Is Natural Gut The Secret To EFFORTLESS POWER?

Playing with natural gut tennis strings feels like an absolute cheat code… and I am here for it!! I love it
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We reveal pro tennis tips that help amateur players quickly win more. Our how-to videos cover all essential parts of tennis: forehands, backhands, serves, volleys, singles strategy, doubles tactics, and more. Brought to you by Gui Hadlich and Karue Sell, passionate former D1 college and ATP professional players.

[@tom-gnade]

I can 100% confirm that gut strings will prevent wrist, elbow and shoulder injuries. Gut also does indeed provide a lot of power. I string it fairly high at 59 pounds to get as much control from it as possible, and I've found that the Babolat string savers can help improve the amount of spin I can put on the ball with a full bed of gut tremendously. I use VT Advantec frame absorbers instead of a vibration dampener in the string bed, and the combination is just awesome. I want to try a hybrid gut setup, but I'm a little nervous about hurting my elbow and shoulder again, because it can take a very long time to recover when you damage tendons.

[@orlandomontoya5647]

I love that you covered this. A lot of older guys, like me, need to know the benefits. After I gave gut a try 2 years ago, I haven't switched back as the comfort it provides is unmatched. No more tennis elbow for me!

[@venktennis]

what tension do you string your racquets with gut?

[@leonardoramirez7667]

High humidity and clay kills the gut (live by the sea in Spain) and not to mention open string patterns. Used to use gut for comfort but got priced out of it, cheaper Babolat gut used to be around 28 euros, then 35 and now its 40.

[@KaruesellHQ]

Yep I mention in the video. Price is definitely the factor that will price people out unfortunately

[@423985728945]

Oh... I live in Brazil, only play on clay and use an Aero. Looks like I hit your trifecta. As a bonus, our tax system makes everything even more expensive than usual.

[@brunoalves3736]

How did humidity and clay affected the playability/durability? I currently play in Florida (US) + Gray Clay (Hard-Thru). Worried I would suffer the same effects, and sounds like a good match for my game…

[@rutan4000]

@@brunoalves3736 Natural gut doesn't like water, so humidity eats away at the strings. To exaggerate (do not try this unless you're loaded), take a freshly strung gut and go play tennis in the rain, see how fast the string snaps.

[@jorgetirado3201]

Yes - I'm in freezing cold minnesota and am loving this setup playing indoor tennis. With spring summer often being humid with unexpected light rain at times, will be switching to a multi/poly setup

[@ronalddelrosario7405]

Totally agree! I've also switched to using natural gut. I'm currently using the sort of Fed setup with Luxilon natural gut mains and ALU Power crosses. Just an incredibly comfortable setup. Yes, it was expensive, but I think the lack of relative tension loss in the mains more than offsets the cost because I don't have to restring nearly as often. So as a rec player, don't be too shy about trying natural gut!

[@blakebarone1809]

Lux is the firmest of the guts in my opinion. On the other hand, it hardly frays and will save your arm.

[@ronalddelrosario7405]

@@blakebarone1809 Yes, I agree. It's definitely firmer than Babolat VS gut. I bought a used Angell K7 Red off ebay which had a full bed of VS gut and it was very soft feeling but way, way, way too powerful (I think the seller said it was originally strung at 52 lbs but he didn't recall how long the string were in the racquet). I like that Luxilon natural gut is firmer since I'd gotten a bit used to polys. And like you said it's not fraying at all so far.

[@ronalddelrosario7405]

@Vimal Nelson I use Angell K7 Red racquets with Luxilon Natural Gut 17 @ 50 lbs on the mains and Luxilon ALU Power 17 @ 48 lbs on the crosses. Seems to be the sweet spot for me right now. I've tried 48/46, but that was too loose for me. Depending on your strokes and style, you may have to tinker with it. I tried 48/46 at first because that was what I was used to with my previous normal setup which was Tecnifibre Black Code 18 mains, Forten Sweet 17 crosses.

[@nsebast]

How long does the string last? I dont mind if it last like 6 months. But if it breaks every 3 months is quite expensive and a hassle.

[@ronalddelrosario7405]

@@nsebast It really depends on how you play. I'm not a string breaker at all. I've only broken strings once in 30+ years of playing. I only cut strings out when I start to lose feel with the strings (typically after 3 months with polys). My current natural gut hybrid setup is still going strong after 5 months. But note that it's possible that having a natural gut / poly hybrid can somewhat warp your frame if left too long in. Some stringers recommend no longer than 3 months. I really haven't noticed much warping though.

[@johnnylee8337]

I developed tennis elbow as recently as last year and decided to switch up my strings. I decided to play test Fed's setup (Champion's Choice) with natural gut in the mains and Lux ALU Rough in the crosses. I strung both of my VCore 95 2018 at 54/52 and man, that setup saved my arm. Easy access to power, spin, and feel. Ever since then, I've been playtesting different string setups that are arm-friendly. I recently bought Volkl V-Fuse 16 hybrid and KLIP X-Plosive 16 hybrid and will try those on my Pro Staff 97v13 and VCore 98 2023. I'll follow up once I'm done playtesting!

