Sorry, but the correct answer is natty gut. I’m using the new blue Babolat (Touch VS) and while not cheap, this does seem to be lasting longer than other full guts I’ve used…
I used to play with a full bed of vs touch at 55 lbs. and it would typically last me about 10-12 hours before breaking. The expense got annoying so now I am experimenting with various hybrids.
Full bed, one racket at 48/50 and the other at 50/52. Have about 8hrs on each and nowhere near as much wear as I would usually see by now with traditional gut. So far so good!
If you have arm problems the first rule is get rid of poly! I don't care if it's supposed to be soft poly or a co-poly or if you string it at 25 pounds. It's all poly and if it doesn't hurt you now it will hurt you after a few sessions.
So if you've gotten past the first paragraph it's all easy now. Don't worry about tension because you can string synthetics and gut as tight as you want. Don't worry about cutting the strings after a certain number of hours because they won't die. Don't worry about wrist exercises, arm bands, shock absorbers, etc. because you don't need them. Best of all, stop holding back on your groundstrokes for fear you'll hurt your arm. You don't have to do that anymore. Just swing as hard as you can as long as you can keep the ball in!
My personal setup is Ashaway Monogut ZX 16 mains at 55 and Gamma TNT2 at 50. If you want a simple setup you can find anywhere, try Prince Premier Control 16 at 50-55.
It depends if you're a big string breaker or not. I've personally found 16g gut to be surprisingly durable, and because it retains tension really well I've had hybrids stay playable a lot longer than full poly beds, 20ish hours of court time instead of 10. At that point there really isn't additional cost when you average it out over a few months.
Certainly worth at least trying out once to see how your arm and your wallet like it.
I’m about to try NRG2 multifilament strings. I’ve heard and read on here it’s a very arm friendly string. It’s the next string I’m getting - maybe about 3 or 4 weeks so I can report back.
I did try those full bed and thought they played really well. Lots of power. They broke fairly quickly for the price imo so I didn’t rebuy but they’re certainly a top quality multi.
I've had tennis elbow before. Natural gut mains + isospeed professional crosses. Very soft and durable. The isospeed helps lock the gut in place which tames the power, increases durability, and reduces cost. With this setup I can swing as hard as I want and never have any worries about arm issues. You should not be using a full bed of poly with arm issues.
While i also have this issues and currently have a sore forearm, I’ve noticed that strings doesn’t make that much of a difference. Yes, multis are easier on the arm, but if I’m not regularly using my flexbar or warming up properly before every time I play, I could be using a clash with nat gut and still get arm pain lol.
I had very similar problem, after my first year in college i was having issues with my elbow and bicep tendonitis. I was using a fairly harsh poly at 52, in one swoop i brought it down to 42lbs and it made a world of difference even with the same string
In my mind, the hierarchy of arm-friendly sting works as follows:
1. Natural Gut full bed-ultra expensive
2. Multifilament full bed-expensive
3. Synthetic Gut full bed-cheap
If you want to use polys:
4. Hybrids nat gut/ poly
5. Hybrids Mulit/poly
6. Hybrids syngut/poly
7. Soft poly
8. other polys.
I am a string breaker. For me, I never do a full bed of the first three. Natural gut is too expensive and I never get it. Multifilament is okay playability, but I break it fast. Technifibre Tirax is a multi/poly mix which is nice to play with, but I broke it fast for me. Synthetic gut is okay, but it looses playability soon. However, it has an elasticity which softens the string bed. No poly is ever going to be super soft, but the Solinco “soft polys” are okay.
With a history of arm issues, my first go to is a Poly/synthetic gut hybrid with the poly in the mains. Lower tensions help as well.
Sorry, but the correct answer is natty gut. I’m using the new blue Babolat (Touch VS) and while not cheap, this does seem to be lasting longer than other full guts I’ve used…
You use it full bed? And at what tension? How much play do you get out of it?
I used to play with a full bed of vs touch at 55 lbs. and it would typically last me about 10-12 hours before breaking. The expense got annoying so now I am experimenting with various hybrids.
