Zymax strings

[ndavies]

Normally I play with Yonex BG66 or Ashaway PowerGut66. I'm nearing the end of my supply of both so I thought I'd give ZyMax 62 a go before I order my next load of string. I'm not a fan of the new trend of hard feeling Yonex strings (BG75Ti is the worst string ever made) and have always liked the softer feel of Ashaway strings.

Yesterday I strung an Arc10 with ZyMax 62 @ 24/26lb - 1lb less than my usual for PG66/BG66 given its thinness. This has to be the one of the easiest strings to string a racket with - smooth, thin and firm Although the smallness of the knots gives me some concerns...

Trained with it this morning and gave it the full workout. Felt as the shuttle was really popping off the strings nicely on drives, touch felt good on pushes and net shots and overall control was good. During my smashing routine (strings regularly perish during this and the occasional racket) and managed to wind up to full power with it and surprisingly the strings managed to hold, although I did not have any full-power mis-hits Strings felt good, the sweet-spot was a good size and power was excellent.

Lets see how long they last. As I string my own rackets, durability is not my biggest concern, I may just string up more for tournaments

[DinkAlot]

I'm not a fan of the new trend of hard feeling Yonex strings (BG75Ti is the worst string ever made) and have always liked the softer feel of Ashaway strings.

You might be in a a slight quandary as ZM62 is very stiff, BG66 = medium, PG66 = soft. Perhaps it's not the stiffness of the string but just the overall "feel".

If you like a medium to softer feeling, you should try MicroPower, that may become your favorite string.

[kwun]

If you are into softer strings, try zm67 instead. IMHO it has all the popness of zm62 but slightly softer but without as much feel.

[ndavies]

Normally I play with Yonex BG66 or Ashaway PowerGut66. I'm nearing the end of my supply of both so I thought I'd give ZyMax 62 a go before I order my next load of string. I'm not a fan of the new trend of hard feeling Yonex strings (BG75Ti is the worst string ever made) and have always liked the softer feel of Ashaway strings.

Yesterday I strung an Arc10 with ZyMax 62 @ 24/26lb - 1lb less than my usual for PG66/BG66 given its thinness. This has to be the one of the easiest strings to string a racket with - smooth, thin and firm Although the smallness of the knots gives me some concerns...

Trained with it this morning and gave it the full workout. Felt as the shuttle was really popping off the strings nicely on drives, touch felt good on pushes and net shots and overall control was good. During my smashing routine (strings regularly perish during this and the occasional racket) and managed to wind up to full power with it and surprisingly the strings managed to hold, although I did not have any full-power mis-hits Strings felt good, the sweet-spot was a good size and power was excellent.

Lets see how long they last. As I string my own rackets, durability is not my biggest concern, I may just string up more for tournaments

And they broke hitting a clear warming up next time I played. I think I will try 67mains and 62cross, as recommended by Alan.

[3radius]

tried a zm67 at 26.5lbs on my zelm pp9990. the initial hit feels soft but overall it's good string for the price. i just wish it was little rougher like the bg80.

[LD rules!]

I think I am going to try ZM70, for my doubles racket, currently I am using 28lbs, for doubles, should I go to 30lbs ? Also what is the best colour for performance ?

Anyone ?

[jerby]

I like white the best, silver and yellow feel softer.
If you use bg80 at 28lbs, I'd string zm70 at 30-31lbs or so. if you string bg65 at 28. then zm70 at 28 should be fine.

[LD rules!]

I like white the best, silver and yellow feel softer.
If you use bg80 at 28lbs, I'd string zm70 at 30-31lbs or so. if you string bg65 at 28. then zm70 at 28 should be fine.

thanks for this, I will try it at 30, and see where it gets me, if it is durable, then I will defienetly try it at 31-32 possibly.

[kwun]

strung ZM70 on a AT700 @ 25x26. i have another AT700 strung with BG80 @ 25x26 also and was able to do A/B compare. ZM70 feels horrible. no feel, dull, not repulsive at all. every shot just end up with a thud and all power gone. i am even tempted to just cut it off, which is very rare for me.

This is an ideal example of why everyone is different and prefers different things. Quite a few people say Panda hits hardest when he uses ZM70. Panda gets an extremely loud, deep, "BOOM!" with ZM70.

