What strings have the best balance between durability and playability?

Question

I own a Head Flexpoint Radical Tour Tennis Racquet. I would like my strings to last at least 3-4 months playing about 2 times a week. I know Kevlar is most durable but most say horrible in other aspects, so I am looking for somebody with experience to say which strings actually have the best balance between durability and playability ?
I am about a 4.5 player but dont really have anybody that can give me expert advice now since most of my skill came when I was too young too worry about these details.
Thanks

Answer 1

I would suggest the synthetic gut. I personally dislike the Kevlar because it doesn't "feel" as nice. If you're serious about durability however, perhaps you could explore a combination of both. Some players use Kevlar for their main strings and a softer string, like gut for their crosses. If you like a stiff racquet, you could try all Kevlar. Either way you go, they should last you those four months. Good luck!

Answer 2

I own a Babolat Pure Drive + and I can say from experience that a hybrid of Babolat Natural Gut and Pro Hurricane has done the trick very well. During the season, which lasts about two months. I string my racquet in the beginning, and I play every day for two months and my strings usually break at the end of the season. Since you only play two times per week, it should be no problem lasting 3-4 months. This is just the durability aspect.

For the playability aspect, the Pro Hurricane gives the user more feel when playing so it will provide a lot more finesse if you only used Kevlar. The Natural Gut on the other hand is very strong since it's not synthetic and made naturally. The natural gut should be strung on the main strings (up to down) and Pro Hurricane strings strung on the cross strings (right to left).

This combination should help your game a lot and provided you dont do any unnecessary racquet smashing like Safin, should last you for a good while.

Answer 3

I have coached at the college level and have tried several string brands. As far as finding a string which will last 3 to 4 months playing twice a week at the 4.5 level, only kevlar will do that without breaking, but the playability of kevlar is horrible. Kevlar feels like you are hitting the ball with a large wood paddle. I will now give you my reccomendations on strings that are semi-durable, cost effective, and have good playability. 1. Unique Tourna Poly Big Hitter 16g, plays just like Luxilon but at half the price, but it is not a durable string-- will last about 6 hours of play. 2. Iso-Speed Professional, a good playing string that grabs the ball a little easier for greater spin, durability is a little longer than Luxilon. 3. Gosen Polylon, great string for the price, very good durability about 15 hours, has good feel in the begining but will lose some after about 3 hours of play. 4. Signum Pro Poly-plasma, a durable string about 12 hours, make sure the tie offs are tight or you could lose some tension. You really can't go worng with any of the 4 choices I recommended. The durability hours I gave you is for club level 4.5 and 5.0 players. Obviously college kids and professionals will go through the strings in about half those times, but if you don't serve 120mph and constantly ripping through the ball you can extend the life of those strings even further.

Answer 4

The newer Polyester strings made in Europe are getting much better in playability. Try Signum Pro Poly Plasma or Topspin Poly Polar or Cyberflash, Kirschbaum Super Smash, or Ashaway MonoGut is also an inexpensive polyester. All these strings last long and play very good.

Answer 5

Wilson Polylast 16

Answer 6

Synthetic gut

Answer 7

whoops, came in here to answer a guitar question. Sorry can't help you there.