[@jorgetirado3201]

Good video and agree - I’ve switched to this set up recently for comfort issues, and at first I started with poly in the mains since I wanted that control and spin. However, I’ve learned that spin is better actually with gut in the mains since it slides better and gut in crosses results in mains getting locked up more quickly. There’s a lot on this subject I’ve read and that’s the general consensus

[@topspin1715]

I use VS gut in crosses and either RPM blast in mains or if I cant find RPM I will use Solinco Hyper G. Whenever Ive tried gut in mains, they wear out faster. Youre right with your statement but I am trying to save some money and doing gut in crosses saves me about 1 week extra playtime before gut breaks.

[@milecurcic4475]

Yes, the way to go, papa Fed knows what's good

[@bushmenaa]

@@topspin1715 use outlast, you don't need shaped poly on crosses, they will just kill gut faster

[@topspin1715]

@@bushmenaa which gauge for the Solinco Outlast do you recommend or it doesnt matter?

[@bushmenaa]

@@topspin1715 1.15 if you cant find it use 1.20, also yonex fire is awsome but its only 1.20

[@timefly4221]

I’m a “gear head” and have experimented with all types of setups. One of the biggest advantages of gut over a multi is that generates a lot more spin. Not as much as a poly, but definitely more than comfort/power oriented multifilaments like NXT. For that reason if I am putting a soft string in the mains I prefer natural gut. If I am looking for just a little more comfort and power by putting it in the crosses, then a multi can work almost was well. Gut is still better in terms of performance and feel, but the overall value is decreased in the crosses.

[@akbarberlian]

Do you go thicker or thinner multi in crosses

[@timefly4221]

@@akbarberlian Assuming you're talking about a poly / multi hybrid, I go with a thick gauge in the crosses so that it takes longer for the poly to cut through them.

[@davidhawkins6305]

I recently switched to natural gut mains and poly crosses in my 16x19 pure strike set up and it’s been the best thing I ever did. I play with a lot of topspin as well and around 4.5-5.0 level. I actually break the poly before the gut most times and sometimes will restring the crosses again 2lbs tighter and get 2 racquets out of a half set of gut. I string my own so not a huge deal but that’s how much I value the gut.

[@BadIdea-ww8hy]

I use a 16x19 pure strike as well and want to try the hybrid. Would you mind sharing the tensions you use?

[@davidhawkins6305]

@@BadIdea-ww8hy 51 in winter time. 53 in summer. Same tension on crosses as mains. I use VS gut 16 gauge (1.3) on mains, rpm blast 17 gauge(1.25) on crosses. They sell this in packs you can buy. I also have a tiny bit of lead tape on my racquet as well which can affect what tension you may like.

[@BadIdea-ww8hy]

@@davidhawkins6305 thanks man! I’m going to get a pack today and have the shop string it up

[@tennnis498]

I have found the exact same thing with my 16x19 pure strike. I like Klip and Wilson and it’s easier for me to mess up the string job with gut. I go up to 58 or 60 lbs on the gut. Still planning to try the Luxilon gut. It’s quite shocking when a player as good as Karue hasn’t tried it.

[@davidhawkins6305]

@@BadIdea-ww8hy enjoy! It’s hard to switch back once you start.

[@LordOfTheDrinks01]

I feel like this video was made for me :D. -I have decent form on my strokes -I had a shoulder injury in the end of 2021, same as Borna Coric -I've been struggling with tennis elbow for the last 2 months. I'm gonna give it a try, and let you guys know in a month or two.

[@maurorenard82]

If gut is too much for your wallet, you can try Head Velocity MLT. It is a comfortable and durable multi filament. It worked well for my tennis elbow.

[@LordOfTheDrinks01]

@@ebstmnt Following up. I tried the set up and felt everything as he described it. PROS: I felt the power and enjoyed it A LOT. It's so satisfying when I let loose and the ball goes vertical off the opponent's frame. And most importantly I feel much better with my elbow. I feel like I am hitting with a pillow it is so much softer than my full poly setup. CONS: It does not last long and it is expensive. I am able to get it with -40% and still it is too much for me. When I got lazy and I didn't accelerate through on dead balls, my ball was flying a lot. Also if my opponent was pressuring and I was late for the shots it was hard to control. Basically you have to force yourself to play better and you will rip the benefits of the string.

[@LordOfTheDrinks01]

@@maurorenard82 I am currently trying a similar concept (Wilson NXT). I agree it is much better than full poly on my elbow.

