String Guide: How to Choose Tennis String and Tension
Picking the right string matters as much as picking the right racquet. The frame sets the ceiling; the string and tension decide how much of that ceiling you actually feel on every swing. This is the guide our stringing bench has been giving customers at the counter for over fifty years, now in one place.
Start here: what are you trying to fix?
- I want more spin and control. Go with a polyester (co-poly). It is firm, bites the ball, and holds up to big swings.
- My arm or elbow bothers me. Go softer: a synthetic gut or a multifilament. They cushion impact and are far gentler on the arm than poly.
- I want the best feel and power, cost no object. Natural gut. Nothing else matches its comfort and liveliness, and it holds tension the longest.
- I want spin without wrecking my arm. A hybrid: poly on one axis, a softer string on the other. The best of both, and what many touring pros actually use.
The three string families
Polyester (co-poly)
The spin-and-control choice for intermediate to advanced players with full, fast swings. Poly is stiff and low-powered, which is exactly why it rewards a player who supplies their own power and wants the ball to drop in. It loses tension faster than other strings, so if you play several times a week, plan to restring more often. Popular picks on our bench: Luxilon ALU Power, Babolat RPM Blast, Yonex Poly Tour Pro, Head Lynx.
Synthetic gut and multifilament
The comfort-and-value choice, and the right default for beginners, junior players, and anyone managing arm trouble. Synthetic gut is an affordable all-rounder; multifilament is a step up, with hundreds of microfibers that mimic the soft, powerful feel of natural gut at a fraction of the price. Easy on the arm, lively, forgiving. Popular picks: Tecnifibre X-One Biphase, Wilson NXT, Head Velocity, Babolat Xcel.
Natural gut
The premium choice. Made from cow gut, it is the most comfortable and most powerful string you can play, and it holds tension better than anything synthetic. The trade-offs are price and sensitivity to moisture. Many players use it in a hybrid to get most of the feel at a lower cost. Popular pick: Babolat VS Touch.
Tension: the dial that changes everything
Every racquet lists a recommended tension range (for example 45 to 60 lbs). Within that range, a simple rule holds:
- Lower tension = more power and comfort. The stringbed acts like a trampoline. Good if you want more free depth or you are protecting your arm.
- Higher tension = more control and a firmer feel. Good if your shots are flying long and you want the ball to sit down sooner.
If you are unsure, start in the middle of the range. With poly, string a few pounds lower than you would with synthetic gut, because poly plays stiffer at the same number. Not sure what to write in the box at checkout? Leave us a note or call the shop and we will set you up.
How often should you restring?
The old rule of thumb: restring as many times per year as you play per week. Play three times a week, restring about three times a year. But strings also die from sitting: tension drops whether you play or not, and poly in particular goes dead within a few weeks of heavy use. If the stringbed feels boardy, lifeless, or you have lost control, it is time, even if nothing is broken.
Get it strung at Ray's
We have been stringing racquets in San Diego since 1969. Buy a new racquet online and choose “Strung” to have it strung with the string and tension you want before it ships, ready to play out of the box. Already own the racquet? Bring it by the shop for an expert, same-week restring done by hand, by people who play. That is the part a website in a warehouse somewhere cannot do, and it is why players keep coming back.
Questions about what to string? Call us at (619) 295-5362 or stop in. We would rather you play the right setup than the popular one.