hi brody. ive been a stringer for almost 40 years and the information you shared is accurate. whats most important about tension is it's a personal choice. some reasons considered are comfort, durability and performance. the tension range on almost every racquet is a mfg recommended tension optimum for each model. it was often a bases for warranty returns: if the racquet was strung tighter than spec resulting in fracture or breakage the warranty was null and void. since you cover topics about strings, consider doing one on what string types would be best for different player styles and skill levels. poly has been so overrated that i see many recreational and ntrp 2.0-3.0 players using it but there is no benefit from what ive seen.
Thank you so much for the comment! I definitely agree with you that poly has become more mainstream than it probably needs to be. I personally don't like giving young kids or people who are not playing very seriously polyester because I feel it will be doing more harm than good in their racquets. I'm sure you have found the same issue as well with younger players trying to get polyester just because they see the pros playing with it or their friend tells them to try it since they are using it. I like the video idea and will add it to the list of ones I plan on making!
It's all good. A polyester like Confidential can be played at that tension and still do just fine. Going lower than the tension range on the racquet doesn't always cause a problem but when someone goes too tight or outside of the range that's where there is a bit more risk of injury
My definition of control is more or less placement. A racquet that is going to give you more control will help you place the ball wherever you want on the court no matter what shot you are hitting.
The most common hybrid set up that I see currently is polyester in the mains and multifilament in the crosses. You can put different tensions on the two strings and many hybrid players do which I explain more in-depth in the video I just posted today
The short answer is yes, different types of strings hold tension differently. Then there are other factors like weather, how the racquet/strings are stored, and other outside forces that can also effect the tension on your racquet even if you have not played with it that much.
I use kevlar/ 4g at 86lbs. Never had an issue with tensions above the range cracking a racquet. Strung racquets from all major brands (except head) and even 20+ year old Profiles. No arm issues either. If you have a high swing weight you can play with pretty much any tension and not hurt yourself. Said another way, Tension is proportionally related to swing weight. IME if you use kevlar in a hybrid with a cross that doesn’t lock its not as harsh. Most kevlar is sold as a hybrid with syngut that locks. With poly crosses it wont lock and is more spin / arm friendly.
I can honestly say that 86lbs is the highest that I have ever heard of someone stringing their racquet especially with Kevlar or Polyester. I have not heard much about how swing weight is proportionally related to swing weight like you mentioned but it is interesting to me that you have not had any arm issues from using that high of a tension with those harder material strings. Are you only using 4G as the cross with Kevlar since it is a rounded string or have you found this string locking statistic by trying multiple different polyesters and found that 4G did the best?
I had a quick peek at your channel, I see what looks like a Head Ti S12 or something. 86lbs is wild, I see why you're using kevlar because the spacing between your strings is so wide you'd break after about 10minutes of proper hitting. This racquet is not recommended for anyone who has a medium-fast swing and this tension should not be recommended for anyone using a 100inch or less headsize racquet.
@@brodytaylor2020 A few pros have strung that high and honestly I would have gone higher but the machine taps out at 86lbs. Dustin Brown was using tension in the high 70s iirc and just at this years French a WTA was at 80lbs I believe. Sampras and Borg were in the 80s but used gut I think Swing weight adds power so the higher you use the higher the tension needs to be for control. You are totally right about higher tensions giving more control. It would be problematic taking a low swingweight racquet and stringing super high tensions. You probably would get hurt. And since racquets are so light nowadays it’s no surprise that tensions are trending down. I ended up with 4g for two main reasons. 1. Its the stiffest poly. 2. Its one of the few polys that can be strung at 86lbs. Some just stretch and stretch at those tensions. 4g is fine and big banger, mosquitobite, spikeyshark, prince tournament nylon, ashaway monogut (not monogutzx) are some of the few strings that can go that high. 3. 4g is prestretched and has pretty decent tension maintenance.
What about differents tensions, mains x cross? I have a Purestrike 1st gen and my game has evolved to more spin. Than I was feeling a lack of spin than I tried to put 54 (mains) x 52 (cross) and I felt its made it easy to spin the ball and also felt that racquet a bit more comfortable.
At that point it starts to depend more on the string that you are using and what you have in the mains and crosses if you are using a hybrid. If you are just using a full set of string for a racquet then going lower with 54 (main) and 52 (cross) does help with spin and comfort like you felt because the string is allowed to move a bit more freely and snapback easier
Awsome video......I have tennis elbow, so can you pls recommend what strings and how many pounds would you go for the new babolat pure area 100 inch face, 300gram racquet. I purchased the racquet with pre stock strings on it. I would like to maintain spin and power. Also, would you recommend me play with the pre strung strings till they break or get them cut and re strung with better strings and tension for my tennis elbow?