[@highflying19]

Gut /poly hybrid is always so nice. If you use a shaped poly it will chew the gut up faster so rough or round string works great. If gutnis too pricey try technifiber x one biophase. Closed multi to gut and that has some nice pop as well. Great vid

[@Dimone11]

Also triax is rly nice

[@javace79]

I struggled with golfer's elbow for the better part of a year. Only way I could play without pain was Wilson Gut 16 in the mains and Wilson Revolve 17. My elbow has healed and I am to use 18g fully poly now. The Wilson Gut has an extra coating on it, and is a lot more durable than you think, as I would get two months with a slick poly. I tried full bed of gut and did not like at as no access to spin. I would recommend to use a slick poly if u are putting gut in the mains.

[@ac55699]

Yep. Been through all you have mentioned over the past 12 months. Will never go back. I’m still tweaking with the set up though especially with tension. Having gut low seems abnormal to me. Trust in your shots is 100% spot on.

[@GH-cz4xv]

I used gut(m)/RPM(x) 54/51 in my first generation Wilson Pro Staff 97S for years. Broke the RPM cross at 12 hours in the same spot virtually every time. Amazing comfort and feel, and no tension loss over the lifetime. This set up actually had the lowest cost per hour for me for this particular racket.

[@MyCvid]

I recently bought a gently used Blade 98 online. I had anticipated cutting the strings out immediately but I was so anxious to try it out on court. To my surprise it felt pretty good. As I looked closer at the strings I saw that it was a hybrid setup. To my continued delight, the strings were Luxilon Natural gut in the mains and Luxilon 4G in the crosses. This racquet plays like it has a turbocharger installed. I just had another Blade strung up with this new setup. OUCH, that’s damn expensive, but I love the way it plays! My justification is that the gut and the 4G maintain their tension better than a full bed of poly, so hopefully fewer re-strings.

[@tikenna]

Please what was the tension of the string setup? And what's the thickness of the strings? I'm thinking of doing something similar. Thanks!

[@lcervantes8505]

Good stuff, Karue. Strung ProStaff tight with VS mains, NXT crosses and weighted up. Can take a full cut at the ball for good power and control.

[@TheMintahMan]

Gamma TNT is a great alternative if you're using gut in the cross to save cost. The main con for me is that if you get natural gut wet it looses tension and breaks quickly.

[@conzidv8]

I agree about Gama TNT - wonderful string at a great price point.

[@jaegertier6352]

Karue! I’ve been watching your vids for over a year now…maybe more. You’re crushing it and wanted to let you know your speaking and delivery has become soooo much smoother as well as the overall video quality. Thanks for the awesome content and keep it up ❤

[@jaegertier6352]

Also how do you deal with the “experts” on your Instagram. Every once in a while glance at the comments and they’re so brutal 😂 this backhand Video for example. I agree that learning a one hander has improved my two hander. What do you make about people saying you know nothing about mechanics? Seems like you get this a lot with pickle and tennis dorks in general. So weird

[@nero1375]

I have done this setup in 2020. Natural on the cross to last long and man, It was the best string set I ever had. The feeling is amazing. Even using 56-59 lbs, I had power and good control. I need to do again to test with my new technique improvements over this two years. 2018-2019/2021/2022(early) setup: - WIlson Pro Staff RF97: 364+- grams, 56-59lbs, no polarizing, full poly; 2020 setup: - WIlson Pro Staff RF97: 364+- grams, 56-59lbs, no polarizing, using hybrid string; - Cross: Natural Gut, Main: Alu power Rough 2022-2023 setup: - WIlson Pro Staff RF97: 372+- grams, Polarized: 3 grams (full poly, 17g HEAD); - One pair with identical racket structure, but one has 53-55 lbs; Obs: No, I never had any injuries or pain in any place, the racket do all the work. (Playing almost 6 years, 4/5 years with that old setup above mentioned. One year using hybrid) Will be awesome to test again!

[@LL-kz1qe]

Spot on video, top i just switched to ezone 285g and with the mother set up yonex poly at 22kg is so underpowered Now i know what i have to do

[@johncook7286]

Natural gut is undeniably expensive up front but I've found that it retains its tension and feel way longer than synthetic strings - so it works out cheaper in the end as I leave it on considerably longer (it helps that I'm not a heavy hitter so I rarely break strings) - it has also been great for stopping tennis elbow and the plush feel you get can't be replicated with synthetic strings, at least not with any I have ever tried.

[@marcgabor9690]

I've used gut in the mains (poly x) for years. If you play with a tighter string pattern, you might be surprised how long it can last even hitting with decent pace and spin. It stays playable until it breaks so cost wise I never felt like it was that big a difference since I wasn't stringing my rackets that often.

[@justinkoth7744]

Exited for the vcore 95 review. Always love your racket reviews

[@jessenewton1112]

To your comment on the algorithm and vlogs, I liked the vlog format! It was cool to follow someone’s results and then get a “behind the scenes” update afterward (especially someone with as high of a ranking as Marcos’)!

[@K4R3N]

Karue, do gut strings get stuck out of place? Do you need to reset strings after every point? Also do they notch easily? Do the poly mains continue to slide properly? How long (hours) does your hybrid setup last?

