Cut through the string confusion. Find a setup that fits how you play, what you need, and what you want to feel.
Find my string type ↗Tell us a little about your game. We'll suggest a string category to discuss with your stringer, plus the tradeoffs to consider.
Get a suggested category and three researched string models to compare. Answers stay in this page and are not submitted.
Tell us how you play and what you want to feel. Get three researched demo candidates with the reasons and tradeoffs behind each.
This first version focuses on standard adult racquets. Style matters alongside handling, comfort, and a repeatable swing. No email is required; answers stay in this page.
Head size: the area inside the hoop, usually measured in square inches. A larger area can offer more forgiveness, but does not determine the whole response.
Weight: total mass. Compare strung figures with strung figures; installed strings and accessories add weight.
Balance and swingweight: weight distribution and resistance to rotation help explain why two equally heavy racquets can handle differently. More swingweight is not automatically better.
String pattern: 16 × 19 means 16 lengthwise main strings and 19 cross strings. Pattern, spacing, strings, and technique all influence the response.
Grip and length: fit the handle to your hand and check the right length. Junior sizing needs separate attention. Don't select grip size just by gender or the professional player who endorses a model.
Search the 12 product variants we've researched by brand, model, or thickness. This is a starter catalog, not Tennis Warehouse's full selection or a live stock feed.
Type a model, brand, or thickness to search our 12 researched product variants.
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You don't need to know the jargon to use the picker. Start here, and choose “I don't know” whenever you're unsure.
Synthetic gut is usually a nylon string built for balanced play and value. Multifilament bundles many fibers and often offers softer feel and easier power. Polyester is generally firmer and lower powered. Natural gut is elastic and usually costs more. A hybrid combines strings in one racquet. These are categories, not guarantees about every model.
In the usual U.S. system, higher numbers mean thinner strings: 17 is thinner than 16. An L means a thinner version of that gauge, such as 16L. Labels vary across brands, so compare the actual diameter in millimeters.
Example: 1.20 mm is thinner than 1.30 mm. Within the same model, a thicker version generally resists breakage better. Thinner does not automatically mean better or guarantee more spin.
Check the packet, receipt, or stringer's record. You do not need to guess by looking at your racquet.
Tension is the pull used during stringing, usually recorded in pounds or kilograms. It is different from gauge. For example, “17 gauge at 50 pounds” describes two separate things: thickness and stringing tension.
Use your racquet's recommended range as a reference and ask your stringer how material and tension work together. Change one variable at a time.
Strings can lose playing characteristics before they break. Record what you use, the stringing date, playing hours, and how it feels. Your own breakage rate and changing response are more useful than one replacement schedule for everyone.
Learn more in Tennis Warehouse's string-basics guide.
Start with the swing you have and understand what your frame helps you do.
Read the racket lessonLearn the difference between gauge and tension, and keep a useful stringing record.
Read the string lessonWe're planning Ask Coach Shelby and Share Your Setup features for our monthly newsletter.
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