Ashaway Family of Crossfire® Pre-packaged Hybrid Tennis Strings
Four gauge/string material combinations allow players to tailor stringing to suit their game or the type of courtFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tom Rankin
105 Hemlock Drive
East Greenwich, RI,
(401) 884-4090
tomr@trankin.com
08/10/06 - Ashaway, RI--Ashaway Racket Strings offers a range of pre-packaged hybrid strings which offer tennis players at all levels the ability to custom tailor the playing characteristics of the string beds in their rackets. Ashaway's Crossfire family includes Crossfire® MonoGut®, which combines a multi-polymer monofilament for mains with synthetic gut crosses, and Crossfire II, 17, and 18 which combine three gauges of powerful Kevlar® (aramid) fiber mains with synthetic gut crosses.
"Stringing logs of the Grand Slam tourneys over the past few years have shown an increasing preference for hybrid strings among top pros," said Steve Crandall, Vice President of Marketing for Ashaway. "Hybrid stringing allows players to fully customize their string bed to match their game and style of play, and even with the particular type and condition of the court, whether it's clay, grass or asphalt."
Ashaway's Crossfire family offers two approaches to hybrid stringing -- MonoGut and Kevlar -- along with several gauge combinations. Crossfire MonoGut is a smoother, more resilient playing string. The 16L gauge (1.27 mm) mains are a multi-polymer monofilament that offers the durability of a traditional monofilament string and the responsiveness of synthetic gut. It was designed to stand up to aggressive play, while providing good feel and control. The 16 gauge (1.30 mm) synthetic gut crosses are nylon polymer monofilament, manufactured with an abrasion resistant wear layer to resist notching and facilitate stringing. The combination provides a durable, more playable hybrid that is not as stiff as aramid hybrids.
The Kevlar-based Crossfires are harder, rougher strings that really bite the ball. Incorporating the legendary durability of Kevlar fibers with a resilient nylon polymer monofilament in multiple gauges allows players to tailor the ratio of playability vs. durability in their string platform. "You can use Crossfire 18, which has great playability and generates great bite on the ball," said Crandall, "or you can tailor to Crossfire II or Crossfire 17, both of which are more geared to durability."
Crossfire II and Crossfire 17 -- with 16 and 17 gauge (1.25 mm) Kevlar mains respectively -- are aimed at top amateur and professional players who are chronic string breakers and want durability in a string that is also very playable. Crossfire 18 -- with 18 gauge (1.10 mm) aramid mains and 16 gauge synthetic gut crosses -- is for those willing to trade off a bit of durability for even more enhanced playability. Crossfire MonoGut is designed for hard hitters and power players looking for a softer playing string.
"Not all players have the luxury of totally customizing their hybrid strings," said Crandall. "By offering the Crossfire family of pre-packaged hybrids, we hope to give amateurs and professionals alike a wide variety of characteristics to meet their needs."
Ashaway Racket Strings are made by Ashaway Line & Twine Mfg. Co., the only U.S. manufacturer of string for squash, tennis, racquetball, and badminton. Operated by the Crandall family since 1824, Ashaway has been making racket strings since 1949, and is responsible for several important technical innovations. Ashaway is the Official String of USA Racquetball, the International Racquetball Tour, the Professional Squash Association and the Women's International Squash Players Association. Ashaway Line & Twine Mfg. Co. also makes braided products for medical and industrial applications.
Links:
http://www.ashawayusa.com