[@jfattor]

I have always used gut and now gut/alu in my Wilson Blade. Its great in a thinner more "traditional frame" like the blade or prostaff or v core 95 with I have used before. However, I would be hesitant to use in stiffer frames like Babolat . I demoed the Babolat VS and strung it with gut/hybdrid just to see how it would feel and it does not have same dwell time and feel and power like the gut/hybrid does in a more flexible traditional thinner frame like Wilson Blade.

[@Brian_Pathitta_Life_Journey]

Look forward to see you try gut on the main. I have tried both and I like it both ways. Only thing I dislike is stringing Poly on the cross when I put gut on the main.

[@brettlabelle5668]

Gut/poly hybrids really make 18x20 string patterns more playable for the masses, as well. The added pop/forgiveness of the gut negates some of the disadvantages that a dense pattern has, while increasing string life at the same time. I can get around 30 hours of play (4.5 level) from my 18x20 frames, stringing at 40-42 pounds (alu power cross, vs mains). I would just make sure the person doing you stringing is comfortable/experienced stringing with gut, it's not a material I would trust a novice stringer with. Great video, as always.

[@Tennisbull-match-statistics]

I switched to gut years ago to get rid of my tennis elbow and it helped right away. I added string savers to get them to last longer. After Babolat went up in price by $10 I switched to a cheaper Volkl gut and it worked just as well. When they ran out I switched to the Volkl/poly hybrid and was surprised how much longer it lasted. The strings would barely notch. I play with the gut in the mains and the poly in the crosses

[@ThetennisDr]

I have strong w natural gut this year more than 100 times. I tested all ways to string the gut full bed . I know how to string natural gut on my dunlops aerogel ❤ and i achieve a bed w power control making me the best player in the world. I also had points and now i will orove i am the best player and stringer in the world

[@ThetennisDr]

I also bought my own machine

[@milecurcic4475]

Bro, try it the other way around if you haven't already!! Provides amazing spin, feel, power, control, just string gut couple few pounds tighter than as a cross, and the poly in the cross 3-5 pounds lower than gut mains. Ooh la laaaa!!!

[@KaruesellHQ]

I did. Too much power for me. For someone more used to control it was a lot. But there are definitely pros to it

[@bucknut2000]

I love gut ,they just feel great but stringer a higher tension helps I think . It’s a lot more comfortable too . For a multi I’ve used nrg2 and that’s good to

[@DanA-mx9vh]

It could just be me, but my main issue when I gave gut hybrids a go was how it changes whether it's hot, cold, wet, dry, hard, clay, etc. I constantly go from playing indoors to outdoors, hard courts to clay, as well as club to club, some having the ac blasting while others are like a sauna and could never find consistency in my shots. Play indoors at a conditioned club and hit nicely, then go outside to 90 and humid and can't keep a ball in the court after 5 minutes. I could keep rackets at different tensions but I like the consistency of full poly, until the string dies of course. The feel and controllable power when gut agrees with you is amazing though.

[@MartynCollins]

I’m here for it.

[@SuddenCold]

Formerly playing with full poly I completely understand why you opted for the gut on the crosses. I feel like I can hit through the ball better with poly on the mains. Its funny to me you called gut on the main "too powerful" even at 58. Felt like a trampoline at 52 on the mains but on the crosses was a chefs kiss.

[@johndunn3492]

I used a Wilson gut and Allu power rough, I think it was called, for quite a few years. If you use the string savers, it lasts better than the multi filament strings I’ve been using lately. And you can see it slowly dying so you don’t get any, unexpected string breaks. The multi filament feels quite nice, but I’m not sure it’s very resilient. I’m using Yonex Rexis speed right now. I wanna be nice to my elbow.

[@peterschmidt6408]

To try a natural gut setup ist the best you can do - you will definitivly enjoy it. And it's a huge difference wether you use gut on the mains or the crosses. I'll probably never switch back.

[@007FlipScot]

I’ll watch you do reviews all day

[@Bunzotennis]

For 80% rec players: nope. It’s technique and practice

[@simongonzalez04]

This comment is so key

[@JonnySV]

But you also have to think about the avg rec player as not a string breaker, so even tho gut is expensive and not as durable, you can get more ideal playability before it goes dead (like poly) or mushy (like multi). But then you're most likely right that the avg rec player can't take advantage of the true benefits of gut, but they could take advantage of the comfort and safety one gets with gut.

