Which String Gauge Should You Use?
Every player’s needs and preferences are different. With this in mind, there are a variety of factors you can keep in mind when evaluating strings and determining which is best for you.
Types of String
The type of string your using frequently has an impact on the gauge that you choose. Here’s a brief look at the different types of strings:
- Natural Gut: high power, comfort, tension mantience, exceptional feel, prone to breakage, and susceptible to moisture
- Synthetic Gut: mid-range tennis strings offering well-rounded performance across the board, typically lack durability
- Multifilament: the synthetic alternative to natural gut, these strings offer power, comfort, and hold their tension well
- Polyester: low powered spin-friendly strings that are stiff and durable, but tend to lose their tension quicker than other strings
- Kevlar: the most durable strings that maintain their tension well
As you read the descriptions, it might begin to click why you might consider a higher or lower gauge for each.
As an example, you might string with a lower gauge (thicker) tennis string if you’re using synthetic or natural gut to help increase the durability or life of your strings. Whereas, if you’re using polyester strings, you may opt for a higher gauge (thinner) option to help maximize spin.
Budget
If you can’t afford to string your racquet frequently, I’d also recommend you string with a thicker low gauge string to help avoid breakage and increase the longevity of your strings.
Racquet stringing can be expensive, especially when you take into consideration the labor to string your racquet. You can go thicker, but 16 will usually do the trick while helping maintain solid playability and potential for spin.
If you want to play with a thinner gauge, but budget is a concern, you may want to consider the use of string savers to get the benefit of a higher gauge without breaking the bank.
Frequency of Play
Another factor to consider is your frequency of play. If you’re playing only twice a month, then you might not be as concerned with longevity, so you may be comfortable stringing with a higher gauge.
After all, you’ll still want to replace your strings on a semi-regular basis since strings naturally lose their tension and liveliness over time.
On the other hand, if you’re playing five days a week and you can’t afford to restring every week, then you might want to use a lower gauge to increase the life of your strings.
Level of Play
If you’re learning how to play tennis, then I’d recommend you start with a thicker inexpensive string like synthetic gut.
When you’re just getting started, you’ll unlikely be able to notice the subtle differences between a higher or lower gauge string. However, you will be more likely to appreciate the extra durability of a lower gauge string that doesn’t break easily and limits your restringing frequency.
As a result, for beginners, I’d recommend 16 gauge (1.26 to1.34 mm) to start. Over time as your skills develop, you’ll find your appreciation for strings do too.
If you’re intermediate to advanced, then I’d recommend you experiment with different gauges to get a feel for the change in performance. There’s no right or wrong answer – instead, keep the pros and cons in mind, and let your preferences drive your decision making.
Style of Play
Once you cross over to an intermediate level of play, you’ll begin to develop a style. Examples of different styles include Rafael Nadal’s aggressive baseline play or Roger Federer’s all-court fineness play.
In the case of Nadal, he hits with an incredible amount of topspin and uses a 15 gauge polyester tennis string from Babolat called RPM Blast.
Federer, on the other hand, doesn’t hit with as much topspin, but has an impressive arsenal of shots and regularly plays from all areas of the court. He strings a hybrid setup with 16 gauge natural gut in the mains and 17 gauge polyester in the crosses, which brings us to our next point.
Hybrid Stringing
There aren’t rules when it comes to hybrid stringing, where one type of string is used for the mains and another for the crosses.
However, it’s common for players to use a different gauge for each based on the characteristics the strings offer, as Federer does.
Comfort
When it comes to gauge and stringbed stiffness, which impacts comfort, studies have been inconclusive. In other words, different strings will offer more comfort at higher or lower gauges.
With that said, you’ll have to be the judge when you find a string you like and experiment with different gauges. However, if you’re after comfort, the type of string you’re using, and the tension you’re stringing have a material impact that is worthy of consideration.
How Do You Know What You’re Buying?
String manufacturers always label their strings with the gauge or measurement in millimeters. Here are a few examples of string packages with the gauge of the string highlighted.
Sometimes you’ll see the millimeters expressed as a whole number, i.e., instead of 1.30, you’ll see it shown as 130, as you’ll find with many Babolat string packages.
What strings & tension stay freshest the longest.
Hey Rob,
Thank you for your question. Generally, natural gut tennis strings will stay “freshest” the longest. However, due to their price and lack of durability, they’re not always the greatest option for players. You might find it helpful to check out the following two articles that cover natural gut tennis strings:
As far as tension goes, natural gut strings will stay fresh or lively for most any racquet when strung roughly within the tension recommended by the racquet manufacturer. You can find this recommended tension within the throat of most tennis racquets.
If you’re looking for a new set of strings you might want to check out our article on the different types of tennis string.
Hopefully, this helps!
All the best,
Jon
Very nice article
HiAnkesh,
Thanks for taking the time to share the positive feedback!
It’s much appreciated.
All the best,
Jon
With 19 gauge strings does the tension affect the spin potential?
Hi Bill,
Great question. Yes, to a certain degree, tension does impact spin potential for polyester tennis strings. Polys have a unique attribute where they quickly snap back into place as you strike the ball. This snapback effect provides a small incremental improvement to your topspin, which is believed to increase slightly at lower tensions.
You can read all about tension and spin potential here.
All the best,
Jon
Hi! How do I know on what tension should I play with?
Hi Andres,
To get the full rundown, check out my guide on string tension.
Let me know if you have any follow-up questions.