The hard thing is going to be trying to get rid of tennis elbow while using a Pure Aero. While it is less stiff than some of the other Babolat frames, it still is pretty stiff. It might be best to take a break from playing right now so that the tennis elbow can heal properly. Cut the pre-strung strings because if they have been in there for too long it can sometimes contribute to tennis elbow. If you still want to play, then the read the rest of this comment. Right now I would say the best thing would probably be to use a multifilament string so that way you have a softer string that is going to be a little easier on the arm. One would be Babolat Xcel if you wanted to stay in brand with your racquet, or Wilson NXT if you wanted a little bit of a higher quality multifilament. I would say to string around 53lbs, I think that comes out to 24 kilograms if the conversion chart on google told me right, to loosen the string as well and not make it too stiff. In my opinion, getting rid of the tennis elbow should take priority over trying to have the most power or spin coming from your racquet and string. Be mindful about how your arm is feeling if you do decide to play and if it gets worse then I would stop fully until it is healed.
Change racquet to the Speed MP and string it no higher than 52lbs with poly, can go a bit higher with multi but ultimately Speeds are one of the most arm friendly racquets around..and if you don’t mind lower tension, stringing in the 40s is way nicer on the arm
Lower tension should not be recommended to increase spin (It does not). Rather players that already hit with a lot of spin tend to prefer it as they can have trouble with the ball dropping short and lower tension increases power and changes the launch angle a bit.
Thank you for the comment about the distinction between launch angle and spin! I had drawn my conclusion from the lower tension helping to create spin because the strings would be able to snapback faster and create more spin from that.
@@brodytaylor2020 snapback is where your spin is, so you are in fact correct. I believe there is a rate in which its like diminishing returns in that you don't achieve greater and greater spin as your keep going lower in tension.
Hi, I use a babolat pure aero plus and the recommended tension is 50 to 59. I use alu power rough at 49/47 string tension. Am I good to do warranty if my racket cracked?
I think you should be fine but it would depend on how your racquet cracked and when you bought it. If you have had the racquet for longer than a year than you would be outside of the warranty window. If it happened within a year of purchase and you have the receipt to prove when you bought it brand new, then I think you would be fine. If the crack was from impact though, that isn’t covered then
Ideal string gauges depend on what you want out of the string just like with string tension. If you want a more durable string then you would want to look at a thicker gauge like 16G. If you want a string that is going to have more spin, power, and feel that's when you can look at 17G and lower depending on how often you break string and how long you want the string to last.
Lower tension equating to higher power is a myth. Lower the tension, more elastic the string becomes, but it also lowers it's elastic recovery. The string's snapback is a byproduct of elasticity of the string & elastic recovery, and both must be well-balanced based on your swing speed (racquet velocity on contact), ball's velocity, and the impact angle. If your swing speed is slower, and playing in an environment where you are mostly dealing with slower paced rallies, having lower tension generally contributes to higher spin and power. If you are playing at a higher level, having higher tension strings would generate more spin and power (all else being equal). Now with that being said, the elasticity and elastic recovery of each strings are vastly different from strings to strings.
I can feel the right tension when it hits. But keeping it there is the problem. Pros can change their strings every day. I cannot afford to do anything even close to that so I adjust my game to the tension.
That's fair. Have you thought about going maybe a pound or too higher than what you normally string at so that when the string does start to lose tension you can still have the playability that you like normally?
@@brodytaylor2020 I play with Clash 98. I used to play with full bed cheap gut, but since it’s so very expensive now, I’ve cut back. I use Glide on the crosses and a wholesale gut I bought online.strung at 55 , so there may be some room. But it doesn’t matter what tension you play with, at some time it goes dead, especially poly.
Gotcha. Have you been able to find Glide recently or do you just have a bunch of it waiting to get put into your racquet. I have had quite a few people ask me about it but it seems like it is unavailable at aa lot of places?
@@brodytaylor2020 I bought it last year sometime. Bought two.tennis warehouse.I was hesitant to use any poly as I was afraid of tennis elbow. But it has been great combo for comfort. So far so good.
@@brodytaylor2020 I am using Volkl Cyclone Tour at 52lbs. Nice spin, deep pocketing and plush, but the durability is below average. I do have tennis elbow history and I can only tolerate soft polys for now.
