How Do Natural Gut Strings React With Water? (Warning)

We all have our favorite tennis strings, whether natural or synthetic gut, polyester, or nylon strings. One big difference between the natural gut and other string types is their reaction to water, so you need to know what that is and whether they can get wet.

Luckily you stumbled upon this article. So, how do natural gut strings react with water?

Water won’t harm most natural gut strings because they are coated with a protective layer to prevent damage from moisture and weather. However, if your natural gut strings aren’t coated with a protective layer, they will react by absorbing moisture and become brittle, especially after drying out.

Even so, it isn’t feasible to get your tennis racket wet as it isn’t good in any way. This is because the protective coating, usually made out of polyester resin, will eventually wear off. However, one-time wetting won’t probably do much harm.

If you are concerned about your natural gut strings as they aren’t cheap, I highly recommend that you check whether they are protected with a layer that prevents damage from the water.

You can see whether the strings have a coating from its package. The package should say something like ”outer coating for protection”, ”treated in a bath of stabilizing chemicals”, ”poly resin coated” or something along those lines. For example, Wilson Natural 16g Tennis String, a great natural gut string, is protection coated as the package lets you know.

You should be very careful with your strings and treat them right, especially if you live in an area where humidity and rain are usual.

Well, what happens to the strings if they aren’t coated with poly resin or another coating, or that it is worn out? In this case, the strings will absorb water which makes them soggy and bloated. Y

You won’t necessarily notice the damage as they are wet, but as soon as they have been dried and the water has evaporated from the strings, they become extremely brittle and will probably snap within days.

Are Natural Gut Strings Durable?

Natural gut strings aren’t very durable compared to other string types, especially polyester (monofilament) strings. However, they aren’t weak either, and if you keep them out of moisture or excessive sunlight, they will last a long time.

Another thing that wears natural gut strings out quite fast is generating a lot of topspin. This is because the ball will quickly burn through the natural gut string when you generate powerful topspin consistently. This is why many spin and natural gut string lovers make a hybrid string job ut of polyester and natural gut.

If you want to increase the durability of your natural gut strings, I highly recommend that you wax them from time to time. Waxing will decrease the ”burning” of natural gut strings during regular play, especially when generating heavy topspin.

This will sound weird, but it’s true; using Carnuba Car Wax on your string job will have the beneficial effect that wax provides, so your strings will have a longer lifespan. To wax your strings, simply rub the wax on both sides of your string job.

Another important step in increasing the natural gut strings lifespan is cleaning them after you have done playing. During your tennis session, your tennis strings will get small debris and dirt on them, which will increase the negative rubbing effect that will naturally occur. The rubbing will wear out your strings faster. To clean your strings, simply wipe them completely with a clean cloth on both sides of the racket.

How Will Natural Gut Strings React to Different Temperatures?

Natural gut strings will harden in cold temperatures, making them less elastic, meaning less power. The effect is the opposite in hot temperatures, making the strings soft, which means more elasticity, leading to a greater trampoline effect. The control will be superior in frigid temperatures and less in high.

You can play tennis in cool temperatures as it gets, taking into account that you can hold the handle without losing your fingers and that the court is in good condition. This is usually somewhere near 32 degrees (0 celsius).

The same goes for high heat. You can play tennis even at 104 degrees (40 Celsius), given that there is no risk of dehydration, unusual exhaustion, or any other alarming do tell that it is too hot to play. The strings will hold!

Each person is an individual, and what is considered too cold or too hot will vary. If you find difficulties playing tennis because of the weather, I recommend that you save your health and play when it’s feasible.

How Long Does Natural Gut Hold Tension?

Natural gut strings will only lose 5% – 8% of tension after the first day of stringing, which is very low as other string types lose more. After the initial string loss, the feel and performance will only improve. Many people have reported that the strings were at their best right before breaking.

That being said, natural gut strings have the best tension maintenance of all strings. There are better advantages to natural gut strings as there are downsides.

In addition to the great tension hold, natural gut strings will generate great power and speed; they have a great feel and are very comfortable. Thus, if you are suffering from tennis elbow, natural gut strings are perfect for that.

Is It OK to Play Tennis In the Rain?

Playing tennis in the rain isn’t recommended. Rain will make hard and grass courts very slippery and clay courts muddy, making it dangerous and dirty to play tennis. Also, excessive water will considerably decrease the ball’s bounce, making playing tennis in the rain virtually impossible.

However, if it’s slightly drizzling, then I see no harm in playing tennis. Believe me, you will notice as soon as there is too much water for tennis.

If you want to play tennis right after the rain, there are ways to dry the court very fast. I highly recommend using a tennis court squeegee as they can dry out the court very fast, at least to the condition where you can play without issues.

If you want in-depth information about tennis and rain, I highly encourage that you read my article about it. I explain some tips on playing tennis in the rain, its risks and downsides, and many other things that you will definitely find eye-opening.