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THE SOFTER THE BETTER?

By Mike Whittington (punch in code mw0204), TennisONE Contributing Editor

Seems like these days more and more people are wearing some type of elbow brace. This could be due to all the new lighter and wider frames or it could be due to faulty stroke production. Once you've got a little pain in the elbow you'll do just about anything to combat that aching feeling! We see all types of elbow braces, magnets, etc., but sometimes players give very little thought to the type of string they use. Lowering the tension can help make just about any string feel a little less stiff and easier on the arm but what about the string itself?

The new buzz word in strings for the past year has been "soft." Just about every manufacuter has produced a string marketed toward players with elbow problems or those trying to avoid arm problems. The theory behind these strings is to give more cushion but still be able to string at a tension to keep the same control and power that a player is accustomed to having. Three strings that have been very successful in pro shops in my area are VS Fiberfeel by Babolat, Dunlop's Max Comfort, and Gamma TNT Rx.

You've probably noticed the double lines at the bottom of a tour pros string pattern which indicate he/she is a Babolat player. For years, VS Fiberfeel has been known as the premiere gut string maker and choice of tour professionals. With Fiberfeel, VS has entered the market with a great 16 gauge multiwrap string. The string plays well and seems to hold tension very well. Fiberfeel has very good elasticity and although many soft strings do feel spongy at first, Fiberfeel feels very comfortable without a long break in time. The multiwrap composition also helps the string to be a little more durable than some of its competitors. Fiberfeel is currently being used by tour players Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marc Rosset.

Gamma has had the top rated strings according to the United States Racquet Stringers Association for the last 20 years. Gamma's breakthrough with its TNT technology has been very successful in its synthetic guts. However, with TNT Rx I feel that more of the soft feel is supposed to come from the pearl nylon coating and TNT procession rather than the makeup of the string. TNT Rx is a very good string with great feel but does lack some of the shock absorption that the other strings provide. I am a big fan of Gamma strings and grips but TNT Rx does not give the soft feel that Fiberfeel provides and lacks the cushion Max Comfort will give you. TNT Rx does seem to last longer than many strings designed for the arm.

I add Dunlop's Max Comfort in this group because it is my personal favorite. It's a multifilament 16 gauge string that feels very soft. Personally, I feel that multifilament strings just have a feel that is unmatched as far as comfort. In fact, this string feels so soft that some players might even consider it to feel dead but it is a great cushion for the arm. "Spongy" is a good word to describe the Max Comfort strings. The only drawback to this winner is that it isn't quite as durable as solid core and multi-wrap strings. If cushion and comfort is really the most important to you then I would definitely give Max Comfort a try.

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