All the best,
Jon
I just demo raquet, liked it and purchased. Unfortunately strings on the demo were not available and a close substitute was provided. However , they are a 18 gauge. i do notice the diff from demo. I like the spin but after 4 separate 1 hour hits, my arm is killing me. Is it the strings?????
thanks for all
Hi Mike,
It’s more likely that the type of string would be the culprit than the thinner 18 gauge you’re using Can you share the name of the substitute string? Beyond the string, your racquet would have a substantial impact on shock and vibration and, therefore, comfort. Perhaps you can share the racquet you purchases too, and I can give you a full run-down on my thoughts.
All the best,
Jon
Great to see the in depth analysis on the string pattern and it as a factor in the game. Thanks very much
Hi Lincoln,
Thanks for the positive vibes. Glad you enjoyed the resource.
All the best,
Jon
Hi,
If you could kindly help me over this.
I am hard hitter with heavy topspin. I am currently using a pair of Wilson Prostaff 100LS raqcuets with a 16×15 pattern. I play 6 days a week. With two hours every day.
I have used Head Competetion2, Wilson Power strings but I end up breaking them every third day. I use a tension of 62-64 LBS which is 30-31Kgs.
I wonder which strings should I use to avoid spending in heaps. Please recommend 5-6 Grades and their brands which I can find in India.
On the contrary, at times I also use my older pair of Wilson Prostaff 5.0 Midplus, which has dense string pattern and I end up hitting with these two strings for more than 20 days on one racquet. With fabulous punch and topspin. Unfortunately due to heavier frame i cant use it now for a timely backhand.
I am 33, kindly recommend me the best. I am also suffering from an elbow.
Thanks a lot for your presence for us.
Arjav.
Hi Arjav,
Thanks for sharing. From what I can gather, it sounds like you have two issues you’re experiencing.
There are a few things I’d recommend you’d consider. First, between the two tennis racquets, I’d stick with your Wilson ProStaff 100LS, which features a lower stiffness rating of 63 (compared to 74 for the 5.0), and it’s lighter. It should help prevent a bit of discomfort you’re experiencing.
I’d also consider alternative tennis strings. For now, I’m going to assume you want to stick with a hybrid string setup, so I’ll provide more durable options while keeping comfort in mind.
As far as durability goes:
With regards to comfort, you might consider switching up your polyester string too. Polyesters aren’t known for their comfort, but some deliver more than others. A few to check out include Head Sonic Pro Edge, Tourna Big Hitter Black 7, and Dunlop Black Widow.
I made some assumptions in those recommendations based on what you shared. If there’s anything you want to clear up so I can provide a bit more info, please let me know.
Lastly, I hope these strings are available in your area :) Unfortunately, I’m not as familiar with what you’re going to be able to find in India. Good luck in your search!
All the best,
Jon
Question: if I use a multifilament string (Tecnifibre MultiFeel) and I string 16g at 52lbs. At what tension would I string 17g string… to have the same sort of feel as the 16g… tighter or looser… and how many lbs difference…? Thanks.
Hi William,
Unfortunately, what you’d be trying to mimic (stiffness of the stringbed) differs from string to string. That is, some strings are stiffer at thinner gauges, while others at lower gauges.
Because of this, combined with the fact that a thinner gauge will inherently feel different makes this question tricky to answer without taking measurements for this string at varying tensions.
With that said, you’ll need to test it out. My recommendation would be to start by stringing the 17 gauge 2-3 pounds tighter. If that works, you’re golden. If not, you’ll have to try 2-3 pounds looser and see how it feels. Ultimately, you won’t end up with the same feel, perhaps just similar.
I wish I could give a more direct answer, but hopefully, this helps point you in the right direction.
All the best,
Jon
I just started playing with 17 gauge after many years of automatically using 16. My first time playing with the 17 gauge immediately I noticed better touch and feel on the ball, especially with drop shots. This said, I also noticed that ground strokes tended to go a little long, like an inch or so. I know my technique has something to do with this, but… I know there is a rule / guideline about stringing poly 10% lower than say multifilament. Is there also a rule / guideline when changing gauges. At 16 gauge I was stringing at 50lbs. At 17 gauge, I wish I had strung it at 52 or maybe more. Is there a rule / guideline when changing gauge by one level?
Hi Robert,
Your question falls into a similar category as William’s above – it’s tricky to answer :)
Ultimately, what you’d’ be trying to mimic is the stiffness of the stringed. However, some strings will string up stiffer at higher tensions while others will string up stiffer at lower tensions, which makes it difficult to put hard and fast rules in place for players when switching the gauge of their string.
However, instead of focusing on tension as it relates to gauge, my recommendation would be to consider the effect of changing tension independent of gauge. In your case, you’re finding your shots are sailing slightly long.
Based on what we know about tension, you’d want to bump it up 2-3 pounds to prevent hitting long. Higher tensions result in a stiffer stringbed, which decreases the launch angle of the ball resulting in less perceived power and more control.
Good luck – would love to hear how things work out.
All the best,
Jon
what strings,gauge and tension would you recommend for a Wilson triad three that’s kind to a tennis elbow sufferer
Hi Al,
I wouldn’t worry too much about gauge when it comes to comfort and your tennis elbow. However, I would recommend a slightly lower tension, and more importantly, a softer multifilament tennis string if you’re not already using one.
A few, I’d recommend:
Good luck and I hope your tennis elbow gets better.
All the best,
Jon