As an amateur or professional tennis player, you want to make sure you have the highest quality products to push far beyond your limits and reach the top.
The highest quality products include your gear and equipment. One of the essential parts of your gear is the strings of the racket. This string can lead to all the changes. There are different types of strings made with different materials.
As an amateur or higher ranked tennis player, you might have heard the term “natural gut tennis strings” for a long time. What is it? Well, it is a tennis string of course. But it also happens to be the finest quality string for players who seek power and control. It is also very comfortable towards the arm.
On the other hand, it is the most expensive kind of string. The price is nothing compared to the quality and performance you will find by playing with natural strings.
Before we proceed further, we would like to point out that natural gut strings are made out of the cow intestine. So, if any of you are concerned about that, we would recommend you to go for synthetic gut strings. However, they won’t be as powerful as natural guts strings.
Given the popularity and functionality, natural gut strings are manufactured by a lot of companies. Which one should you pick? Here is a guideline to help you through.
Top 7 Natural Gut Tennis Strings
1. Babolat VS Touch
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Babolat is one of the oldest manufacturers of professional tennis equipment. They started their natural gut string production way back in 1875. Over the years they have mastered the production of it and now they are the leader in producing natural gut strings.
Babolat uses BT7 technology to give additional coating layers on the natural gut strings. This not only enhances the durability and playability of the strings but also protects the strings from humidity.
This improvement has surprisingly made this natural gut one of the most long-lasting, well-performing natural gut strings in the industry.
It has a much greater power generation potentiality. The string is 16 gauge, meaning you will have a much-balanced control and spin.
Things That We Like
- Increased durability
- Coated
- Humidity protection
- Comes in 16 gauge
- A balance between power and control
2. Wilson Natural Gut Tennis String
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Wilson is a famous name in the tennis industry. They have been around for more than a century. Over time, the brand has matured and so did its products.
Wilson natural gut tennis string is one of the best natural gut strings in the industry. These natural gut strings from Wilson are made from high-quality selective cow intestines. Otherwise known as a serosa. Wilson natural guts truly deliver when it comes to power generation and durability.
The extra layer of coating on the strings does its job of protecting the inner core from being damaged. The result was high durability, playability, and a long-lasting experience. You can expect to perform strong hits with it. The strings won’t break that easily.
The result turns out to be great. Be sure to check this wonderful set of strings from one of the most trusted brands in the industry.
Things That We Like
- An extra layer of coating
- Extreme durability and longevity
- High tension endurance
- Comfortable on the tennis arm
- Available in 16 gauge
3. Volkl V Icon Tennis String
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This product is made in Germany. We all know that German products are famous for maintaining their standards and quality. These natural gut tennis strings are no different. The build material of this natural gut is serosa fibers from cow’s intestines.
Multiple high-quality serosa fibers are woven together to produce one single strand of them. This lively serosa strand proved to be great at shock absorption. Thus, the player will feel very comfortable playing with these natural gut strings.
Also, the strings are great at maintaining high tensile strength which means much higher elasticity. This leads to greater power generation. You will also get great control over the ball and spin it in any way you want. Maybe do a banana shot.
It is undoubtedly one of the best natural gut tennis strings in the market. The price is not out of hand for natural gut strings which makes it one of the most cost-effective choices on our list.
Things That We Like
- Reasonable price
- High elasticity and tensile strength
- Lots of power
- Naturally comfortable
4. Babolat Tonic+ Ball Feel Tennis String
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Babolat TOnic+ is another great natural gut string from them. It lives equally strong as its other natural gut products on our list. The only drawback is that it has slightly less consistency and minor finishing. Meaning that this natural gut string is a little less durable than the other ones.
The packaging says 15L. This one is a little mistake from Babolat’s factory. They intended to mean 16g. The strings have a 16-gauge design.
Things That We Like
- 16-gauge design
- Natural color
- Minimalistic packaging
5. Babolat VS Team Tennis Strings
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Another great natural gut string from Babolat. This one is almost similar to the previously mentioned Babolat VS Touch.
Just like the Babolat VS Touch, the Babolat VS Team was processed with BT7 technology. All the high-quality natural gut was processed and then coated in this machine. This additional layer changed everything.
Not only it enhanced the durability of the strings, but also increased their elasticity and tensile strength. This additional coated layer also works as humidity protection. This has increased the longevity of the natural guts. Babolat truly is the leader of tennis string producers.
So, if both of them were made with the same technology, why bother to market them differently? That is because the VS touch was made in 16g and the VS team was made in 176, giving you the middle ground between power and control.
