempting for beginners to use polyester tennis strings because theyre popular among professional tennis players. Strings with high spin ratings enable players to create more topspin, while strings with low spin ratings will have less spin potential. While every player is different, a good starting point can get people moving in the right direction. Before buying a new string, youll have to decide on the gauge or thickness youd like to use with two key factors to consider. Like some of the other polys on offer from Solinco, Confidential is a 4-sided string, which offers a bit of extra added bite. 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. As a starting point, racquet manufacturers provide players with a recommended tension range for optimal performance, which youll find printed on most frames. That said, the trade-off is that a lower tension tends to give you less control. 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. Learn with comprehensive resources to help you improve your game. Similar to the Blade V8 racquets, the Clash 100 Pro features the biodegradable Agiplast bumper and grommets which reduce waste while maintaining high performance. We therefore recommend that you choose a stiff string for the mains and a flexible string for the crosses. It also provides a crisp feel, and impressive precision for a long lasting string. Stringing your racquet towards the lower end of your tension range will give your strings more power, spin, durability, feel, and comfort. Here are a few alternatives to Solinco Confidential that deliver reliable durability, and Id recommend you checkout. The very soft multi-filament crosses effectively moderate the sometimes undesirable co-polyesters' stiffness. Best comfort string: Wilson NXT. This means you can string your racquet tight to improve control, without losing power (rebound efficiency). The Solinco Tour Bite is a tennis string for players who want ultimate control. If youre a fan of natural gut but cant justify the cost, consider using string savers to extend its life and reduce the cost of restringing. First, as a polyester tennis string, RPM Blast is slick and quickly snaps back into place upon contact, helping to generate topspin. Conventional wisdom evolved to matching string replacement over the course of a year with the amount of times played in a week. Table of Contents. 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. Its three-sided profile is designed to grab the ball and apply heavy spin. 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. Tourna Poly Big Hitter Black 7. 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.