Selecting the right strings

What To Consider When Choosing Strings

Selecting the right racquet and customizing its weight, balance, and swingweight to a player's individual needs is very important. But don't forget about the strings. After all, the strings are supposed to be the only thing that actually touches the ball. The wrong string or tension can make the racquet your are so excited about a big disappointment.    

Many shop workers spend a lot of time with a customer finding the right racquet for that player. Then the customer asks to just throw in a set of cheap strings without giving them much (or any) consideration, saying, "The frame is the big expense and strings are cheap, so who cares which strings you use." Well, the racquet may be the big expense at first, but an average player can easily spend more money on strings over the life of the racquet. Racquets are a one-time purchase. But, strings are a repeat purchase.

Picking the right strings is a little like putting together a puzzle. You have to decide which pieces (features) from several different categories (materials, gauge and tension) to put together to find the maximum benefit. When we talk about each of these categories, we will be assuming that all others are equal. Keep in mind that different categories can counteract each other. For example, if a certain gauge makes a string less durable, you may be able to compensate for that with a more durable material or construction. There are literally hundreds of strings available to choose from today. This means there are strings that use almost every possible combination of options. Luckily, most manufacturers list gauge, construction and materials for each string on their packaging and in their catalogs.

Now, let's take a look at each of the categories and the options within each and the advantages and disadvantages of each option.

MATERIALS

The vast majority of strings are made from one (or more) of three different materials. These materials are Natural Gut, Nylon, and Polyester.

Natural Gut -- The only string material not made by man, natural gut comes from the intestines of cows. It is the most popular material among the world's top pros (often used in a hybrid with polyester). If that doesn't impress you, consider this; almost all of those players are paying to use those strings even though they could easily get free strings (or get paid to use strings) from many different companies.

In spite of that endorsement, natural gut represents only about 1% of the strings sold. Why? It is partly the result of misconceptions about the material. First, rumor has it that gut breaks too fast. This is not necessarily true. If treated well, natural gut usually lasts about as long as most synthetic materials in the same gauge.

What does happen is gut will tend to fray, scaring many players into thinking it is about to break. Again, not necessarily true. Gut is made up of bunches of little fibers twisted together. As the strings saw into each other, some of these little fibers will break. But players still have to go through about half of these fibers before the string is ready to break. Synthetic multifilament strings will tend to do the same thing.

The second reason is cost.  Natural gut is far and away the most expensive string on the market today.

Advantages

• Comfort because the tension of gut rises less than any other material during impact.
• This same feature makes it better for damping shock and vibration. This makes it a great choice for players with sensitive arms.
• Playtests  indicate that players feel natural gut retains its resiliency better than any other material.

Disadvantages

• Gut is more expensive -- two or three times more than the top synthetics.
• Humid climates or damp courts can damage the strings.

Nylon -- Nylon is the most widely used material today. "Synthetic gut" generally refers to a string made of nylon. While natural gut strings all utilize similar construction methods, nylon is put together in many different ways to achieve different goals.

Advantages

• Less expensive than natural gut.
• Not humidity sensitive.
• Softer (more comfortable) than durability-oriented strings.
• Available in different colors.

Disadvantages

• Not as soft as natural gut.
• Not as durable as Aramid or polyester.

Polyester -- Polyester is probably the fastest growing string material in the U.S. However, European and South American clay courters who tend to be much harder on strings have appreciated the value of polyester's more comfortable durability for years.

Advantages

• Great for durability.
• Softer and more comfortable than Aramid.
• Inexpensive so players can afford to break strings a little more often than Aramid.
• Humidity is not a problem.

Disadvantages

• Not as comfortable as nylon, but not too far away.
• Fewer constructions to experiment with -- mostly monofilaments.

GAUGE (Thickness)

This is the easiest piece of the puzzle. You just have to decide whether to go thicker or thinner. Thicker strings have lower gauge numbers. For example, a 16 gauge string is thicker than a 17 gauge string. Most tennis strings are 15L-19 gauge. A thinner string within a range may add a "L" at the end of the gauge, which stands for "light." So, a 16L would usually be thinner than a 16. However, it can get a little trickier than this because gauges just refer to ranges of thicknesses.

Some of the ranges overlap each other. So, if a string is 1.23 millimeters in diameter, the manufacturer can call it a 16L or a 17 gauge string. Therefore, sometimes it is better to refer to a string in terms of millimeters instead of gauge.

Most players should use the thinnest gauge of their favorite string that doesn't break too quickly. Remember, strings are supposed to break.  If  you have  never or rarely broken a string in your life, you should definitely try a thinner string.

Thicker

• More durable because there is more string to cut through.
• Feel stiffer because the strings give (stretch) less on impact.
• Better tension maintenance because it is harder to stretch the strings out.

 

Thinner

• Better spin potential because the thinner strings can "bite" the ball better.
• Softer, more comfortable because the strings can stretch more easily on impact.

TENSION

Tension is like gauge -- you just have to decide if you want to go up or down. There are some more complex systems used by some stringers that involve stringing some strings tighter than others. But, most players have their strings all installed at the same tension. Racquet manufacturers recommend tension ranges for each of their racquets, and generally, you will want to choose a tension within this range. Experimenting outside this recommended range is fine, but understand that you will be voiding the warranty in the process.

So, should you string looser or tighter within the recommended range?

Looser

• Looser strings soften the stringbed reducing shock. Good for arm problems.
• Looser strings may also translate into deeper shots (more power).
• Creates a bigger sweetspot (area of the stringbed where you get the cleanest and most powerful shots).

Tighter

• Crisper feel.
• More spin on spin strokes, helping to keep balls from flying long.

Conclusion

    So, there you have all the pieces of the puzzle.  Now, how are you going to put them together to pick the best string?  The easiest thing to do is to look at the string you have been using.  Then consider each of the strings properties to see if it is right for you.  Ask yourself whether you should change material, construction, guage, or tension.  There is no right or wrong answer.  Just try changing one or two variables at a time.  Use your own observations and feedback, and in time, you will have the perfect string for your game.

  Remember, if all this seems to daunting, give us a call or send us an email.  We are here to help in any way we can.

Information and text paraphrased from the USRSA to fit.