As players become more experienced they often find that altering the stringing can improve its playing characteristics and personalise their racquet’s playing characteristics. Most squash racquets come pre-strung for easy playing experience; however, as your preferences develop you may discover ways to tailor it specifically to you by altering its stringing.
Some players opt for tighter stringing for increased control while others favor looser strings that create more power on the ball. It all boils down to personal choice.
Tensioning
Strings can have a dramatic impact on how a racket plays and the player feels on court, especially its dynamics and feel. Two primary factors affecting string tension are string type and tension: higher tension strings offer more control while lower tension strings offer more power; however, finding your ideal string depends on your individual preferences as a player.
Some players may choose to string their racquets tightly while others prefer looser strings to put more speed onto the ball. It’s ultimately down to personal preference but looser strings do not tend to last as long due to not being as able to absorb impacts when hitting off-centre on their frame and this can lead to snapping of strings and eventual breakage of frames.
Grommets provide an important buffer between the strings and racket frame, so its condition must also be monitored closely.
Squash string manufacturers often have agreements with major string suppliers like Ashaway and Tecnifibre, meaning their strings come pre-taped on new rackets. While these strings can perform adequately, professional stringers usually offer superior strings. Therefore, players should replace these pre-taped ones with high quality ones after purchasing their racket.
Thicker strings may affect your game negatively; however, using thinner ones won’t. Thinner ones tend to stretch back further on impact with the ball (known as ‘trampoline effect’) which generates more power while digging deeper into its surface providing improved spin control and greater power output. Unfortunately though, thin string lifespan is usually shorter, necessitating more frequent restrings of racquet.
An effective balance between power and control is of utmost importance for most players, and this can be accomplished through changing string tension. More powerful players typically string their racket tighter in order to gain greater control, while less powerful players often loosen it for increased speed. Finding a string tension that best fits you and your playing style should become second nature with time.
Cutting
When cutting your squash racquet, it is crucial that the slice occurs on the flat side. This will prevent it from rolling while being cut and provide you with an ideal angle when cutting slices.
Squash racquets come pre-strung from their manufacturer with synthetic strings made of monofilament (one solid piece), multifilament (multiple pieces intertwined together), or nylon material. The type of string chosen will have an impactful impact on how you experience playing your racquet: feel, control and power are all crucial aspects to successful performance.
Thicker strings offer more control, but can break more easily than their thinner counterparts. Thicker ones may offer greater power but may make gripping the ball for spin more challenging; generally speaking, squash-specific strings should not exceed 1.10mm to 1.30mm thickness. Thicker options exist but typically tailored towards other racket sports (e.g. tennis) rather than squash specific ones and therefore tend to cost more.
When selecting strings, the most essential consideration should be tightness. Excessively tight strings may lead to excessive string breakage that compromises playability of a racquet head and reduce its playability; too loose will reduce power and feel dead.
Misconceptions about string tension exist that lead to an assumption of higher power; however, this is far from accurate. Your ideal string tension depends entirely on your style of play and swing technique – using lower string tension may increase power by widening your sweet spot; however beginners and casual players will struggle to generate sufficient force with such lower tension settings due to lacking the required swing technique.
For optimal performance and ultimate feel in your squash racquet, regular restringing is necessary for maximum performance and ultimate feel. To maintain an ideal experience and ultimate feel it is recommended that restring your racquet about three times annually or as needed; when strings begin to snap is usually an indication that restringing is needed as this will improve playability while prolonging its lifespan; typically new strings must be installed prior to becoming completely worn out so it is wise to periodically inspect them for signs of wear and tear.
Restringing
Strings gradually lose elasticity over time, so even those who don’t play often should restring their racket at least three times annually to maintain optimal performance. Professional restringing may also be recommended as this will prevent incorrect stringing techniques that could damage your racket and compromise its playing experience.
When selecting a string for your squash racket, several factors must be taken into account, including thickness, cost and durability. While thicker strings tend to last longer and cost more, they also often offer less control and feel than thinner options.
A racket’s strung technique also depends on its number and type of shared grommets (where two main strings meet in its throat), pattern type, and number of shared grommets; some rackets use fan patterns with strings closer together at their throat than in conventional frames; this requires an alternative stringing method requiring professional help due to difficulty getting knots into position without damaging strings.
Squash players tend to vary widely in their string tension preferences, with some favoring tighter strings for control and looser ones for power. Tighter strings offer greater responsiveness for greater spin and acceleration while looser ones may provide more control while also decreasing power generation by making it difficult for the ball to return against them.
Strings may be composed of monofilament, synthetic multi-filament or natural gut. Mono-filament strings are often the least expensive and most prevalent choice but lack the elasticity to prevent the ball from “skidding”, lessening your control. Synthetic multi-filament strings tend to cost more but offer better elasticity and durability; both types may be used effectively during training as well as match play.
Power generated from a racquet is determined by both its material and gauge of strings, with thicker (e.g. 18 gauge) strings being more durable and lasting longer while thinner (17 gauge) ones tend to be livelier and may not. Individual players must find their optimal combination of performance, durability, cost-efficiency and cost for themselves – some prefer switching up thicker/thinner strings depending on season or competition level to maximize performance and improve game playability.