How To Choose a Squash Racket
1. Weight
Squash rackets vary in weight between 110g - 160g. Lighter weight rackets are great for more manoeuvrability and fast movement.
You get more power with heavier rackets, but these are harder to move around quickly. A few years ago, the fashion was to go for lighter and lighter rackets.
We think that the optimum weight is around 130 - 140 grams.
2. Balance
The balance of a racket is very personal; some people like a head-heavy racket, and some players like an evenly balanced racket. A head-heavy racket will give the racket more power.
3. Beam
The beam widths of squash rackets are generally between 16 & 21 mm. Thin beams are for skilled players, whereas the thicker beams are for less skilled players.
4. Throat
There are two types of throats, open and closed. A closed-throat racket will have a smaller string bed, decreasing the size of the sweet spot.
An open-throat racket has a larger string bed, which is more forgiving on off-centre shots, as the racket will have a larger sweet spot.
There are 3 different types of string:
- Natural Gut: This string is what most professional players play with; it plays best with the best feel. It also comes with a high price tag.
- Multifilament: Also known as 'synthetic gut', this is the most popular string, as it plays well, similarly to natural gut, but lasts longer.
- Monofilament: This is used by players who break strings regularly, as it is a very tough string. But it comes with its downsides as well: there is less feel and comfort. These are mainly used as the main strings with a synthetic gut across.