But then again Panda is not a smasher, he's a dinker so he prefers ZM62.

well guess what.

i procrastinated. and i am glad i did. after nearly 2 months having the ZM70 sitting on the AT700 after even Janet says it sucks. i took it out again and played it, and it felt TOTALLY different.

now there is power, there is pop, there is feel, defense was awesome as it is softer feel.

all the badness is gone.

and as a result, i am totally lost. what happened? did all the tension loss make the difference?

it still feel different than ZM62 and ZM67. it is more dull and soft than ZM62, but slightly more solid than ZM67.

it sounds totally different too. there is a BOOM, but at the same time, there is also a CRACK. my friend says the string sounds like it has snapped everytime i hit.

[DinkAlot]

now there is power, there is pop, there is feel, defense was awesome as it is softer feel.

all the badness is gone.

and as a result, i am totally lost. what happened? did all the tension loss make the difference?

it sounds totally different too. there is a BOOM, but at the same time, there is also a CRACK. my friend says the string sounds like it has snapped everytime i hit.

Yes, maybe you need lower the tension at the start...but then after awhile the tension will drop.

Now you see how hard it is for Panda to rate equipment? Especially string because it has to be tried many times at different tension to get a true feel and understanding of the string.

Panda had a similar situation with Victor's VS850. Panda strung the same blue VS850 at 30 and 33lbs. respectively on two T2s both 84.5g, BP290. Initially the 30lbs. one played spot on and the 33lbs. was numb, stiff...too tight. Panda didn't touch the rackets for about 3 weeks and then tried both again and the 30lbs. one played only good at best and the 33lbs. one was spot on!

Panda suspected that tension was the cause so strung two other T2s at 30 and 33 again, initially, again the 30 was great, 33 a bit too tight, dead feeling. Continued to use them and the 30 got worse and worse while the 33 got better and better. Finally, Panda strung one more at 30 and initially it was great, let the 30 sit for a week and then it was softer, not nearly as good...again.

Conclusion: For Panda, VS850 is ideal around 29-30lbs. Any lower, it doesn't feel nearly as crisp nor as good. At 33lbs. the string does not flex much and is too stiff. But stringing it at 33 and letting it drop to 29-30, it's ideal. Go figure.

[kwun]

the racket was originally strung for Janet. she likes stiff racket at 25/26. my regular tension is 24/24 but being a thicker string, i thought it would be ok to be higher tension. (now she took my T2 and really love it. i don't think i am ever getting it back )

most strings just get looser while the overall feel are the same. the interesting part is how this ZM70 is that it went from really liveless, dead, powerless, to something completely opposite.

[DinkAlot]

(now she took my T2 and really love it. i don't think i am ever getting it back )

No worries, Panda has more and just wait for the new PRECISION, she may like even more.

most strings just get looser while the overall feel are the same. the interesting part is how this ZM70 is that it went from really liveless, dead, powerless, to something completely opposite.

Well, for Panda, ZM70 only plays OK at lower tension but at 31-33lbs. it's excellent. Yes, everyone is different.

[LD rules!]

Panda had a similar situation with Victor's VS850. Panda strung the same blue VS850 at 30 and 33lbs. respectively on two T2s both 84.5g, BP290. Initially the 30lbs. one played spot on and the 33lbs. was numb, stiff...too tight. Panda didn't touch the rackets for about 3 weeks and then tried both again and the 30lbs. one played only good at best and the 33lbs. one was spot on!

Panda suspected that tension was the cause so strung two other T2s at 30 and 33 again, initially, again the 30 was great, 33 a bit too tight, dead feeling. Continued to use them and the 30 got worse and worse while the 33 got better and better. Finally, Panda strung one more at 30 and initially it was great, let the 30 sit for a week and then it was softer, not nearly as good...again.

Conclusion: For Panda, VS850 is ideal around 29-30lbs. Any lower, it doesn't feel nearly as crisp nor as good. At 33lbs. the string does not flex much and is too stiff. But stringing it at 33 and letting it drop to 29-30, it's ideal. Go figure.

What was the durability of VS850, at 30-33lbs, or did you cut it out before it snapped ?
And the durability of ZM70, what's that like ?

[DinkAlot]

What was the durability of VS850, at 30-33lbs, or did you cut it out before it snapped ?
And the durability of ZM70, what's that like ?

Durability: ZM70 is on par with BG65, maybe even a tad bit better.

VS850 at 30-33lbs. has been durable so far. Haven't broken one yet but also haven't been using it much because testing many rackets with many different strings.