Tourna Quasi-Gut Armor 16g Tennis 200M/660Ft String Reel

• Multifilament string with a high tenacity center core, Dupont Nylon center wraps, and Polyester wraps on the outside
• Delivers maximum Comfort, Touch and Feel
• Polyester wraps reinforce the core for Durability
• Great for hybriding with Polyester Strings or as a full bed

Tourna Quasi Gut Armor is a multifilament made from thousands of twisted nylon filaments impregnated and coated with polyurethane, making it an update to the original Tourna Quasi Gut. Quasi Gut Armor includes two additional strands of heat-treated co-poly ribbons in the outer layer to increase durability.

Tourna tells us that Quasi Gut Armor is a powerful, natural-gut-like multifilament that is durable enough to hybrid with today’s co-polys, but soft enough to provide relief from the stiffness a full bed of co-poly can deliver.

Quasi Gut Armor is designed for players looking for a durable and comfortable multifilament, for use either on its own or in a hybrid with poly.

Quasi Gut Armor is available in 16 and 17 gauges in natural with a blue spiral.

In the Lab

We tested the 16-gauge Quasi Gut Armor. The coil measured 41 feet 7 inches. The diameter measured 1.30-1.32 mm prior to stringing, and 1.26-1.28 mm after stringing. We recorded a string bed stiffness of 82 RDC units immediately after stringing at 60 pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) on a constant pull machine.

After 24 hours (no playing), string bed stiffness measured 75 RDC units, representing a 9 percent tension loss. Our control string, Prince Synthetic Gut Original Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units immediately after stringing and 71 RDC units after 24 hours, representing a 9 percent tension loss. Quasi Gut Armor 16 added 14 grams to the weight of our unstrung frame.

The string was tested for five weeks by 35 USRSA play testers, with NTRP ratings from 3.5 to 6. These are blind tests, with play testers receiving unmarked strings in unmarked packages. Average number of hours play tested was 26.7.

During installation, Quasi Gut Armor is wonderful to handle. You do have to be a bit more persistent with blocked holes, but the blue spiral looks sharp, and is reminiscent of the old Victor Imperial natural gut.

On the Court

Judging by the comments, some of the play testers were grateful to take a nylon break from the typical poly we test. Still, the string has to perform on the court, and perform it did. Quasi Gut Armor received the second highest rating for Comfort of the 175 strings we’ve play-tested for publication to date — meaning the only string that bettered it in this category is a natural gut. Quasi Gut Armor also placed third overall in Touch/Feel, ninth in Playability, and tenth in Power. Quasi Gut Armor also rated well above average in Control. As a result, Tourna Quasi Gut Armor rated well above average overall.

Conclusion

It’s impressive anytime a string places highly overall in Comfort, but for Quasi Gut Armor — a nylon string with a touch of poly — to place second only to natural gut for Comfort, is astonishing. Back that up with three additional top-ten rankings in other categories, and you’re looking at a string that deserves serious consideration.

