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Strings

May 2017

Is Your String in Shape?

When it comes to spin potential, do shaped or textured strings provide an advantage? (Click here to read more...)

March 2017

Guide to Strings: Educational Initiative

Use our exclusive guide to find the perfect strings for your customers. (Click here to read more...)

February 2017

String Outlook 2017: Educational Initiative

Getting players to restring more frequently — with the right strings for their games — is a matter of making sure they know the facts. (Click here to read more...)

November 2016

Comfort and Control: Technology evolves for new strings

As the sport of tennis continues to evolve, characteristics like control and comfort seem to suffer. In an effort to offset this, manufacturers are constantly researching and developing new materials, construction techniques and engineering methods. Is it possible to... (Click here to read more...)

March 2016

Guide to Strings: String Selector 2016

Use our exclusive guide to find the perfect strings for your customers. (Click here to read more...)

July 2015

Nylon vs. Poly

With all the advancements and new introductions in co-poly strings, are nylon-based strings still relevant? The short answer: Very much so. (Click here to read more...)

May 2015

The Evolution of Poly Strings

A panel of string manufacturers helps sort through questions about poly, co-poly and who should play with them. (Click here to read more...)

February 2015

Outlook 2015: Strings — In Search of Perfection

Technology in strings continues to get better, while marketing is getting more focused. (Click here to read more...)

January 2015

String Selector 2015

Use our exclusive guide to find the perfect strings for your customers. (Click here to read more...)

September 2014

Fall Introductions: New and Improved

The latest in racquets, strings, and shoes will have something for every player. (Click here to read more...)

May 2014

Playtest: Ashaway Crossfire ZX 17

Crossfire ZX is a hybrid that combines Ashaway’s Kevlar® +Plus mains with its MonoGut® ZX Pro crosses. According to Ashaway, the 1.25 mm Kevlar +Plus main string is a blend of braided aramid and silky PTFE fibers that soften... (Click here to read more...)

April 2014

Stringing: The Dead Zone

What happens to tennis strings with time and use? And how can you help your customers determine when it is time to restring? (Click here to read more...)

February 2014

Outlook 2014: Talking a Good Game

Technology in strings continues to get better, while marketing is getting more focused. (Click here to read more...)

January 2014

String Selector 2014

Use our exclusive guide to find the perfect strings for your customers. (Click here to read more...)

September 2013

New Racquets and Strings: The art of ‘more’

Q4 isn’t usually a time for introductions, but there will be some new product and promotions as the year winds down. (Click here to read more...)

Playtest: Isospeed Black Fire

Isospeed Black Fire is a modified co-polyester monofilament that is made using a triple-heating process to soften the stiff modulus somewhat. Isospeed tells us the string is produced very stiff for control, but shrinking the string in the last... (Click here to read more...)

August 2013

Strings: How Natural Gut Strings Are Made

Man has made strings out of natural gut for bows and musical instruments for more than 3,300 years. Pierre Babolat manufactured the first set of natural gut string for the then-new game of tennis in 1875. Natural gut sports... (Click here to read more...)

February 2013

Outlook 2013: Game-Changers

Manufacturers, and pro players, are bringing attention to a frequently ignored part of a player’s game. (Click here to read more...)

February 2012

Outlook 2012: String — Find Your Cure

The current market has a string that will suit just about any playing style. (Click here to read more...)

January 2012

String Selector 2012

Use our charts to find the perfect strings for your customers. (Click here to read more...)

September 2011

Playtest: Gamma Zo Verve 17

Gamma Zo Verve is a unique co-extrusion polyester string that combines two types of material. At the core is a softer, more elastic, and resilient red polyester. Embedded around the periphery of the red core are three sections (on... (Click here to read more...)

June 2011

Playtest: Wilson Red Alert

Red Alert is a new solid-core multifilament nylon that Wilson tells us was engineered to be the most durable synthetic gut produced. Part of that durability comes from Red Alert’s High Molecular Weight (HMW) nylon coating. The single wrap... (Click here to read more...)

