Guides

Should You Use Different Gauges in a Hybrid Setup?

January 13, 2026 Juan

For most hybrid setups, no, you don’t need to use different gauges.

The exception is when you're blending different materials. Polyester with natural gut or multifilament benefits from having a thicker gauge for the softer material to extend durability.

There's one more scenario where different gauges matter. If you're breaking strings constantly, thicker mains can extend your stringbed life in any hybrid setup.

The rest of this guide breaks down exactly when gauge variation helps and when it just adds unnecessary complexity. You'll also learn why tension adjustments impact your game far more than gauge changes ever will.

Different Gauges for Different Materials

Natural gut and multifilament lose elasticity and break faster than polyester. When one string dies early, you're forced to cut out a stringbed where the other string still has plenty of life left.

Going thicker on the softer string balances this out.

A 16-gauge multifilament paired with a 17-gauge polyester adds durability to the multifilament while keeping the poly thin enough for good snapback and feel. Both materials now wear at similar rates.

This works regardless of which string goes where. Gut mains with polyester crosses is the traditional setup, but if you're running poly mains with gut crosses, the same principle applies. Thicker gauge for the gut.

The same logic works for natural gut and synthetic gut hybrids with polyester. These softer strings fray and lose tension faster than poly, so going up a gauge extends their life.

Same Gauge for Same Materials

When using the same material in your hybrid, both strings have similar stiffness, similar elasticity, and lose tension at comparable rates. This means they wear evenly across the stringbed.

When materials wear evenly, gauge variation doesn't solve any problem. You're not protecting a vulnerable string or extending stringbed life in any meaningful way.

In a polyester-polyester hybrid setup, you want to simply choose the gauge that works best for you. Thicker gauges are more durable and powerful, while thinner gauges are softer and offer more control.

If you’re stringing with a ReString hybrid, we have written guides on the best ways to string Zero and Sync, Zero and Vivo, or Sync and Vivo.

What If You Are a Frequent String Breaker?

The one exception for using the same gauge in a polyester-polyester hybrid is if you break strings every week or so. Then you can consider choosing a thicker gauge in your mains string.

The reason is that your mains cover more surface area and absorb more ball impact than your crosses. They notch faster and typically break first. Going up one gauge in the mains addresses this weak point directly.

Moving from 17-gauge to 16-gauge in the mains typically adds several sessions before breakage. The exact number depends on your swing speed and how often you play, but expect at least a few more hours of play.

The trade-off for choosing a thicker mains gauge is feel. Thicker strings feel firmer and generate slightly less spin because they're less elastic. However, if you're breaking strings this often, that trade-off is usually worth it.

Experiment with Tension Changes Before Gauge

Considering gauge differentials can be helpful, but tension differentials change how your strings perform far more than gauge variation ever will.

Here's why. Tension controls how much energy the stringbed returns to the ball and how freely the mains can move for spin generation.

Stringing mains 2-3 lbs tighter than crosses is what we recommend. This improves snapback by allowing the crosses to give slightly more, which helps the mains slide and return to position faster. It also extends durability by reducing friction between mains and crosses.

Once you've found your ideal tension combination and still want more durability or different feel, that's when gauge adjustments make sense. Tension first, gauge second.

Conclusion

Gauge variation in hybrid setups matters when you're solving specific problems.

Mixing different materials means going thicker on the softer string to balance wear. Breaking strings frequently means thicker mains even in same-material hybrids.

However, the general rule for same-material hybrid setups is that matching gauges keeps your setup simple without sacrificing performance.

In terms of ReString’s gauge options, Zero comes in 17G and 16G, Sync is available in 18G, 17G, and 16G, and Vivo provides 17G and 16G options.

This gives you the flexibility to build your hybrid setup exactly how your game needs it.

About the Author: Juan is the co-founder of ReString. He was born in Argentina, raised in Japan, and moved to the US to pursue college tennis. He now plays as an ATP & WTA hitting partner.