Playtester Comments

• “This is a very comfortable string with great playability and excellent feel. Hopefully it will come on the market soon!” 5.0 male all court player using Babolat Aero Storm GT strung at 55 pounds CP (Babolat Synthetic Gut/Tecnifibre NRG2 16/17)
• “High marks in all areas. Very little string movement. More control than power, but not underpowered. Tension maintenance is impressive. This impressive range of above average features should satisfy a wide range of playing styles.” 4.5 male all court player using Prince EXO3 Tour (18×20) strung at 57/60 pounds LO (Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 16)
• “This string somehow provides it all, from touch and feel to control, spin and durability. No visible signs of wear after many hours of playing and teaching. It gives me confidence on full swings because I know the spin will bring the ball down. I would definitely carry this string.” 5.0 male serve-and-volley player using Wilson BLX Five strung at 61 pounds LO (Wilson NXT 17)
• “Fantastic multifilament. This has the kind of comfort, control, and all around performance that makes a top seller.” 5.5 male baseliner with heavy spin using Mantis Pro 295 strung at 54 pounds CP (Spintex Exclusive HD 16)
• “Great playability. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a crisp yet comfortable feel. It is predictable and controllable from the first hit. No adjustment needed. It doesn’t notch too much, which is amazing given the soft feel. I would definitely use this in the future, and recommend to almost anyone. Spin potential is the only downfall, but that is an acceptable tradeoff. A near perfect string from my perspective!” 6.0 male all court player using Wilson BLX Steam strung at 58 pounds LO (Wilson NXT 16)
• “Lively, Lively, Lively. Excellent control and comfort, especially on finesse shots! I will add this to my inventory.” 5.5 male serve-and-volley player using Babolat AeroPro Drive GT strung at 52 pounds LO (Wilson NXT 17)
•  “Great all around playability. It offers good pop without sacrificing control. Tension maintenance is impressive and string movement is minimal.” 4.0 male baseliner with moderate spin using Dunlop Biomimetic 600 Lite strung at 56 pounds LO (Wilson Sensation 17)
•  “The string’s coating and excellent pocketing help grab the ball. Directional control is excellent. There is definitely some extra pop on my serve. All aspects of my game are more effective with this string.” 4.0 male all court player using Volkl Organix 4 strung at 59 pounds CP (Volkl V-Twist 17)
• “This is not a niche string that excels in only one or two categories. It has impressive all round playability.” 3.5 male all court player using Prince EXO3 Tour (16×18) strung at 55 pounds CP (Forten Competition 16)
• “This string feels incredibly smooth. The manufacturer got this one right. Players with hard, flat strokes will love this string. Spin players, not so much. It does lose tension, but this is not a deal breaker. I might switch to it.” 5.0 male baseliner with moderate spin using Volkl Boris Becker 10 strung at 60 pounds CP (Gamma Synthetic Gut 16)
•  “A very comfortable string that won’t leave your arm in pain the next day. The more I play with it, the better it gets. it’s nice to take a break from polyester every once in a while.” 4.5 male all court player using Babolat AeroPro Drive GT strung at 60 pounds LO (Babolat RPM Blast 16)
• “This string has surprising versatility and plays well across different strokes and court locations. It has a crisp feel and great control on big swings, but also offers ample touch and comfort on softer shots.” 5.0 male all court player using Wilson BLX Blade strung at 55 pounds LO (Prince Synthetic Gut Original 16)
• “This string offers maximum comfort and a little extra power. It would add some nice feel to a hybrid. As a full set it would be great for the finesse player who wants comfort and touch.” 5.0 male all court player using Gamma RZR strung at 53 pounds CP (Gamma Zo Verve 16)
•  “Very good feel and a tons of pop. For non string-breakers in search of comfort and power, this is a great option.” 5.5 male all court player using Wilson BLX Blade strung at 50 pounds CP (Luxilon Alu Power 16L)
• “This string has exceptional pop, especially when compared to similar strings. The comfort level is very good. I would recommend it to most club players.” 4.0 male baseliner with heavy spin using Babolat AeroPro Drive GT strung at 45 pounds CP (Wilson Stamina 16)
• “Impact on groundstrokes and volleys is comfortable. Nice pop on serves and overheads! This is a great string for finesse players. Very responsive on soft shots.” 4.5 male baseliner with moderate spin using Babolat Pure Storm GT strung at 58 pounds LO (Gamma Professional 17)
• “Easy to string and easy to play with. This is just a nice performing string.” 4.5 male all court player using Babolat AeroPro Drive GT strung at 60 pounds CP (Gamma Professional 17)
• “Very comfortable with some string movement in the beginning.” 4.5 male serve-and-volley player using Babolat Pure Drive Roddick GT strung at 59 pounds CP (Wilson NXT 16)
•  “Comfortable but firmer than most multifilaments. Great power and feel. A little more precision due to the added firmness. I think it is a good control string for someone who doesn’t want the stiffness of a poly. However, it doesn’t provide the spin or durability of a poly.” 6.0 male all court player using Vantage Custom (16×19) strung at 56 pounds CP (Ashaway MonoGut ZX Pro 17)