Category Archives: Tecnifibre
Strings are made to Work (and wear out)!
If tennis strings are doing what they should, they will wear out!
What happens between the time strings are installed and the time they need to be replaced?
- Strings are under tension (stress)
- Strings are subject to fatigue due to hits
- Strings are subject to frictional notching due to sliding
- Strings are elastic but will lose tension
- Strings break
All of the above actions are subject to many variables, of course!
- String Bed Pattern (16×19, 18×20,,,)
- Sring Bed Size (90, 95, 98, 100, 110… square inch)
- Racquet head speed
- Racquet head angle
- String wear
- Environment (wet, dry, hot, cold…)
What does this actually look like, though?
This will give an idea of what a really good wear pattern will look like
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- COP View
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- Full String Bed
after about ten (10) weeks of use. This is a 17-gauge multifilament in a 98-square-inch head size at a reference tension of 55 pounds (24.9kg).
In fact, the COF (coefficient of friction) is greater than when the string was fresh!
COF_ M: 23%, X: 31.5% greater! This means if you have the nerve (no fear of breaking string), you can continue to play and enjoy the grabbing of the ball by the tiny tentacles that get caught in the ball fuzz.
This will not last forever, though!
COP View
This wear pattern is typical of high-quality multifilament strings.
When making a string selection, think about how long you want the string to perform well, not necessarily how long it will stay in your racquet.
If you need some ideas, go to our String Frequency Calculator. This will give you some high performance stringing cycle recommendations.
Have fun … and use up your string!
Can Your String do This?
Of course, your string can fail, but can it retain the elasticity of this one?
The string is Tecnifibre HDMX, which is in their PolyFusion Series.
This is a terrific selection for players seeking comfort and a reasonable Power Potential of 8.76!
With a string bed stiffness of 137.8, this racquet will deliver a whopping power index of ≈12.5 when striking the ball!
In this case, the open string pattern contributes to comfort and ball grabbing.
The string exhibits so much elasticity that its long-term performance will not suffer due to premature tension loss and low string bed stiffness.
By the way, the racquet is the latest Head Extreme MPL. This racquet and string combination is a winner!
We can help!
A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words?
Yesterday @ the World Headquarters was full of interesting stringing! So we decided to do some testing of some of the strings that were just waiting to be broken!
The chosen strings are Ashaway MonoGut ZX Pro 17, Tecnifibre Triax 17, and Volkl V-Star 18—three totally different materials. Our purpose is to determine a string’s properties before it goes into a tennis racquet. Our testing quantifies these properties, and then the “feel” component comes from the player.
A 1000 Words?
We normally do not do more than two (2) overlays because it is a little messy, but these strings begged to be compared, so here it is!
Our Questron can cycle automatically, so the stop points are pretty precise. All strings are cycled from two (2) pounds to fifty (50) pounds and then until they fail or ultimate tensile strength (UTS).
In the Displacement axis (X), the shorter the distance in mm to 50 ponds, the stiffer the string. The straighter the line is to fail, the more consistent the feeling until failure.
The testing confirms that Tecnifibre Triax does contain some stiffer fibers. The other strings are monofilaments, so there are no fibers.
Racquet Quest uses a bunch of each of these strings for obvious reasons and, of course, depending on the player.
Tecnifibre TF40 305/16M
Tecnifibre has introduced the new TF40 series in a very much appreciated 16 x 19 string pattern! The 18 x 20 pattern is a good one but we think it may intimidate some potential buyers.
This initial review is for the 305 series, with 305 being the gram weight of the unstrung racquet, in case you didn’t know!
As with all the Tecnifibre racquets we have been in contact with this new one looks to be very well done with some subtle details that are interesting.
One is the textured decal on the “Tecnifibre” side of the shaft. It is obvious to the touch and we think it adds to the overall aesthetic of the racquet. Another one is the slightly asymmetrical terminus of the shaft at the grip top. It is barely noticeable but I like it!
One of the additions to the series is the “Foam Inside” component. Some players really like the “feel” of foam-filled racquets and this one is filled to the brim! Since it is filled with foam Tecnifibre does not see the need for a “trap door” on the butt cap, so if any work needs to be done back there the butt cap needs to come off. I don’t think there will be much needed so the solid butt cap eliminates the potential for “buzzing” which has plagued some racquet models.
The TF40 305 is a thin beam, 22mm all the way from the grip top to the very tip of the racquet. with a box shaft and an elliptical head cross-section.
Tecnifibre TF40 305 16×19
Foam Inside
Tecnifibre TF40 305
| Manufacturer | Tecnifibre |
|---|---|
| Racquet Model | Tecnifibre TF40 305/16M |
| Reference Tension | 55 lbs - 24.9 kg |
| String | Ashaway MonoGut ZX Pro |
| Machine Used | True Tension Professional |
| ASPS, RDC | 55.0 |
| ASPS, FlexFour | 65.0 |
| Racquet Flex, RDC | 64 - After stringing |
| Racquet Flex, FlexFour | 54.0 |
| Racquet - In Plane Stiffness | 378.2 lbs/Inch |
| Weight, Grams | 328 |
| Weight, Ounces | 11.57 |
| Balance, mm | 330 |
| Balance, Inch | 12.99 |
| Length, Cm | 68.6 |
| Length, Inch | 27.008 |
| Head Width | 9.59 |
| Head Length | 12.82 |
| Head Area, cm2 | 622.9 |
| Head Area, Sq. Inch | 96.5 |
| Number of Main Strings | 16 |
| Number of Cross Strings | 19 |
| Ratio Cross/Mains | .630 |
| Main String Grid | 7.125 |
| Cross String Grid | 9.75 |
| Density (% of head filled with string) | .669 |
| Average Cross String Space | .496 |
| Average Main String Space | .429 |
| Dynamic Tension, Kp, ERT | 35 |
| Dynamic Tension, Lbs/in | 195.76 |
| First Moment, Nm | .837 |
| Polar Moment | 334 |
| Torsional Stability | 14 |
| Swing Weight, Kg/cm2 | 320 |
| Swing Weight, Ounces | 11.29 |
| Swing Weight Calculated | 357.2 |
| Power, RDC | 48 |
| Control, RDC | 53 |
| Manueverability, RDC | 73 |
| Power, Calculated | 1997.1 |
| Head Points | 4.09 |
| Head Weight, % | 48.1% |
| Center of Percussion | 20.6 |
| Dwell Time, ms | 8.58 |
| Efective Stiffness - lbs | 29.6 |
| K, Lb/In | 195.76 |
| Recoil Weight | 146.89 |
| Twist Weight | 228.20 |
| End Weight | 128.8 |
| Tip Weight | 199.2 |
| 9 O'Clock | 99.1 |
| 3 O'Clock | 99.2 |
| Butt Cap | 128.9 |
Racquet Quest, LLC
