A customer asks for "60 pounds" and the machine in front of you is calibrated in kilograms — a small mismatch, but one that produces a real difference in feel if handled carelessly. Getting the conversion right, and knowing which unit a player is likely to mean, is a five-second check worth doing every time.
The conversion
The working conversion is straightforward: 1 kilogram equals approximately 2.2 pounds. So 25 kg converts to roughly 55 lbs, and 60 lbs converts to roughly 27.2 kg. Always round to the nearest whole or half unit your machine supports rather than chasing decimal precision — the difference between 27.2 and 27 kg is not perceptible on court.
Which regions and brands use which unit
- Continental Europe and most of Asia typically reference tension in kilograms
- The United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia more commonly use pounds
- Racquet manufacturers print recommended tension ranges in both units on the frame's throat, but the printed order varies by brand and market
- Older players, and those who learned the game decades ago, often default to whichever unit was standard in their region at the time, regardless of where they play now
A quick conversion reference
- 20 kg is approximately 44 lbs
- 22 kg is approximately 48.5 lbs
- 24 kg is approximately 53 lbs
- 26 kg is approximately 57.5 lbs
- 28 kg is approximately 61.5 lbs
Setting the machine correctly
When a customer gives a tension in the unit your machine isn't calibrated for, convert and double-check before clamping the first string, not after. A small transcription error compounds across an entire stringing job, and by the time the player notices the racquet feels off, the only fix is a full restring. Many electronic machines allow a quick unit toggle in settings — confirm which unit is currently active before keying in any number, especially on a shop machine used by multiple stringers.
When to ask instead of assume
If a customer states a tension without a unit, do not guess based on the number alone — a request for "58" is plausible as either pounds or kilograms, and the resulting string beds feel meaningfully different. Asking directly takes a few seconds and avoids stringing an entire racquet to the wrong specification.