March 2011

How Synthetic Strings Are Made

Synthetic strings for racquet sports come in all shapes, sizes, configurations, and colors. String construction involves three basic steps: Design; Manufacturing; and Packaging. However, the manufacturing step itself can be broken down further into five key steps: Selecting the... (Click here to read more...)

Playtest: Prince Beast XP

Prince Beast XP is a brand new monofilament string, which Prince refers to as a precision tuned thermo-poly featuring a secret alloy additive. According to Prince, Beast XP offers advanced performance characteristics not found in conventional polyester strings, including... (Click here to read more...)

January 2011

String Selector 2011

Use our charts to find the perfect strings for your customers. (Click here to read more...)

July 2010

Playtest: Solinco Tour Bite

Solinco tells us that Tour Bite is a newly developed, high-performance, and versatile monofilament co-polyester string designed to generate extreme power, and intense spin and bite. According to Solinco, Tour Bite uses an innovative, proprietary composite formula of high-tech... (Click here to read more...)

June 2010

Playtest: Gamma TNT2 Touch

Gamma TNT2 Touch is the first multicore, multi-wrap string energized with the Gamma patented TNT (Thermo Nuclear Technology) process. TNT2 Touch is a premium string that according to Gamma offers amazing feel and power without sacrificing control. Gamma says... (Click here to read more...)

March 2010

Playtest: Pacific Poly Power Pro

Poly Power Pro is a high modulus polyester string manufactured in Germany exclusively by Pacific. In construction, it is essentially a double-coated monofilament. Pacific tells us that the high modulus polymers combined with two layers of a special coating... (Click here to read more...)

February 2010

Outlook 2010: Strings

Despite the tough economy, manufacturers are fired up about their string offerings. (Click here to read more...)

January 2010

String Selector Map 2010

Use our charts to find the perfect strings for your customers. (Click here to read more...)

Playtest: Luxilon M2 Plus

M2 Plus is a new “multi-mono” from Luxilon that offers the advantages of both multifilament and monofilament strings. Luxilon M2 Plus has dynamic variable flex which reacts to the power of your shots. It acts like a multifilament at... (Click here to read more...)

November 2009

Mixing It Up

More and more players are using hybrid strings, and for your business, it’s a winning combination. (Click here to read more...)

Playtest: HEAD Sonic Pro/FXP Power

HEAD Sonic Pro/FXP Power is another of Head’s pre-selected “Perfect Match” hybrids. “Perfect Match” is a system developed by Head that allows each player easily to select a hybrid combination based on desired primary and secondary string properties. (See... (Click here to read more...)

September 2009

Playtest: Prince Hybrid Power EXP

Prince now combines one-half set of Prince Poly EXP and one-half set of Prince Premier LT as Prince Hybrid Power EXP. This string comes standard in demos of the EXO3 Rebel, EXO3 Rebel Team, EXO3 Ignite, and EXO3 Ignite... (Click here to read more...)

August 2009

Playtest: HEAD Sonic Pro 17/Natural Gut 16

Head Sonic Pro 17/Natural Gut 16 is a “do it yourself” hybrid with a twist: It is one of several hybrids pre-matched by the Head Perfect Match Hybrid program. What Head has done is create a matrix showing the... (Click here to read more...)

February 2009

Outlook 2009: Manufacturers gear up

Despite worries about the economy, the makers of racquets, shoes, apparel and strings are optimistic that their products will strike the right chord with consumers. (Click here to read more...)

September 2008

String of Advice

Make sure you know how to help your customers find the string that works best for them. (Click here to read more...)

String Selector Map 2008: The Right Plotline

Our exclusive listing and chart will help each of your customers plot a course to the perfect string for his game. (Click here to read more...)

May 2008

Finding the Right Mix

Luxilon has been getting a lot of play among the top pros, but is this string right for your players? (Click here to read more...)