Things That We Like
- 17-gauge design
- BT7 technology
- Coated layer
- Humidity protection
- Great balance between power and control
6. Wilson Champions Choice Duo
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This one is a hybrid string. It comes with 20 feet natural gut and 20 feet Luxilon ALU power strings. If you have known Wilson long enough, then you might have heard about Luxilon ALU power.
Those strings are excellent when it comes to durability and control. Together with natural gut strings, you have the most powerful string combination on hand.
Things That We Like
- Hybrid strings
- Great balance of power, control, spin, and comfort
- Comes in 16 gauge
7. Luxilon Natural Tennis String Set
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Luxilon is famous for working alongside Wilson. Their ALU power strings are still one of the best strings for spins. Now they have brought us a set of high-quality natural gut strings. These strings are made with organic hybrid technology. Be sure to try them out.
Things That We Like
- Low friction coating applied
- Higher level of elasticity
- Durable
- Humidity protection
- Well balanced between power and control
Best Natural Gut Tennis Strings: Buying Guide
Natural guts are made of purely natural elements and in this case, that is the cow intestine. Why is the cow intestine used in making natural tennis guts? That is because of its properties.
The cow intestine has collagen and upon further analysis, they have a triple helix structure which provides great elasticity with very high tensile strength. This tensile strength is the main reason why the cow intestine was chosen for tennis strings.
Now here are a few things you should check before purchasing a natural gut tennis string.
Material
There is nothing much to talk about here. Natural guts are always made from cow intestines. Cow intestines are very elastic and have high tensile strength. It is also very durable and long-lasting. As long as you are ok with having cow intestine strings on your racket, there is nothing to be concerned about.
Gauge
Gauge refers to the thickness of the tennis strings. Natural gut tennis strings come in various gauges. So, you must keep an eye on the gauge rating of the strings. The thickness of the strings plays a much better role than just durability.
The thinner the strings are, the better they will provide power and spin. So, if you are a power-oriented player who relies heavily on the spin, then choose the thinner ones.
Now in the case of natural gut strings, you don’t have to think of giving up control. Natural gut strings have much better ball pocketing properties, which allows you to have better control over the ball, even though the strings are thin.
And what if the strings are thicker? Then you will get better control and comfort. So, in the case of the natural gut, there is no worry of giving up control.
Shape
Natural gut strings are made of stretching and spinning processed cow intestines. As a result, there are not many options for shaping the strings that may concern those who need spin.
But there is good news. Natural gut strings may not be shaped in the way intended to but it has a natural texture. This texture has edges, which will get a good grip on the ball and players will be able to properly brush the ball towards the way they want it to spin.
So even though you will see the same shape on all-natural gut strings, try to look and feel its texture. Which one will be able to bite on the ball better? Choose that one.
Tension
Tension plays a vital role in the balance of control and power. Lower tension strings give better power and higher tension strings give better control. Now for the natural gut, any tension rating is ok.
The best part about the natural gut is that you don’t need to worry about giving up much of the powers in high tension.
As a result, you are getting better control and power at the same time. Besides, the ball pocketing properties of the natural guts allow you to control the ball far better than any other materials. So, we would recommend you get the higher tension rating natural gut strings.
Full Bed or Hybrid
Generally, players use a hybrid structure on their racket strings for a well-balanced experience. You can have power, control, spin, and comfort. All of these can be achieved in a hybrid structure. But the natural gut is different.
Not only is it high quality and over expensive, but also it delivers in all four aspects of string performance. So, in choosing natural gut strings, you can go with the full-bed structure. But if you want, you can apply a hybrid structure. There is no obligation for using a full bed only.
If you can make the right decision in these criteria of choosing the strings, you will get your hands on the perfect natural gut tennis string for you. And do not let the price of the string stop you. Good things are always expensive.
FAQ
What is a natural gut tennis string made from?
Natural gut tennis strings are made from pure cow intestines.
What tension is good for the natural gut?
Any tension is good for the natural gut strings. But we would recommend you the high tension.
How long do natural gut tennis strings last?
That depends on how often you play and what is your strategy. It can range from one day to 6 months or more.
How do you string a natural gut in tennis?
String it like any other strings. Apply stretch in every line and carry on.
Final Words
Tennis strings play a vital role in the game and your career. Choosing the best string for yourself should be on your priority list. Natural gut tennis strings are very strong and durable. They also provide better control and spin.
So even if they are expensive, try them out. You will understand the worth of these natural gut strings and may end up making a full transformation to natural gut strings.
My name is Reagen and I started AllTennisGear (earlier AllTennisShoes) as a way to share my humble experience and help new Tennis players. Thank you for spending a few minutes of your day here and know that your feedback is always welcome.