Strings are the cheapest way to dramatically change how your racket plays — and the most overlooked. They also have the single biggest gear-related impact on arm comfort: the wrong string at the wrong tension is a leading cause of tennis elbow. The core decision is string type: multifilament (soft, powerful), polyester/co-poly (firm, controlled, spin-friendly), or natural gut (premium feel). We ranked the best by type and, crucially, matched each to the players it actually suits.
Which string type is right for you? Multifilament is best for most recreational players — soft, powerful, and arm-friendly. Polyester (co-poly) suits advanced players who break strings and want maximum control and spin, but it’s stiff and harsh on the arm. Hybrid (poly mains + multi crosses) blends control with comfort. Synthetic gut is the cheap, reliable all-rounder. If your arm hurts, avoid full polyester.
The strings, ranked
- Soft, comfortable feel that's gentle on the arm
- Generates easy power and a lively response
- Closest affordable feel to premium natural gut
- Ideal for the vast majority of recreational players
- Less control and spin than polyester
- Frays and loses tension faster than poly
- Outstanding control for players with big, fast swings
- Excellent spin potential and durability
- The pro-tour benchmark polyester
- Holds up for players who shred softer strings
- Stiff and harsh — a known contributor to arm problems
- Loses tension and feel quickly; needs frequent restringing
- Reliable, balanced all-round performance
- Very affordable — ideal for beginners and casual players
- More comfortable than polyester
- A sensible default if you're unsure
- Jack-of-all-trades — excels at nothing
- Less durable and lively than premium strings
Side by side
| String | Price | Type | Best for | C&F Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson NXT | $18 | Multifilament | Most players | 9.0 |
| Luxilon ALU Power | $20 | Polyester | Advanced | 8.9 |
| Babolat Syn Gut | $8 | Synthetic gut | Value/beginner | 8.4 |
| Tecnifibre X-One Biphase | $22 | Multifilament | Comfort seekers | 8.8 |
| Babolat RPM Blast | $18 | Polyester | Spin/advanced | 8.6 |
What to skip
Full polyester if you have any arm pain. Polyester is stiff and transmits shock — it’s a leading gear cause of tennis elbow in recreational players. If your arm twinges, switch to a multifilament or a hybrid, and lower your tension. See rackets for tennis elbow.
Leaving the same strings in for a year. Strings lose tension and feel over time even if they don’t break. A rough guideline: restring as many times per year as you play per week. Dead strings play poorly and stress your arm.
Stringing too tight for “control.” Higher tension adds control but reduces power and comfort, and increases arm load. Most recreational players are better served by mid-to-lower tension — see string tension explained.
How to choose
For most recreational and intermediate players, a multifilament like the Wilson NXT is the best all-round choice — comfortable, powerful, and kind to your arm. Only step up to a polyester like Luxilon ALU Power if you’re an advanced player with big swings who breaks strings and wants control and spin. On a budget or just starting out? Babolat Synthetic Gut is the sensible, cheap default. And if your arm hurts, stay away from full poly.
Strings and tension work together — read tennis string tension and types explained next, and match your string to your racket.