January 2008

USRSA Members' Choice Awards 2008

Our exclusive rankings, based on responses by USRSA members, will help you pick the right strings for your shop. What string is best for your customer? It's a tricky question to answer, since there are so many different strings out... (Click here to read more...)

September 2007

String Selector Map 2007: String it up!

Whether your customers realize it or not, their games depend not only on the string they choose, but also on how often they restring. (Click here to read more...)

June 2007

Gamma Debuts 2 New Strings

Gamma has come out with two new strings: Live Wire Professional Spin and Zo Pro Spin. The new 16-gauge Live Wire Professional Spin has an outer wrap added that allows the string to bite the ball better for more... (Click here to read more...)

May 2007

Ashaway Exec Says More Players Are Buying Reels for Hybrids

Tennis players have long used hybrid sets — pre-packaged combinations of different string types — to benefit from multiple characteristics such as increased durability, tension stability, or playability. But Ashaway Vice President Steve Crandall says an emerging trend is... (Click here to read more...)

January 2007

USRSA Members' Choice Awards 2007 -- Alphabetical scores

Company String Gauge Play. Dur. Comf. Avr. # Babolat Attraction 16 7.56 6.29 7.38 7.08 48 Babolat Attraction Power 17 7.87 5.97 7.67 7.17 30 Babolat Ballistic Polymono 16 5.65 8.41 5.94 6.67 17 Babolat Conquest 16 6.61 5.82... (Click here to read more...)

USRSA Members' Choice Awards 2007 -- Categorical scores

Playability StringGaugeScoreBabolat VS + natural gut179.79Babolat VS + natural gut169.67Babolat VS Team Thermogut179.67Wilson Natural169.5Babolat VS Touch Thermogut169.48Babolat Tonic+ Thermo Ball Feel15L9.44Wilson NXT179.04Tecnifibre NRG2 SPL189Gamma TNT188.96Gamma Professional178.93Gamma Professional168.9Tecnifibre NRG2 SPL178.9Gamma Live Wire XP178.83Wilson NXT Tour178.75Tecnifibre X-One Biphase168.71Tecnifibre X-One Biphase178.6Wilson NXT Tour188.56Wilson... (Click here to read more...)

Strings of Success

How do you know what to stock for your shop? We provide expert guidance that can help you — and your customers — find the right strings. (Click here to read more...)

September 2006

String Selector Map 2006

Our exclusive tests of every string on the market will help you choose the right product for your customers. (Click here to read more...)

February 2006

Outlook 2006 -- String: All tied up

The stringbed is forever the playground of infinite possibility. (Click here to read more...)

January 2006

USRSA Members' Choice Awards 2006

Our exclusive rankings, based on responses by USRSA members, will help you pick the right strings for your shop. (Click here to read more...)

September 2005

String Selector Map 2005

Customize your stringbed for optimum performance and feel. (Click here to read more...)

New Strings for Fall 2005

String Gauges Construction Materials Length (Feet) Color Cost Babolat • 877-316-9435 Attraction 16 Multifilament Polyamide & Polyurethane 40 Natural $9.00 Attraction Power 17 Multifilament Polyamide & Polyurethane 40 Natural $9.00 Conquest + 16,17 Solid Core single wrap Polyamide &... (Click here to read more...)

February 2005

Outlook 2005: String

Research into strings and stringing are leading to a whole new understanding of their effects on play. (Click here to read more...)

January 2005

USRSA Members' Choice Awards 2005

Our exclusive rankings, based on responses by USRSA members, will help you pick the right strings for your shop. (Click here to read more...)

Does Higher String Tension Give More Control and Spin?

By Dr. Simon Goodwill University of Sheffield, UK Most players are familiar with the general principle that low tension gives more power and high tension gives more control. The lower tension strings stretch more during impact and thus store... (Click here to read more...)

August 2004

String Selector Map 2004

Cure your customer's arms, heads and games with the right string. (Click here to read more...)

February 2004

A Turning Point?

Polyester is changing the way consumers buy strings, making stringers even more important to the player's game. (Click here to read more...)