[@1997Mclovin]

@@JonnySVone miss hit and you can break gut like that. Just because they’re not striking the ball as hard doesn’t mean their poor technique won’t break it

[@colinhoover5153]

I'd say more like 90+%

[@TTGamingTrinh]

For me the hybrid gut and poly made wonder to my game. It’s a good blend of power and feel for me. I used to play with full poly. Had a lot of power but not enough feel

[@joeleder]

As a general rule, gut is softer and has much better feel than poly but is less durable. Poly has more durability and spin, but can be stiff and thus hard on your arm. That's why most players use the gut in the mains. Gives you the comfort and feel but still gives you good spin and control. I personally use Technifiber NRG2 (synth gut) in the mains but i use LXN ALU Power (poly) in the crosses for some added durability. I found if I use a full bed of gut, I'll break my strings about every two weeks. The hybrid setup gives me a month or so since the poly holds up a bit better.

[@kolev1529]

what is the lowest tension these 2 strings can be played with? (Technifiber NRG2 in the mains -LXN ALU Power in the crosses) lbs -kg?

[@mericusta1988]

I tried gut hybrids on my pure drive on two occasions (babolat vs & blast) due to arm issues. First time the stringer “by mistake” put the guts in crosses. It was the best feeling I had in any setup. Especially on service returns, it felt like I was grabbing the ball and throwing it back. Possibly due to longer and consistent dwell. When it snapped, I had it strung the “correct” way e.g. gut in mains, and it did not quite give me the same feeling. Yet on neither occasion did I feel arm pain. So it will definitely do your arm good. But mains&crosses is by preference, and you should try both. If I ever do it again, I will put it on crosses. Maybe on a more flexible racquet with already good feel, guts on mains makes sense, who knows.

[@whitemaz3756]

You are on the right path 👍

[@royxuliang310]

I tried both, poly gut more spin more pocket more, I don't understand why ppl always say gut poly better spin, yeah Roger do that, but compare to others who poly gut on tour, he didn't create more spin, actually less. So he prefers gut poly, that doesnt make it "law" that got poly best. My case was similar I have k95 18 20, 6meters were not long enough on main, had to put on cross, it turn out better than before blx90 gut poly, for me at least, and you too. So ppl stop saying, go actually buy one and try.

[@eincan1313]

I used a gut/poly hybrid for many years and the playability and comfort is great. But it has major value issues for the non professional versus pros who constantly have new string jobs at little to no cost. When I had gut in the mains, I would break the gut in 6-8 hours. Another issue with gut in the mains is that once it loses a little tension it gets very powerful. If you have gut on the cross like Karue or Murray etc…. the poly will die in less than 10 hours or the gut will start to fray and snapback will reduced. There are cheaper alternatives for a softer cross string. It is a great hybrid but either way I would need to restring after a 3-4 sessions at most. Even with a relatively cheap poly, that is at least $25 each time just for the strings. I now play a full poly hybrid at low tension for almost the same 6-7 hours at $6 with no arm issues and excellent playability. Gut/ poly is great for some (pros, non-string breakers or for injuries) and not great for others (non-pro string breakers).

[@aosudif6806]

Would love to know the difference between changing the component (like switching to gut) and changing the tension (like keeping poly but just lowering the string tension)

[@OlivePlaysTennis]

bump! That's that I've always wondered as well

[@jatters8696]

lowering a poly mean you get more power + spin but not much control

[@KaruesellHQ]

Yep that's it. It's just not the same thing. A lower tension poly just feels loose and uncontrollable where gut feels like you can just swing out and get both power and control. It's hard to show it in video. Try it out

[@whitemaz3756]

@@OlivePlaysTennis Sorry Olive but i need to tell you. Stop wondering please. You are not a recreational player. Knowledge is power. Get a fresh (not 3 yo) set of gut Wilson or Babolat(softer). String your Blade1 with gut mains 2-3lbs tighter than usual poly mains, crosses as usual. String your Blade2 with usual poly mains and gut crosses 2-3lbs tighter than usual poly crosses. Always prestretch gut 10%. Play at least 3 hours each. At that point you gonna know what you wondering now. It's an investment in your tennis knowledge. Nobody can explain something to your arm except yourself. Happy hitting! (cit.)

[@misterle8352]

I did notice a huge difference in serve power of yours in Winston's vid.

[@justintran8279]

Great vid! I would also give Klip Legend Natural Gut a try Karue when you get the chance. In terms of pricing its pretty good. Costs $29.99 for a set and $16.99 for a half-set. I have it in my Blade along with ALU power and its super good

[@Edinburghdreams]

I've been using hybrid for a couple of years now and I love it. Babolat VS Touch with Alu Power Soft. Head Gravity Pro. 58, 58.

[@KaruesellHQ]

That's a solid set up

[@ericejd5569]

Klip Legend is not a bad alternative to save some money. Can also even go with a cheaper round poly to further economize, especially if poly on crosses. Topspin Cyber Flash, Tourna Big Hitter, Prince Tour XR

[@anacap007]

The timing of this video is funny for me because I recently made the switch to using a NG/poly hybrid earlier this year. I've tried NG in the past and suffered from the same cons you mentioned, particularly the extra power and I couldn't control it. This time around I notched up the tension all the way up to 65lbs for the gut on the mains and pushed the poly crosses to 58. This is me coming from an all poly setup at 55lbs. Pushing the tension all the way up definitely helped me transition to gut easier since I got a stiffer bed but with the playability of gut and my hitting partner noticed my balls were flying faster and flatter. Since then I've been slowly lowering the NG tension to 62lbs without sacrificing my strokes while maintaining my heavy ball. Something worth trying out are the use of string savers in the sweet spot to extend the life of the NG from being sawed by the polys.