Polytour Air like mentioned by @Jitzie might be a good choice to try since it is a soft circular polyester. One that you might want to also look into would be Luxilon Adrenaline 125. My dad has had multiple arm/shoulder surgeries and has found that Adrenaline is soft enough to not bother his previous injuries so it may help not bother your tennis elbow. You may also try just going to a thinner gauge of Volkl Cyclone Tour if you really want to keep playing with the string until you can make sure your tennis elbow is not going to be as much of a problem.
Hi, I need your opinion on something I am planning to do very soon. Would you say it’s a good idea? I tested the racket with 4pts and did not like only that part. It makes the 300grams appear heavier due to it. The SW is 325-330 and it is something I like. I do not mind 8-9 extra static grams as long as the head light goes up. So my plan is: Racket: Head Speed MP Legend 2024 Customized by adding lead in the buttcap: Headlight from 4pts to 7pts String: Hybrid - Head Lynx 1.30 (poly) in the mains at 53lbs and Iso Speed Classic Pro 1.20 (multi) at 55lbs.
@@brodytaylor2020 For more comfort, faster racket speed, better maneuverability, easier on the single backhand being 100 in. And i ll use tungsten putty with a cotton ball for simpler customization. I can tweak adding a bit more and removing a bit based on gameplay.
If you are wanting to make the racquet more headlight then adding the extra weight in the buttcap will help like you mentioned or you could accomplish something similar by putting a leather base/replacement grip on the handle as well. That will help give you a more headlight balance and after playing with that you could decide if you still want to add more weight inside the buttcap
Racquet recommended tension ranges are 100% bullshit and means literally nothing. Got that answer from many Wilson engineers as well as the director of product testing at HEAD, Thomas Bischof.
so if wilson and head think it means literally nothing then why do they still give tension ranges and not provide warranty if the racquet is strung above the range? 🤔🤨
@@kylefriedrich7218 For people who have no clue what tension to string a racquet at, it is not affected by the racquet design at all other than sometimes lowering the top value for a stiffer racquet, which is an arbitrary decision. You'll notice that recommended tension on racquets 10 years ago is higher than it is today. Strange huh? Do racquets now have different materials or construction then they did 10 years ago? Or is it just design change?
@@kylefriedrich7218 Where are you getting this information that you do not receive warranty service if your racquet is strung above their recommended range? HAHAH how do you even measure that? Dynamic tension is not equal to strung tension.
Don't take my word for it, Isuggest you email Thomas Bischof asking about this if you are confused. He is a very nice guy and will most likely respond.
Some people feel that the string-bed tends to play with more characteristics from the strings that are in the mains. Here's an example for a polyester and multifilament hybrid explaining what I was talking about above: Polyester in mains with multifilament in crosses = more control and spin is being put onto the ball while still feeling a little bit stiffer because the polyester is in the mains. Multifilament in mains with polyester in crosses = more power is being put onto the ball and the string bed will feel a little bit softer while the polyester is offering a little bit more help with control but not as much as if it was in the mains.
i played many years at 61 lbs. i've now played at 6 pounds for 1 year. pounds, not kilos. true that higher tension is easier to control. it is *only* a little bit more control. i have plenty of control at 6 pounds. true that ya get a more power at lower tensions. at 6, i'm using about 30% less energy than i was using at 61 pounds. there's a bit of a *myth* that low tensions result is loss of control. ATP's manarino plays at 22 pounds. he beat ben shelton with that config. i guess we should phone manarino and tell him that he's doing it wrong. lol
have been searching for these answers for a long time. thanks
You welcome!
hi brody. ive been a stringer for almost 40 years and the information you shared is accurate. whats most important about tension is it's a personal choice. some reasons considered are comfort, durability and performance. the tension range on almost every racquet is a mfg recommended tension optimum for each model. it was often a bases for warranty returns: if the racquet was strung tighter than spec resulting in fracture or breakage the warranty was null and void. since you cover topics about strings, consider doing one on what string types would be best for different player styles and skill levels. poly has been so overrated that i see many recreational and ntrp 2.0-3.0 players using it but there is no benefit from what ive seen.
Thank you so much for the comment! I definitely agree with you that poly has become more mainstream than it probably needs to be. I personally don't like giving young kids or people who are not playing very seriously polyester because I feel it will be doing more harm than good in their racquets. I'm sure you have found the same issue as well with younger players trying to get polyester just because they see the pros playing with it or their friend tells them to try it since they are using it. I like the video idea and will add it to the list of ones I plan on making!
