The "Reel" Deal

As a consummate string-breaker myself, I am always in search of either a better string or a cheaper, faster way to string. When I was a sponsored player, the string and/or the price didn't even enter my self-inflated head. But now that I have to actually pay for my strings, I find myself checking my strings after each point to make sure I haven't done any damage to them.

Well, as I see it, the two questions you have to ask yourself are:
1)Am I breaking a lot of strings (every 6-10 sets)?
2)Can I tell the differences between strings (gauge, brand, spin,
filament, etc.)?

If you answer "yes" to #1, you are either using a thin gauge, a softer
string, or hitting with a ton of spin. If you also answered "yes" to #2, you have moved along quite well in your training, young jedi!! This is tough to do, but after a while, even beginners start to "feel" the string better.

Now, if you answered "yes" to both questions, you have a BIG decision to make: Am I going to sacrifice feel for durability? If you are going to stick with "feel", buy your strings in the single pack and buy in bulk. It will cost you more, but each pack will stay fresh and the feel will remain intact. Durability is easy. Order by the reel. 330' or 660', depending how much you want. Keep track of how many rackets you get per reel. A good stringer will be able to get 18-20 or more rackets out of 660'. If you pay $50 for the reel....well, you do the math. Plus it's a cool feeling to walk into your local pro-shop and toss your racket and reel at the stringer and say in you best Johnny Mac, "Gimme the usual...plus 2 lbs. I have string to
spare."

Entry by Mike Wallace

Read More in: Strings

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