Tennis String Gauge - Tips

Tennis string gauge is an aspect of tennis that is sometimes misunderstood. Players generally spend lots of time researching rackets, reading reviews, and even testing out a racket to make sure they get the best tennis racket they can afford. But few rarely spend the same kind of time in determining what kind of strings to put in their racket. However, tennis racket string is just as important as the racket is to playing good. Gauge is just one aspect that needs to be considered when choosing your string.

Gauge refers to the thickness of the string. Currently the most common gauges are 15, 16, 17 and 18. The higher the number, the thinner the string. For each gauge there is a also a "half size" which is referred to as "L", meaning light gauge. So a 16L gauge tennis string is thinner than a 16 gauge but thicker than a 17 gauge.

Thicker strings have more durability but have less resiliency. Players often say the 15 gauge string has a stiffer board-like feel. Some players like that. But combine a stiff racket with a stiff 15 gauge string, and you might feel like you are playing with a brick. Thicker strings are great for players who frequently break strings or want that stiffer feel. If you are a string breaker and tired of spending money on frequently stringing your racket, try a thicker string. However, don't jump from an 18 gauge  to a 15 gauge string. Try just one step down to a 17 gauge string and see how that does. You might find that your strings last longer and you have not lost that much playability.

Thinner tennis racket strings tend to have a better feel or playability. Thinner strings bite the ball better which helps if you like to hit  spin. Therefore, if you are not breaking strings, you might want to try playing with thinner ones just to see if it feels better and helps your game. Just like I mentioned above, ease into it. If you are playing with a 15 gauge tennis string, try a 15L  or even a 16 gauge string. Testing out the different thicknesses of tennis string will help you find that perfect one that gives you optimum playability with minimum breakage.

The choice is yours. There is a racket string for just about every type of player out there. Choosing a string for a tennis racket can be overwhelming. There is string for players who love to hit hard, for players you love to hit spin, and string for the all around player. There is even some  that is recommended for players who have tennis elbow. But the important point here is to please take the time and do a little research to pick it out. Please do not just put in cheap tennis string.

While string gauge was the focus of this article, gauge is just one aspect of tennis racket string that you should be researching. Tension and material are two other very important considerations you should look into when researching tennis racket strings. Next time you are shopping for tennis string or a tennis racket, think about researching your string as well. After all, the string is the heart of your tennis racket.

Chris is an advid tennis player with over 25 years experience in stringing tennis rackets. For more information on tennis racket strings or where to find tennis strings at a discount, please check out the blog dedicated to tennis racket strings. Don't miss out on all the great information there!