5 Best Synthetic Tennis Strings for Your Arm
In this post, I highlight five of the Best Synthetic Tennis Strings for preventing arm pain and tennis elbow.
Tennis elbow might be considered a tennis player’s worst enemy, since more than 50% of tennis players will experience the pain associated with this condition. Tennis elbow is caused by the repetitive motions of tennis. Over time, the tendons in the arm develop small tears which results in inflammation in the arm and considerable pain.
Other than stopping play entirely, there are no true treatments for tennis elbow; however, there are several ways to prevent it. One of the most effective actions in preventing arm trouble is to string your racquets with a soft, arm-friendly string. Those well-versed in tennis strings know that natural gut strings are the best strings for your arm; however, are by far the most expensive strings on the market. Luckily, there are many synthetic strings on the market that mimic natural gut and are much less costly. Here are the 5 Best Synthetic Tennis Strings for Your Arm.
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Best Multifilament Strings (Updated for 2021)
The Silk Pro is new to Dunlop’s line of tennis strings. The Silk Pro is a multifilament string constructed of tiny filaments and covered in an outer coating of polyurethane to increase its durability and power while offering more shock absorption. The added durability is a plus for those who break strings often and will lessen the arm effects of playing with worn strings.
The composition of tiny filaments seeks to provide a very close second to the comfort and feel of a natural gut string. Tennis Express claims that Dunlop’s Silk Pro “is the closest the company (Dunlop) has come to emulating natural gut-like feel.” If you’re looking for a string that offers the comfort and stability of natural gut without the steep natural gut price point, Dunlop’s new Silk Pro strings may be the answer.
- Length: 40ft/12m
- Composition: Multifilament
- Color: Natural
The Wilson NXT (highlighted below in our 2018 best multifilament string recommendations) is one of the most popular and best-selling tennis strings of all time. Further improving upon the string, Wilson released the Wilson NXT Soft tennis string, an updated version of the Wilson NXT, which offers even more comfort for those seeking an arm-friendly tennis string.
One update to the string is the elongation of the soft fibers with a claimed 30% increase in elongation. This creates deeper ball pocketing and more feel as the ball is in contact with the strings for a longer period of time. Though a softer string then NXT, the NXT Soft provides even more power behind the ball. The softer strings allow for increased shock absorption, a critical piece to an arm-friendly tennis string. This string is a great option for a full bed of strings or in combination with another string to create a more arm-friendly hybrid bed of strings.
- Length: 40ft/12m
- Composition: Multifilament
- Color: Blue or silver
Founded in 2015, Diadem is relatively new to the tennis scene. New can be good though, as Diadem has proven to be one of the biggest innovators when it comes to tennis equipment. The Diadem Impulse string is no exception to the innovative track record the company holds.
Diadem’s Impulse is a multifilament string that offers extreme comfort and softness while not holding back on power and spin. The non-friction coating of the string helps players get the most spin out of their shots. If you’re looking for an arm-friendly string without sacrificing power and spin, Diadem Impulse might be the solution for you. Tenniswarehouse customer and Diadem Impulse user, Richard, had this to say about the string: “Ok, this is the best string I’ve used since my rotary cuff surgery […] The pop off the strings is so responsive a must buy if you have an elbow/shoulder problem.”
- Length: 40ft/12.2m
- Composition: Multifilament
- Color: Blue
Head Reflex MLT offers a plush bed of strings for an arm-friendly experience without sacrificing power or touch. This is achieved through its 1,300 fibers bonded with a flexible PU resin. The outer coating is mixed with a low-friction additive to aid the strings durability. The strings construction provides a large sweet spot and reduced harsh vibrations from off-center hits and mishit cuts at the ball.
The string has been described as a combination of the Wilson NXT and Tecnifibre NRG2, which I mentioned above. Expert product testers at Tenniswarehouse rated Head Reflex MLT a 91/100 in terms of comfortability.
- Length: 40ft/12.2m
- Composition: Multifilament
- Color: Natural
It’s no coincidence that this is the third string from Tecnifibre on our list; the company really knows how to build a comfortable string.
The Tecnifibre TGV employs thousands of microfibers bonded with polyurethane 400, which makes up 45% of the string. This composition creates a power-packed and comfort filled experience. Additionally, the string can stretch 400% its length to decrease those harsh vibrations; however, doesn’t feel mushy like other soft multifilament strings can feel. The outer coating of Silicone Pyrogene Lubritec serves to increase durability and reduce string notching. After being play tested by 37 players, Tennis Industry Magazine gave Tecnifibre TGV the third highest comfortability ranking out of the 122 strings they have tested.