Could you make a video about the best racquets for one handed backhand players? Like a top 5 or something and the reasons why… thank you!!
I will put that into the list to make! Thank you for the suggestion
Please keep up the good work
Will do! Thank you for watching and commenting
What is the ideal tension for Solinco Hyper G 18 1.15?
I use Wilson Blades, which recommends 50-60 lbs, I string it at 47lbs with pre-sretched Solinco confidential, so...
It's all good. A polyester like Confidential can be played at that tension and still do just fine. Going lower than the tension range on the racquet doesn't always cause a problem but when someone goes too tight or outside of the range that's where there is a bit more risk of injury
Could someone give a good definition of what « control » actually means ?
My definition of control is more or less placement. A racquet that is going to give you more control will help you place the ball wherever you want on the court no matter what shot you are hitting.
Two things you did not mention: - which hybrid string is recommended on main vs cross? - Different tension on main vs cross, and why?
Poly on mains mf on crosses?
The most common hybrid set up that I see currently is polyester in the mains and multifilament in the crosses. You can put different tensions on the two strings and many hybrid players do which I explain more in-depth in the video I just posted today
Does different types of strings hold tension differently? The answer could be important to know when you need to restring your racket.
The short answer is yes, different types of strings hold tension differently. Then there are other factors like weather, how the racquet/strings are stored, and other outside forces that can also effect the tension on your racquet even if you have not played with it that much.
Pls make a video on split tension with hybrid strings.
I will definitely put it in the list. I may not be able to get to that one right away but I will at some point!
I use kevlar/ 4g at 86lbs. Never had an issue with tensions above the range cracking a racquet. Strung racquets from all major brands (except head) and even 20+ year old Profiles. No arm issues either. If you have a high swing weight you can play with pretty much any tension and not hurt yourself. Said another way, Tension is proportionally related to swing weight.
IME if you use kevlar in a hybrid with a cross that doesn’t lock its not as harsh. Most kevlar is sold as a hybrid with syngut that locks. With poly crosses it wont lock and is more spin / arm friendly.
I can honestly say that 86lbs is the highest that I have ever heard of someone stringing their racquet especially with Kevlar or Polyester. I have not heard much about how swing weight is proportionally related to swing weight like you mentioned but it is interesting to me that you have not had any arm issues from using that high of a tension with those harder material strings.
Are you only using 4G as the cross with Kevlar since it is a rounded string or have you found this string locking statistic by trying multiple different polyesters and found that 4G did the best?
I had a quick peek at your channel, I see what looks like a Head Ti S12 or something. 86lbs is wild, I see why you're using kevlar because the spacing between your strings is so wide you'd break after about 10minutes of proper hitting. This racquet is not recommended for anyone who has a medium-fast swing and this tension should not be recommended for anyone using a 100inch or less headsize racquet.
@@Jitzieits a hyper hammer 5.3 stretch. I strung the same way for my blade 98 and profile 95, etc. sorry you had to watch.
@@brodytaylor2020
A few pros have strung that high and honestly I would have gone higher but the machine taps out at 86lbs. Dustin Brown was using tension in the high 70s iirc and just at this years French a WTA was at 80lbs I believe. Sampras and Borg were in the 80s but used gut I think
Swing weight adds power so the higher you use the higher the tension needs to be for control. You are totally right about higher tensions giving more control. It would be problematic taking a low swingweight racquet and stringing super high tensions. You probably would get hurt. And since racquets are so light nowadays it’s no surprise that tensions are trending down.
I ended up with 4g for two main reasons. 1. Its the stiffest poly. 2. Its one of the few polys that can be strung at 86lbs. Some just stretch and stretch at those tensions. 4g is fine and big banger, mosquitobite, spikeyshark, prince tournament nylon, ashaway monogut (not monogutzx) are some of the few strings that can go that high. 3. 4g is prestretched and has pretty decent tension maintenance.
What about differents tensions, mains x cross? I have a Purestrike 1st gen and my game has evolved to more spin. Than I was feeling a lack of spin than I tried to put 54 (mains) x 52 (cross) and I felt its made it easy to spin the ball and also felt that racquet a bit more comfortable.
