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Polyester or multifilament: which one is for you
The string decision that most affects your game and your arm, explained without jargon, with the case for each.
If you already know natural gut is not in your future, your real decision is this: polyester or multifilament. They are opposites in almost everything.
What each one is
Multifilament is made of hundreds or thousands of fine fibers braided together, like a miniature climbing rope. That construction mimics natural gut: it stretches, absorbs impact and feels soft.
Polyester is a monofilament, a single solid strand. It barely stretches, and that stiffness is exactly what gives it control and the bite that generates spin.
Head to head
| Polyester | Multifilament | |
|---|---|---|
| Control | High | Medium |
| Power | Low | High |
| Spin | High | Medium |
| Comfort | Low | High |
| Durability | High to breakage, low in performance | Medium |
| Price | Low to medium | Medium to high |
Choose polyester if
- You break strings every two or three weeks.
- You hit big with heavy topspin and balls fly long.
- You play competitive matches where control rules.
- You have no history of elbow or shoulder trouble.
Choose multifilament if
- Your elbow, forearm or shoulder aches after playing.
- You almost never break strings.
- You want depth and power without forcing the stroke.
- You play recreationally two or three times a week.
The polyester trap
Polyester holds up a long time without breaking, and that fools people. It loses its performance long before it snaps: after ten or fifteen hours of play it is already stiff and dead, even though it looks intact. Playing on old polyester is the worst thing you can do to an arm.
That is why polyester players should restring more often, not less. See how often to restring.
Read next: what a hybrid is and what tension to use.