[@GrungePopRecords]

Cool. I’ve been using technifibre x-one biphase 1.18mm or 18 gauge at a slightly tighter tension and it feels a lot like natural gut. Kind of magical really. Not using a hybrid set up anymore

[@MJ-zb4lv]

Wishing Marcos a great year. Tough draw at the Aussie Open but that's tennis. Make 2023 great

[@KaruesellHQ]

Absolutely

[@victortubungbanua827]

I just switched to this set up and I've seen a dramatic positive effect. Alot more bite on on spins for both groundies and the serve. Plus serving has also improved. I use the poly on the mains on my Prince OG graphite oversize and it is a match made in heaven. I did have some shots sail but I just had to be sure to use more spin and avoid overhitting. Thank for the informative video! I might not have even considered the switch if I hadn't seen this.

[@18yearsoldnot]

Nice! I used to play with gut a lot but unfortunately I live in a country where the ball gets wet most of the year so the gut just breaks after a couple hits. I recently switched to full poly and found the tension maintenance an absolute nightmare… I could no longer take the ball early unless I cut out the strings and restrung once a month (playing about twice a week)

[@MatthewLust]

That’s about right. 10 hrs is considered the max you should play with poly

[@bretts5571]

I use a high end multi in the mains and poly in the crosses. I like this setup, I get more power, and better on the wrist. The cons would be less control and spin compared to a full bed of poly.

[@CH-yp5by]

Next time put the multi on the crosses and use a softer round poly on the mains like poly pro tour

[@bretts5571]

@@CH-yp5by Ive tried that setup, not for me. I like the playability more with the multi main

[@sebastiandomagala9233]

There is one more thing to mention: If you just play occasionally (winter break, short on time or injury), you can watch your racquet bend over time. Gut holds tension way better than poly. So the racquet has to be restrung quite often, biting in your pocket even more. And tbh: you add something, you lose something. Sometimes you gain more than you give, sometimes it is just a neutral exchange. Gut gives you more power and feel at the cost of money, control and storage. Weather and temperature changes are issues, clay as well. Too many cons for mortals, I will stay with full poly, I tend to overshoot anyway.

[@jatters8696]

currently use Wilson natural gut with tourna Big hitter silver 7 ( utr 9.35 ) and got it’s so good, so much spin & power but yet so much control.

[@KaruesellHQ]

Yep it's controllable power

[@0404019]

I tried Diadem XT 17 and natural gut and it actually gave me more spin then ever along with the free power and feel… it lasted around 2hours of match play tho.

[@michaelp9061]

Could you give us some updates on the Agassi training contents ?

[@mandomerlie1997]

Awesome to hear your thoughts. I loved the VLOGs so thanks for doing that!

[@mickaelben159]

Hi tennishq! Cant wait for your new vcore review!

[@sarahburns1579]

Was waiting for my intro to pop up at some point!!

[@mayw33d]

At 1:51 you said you had the guts on the mains, but definitely looks on the crosses. A few players use them on the mains (Fed, Djoko) but it is mostly used on the crosses on the tour from what I've seen. Looking forward to discussing the new VCore 95. I'm not surprised by the placement of lead on the upper hoop (10" and 2"), this racquet feels very flexible and hollow, I found, when hitting the higher part of the sweet spot. Cheers

[@bryanvaughn80]

another great video karue! i've never hit with gut but it sounds like it could be time! i hope things go well for marcos in dallas!

[@claude7473]

Well done analysis. Lots of good concepts and careful advice. Totally agree with everything. I would only add my own thought on trying it, I said: 'well, life is too short...I should use the best strings. :):):) I use it on mains.

[@peternguyen8275]

Kraue, what did u use this year when u returned to the pro circuit?

[@alexisteha]

I’m 5’10, I switched to gut and my serves improved massively. I felt I could finally hang around guys with similar levels who are around 6’4 and serve bombs. The touch and feel are amazing, drop shots, volleys, slice, yes yes yes. It is a cheat code! Especially on the mains! It does however, lose control and that pocketing from behind the baseline that I love about full poly. So I usually keep a full poly setup in my bag for those off days. I’ve never tried the crosses setup. I know Andy Murray had it that way, and a lot of other pros. They’re great in control rackets that need a lot of player generated power. What tensions did you use?

