If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best tennis string is, then we recommend the Babolat VS Touch 16G Natural Gut String as the best one.
When just starting in tennis, one doesn’t really need to worry about tennis strings that much. The stock strings that come with racquets should suffice for most newbies. But as you become better, you may notice that those stock strings no longer satisfy your needs.
Well, if you happen to be looking for the best tennis strings to outfit your racquet with, then we may have something interesting for you!
We’re going to include the following tennis string reviews:
- Solinco Hyper-G Heaven Poly String
- Head Synthetic Gut Tennis Racket String
- Tecnifibre NRG2 16G Tennis String Pack
- Kirschbaum Pro Line II Tennis String
- Babolat VS Touch 16G Natural Gut String
Things to look for in tennis strings
Gauge
The gauge is the thickness of a tennis string.
Generally, thinner strings offer better spin potential and controllability because they embed into the ball more, but they tend to be less durable and thus require more frequent replacement. If you are a more experienced player, then you will probably benefit from thinner tennis strings.
On the other hand, thick strings aren’t as great in terms of ball control, but they are more durable. Given that you don’t need top-notch control, thicker strings are going to be a better investment in the long term.
String gauges usually range from 15 (thicker) to 19 (thinner). Between each gauge, there’s a half-gauge identified by the letter L, e.g. 17L. A 17L string is thinner than a 17-gauge string but thicker than a 19-gauge one.
Materials
Tennis strings may be made from a wide range of materials, but a few of them are particularly frequently used. Let’s overview these often-used string materials below.
Natural gut strings: these strings are made from cow intestines. Being one of the earliest tennis string styles, natural gut strings still are highly-valued among skilled tennis players – natural gut delivers unparalleled feel and playability, albeit with the tradeoff of fragility, sensitivity to moisture, and expensiveness.
Nylon strings: nylon strings are extremely commonly used nowadays, and they are the best option for the majority of recreational tennis players. Nylon is also sometimes referred to as synthetic gut.
This string style owes its popularity to its great feel for the average player and the attractive price – nylon strings don’t break the bank as natural gut strings do. With that being said, nylon strings have come a long way – modern multifilament nylon strings offer noticeably increased control and power compared to basic nylon strings.
Polyester strings: this is the go-to tennis string type among professionals thanks to its durability and control. Stiffer than nylon and natural gut strings, polyester strings boast unparalleled control during faster & aggressive strokes, as well as a higher spin potential.
Due to their stiffness and lack of power, polyester strings aren’t the best for beginners – the weak muscles and joints of inexperienced players will be more likely to get injured, and the power lack in the strings won’t allow them to send the ball far.
With that being said, tennis string manufacturers have been showing an increased focus on softer polyester strings that contain some amount of natural gut or nylon multifilaments. While not as controllable and durable as true polyester strings, mixed polyester strings deliver a remarkable balance between comfort, power, spin, and the touch of a softer string.
Kevlar strings: Kevlar strings push the stiffness, durability, and controllability of polyester strings even further. The hardest and most durable tennis strings available out there, Kevlar strings definitely aren’t for beginners or players with arm injuries.
To bring down the hardness and discomfort of Kevlar strings a little, manufacturers are often combining Kevlar with the softer nylon. At the price of reduced durability and control, hybrid Kevlar tennis strings are more forgiving for first-time users of such strings, but they still shouldn’t be used by beginners.
Construction
The material is highly important in tennis strings, but the string construction can be more important. Below is an overview of the main tennis string build styles.
Monofilament: these strings are formed of a single filament. Due to their build, monofilament strings are rather durable but lack power, comfort, and feel. Polyester strings usually feature a monofilament build.
Multifilament: multifilament strings feature several filaments in a single string. Multifilament strings boast decent control, power, and playability. As mentioned above, nylon strings are commonly made multifilament.
Solid core with outer wrap: this construction style is frequently used in nylon tennis strings. Such strings provide a light & crisp feel paired with durability. The outer wrap may be mono- or multifilament.
Textured: textured strings offer improved spin. Thus, these strings aren’t the best for beginners – rather, go for them if you want increased spin potential in your tennis racket.
Composite: composite strings combine several materials to deliver the best features of them all. Most composite strings are made in monofilament or outer-wrap style. Because many combinations of composite strings exist, it’s very difficult to say what kind of performance you will get with such a tennis string.
Tension
If you are an advanced player , then consider string tension as well. Lower tensions tend to provide more power, while higher tensions deliver more control.
With that being said, the overall performance of tennis strings isn’t tied to just the tension. If you are a skilled player, then the right string tension could allow you to fine-tune your playing style. But if you are a beginner, then don’t think about tension just yet – instead, go for the string tension that is recommended by your racket and the string set.
Best tennis strings reviewed
Solinco Hyper-G Heaven Poly String
An advanced player looking for a tennis string that would push you onto a new level? Then the Hyper-G Heaven strings by Solinco may be the right option for you.
These strings are made from co-polyester which retains the controllability and durability of polyester, but with the stiffness toned down a bit. If you have no issues with stroke power and want to improve control, this string set might be ideal.
Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the Hyper-G Heaven string is that it features a square profile, which allows for dramatically increased spin potential. Such a profile should allow those who are great at spinning become even better.
