If you are wondering if your tennis racquet needs to be restrung and you have an iPhone, here's a solution. raquetTune is a downloadable app that allows you to check racquet string tension any time, anywhere.
The app uses the sound of the racquet strings to analyze the frequency of the strings when hit with a pen or like object. The frequency is then converted to the tension of the stringbed. The accuracy is shown by an indicator light on the display and can be improved by repeating the "test" several times in a row.
Here's how to run a test: Set your app to register pounds or kilograms, click the racquet button to set your string's linear density (you can find some on the racquetTune website) or set your string type. Polyester, nylon, gut and kevlar are all options, and then set your gauge (string thickness). This part feels a little confusing as there are so many different strings and materials on the market. Again you can use the listing on their website for help. There is an option that enables you to input a hybrid combination. You then set your racquet head size.
Hold the racquet face over your iPhone in a quiet setting and hit the strings a few times with a pen. The results register right away. You can compare the results to the recommended tension printed on the racquet or base it on your particular likes. Here's a video:
The app has gotten great reviews from stringers who are far more concerned about exact measurements than me. I thought it helpful as it indicated that a couple of racquets in this household's arsenal needed a restring despite the face that the strings looked fine.
For .99 cents my first thought is why not? It's just about the cost of one tennis ball but you do need to know detail on the string you have in your racquet to use this. Ask your stringer for the string package if you are not completley sure of what you are using. Unless you change strings, once you've input the data it's there till you change it again.
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