[@TheTamrielDrunkard]

I really think it depends on your racquet. If you have a smaller head, control oriented racquet, I would probably say go with the polyester on the crosses and the gut on the mains. If you have a larger more powerful head that is more attuned for a spin-friendly game, having polyester in the mains to control that powerful frame makes more sense. In this situation, having gut in the crosses will help soften the racquet, giving it a better feel than a full bed of poly. Of course, this is all down to preference but this is what I have found works well.

[@isenina]

Hybrid with poly should be the way to to go for most rec players ( also multi+ poly).. So many people wants to start with full string poly but they don’t know how to hit properly and produce the heavy ball for which poly has an advantage. To save 20 bucks per month they end up developing arm issues. With a hybrid with poly you can still have good spin so you can learn how to produce heavy balls, you get better power and more feel that helps developing better angles and feel of the ball. Then once one get better and know how To produce and control power and spin can decide if full bed poly Is the way .

[@FromBlocktoBlock]

I use the head extreme mp with gut in the mains and lux 4g in the crosses. Super comfortable and generates massive spin.

[@KaruesellHQ]

So much spin with gut as well!

[@jorgetirado3201]

I'm using the same racquet and feel the same way! which gauge of natural gut do you use? I've been using 17G but I'm wondering if it's better to use 16 gauge mains gut, 17 gauge 4g in the crosses

[@kolev1529]

what are the lowest Lbs reasonable to run in this configuration?

[@1429aniruddha]

My experience of first time ever using gut (full bed of nat. gut on my 2nd racquet) - Warmed up with 1st racquet with my regular poly setup. Switched to my 2nd racquet, about to still hit center-of-the-court rally balls. I start the rally with the usual squash hit.....AND THE BALL GOES STRAIGHT INTO THE FENCE!!!!! I'm like - what the hell!! My hitting partner and my coach both can't stop rofl-ing!!! 😅

[@hkizzle888]

Once you go NG, you never go back to full poly. NG's expensive price pays the actual price for reducing injury down the road

[@jonathanchen1026]

what poly string are you using with your natural gut hybrid setup?

[@Yayorraboloco]

Great video man, thanks.

[@MJ-zb4lv]

Can confirm. Once I made the switch anything else just doesn't allow me to play my best. And if you are a casual player on the fence about paying up for Natural Gut because it is expensive, I use babolat vs gut in the mains with lux alu in crosses and a set last me a really long time. Much longer than you would expect. I have used this setup at varying tensions for years now and I will continue to do so for the rest of my time playing tennis. The gut is also soft on the elbow and shoulder. Of course YMMV but I highly recommended using Natural Gut

[@superdhanshu]

define much longer? 20+ hours of play?

[@DaleSavageAttorneyatLaw]

Did you ever try to play with the gut in the mains to see if you could control it?

[@thomasloper1205]

Gut has amazing feel and power compared to nylon or synthetic gut. But full poly strung loosely will give you a better ball pocket and thus more spin and control. It's harder on the arm and doesn't have the great feel but you can do more with the ball with loose poly.

[@ionikW]

Commenting for the algorithm! Let’s go Karue

[@KaruesellHQ]

Thanks man! Appreciate it

[@vitaliyosadtsov9397]

thanks for the info...how did you get a new model of vcore 95 ...2025?

[@gojwong]

was using a full gut set up but may have to try the hybrid 👌

[@whitemaz3756]

Full gut only under 95in rackets and around 60lbs tension, othetwise u got just a trampoline and no spin! What racket do u play with?

[@regregor]

I switches to hybrid with gut in main. It made a big different for me in power botn on mine groudstrokes (i hit flat) and on mine serves. I’m a 5.5 player. Control is good.

[@dukies0799]

My understanding has always been that gut in the crosses doesn’t make much sense in terms of cost effectiveness/performance. Reason being, most of the spin and playability is coming from the mains and the crosses are just supporting the mains snapping back. So once the poly loses tension quickly, it defeats the purpose of using gut in the crosses. Whereas with gut in the mains, you’re not only getting the advantage of better feel, but also the improved tension maintenance and playability duration due to it continuing to snap back longer. With that being said, I’ve always thought if you were going to use poly in the mains in a hybrid setup, you’d be better off with a multi or syn gut in the crosses to reduce cost without much difference in performance. Thoughts?

[@jorgetirado3201]

Yes agreed - what you’re saying is true.

[@fosho8214]

yeah you can just put nxt or x1 biophase if your doing crosses. obviously it won't be quite the same feel/power as gut but it will be close for crosses.

