Hybrid & Blending Guide

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A hybrid means one string in the mains and a different one in the crosses. It is the standard way to get two things a single string can't give you at once — usually the spin and durability of a polyester with a feel that won't wreck your arm.

Mains and crosses

Mains run the length of the racquet, parallel to the handle. Crosses run side to side.

Mains do most of the work. They move further on impact, take most of the abrasion, and they break first almost every time. That is why the tougher string normally goes in the mains and the softer, more comfortable one in the crosses.

Mains Crosses

Why people hybrid

  • Comfort without losing bite. A full bed of polyester is stiff. Putting a softer string in the crosses takes the edge off while the poly mains still do the gripping.
  • Durability. If you saw through mains every couple of weeks, a tough main string with a slicker cross will last measurably longer than an all-soft setup.
  • Cost. Half a reel of an expensive string goes twice as far when the other half of the racquet is something cheaper.
  • Tuning. Sometimes it is simply the setup that plays best — plenty of players hybrid for feel, not for durability.

The combinations, ranked

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Mains Crosses Feel Spin Durability Who it's for
Co-polyester Synthetic gut Firm but forgiving High High The default hybrid. Best value starting point.
Co-polyester Multifilament Softest poly setup High Medium Poly players with arm trouble.
Shaped co-poly Smooth co-poly Firm Highest Highest Heavy hitters who break everything.
Synthetic gut Multifilament Soft, lively Medium Medium Comfort on a budget, no poly at all.
Multifilament Smooth co-poly Soft with control Medium-high Medium Feel players who still want some bite.
Multifilament Shaped co-poly Soft High Poor Not recommended — see below.

Each setup in detail

Mains

Co-polyester

Crosses

Synthetic Gut

Most popular — start here

The workhorse hybrid. The polyester mains supply the spin, control and durability; the solid-core crosses give back a chunk of the feel that a full poly bed takes away. It is also the cheapest way to make a poly setup livable.

Snake-BiteHex PolyPower Cord with Synthetic Gut

GaugeCrosses the same gauge as the mains, or thicker.

Mains

Co-polyester

Crosses

Multifilament

Best for sore arms

The softening effect here is much more pronounced than with a solid-core cross — a multifilament is the most cushioned thing you can put in the crosses. If polyester is bothering your elbow but you don't want to give up the spin, this is the setup to try.

The cost is durability: multifilament crosses fray sooner. If you need it to last, use a smooth polyester in the mains rather than a shaped one — it saws through the crosses far more slowly.

Power CordSnake-Bite Smooth with VelvetSatin

GaugeMultifilament crosses the same gauge or thicker than the poly mains.

Mains

Shaped Co-polyester

Crosses

Smooth Co-polyester

Maximum durability

An all-polyester hybrid. The shaped mains bite the ball for spin; the smooth crosses slide against them instead of chewing into them, so the whole bed lasts longer than shaped string in both directions. No comfort gain — this is a durability and spin setup.

Hex PolySnake-Bite with Snake-Bite SmoothPower Cord

GaugeMatching gauges are most common. Thinner crosses add spin and elasticity but cut durability — a thinner string has a sharper curve, which concentrates pressure where it crosses the mains and wears them faster.

Mains

Synthetic Gut

Crosses

Multifilament

Comfort, no polyester

A soft, arm-friendly setup with no polyester anywhere. The solid-core mains carry the durability and keep the price down; the multifilament crosses supply the comfort. A sensible choice for players who don't need poly-level spin and want to be kind to the elbow.

Synthetic Gut with VelvetSatin

GaugeMatching gauges.

Mains

Multifilament

Crosses

Smooth Co-polyester

Feel first

The reverse of the usual arrangement. Putting the soft string in the mains puts the softness where you feel it most, and the polyester crosses still add control and hold the bed together. It won't last as long as the other way round, but it plays softer.

VelvetSatin with Snake-Bite SmoothPower Cord

GaugeMatching gauges.

Mains

Multifilament

Crosses

Shaped Co-polyester

Not recommended

Worth knowing about so you can avoid it. A shaped polyester has edges, and those edges act like a file against soft multifilament mains. The mains fray and break quickly. If you want a soft main string with polyester crosses, use a smooth polyester instead — that's the setup above.

Which one should you pick?

  • New to hybrids? Polyester mains, Synthetic Gut crosses. Cheap, durable, and it tells you whether you like poly at all.
  • Elbow complaining? Smooth polyester mains, multifilament crosses — or drop the polyester entirely and go Synthetic Gut with multifilament crosses.
  • Breaking strings weekly? Shaped polyester mains, smooth polyester crosses.
  • Chasing feel? Multifilament mains, smooth polyester crosses.
One racquet, two reels. A hybrid needs roughly 20 ft of each string rather than 40 ft of one. Two 660 ft reels will keep you in hybrids for a long time — and you can mix and match as you go. Tension note: many stringers set the stiffer string a couple of pounds lower so the two halves behave more alike.
Shop all tennis strings → Compare cost per restring →

Related: Tension explained · Gauges explained · String materials & construction

Golden Set strings are sold in bulk reels — a 660 ft reel restrings roughly 16 racquets, or twice that many hybrids. Updated September 2026.