The thickness of squash racket strings plays an integral part in how a frame responds. Thicker strings (such as 17G ) tend to be more durable and provide more power; thinner strings tend to provide greater bounce for more control.
Professional players utilize different string tensions to maximize and mitigate their frames’ advantages and liabilities. Altering string tension can add power, boost accuracy or offer an enjoyable blend of both qualities.
Frame Size
The frame of a squash racket encompasses the area extending from the head to the base of its shaft, measured in square centimetres or 77.5 square inches. As stringed areas cannot exceed this figure, it’s wise to check the dimensions of any potential purchases prior to making your decision.
Racket frames can be constructed from various materials, with most modern rackets being composed of graphite. Graphite is lightweight yet strong – perfect for fast games of squash – as well as being excellent at dampening vibrations caused by impact with the ball.
Squash rackets are often designed with specific playing styles in mind. For instance, there are rackets designed specifically to maximize power and accuracy for experienced players; such rackets usually feature larger frames that offer more of a sweet spot.
Stiffness of a racket is another important consideration. Stiffer rackets will absorb more energy when they hit with the ball, producing greater power; on the contrary, flexible ones flex more when they come into contact with it, leading to decreased power and less control.
Balance of a racket refers to how evenly its weight distribution occurs between its head and shaft of the racket. Rackets may be head heavy, evenly balanced or head light; more weight will tend to settle toward the base frame than with any other type of balance making head heavy rackets easier for flick shot players to maneuver and use effectively.
Equally balanced rackets provide players with an optimal combination of power and control. Conversely, head light rackets concentrate more of the weight in the head allowing powerful drives at high speeds but may prove harder to keep under control at higher speeds.
As well as taking into account frame size, it’s also worth paying attention to a racket’s beam size and pattern. A thinner beam typically suits more experienced players while thicker beams may be better for newcomers.
Frame Weight
When searching for the ideal squash racket, two main factors must be taken into consideration: weight and balance. Weight indicates how the racket feels in your hand and gives a rough idea of its light or heavy nature; however balance has far greater repercussions for playability; for instance a “head light” racquet would be easier to maneuver while an “off balance” one will require greater attention in controlling.
Material also plays an essential part in weight, with aluminium being commonly used for entry-level rackets while graphite or titanium may be preferred by more advanced users. Furthermore, different materials vary in terms of their stiffness; soft materials bend more easily while playing shots for an overall more flexible and comfortable experience while more rigid frames deliver greater power and solid feel.
Younger or more maneuverable players often prefer lighter rackets for greater maneuverability in difficult situations, while more traditional playing styles and slower swinging players often favour heavier rackets for increased power and stability.
As our rackets become more sophisticated, the materials we use to construct them also evolve. Titanium and carbon have increasingly become common materials used alongside graphite for creating lightweight rackets with greater spin. Rackets made up of this combination are typically more costly but provide optimal lightness-stiffness balance.
As the final consideration, consider whether your racket comes pre-strung with higher quality strings or cheaper ones. It can often be beneficial to restring your new racket as this can add power, control or simply enhance your experience. We have an assortment of pre-strung rackets to choose from, but if the strings provided with it do not satisfy you further take advantage of our stringing service either at time of purchase or any time afterwards – either now!
Head Size
The head size of a squash racket determines how much string can be stretched across its frame, which in turn determines how much string flex (bounciness) occurs upon impact with the ball and ultimately how much power is generated. Larger heads also typically possess larger sweet spots which extend further down onto their frames, providing players greater control of their shots.
WSF matches allow racket heads of 500 square centimetres; however, most advanced or professional player rackets typically exceed this maximum size due to a larger distance between their edges and point of contact with the ball resulting in increased power production.
People looking to boost the power of their squash racket may opt for thicker strings strung at lower tensions or choosing thicker strings as an effective means to increase power generation. Thicker strings tend to be more resilient and reduced dwell times on impact will help boost power.
String gauge for squash players typically ranges between 17 gauge and thinner. This gauge rating is thinner than tennis 19 gauge strings but thicker than badminton 16 gauge strings.
As for performance, thinner strings offer greater flexibility on impact with the ball which aids power generation, and also help it dig into the surface of the ball more effectively than thicker strings (known as ‘bite’). Unfortunately, thinner strings tend to break more easily on miss-hits so advanced or professional players who regularly restring their rackets tend to prefer them over thinner strings.
String Tension
String tension plays an integral part in how much power and control a racket provides, with higher tension providing more power, yet decreasing player control of their shots. A good stringer should be able to find an optimal balance of power and control for your racket; however, this may require trial and error in finding what tension works for you personally.
Thinner strings tend to offer more power as they generate greater friction upon impact, unlike thicker strings which cannot. However, keep in mind that thinner strings wear out and break faster, necessitating regular restringing of your racket.
String thickness is measured in gauges and should usually be indicated on packaging or the racket itself (as the string can become thinner over time as you stretch it out). A lower gauge number corresponds to thicker strings.
String gauge for squash rackets typically ranges between 1.10 mm and 1.30 mm; however, some rackets come with thicker strings designed specifically for tennis or badminton use and should not be used with squash racquets.
The ideal string tension for a squash racket is approximately 26Ibs, as this provides a balance between tightness and looseness. Although finding this ideal tension may take some trial-and-error, once found you will notice an improvement in performance and ease of control once found. Also keep in mind that any string will gradually lose tension over time so a regularly played string may feel different after several months or even weeks – so having your racket restrung every few months to maintain desired tension will enable optimal play throughout the season!