At that point it starts to depend more on the string that you are using and what you have in the mains and crosses if you are using a hybrid. If you are just using a full set of string for a racquet then going lower with 54 (main) and 52 (cross) does help with spin and comfort like you felt because the string is allowed to move a bit more freely and snapback easier
Awsome video......I have tennis elbow, so can you pls recommend what strings and how many pounds would you go for the new babolat pure area 100 inch face, 300gram racquet. I purchased the racquet with pre stock strings on it.
I would like to maintain spin and power.
Also, would you recommend me play with the pre strung strings till they break or get them cut and re strung with better strings and tension for my tennis elbow?
The hard thing is going to be trying to get rid of tennis elbow while using a Pure Aero. While it is less stiff than some of the other Babolat frames, it still is pretty stiff. It might be best to take a break from playing right now so that the tennis elbow can heal properly. Cut the pre-strung strings because if they have been in there for too long it can sometimes contribute to tennis elbow. If you still want to play, then the read the rest of this comment.
Right now I would say the best thing would probably be to use a multifilament string so that way you have a softer string that is going to be a little easier on the arm. One would be Babolat Xcel if you wanted to stay in brand with your racquet, or Wilson NXT if you wanted a little bit of a higher quality multifilament. I would say to string around 53lbs, I think that comes out to 24 kilograms if the conversion chart on google told me right, to loosen the string as well and not make it too stiff.
In my opinion, getting rid of the tennis elbow should take priority over trying to have the most power or spin coming from your racquet and string. Be mindful about how your arm is feeling if you do decide to play and if it gets worse then I would stop fully until it is healed.
Change racquet to the Speed MP and string it no higher than 52lbs with poly, can go a bit higher with multi but ultimately Speeds are one of the most arm friendly racquets around..and if you don’t mind lower tension, stringing in the 40s is way nicer on the arm
Lower tension should not be recommended to increase spin (It does not). Rather players that already hit with a lot of spin tend to prefer it as they can have trouble with the ball dropping short and lower tension increases power and changes the launch angle a bit.
Thank you for the comment about the distinction between launch angle and spin! I had drawn my conclusion from the lower tension helping to create spin because the strings would be able to snapback faster and create more spin from that.
@@brodytaylor2020 snapback is where your spin is, so you are in fact correct. I believe there is a rate in which its like diminishing returns in that you don't achieve greater and greater spin as your keep going lower in tension.
Hi, I use a babolat pure aero plus and the recommended tension is 50 to 59. I use alu power rough at 49/47 string tension. Am I good to do warranty if my racket cracked?
I think you should be fine but it would depend on how your racquet cracked and when you bought it. If you have had the racquet for longer than a year than you would be outside of the warranty window. If it happened within a year of purchase and you have the receipt to prove when you bought it brand new, then I think you would be fine. If the crack was from impact though, that isn’t covered then
what're the ideal string gauges?
Ideal string gauges depend on what you want out of the string just like with string tension. If you want a more durable string then you would want to look at a thicker gauge like 16G. If you want a string that is going to have more spin, power, and feel that's when you can look at 17G and lower depending on how often you break string and how long you want the string to last.
Lower tension equating to higher power is a myth. Lower the tension, more elastic the string becomes, but it also lowers it's elastic recovery. The string's snapback is a byproduct of elasticity of the string & elastic recovery, and both must be well-balanced based on your swing speed (racquet velocity on contact), ball's velocity, and the impact angle.
If your swing speed is slower, and playing in an environment where you are mostly dealing with slower paced rallies, having lower tension generally contributes to higher spin and power.
If you are playing at a higher level, having higher tension strings would generate more spin and power (all else being equal).
Now with that being said, the elasticity and elastic recovery of each strings are vastly different from strings to strings.
I can feel the right tension when it hits. But keeping it there is the problem. Pros can change their strings every day. I cannot afford to do anything even close to that so I adjust my game to the tension.
That's fair. Have you thought about going maybe a pound or too higher than what you normally string at so that when the string does start to lose tension you can still have the playability that you like normally?
@@brodytaylor2020 I play with Clash 98. I used to play with full bed cheap gut, but since it’s so very expensive now, I’ve cut back. I use Glide on the crosses and a wholesale gut I bought online.strung at 55 , so there may be some room. But it doesn’t matter what tension you play with, at some time it goes dead, especially poly.
Gotcha. Have you been able to find Glide recently or do you just have a bunch of it waiting to get put into your racquet. I have had quite a few people ask me about it but it seems like it is unavailable at aa lot of places?
@@brodytaylor2020 I bought it last year sometime. Bought two.tennis warehouse.I was hesitant to use any poly as I was afraid of tennis elbow. But it has been great combo for comfort. So far so good.
