Guide to squash racquet strings

[Updated on 1 July 2022] As you move up in improving your skills in squash during practice or by playing a lot of games, you may find yourself not being able to perform the racquet techniques and plays as you did before when your racquet was new. You can wonder and inspect your racquet for signs of wear or a crack in the frame, but it could also be your squash racquet strings starting to wear out and lose tension. It may be time to restring your racquet with new strings!

On my first trip to restring my racquet, I was presented with a buffet of options on how I would like my racquet restrung. He asked what I would like to have done, and I said “what do you recommend?!”

After my experience and having since gone back to have my racquet restrung several times, below are the few things to consider before going to a restringing shop to have your squash racquet restringing. Most of these decisions are based on your own personal preference and a good stringing professional will ask you the right questions to give you the right fit.

GROMMETS

Grommets protect the strings from breaking. Every time the strings vibrate it rubs itself to the frame and can cause a tear in the string. Having this replaced the same time as you would your strings is recommended to lessen the chance of your racquet strings from snapping.

CROSSES

Crosses are the strings that run across the racquet head. The crosses vibrate against the mains making ‘notches’ or deep microscopic cuts and eventually cause the mains to break.

MAINS

Mains are the strings that run vertically. These are the longer strings with higher rebound strength than the crosses. Transfers more power to the ball as it bounces off the racquet face.

STRING TENSION

HIGH – 28 Ibs. or above

High tension makes the ball easier to control as it bounces off the racquet face but transfers lesser energy on the ball making the swing less powerful. Best played by deceptive players relying more on drop shots and reverse corner shots rather than power shots.

MEDIUM – 24 – 27 Ibs.

Most likely the tension when you first used your racquet. Racquets are stringed at a high tension from the factory to account for storage as it loosen up due to string aging. Recommended tension for new players for the balance between power and control.

LOOSE – 22 – 24 Ibs.

Transfer higher energy to the ball as the strings act as a spring giving more power to the swing but makes the ball harder to control on touch shots and spins.

VERY LOOSE – 21 lbs. or under

Best for serves but very poor for actual game play, especially as you get closer to the wall. Gives big power to the ball but makes it harder to control the ball.

STRING GAUGE

17 GAUGE – THICKER STRING (1.16 – 1.25 mm)

Less flexible than a thinner gauge string creating less of a power transfer from the racquet face to the ball but more durable than thinner strings.

18 GAUGE – THINNER STRING (1.06 – 1.15 mm)

Stretches farther giving a “spring” effect which will give more power to you and makes the racquet lighter to swing because of less air friction. Thinner strings are less durable and lose string tension much faster than a thicker gauge string.

STRING COMPOSITION

NATURAL GUT

Softer strings made from animal intestines and holds string tension longer than synthetic ones. Natural gut strings are efficient but are susceptible to moisture and humidity and are more costly in comparison to other types of strings.

SYNTHETIC STRINGS

Mostly composed of nylon to replicate the characteristics of a natural gut at lower costs. Manufacturers may even make use of other materials such as kevlar or polyurethane to make it more resilient and improve tension retention.

I hope this squash racquet strings guide has helped you in taking care of your racquet. Please share your thoughts in the comment. Thanks!

Source: The Squash Company