Is it safe to have higher tension than manufacturer suggested?

[Voda]

Q: Why do people always string their rackets with tension
higher than what the manufactor has suggested?

For example,

Yonex recommends most of Iso rackets should get strung at 18-20 lbs
but from what i have read in the past threads, people normally
have strung their rackets at the average of 22 lbs and often higher.

So can anyone explain this for me?

[Nanashi]

companies have "suggested" tensions because these are tensions that when the racquet is used properly, the racquet should not snap. If it does, then i believe the company will replace it or whatever... based on the warranty... if the stringing tension is above that suggested tension, then you void the warranty..

however, my friend strings her muscle power 100 at 28lbs.. the suggested is 18-20(i believe) and she hasn't snapped it yet...

[Voda]

First of all wanna thank you for the advice and according to what u said,
adding another 5 lbs tension on top of what the manufacturer's reaommended, should be ok then.....right? well at least theoretically it is right ^^

[kwun]

Voda,

most of us just ignore what the manufacturer says. Yonex usually recommends around 20lbs of *max* tension on their rackets. that's just not playable to most people's standards.

our guess on Yonex's reason for the low recommended tension is for Yonex to avoid racket breakage claims. they can just say, "hey, we told you to not string it above 20lbs.."

certainly higher tension is going to shorten your racket life, but higher tension feels better. so please make your own judgement and weigh between playability and durability.

my take on it is, screw it, string it tight. so what if it shorten the life? chance is that i will break it with a racket clash sooner anyway. and tension of around 22-23lbs isn't too outrageous and most likely won't affect the longevity of your racket that much.

and pick your tension to what you like, don't just blindly listen to other people.....

[modious]

Originally posted by kwun

and pick your tension to what you like, don't just blindly listen to other people.....

Yes, try any tension you want and find one that suits you. Who knows, you might play better at 20lbs than 25 lbs.

[F-Man]

I am rather curious. Just how much past the manufacturer's recommendation can you string raquets before it breaks. My Mp88 is at 24lbs. Is that safe?

[kwun]

Originally posted by F-Man
I am rather curious. Just how much past the manufacturer's recommendation can you string raquets before it breaks. My Mp88 is at 24lbs. Is that safe?

there is no fixed rule. too many variables comes into play to determine "safe".

[AKFT]

Most of us break rackets at a much slower pace than the rate Yonex launches new rackets. As a result, we end up accumulating old rackets that are just collecting dust. So if a racket breaks because it was strung too high, at least one knows one got good use out of it; and it gives one a legitimate reason to go and buy the latest and greatest racket!

:)

[Matt Ross]

Originally posted by kwun
my take on it is, screw it, string it tight. so what if it shorten the life? chance is that i will break it with a racket clash sooner anyway. and tension of around 22-23lbs isn't too outrageous and most likely won't affect the longevity of your racket that much.

Hi all,

Well said kwun thats the attitude my man! I feel that the choice of stringing tension is to you, and the long debate about which tension lives on, and i'm not going to et started on it! On my Rally 21 strings i have....

Recommended stringing tension: 12 - 25lb.

Thats a vast gap, and people who make these know that the least people go up to now is 20lb, i mean, whose gonna play with 12lb string tension? They are just there to inform you, but frankly i take no notice :) I feel that say i strung these strings to 28/30lb, then i may be pushin it. Aslong as you stay within a lb or less in these tensions i can't see the problem. As kwun said, 22lb is a good tension, so you may aswell keep it strung at that, even if the frame can take in excess of 30lb +

Matt

[Kevin]

well, if you don't want to catch fish with your racket :p

[Fourcas]

If I were to string my rackets with, say 22lb, which stringing technique would be the safest?

Yonex way of stringing would be hole 5 and 7 on one button side(say left) and hole 7 on the other side(right) and finally hole 6 top (left). Alltogether 4 knots.

Is the 2 knot way of stringing more risky when stringing at higher tensions, say 27lb+

When buying a yonex racket i was told to use proper stringing method(as stated above,4 knots), otherwise the warranty would cease to exist in case of structural damage. :eek:


Any comments ?

[Chu Pa]

Hi everyone. :) Most badminton fanatics usually use between 20-24lbs. of tension. The rate of breakage would be quite low. Most of us are intermediate to advanced level and not professional so we can't utilize the high tension. As Kwun said, you would probably break your racquet sooner by clashing with your partner. I think anything under 24lbs. will be yield a good stable racquet that won't cause cracks.

[GRObFURSt]

I wouldnt dare go over the recommended, its just like overclocking your PC. It can end in disaster and ur just looking for trouble

[TDotSmAsHer]

I think most racquets can hold up to 25 lbs pretty safe ...... 2U at least...
The recommended tensions are really low...18-22 lbs for 2U racquets on old YY site.


BTW>>> MORE questions for mp-90!

Is the recommended tension 30 lbs? Since it's advertised to hold 30 lbs ...

if so.. is mp-99 supposed to hold 30 lbs safely as well

[TDotSmAsHer]

What the hell.. lol.. I remebered seeing somewhere.. or someone telling me that MP-90 is advertised as being able to take 30 lbs... but on YY Jap site... the recommened is 23 lbs (If the number i read is string tension) HRmmmm maybe i'm just making up things..... lol...