I’m glad to hear that it works for you!
Hi, thanks for the information! What would you recommend if I want to use a soft poly for the Wilson Blade v9 (18x20)?
What strings have you used in the Wilson Blade v9 18X20 previously so I can get a better idea of strings you may like?
@@brodytaylor2020 I am using Volkl Cyclone Tour at 52lbs. Nice spin, deep pocketing and plush, but the durability is below average. I do have tennis elbow history and I can only tolerate soft polys for now.
what about the yonex poly air?
Polytour Air like mentioned by @Jitzie might be a good choice to try since it is a soft circular polyester. One that you might want to also look into would be Luxilon Adrenaline 125. My dad has had multiple arm/shoulder surgeries and has found that Adrenaline is soft enough to not bother his previous injuries so it may help not bother your tennis elbow. You may also try just going to a thinner gauge of Volkl Cyclone Tour if you really want to keep playing with the string until you can make sure your tennis elbow is not going to be as much of a problem.
@@brodytaylor2020 great recommendations man. I will read up on the suggested strings, thank you!
Thanks!!!!
You welcome!
Hi, I need your opinion on something I am planning to do very soon. Would you say it’s a good idea?
I tested the racket with 4pts and did not like only that part. It makes the 300grams appear heavier due to it. The SW is 325-330 and it is something I like. I do not mind 8-9 extra static grams as long as the head light goes up.
So my plan is:
Racket: Head Speed MP Legend 2024
Customized by adding lead in the buttcap: Headlight from 4pts to 7pts
String: Hybrid - Head Lynx 1.30 (poly) in the mains at 53lbs and Iso Speed Classic Pro 1.20 (multi) at 55lbs.
I think it is an interesting idea but what are you trying to accomplish by customizing like this?
@@brodytaylor2020 For more comfort, faster racket speed, better maneuverability, easier on the single backhand being 100 in.
And i ll use tungsten putty with a cotton ball for simpler customization. I can tweak adding a bit more and removing a bit based on gameplay.
If you are wanting to make the racquet more headlight then adding the extra weight in the buttcap will help like you mentioned or you could accomplish something similar by putting a leather base/replacement grip on the handle as well. That will help give you a more headlight balance and after playing with that you could decide if you still want to add more weight inside the buttcap
@@brodytaylor2020 Great idea. I ll test that way.
Let me know how it goes!
Racquet recommended tension ranges are 100% bullshit and means literally nothing. Got that answer from many Wilson engineers as well as the director of product testing at HEAD, Thomas Bischof.
so if wilson and head think it means literally nothing then why do they still give tension ranges and not provide warranty if the racquet is strung above the range? 🤔🤨
@@kylefriedrich7218 For people who have no clue what tension to string a racquet at, it is not affected by the racquet design at all other than sometimes lowering the top value for a stiffer racquet, which is an arbitrary decision. You'll notice that recommended tension on racquets 10 years ago is higher than it is today. Strange huh? Do racquets now have different materials or construction then they did 10 years ago? Or is it just design change?
@@kylefriedrich7218 Where are you getting this information that you do not receive warranty service if your racquet is strung above their recommended range? HAHAH how do you even measure that? Dynamic tension is not equal to strung tension.
Don't take my word for it, Isuggest you email Thomas Bischof asking about this if you are confused. He is a very nice guy and will most likely respond.
@@Raven05R6this is coming from the manufacturers themselves. check their website.
If you go the hybrid route, is there any rhyme or reason to which string goes which direction?
Some people feel that the string-bed tends to play with more characteristics from the strings that are in the mains.
Here's an example for a polyester and multifilament hybrid explaining what I was talking about above:
Polyester in mains with multifilament in crosses = more control and spin is being put onto the ball while still feeling a little bit stiffer because the polyester is in the mains.
Multifilament in mains with polyester in crosses = more power is being put onto the ball and the string bed will feel a little bit softer while the polyester is offering a little bit more help with control but not as much as if it was in the mains.
i played many years at 61 lbs. i've now played at 6 pounds for 1 year. pounds, not kilos. true that higher tension is easier to control. it is *only* a little bit more control. i have plenty of control at 6 pounds. true that ya get a more power at lower tensions. at 6, i'm using about 30% less energy than i was using at 61 pounds. there's a bit of a *myth* that low tensions result is loss of control. ATP's manarino plays at 22 pounds. he beat ben shelton with that config. i guess we should phone manarino and tell him that he's doing it wrong. lol