- Length: 40ft/12.2m
- Composition: Multifilament Polyamide
- Color: Natural
Synthetic Tennis String Recommendations (2018-2019)
Looking to save a few dollars on the best synthetic gut strings? You can see some of my older recommendations, which in some cases have experienced a nice price drop since their initial release.
Wilson NXT
One of Wilson’s best-selling strings of all time, NXT is a multifilament string made from micro fibers and bonded together by polyurethane. This construction and coating protect the arm by dampening harsh vibrations caused by hitting the ball. In addition, the string technology offers a 10% larger sweet spot, further preventing harsh vibrations. Wilson NXT is one of the closest synthetic strings to a natural gut on the market, for half the price of the real deal. Even though it’s a softer string, NXT does not sacrifice any power. Professional tennis player Madison Keys has trusted Wilson NXT on tour for years.
- Length: 40ft/12.2m
- Composition: Multifilament
- Color: Natural
Tecnifibre X-One Biphase
Known as the official string brand of the ATP World Tour, Tecnifibre is a widely known and used brand of tennis strings. Like the string above, X-One Biphase is a multifilament string coated with polyurethane. Additionally, Tecnifibre uses an innovative chemical treatment on this string known as Trimerization. This process creates an extremely soft, arm-friendly string while also extending the durability of the string. Tennis Industry Magazine editor, Greg Raven, had this to say after testing the string: “X-One Biphase didn’t just score first overall in the comfort category, it far surpassed our previous first-place string.”
- Length: 40ft/12.2m
- Composition: Multifilament
- Color: Natural/Red
Babolat Xcel
Babolat has quickly risen to be one of the most popular racquet and string producers among amateurs and professionals alike. Babolat Excel, a multifilament string, is a blessing to players that have problems with tennis elbow. Like many synthetics close to natural gut, Excel is constructed of many micro fibers bonded by polyurethane. Recently updated, Babolat Excel’s new formula increases the strings durability, meaning players get more playing time out of the string for less money. Though soft and comfortable, Babolat Excel is responsive and provides a nice pop on the ball. Expert testers at Tennis Warehouse gave this string an 86 out of 100 for comfort.
- Length: 40ft/12.2m
- Composition: Multifilament
- Color: Natural/Blue
Prince Premier Touch
Prince Premier Touch is a multifilament string with top of the line vibration dampening and one of the softest strings available. The string is produced with a twisted ribbons construction that closely mimics the serosa ribbons found in natural gut, providing ultimate softness and comfort. The best feature of this string is its price point of $14, over three times less expensive than natural gut strings. Prince Premier Touch has a large sweet-spot and pockets the ball very well when making contact. Expert testers at Tennis Warehouse gave this string a 97 out of 100 for comfort, making it one of the best scores given in that category.
- Length: 40ft/12.2m
- Composition: Multifilament
- Color: Natural/Clear
Tecnifibre NRG2
Last, but certainly not least, is another line of string from Tecnifibre. NRG2 by Tecnifibre is a multifilament that plays extremely close to a natural gut. This closeness is made possible by its 1,120 microfibers bonded together by polyurethane resin. Silicon Pyrogene Lubritec is added to the string to provide great feel and increase durability up to 40%. Players looking for great arm feel and depth on their shots should give this string a shot. Tecnifibre NRG2 has received high praise in the tennis community, including being ranked one of the top strings for playability by the United States Racquet Stringers Association. In addition, the experts at Tennis Warehouse offered these words: “While it’s impossible for us to say which is the best multifilament string on the market, Tecnifibre NRG2 is definitely on the short list for many players”
- Length: 40ft/12.2m
- Composition: Multifilament
- Color: Natural/Black
Ready to Purchase One of the Best Synthetic Tennis Strings?
Tecnifibre NRG2
Tecnifibre X-One Biphase
Babolat Xcel
Wilson NXT Tennis Racket String
Prince Premier Touch
Conclusion
Not many causal players and amateurs are willing to spend $40- $48 dollars for natural gut each time they break a string; however, we’ve covered the best synthetic tennis strings to save you money and highlight the affordable alternatives on the market. Tennis technology has come a long way in recent years, with companies being able to mimic strings made from natural animal gut at half the price. When looking for an arm-friendly tennis string, multifilament’s like the ones above are the best route to take. Strings that are friendly on the arm won’t heal already-present tennis elbow, but they are a simple fix that can help prevent it in the future.