There also are several gauges available for this string, allowing you to fine-tune the amount of control you are getting from it.
With that being said, keep in mind that the stiffness of polyester makes the Hyper-G Heaven string unsuitable for players with arm injuries. Besides, this definitely isn’t the right string for beginners or less experienced players.
Pros:
- Excellent spin potential.
- Allows for increased control over the ball.
- Highly durable.
- Not too stiff for a poly string.
Cons:
- Not for beginners or those with arm injuries.
Head Synthetic Gut Tennis Racket String
If you are a newbie or a not too experienced tennis player, then this synthetic gut tennis string by Head may interest you.
This tennis racket string features a solid nylon core which, as mentioned in our buying guide, imparts a crisper feel to the racket. The outer wrapping changes the playability of this string a bit – made of polyamide (note: nylon is a polyamide, so they have similar features), the wrapping provides more resilience and allows for slightly increased speed.
What’s also great about this string is that it’s inexpensive, so it won’t make a huge hole in the budget. However, the Head synthetic gut string isn’t as durable as pricier synthetic gut strings.
Still, this string set is going to allow you to build a solid foundation which will then allow you to get better strings to up your game.
Pros:
- Inexpensive.
- Suitable for a wide range of players.
- Boasts the crisp feel of solid-core strings.
- Multifilament outer wrap for speed and durability.
Cons:
- Durability may be a bit lacking.
Tecnifibre NRG2 16G Tennis String Pack
For more experienced players, the Tecnifibre NRG2 tennis string is an all-around better option than the Head synthetic gut string, but at a higher price.
Featuring a multifilament construction, the NRG2 string delivers a good balance between feel, control, and power. This string uses the so-called elastyl fibers which, as claimed by Tecnifibre, deliver 12% more power than standard polyamide strings. At the same time, the string features a dampened feel, which should make it excellent for people with arm injuries.
This string also employs a material called silicon pyrogene lubritec as an abrasion-resistant coating on top of the elastyl fibers. Another thing that adds to the durability of this string is its thick 16G gauge.
However, while making this string more durable, the thick gauge also decreases its controllability, which may be a problem for more skilled players.
Overall, we think that the Tecnifibre NRG2 tennis string is a great option for the intermediate player thanks to its balanced performance, soft feel, and durability.
Pros:
- Thick and durable.
- A good balance between control, power, and feel.
- Delivers a dampened feel.
Cons:
- Won’t deliver the best ball control due to its thickness.
Kirschbaum Pro Line II Tennis String
The Pro Line II tennis string by Kirschbaum is a nice alternative to the Solinco Hyper-G Heaven string we overviewed in the beginning. The main benefit of this string – or downside, depending on how you view it – is its not as aggressive spin potential.
The Pro Line II string doesn’t have a square profile, so its spin is going to be more reserved. This should make the string a bit easier to handle by less experienced players. With that being said, the spin potential of the Pro Line II tennis string is still higher than in other types of strings.
The polyester feel in the Pro Line II string is very similar to that of the Hyper-G Heaven string – it boasts the durability and control of polyester, but it’s not too stiff. It will be more forgiving on the joints than regular polyester, but it still isn’t the best option if you have arm pain.
In the end, if you liked the Solinco Hyper-G Heaven string but didn’t like the idea of the square string profile, the Kirschbaum Pro Line II tennis string may be the right alternative.
Pros:
- Solid control and spin potential.
- Durable.
- On the softer side of polyester strings.
Cons:
- Not for newbies and those with arm injuries.
Babolat VS Touch 16G Natural Gut String
Lastly, we have the Babolat VS Touch natural gut string, a tennis string that boasts unparalleled feel and playability among the strings reviewed.
Perhaps not the best string out there in terms of spin or speed, the VS Touch string can boast excellent comfort and balance of power and control. Especially notable here is comfort – natural gut strings are among the softest strings on the market, so they are going to be pleasant to hit with, as well as won’t strain your joints and muscles too much.
Natural gut strings tend to wear out quickly, but Babolat has added an extra protection layer on top which, as claimed by the manufacturer, increases the string’s longevity without compromising its feel and comfort. The thick gauge of this string should also add some durability. Still, we’d expect this string to live shorter than synthetic strings.
In the end, expect some amazing feel and comfort from the Babolat VS Touch natural gut string, but be prepared to pay its high price – natural gut strings aren’t the most budget-friendly tennis string options out there.
Pros:
- Unparalleled feel and playability.
- Balanced string performance.
- Soft and shock-absorbent.
Cons:
- Pricey.
- More fragile than strings of other types.
Conclusion
Hands down, we think that the Babolat VS Touch natural gut string is the best bet for a wide range of tennis players. Heck, even some pros are opting for natural gut strings rather than for high-performance polyester ones!
The VS Touch string delivers many of the advantages of different string types that we’ve talked about in our buyer’s guide – they aren’t too heavy on the joints, they are comfortable to play with, and they have an unparalleled feel. In fact, even relatively inexperienced players may choose this string – it will be forgiving, but be mindful of the high price.
Of course, it all comes down to personal preference, and the VS Touch string won’t be everyone’s best tennis string. Those wanting to up their spin game would probably want to go for something like the Hyper-G heaven poly string. If you think that the VS Touch string won’t be the best for you, feel free to go for whichever string you think is the right one!