Polyester Alternatives
Many junior players make the move to polyester too soon. This is generally done on the advice of their coach or advice parents have received from some 'other expert'.
It can be done because they feel the player needs more control or more spin. It might be done because they see someone else using it and feel they should be too.
There are a lot of factors to consider before moving to polyester string (which I have discussed before in a previous post, (http://www.racketrestringing.ie/blog/understanding...) but briefly again, the weight of the racket, the physical size of the player and their game style.
Taking all these things into consideration, there are still other options available, for junior performance players, which will be less harsh, but equally effective, on their still developing bones and muscles.
Most brands will have a string available in this category but 3 that I like and am going to focus on are:
- Kirschbaum Touch Dura
- Babolat Origin
- Ashway Monogut ZX (Pro)
Kirschbaum Touch Dura is made up of a combination of polyester and nylon fibres. It offers a mix of control, durability and comfort with very good tension retention. It plays equally well as a full string bed or as part of a hybrid.
like all Kirschbaum strings, it is definitely a quality string and well worth testing.
Babolat Origin is another in the polyamide range but with a unique feature. It is partially made up from a vegetable source. Babolat say this is their most powerful synthetic string.
It offers similar characteristics to Natural Gut but with greater durability. It also plays well as a full string bed or as part of a hybrid.
Ashway Monogut ZX has received good reviews from across the tennis scene. Players can't believe how it can generate the spin of a polyester but with the feel of Natural Gut.
There is no polyester used in these strings, hence the name Ashway have given the range 'Zero Poly'. The material that is used is called Zyex which has greater elongation than polyester.
From a stringers point of view it handles firm and wiry like a polyester but definitely doesn't play like one. The increased elongation provides greater power and comfort.
Like the previous strings, above, also plays well as a full string job or a hybrid.
There are numerous other options available to non poly fans but these are 3 that I like and certainly recommend.