[@KaruesellHQ]

What you are saying maybe right but in practice we can feel the performance in both ways. Lots of pro players use it in the crosses. A reason I see is too much topspin when using it on the mains. For players who like to drive the ball and have some control, having it on the crosses creates enough of a difference to make it worth it. Don't get too hung up on the technical aspects of it, players go by feel and if it feels right and the performance is good then that's what they will do

[@dimitrisrapos7612]

I agree - I have tried this myself. If you want to keep your poly in the mains you can get a little boost on power and feel by using a multifilament instead. Although some multis might be just 5-10 quid cheaper than gut

[@jorgetirado3201]

@@KaruesellHQ pros can put the gut in the crosses when they get the strings free - if I was fine playing with it for around 6-8 hours and had unlimited funds, I would love the poly main/gut cross set up. But after that it locks up and would need to be cut out, so isn't worth it in my opinion

[@warrenmiller2044]

I love the Yonex models. Maybe make a video on Vcore vs Ezone? Or the new one

[@jonathanchen1026]

Isn’t it bad for string breakers? And also you have to take care of where you store your rackets. The temperature and environment can affect the strings.

[@TheTamrielDrunkard]

I'm using the head pro tour 2.0 right now, the remake of the pro tour 280. After using a full luxilon alu power setup for over a decade on various racquets, I was finding in this new racquet that the polyester made the stick feel really dead. I switched to a gut/lux hybrid with gut on the mains and it made it instantly feel like a different racquet. I typically am not playing with people who can hit as hard as me so having the extra power allows me to really hit through the ball and dictate the points, however if I was playing with someone who hits the ball as hard as I do on a regular basis or with a large amount of spin I think I might be more inclined to go with the polyester on the mains so that I can use more spin to control their power.

[@thkjh]

Hey I got my new Babolat Pure Strike 100 what kinda string u would recommend me plz help me out

[@Javi_C]

Thanks for sharing

[@MJ-zb4lv]

I find Wilson's gut a tad more powerful than Babolat. You can't go wrong with either but Babolat is my preferred gut. It's a little more "crisp" feeling whereas I found the WIlson pockets the ball more. Give both a shot

[@A-Rog23]

Maybe consciously or subconsciously I kinda emulated your set up karue 😂 head lynx tour(or whatever poly) in the mains and synthetic gut in the crosses of my vcore 98+ at 58 lbs. been an all poly guy forever, and switched for the past few months! Great breakdown of the hybrid experience!

[@KaruesellHQ]

Lol let's go!

[@felipegomezdelcampo4575]

Did you paint your VCore orange? What type of paint do you use? Doesn’t it peel off when the ball hits the frame?

[@soundoflasers]

What an endorsement!

[@ultimoprimo6253]

Very good the natural gut.....thanks...........can you speak of the custom in vcore 95 2021 (Giron) and the one you put on the vcore 95 2023 orange.....why is the lead only put on one side?

[@mteca5093]

Why did Giron switch to yellow yonex ptp? What guage is it n tension?Will you switch?

[@ArjunDevnani]

Hey Karue, is there any multifilament string that you find plays closest to or somewhat similar to gut? Thanks!

[@Dragonlord9]

How much of gut in length be used each time in your setup? How many strungs per pack with your setup? What is used vertical and horizontal in your setup? Thx!

[@peterlappland]

Its a new world, I play X one Biphase but will do Gut on comps=)

[@samackin6032]

Dude I’m shocked you weren’t popping strings for as hard as you hit and serve! I love gut but price IS a factor even if I use half set. But I do miss the buttery soft pocketing and as you said the power I could easily generate. My current setup is full bed poly of Volkl Cyclone Tour and as long as I keep the tension on lower side, I get very good spin and pop. And the string is a steal at around $9 set.

[@FMD023]

And 100% of pro have one thing in common. They have more money over recreational players to pay for natural gut or even free because of sponsorship

[@julianchiu8893]

Every video lately has been Karue talking about his professional career and whether or not he should go pro again. Do it! You already have a fan base!

[@KaruesellHQ]

Hahah the itch is real, especially being around high level tennis, but the reality of it is a lot different. Playing a 25k UTR event in three weeks to start

[@julianchiu8893]

@@KaruesellHQ Please blog it and commentary on (if you can) the full match(es) - I enjoy watching Simon Freund's videos he does of tournaments he plays. He just did a 25k as well in the last few weeks.

[@jacopoV1984]

Hey prof - whats the durability compared to an average poly string? Thanks!

[@spyghetti]

Gut/Poly FTW definitely if you have arm issues, just the feel you get is amazing over and over, like you said the power, easy power relaxed. I don't know if I would use it in an 'open' pattern racquet (spin) or high launch might be a bit harder to control but maybe not for me it worked well in the older pure strike and pro staff, I went all synth for awhile but when I went gut/poly it was like the best blend and easy on my elbow when I was learning still but struggling with over hitting my serves.. definitely $$ but worth a try because tension maintenance vs some poly's dying in like a few hours or getting erratic.

[@slowbot68]

don't stop the vlogs with marcos though eyy. looking forward to new vcore review

[@KaruesellHQ]

I don’t want to but algorithm doesn’t like it ahha

[@Techno98Rocker]

Did you use that setup when you were testing the Tecnifibre TFight ISO 305?

[@fxanimator1]

I can’t wait for your thoughts on the new VCore 95. I am trying out now. I used natural gut mains and 4G in the crosses. So far I love it.