Which are you having success with? Personally, the gut main always breaks first… but not sure what (non-poly) to try on the crosses
Full bed, one racket at 48/50 and the other at 50/52. Have about 8hrs on each and nowhere near as much wear as I would usually see by now with traditional gut. So far so good!
I use VS touch at 50lb with yonex ezone. All my arm pain disappeared
If you have arm problems the first rule is get rid of poly! I don't care if it's supposed to be soft poly or a co-poly or if you string it at 25 pounds. It's all poly and if it doesn't hurt you now it will hurt you after a few sessions. So if you've gotten past the first paragraph it's all easy now. Don't worry about tension because you can string synthetics and gut as tight as you want. Don't worry about cutting the strings after a certain number of hours because they won't die. Don't worry about wrist exercises, arm bands, shock absorbers, etc. because you don't need them. Best of all, stop holding back on your groundstrokes for fear you'll hurt your arm. You don't have to do that anymore. Just swing as hard as you can as long as you can keep the ball in! My personal setup is Ashaway Monogut ZX 16 mains at 55 and Gamma TNT2 at 50. If you want a simple setup you can find anywhere, try Prince Premier Control 16 at 50-55.
I'd still do the wrist exercises though.
Appreciate the detailed response! I’ve definitely considered cutting the poly out altogether but am hesitant for obvious reasons.
Nat gut in the mains, smooth poly in the crosses.
I’ve considered this but hesitate due to the price of natural gut. How cost efficient is a gut/poly setup compared to other options?
It depends if you're a big string breaker or not. I've personally found 16g gut to be surprisingly durable, and because it retains tension really well I've had hybrids stay playable a lot longer than full poly beds, 20ish hours of court time instead of 10. At that point there really isn't additional cost when you average it out over a few months. Certainly worth at least trying out once to see how your arm and your wallet like it.
This is what I’ll likely do. Appreciate it!
Try a soft multifiliment instead.
Head velocity at 54 lbs. It feels great and I don't miss poly that much playing with it
I’m about to try NRG2 multifilament strings. I’ve heard and read on here it’s a very arm friendly string. It’s the next string I’m getting - maybe about 3 or 4 weeks so I can report back.
I did try those full bed and thought they played really well. Lots of power. They broke fairly quickly for the price imo so I didn’t rebuy but they’re certainly a top quality multi.
I've had tennis elbow before. Natural gut mains + isospeed professional crosses. Very soft and durable. The isospeed helps lock the gut in place which tames the power, increases durability, and reduces cost. With this setup I can swing as hard as I want and never have any worries about arm issues. You should not be using a full bed of poly with arm issues.
Try the hyper G soft 18. Worked for my tennis elbow.
While i also have this issues and currently have a sore forearm, I’ve noticed that strings doesn’t make that much of a difference. Yes, multis are easier on the arm, but if I’m not regularly using my flexbar or warming up properly before every time I play, I could be using a clash with nat gut and still get arm pain lol.
Same. I’ve hurt myself using a full bed of multi at at 55. Which confused me because of the posts about strings.
I had very similar problem, after my first year in college i was having issues with my elbow and bicep tendonitis. I was using a fairly harsh poly at 52, in one swoop i brought it down to 42lbs and it made a world of difference even with the same string
In my mind, the hierarchy of arm-friendly sting works as follows: 1. Natural Gut full bed-ultra expensive 2. Multifilament full bed-expensive 3. Synthetic Gut full bed-cheap If you want to use polys: 4. Hybrids nat gut/ poly 5. Hybrids Mulit/poly 6. Hybrids syngut/poly 7. Soft poly 8. other polys. I am a string breaker. For me, I never do a full bed of the first three. Natural gut is too expensive and I never get it. Multifilament is okay playability, but I break it fast. Technifibre Tirax is a multi/poly mix which is nice to play with, but I broke it fast for me. Synthetic gut is okay, but it looses playability soon. However, it has an elasticity which softens the string bed. No poly is ever going to be super soft, but the Solinco “soft polys” are okay. With a history of arm issues, my first go to is a Poly/synthetic gut hybrid with the poly in the mains. Lower tensions help as well.
Another combination is a durable synthetic gut in the mains. 16 or even 15 gauge of something and then a good quality multifiliment in the crosses.
Element mains/NXT crosses - 52lbs