How to choose a squash racket

July 17 2022

Dealing directly with our customers allows us to offer the best customer service experience and acquire valuable insights into player trends and requirements.

We are continually striving to offer the highest levels of customer service and through relationships with committed squash players, covering all aspects of their lifestyle, brand influences and preferences, and observing their playing habits, aspirations and demands, our team of squash experts have complied a comprehensive set of Squash Equipment Buying Guides to help you shop online with www.unsquashable.com

UNSQUASHABLE is committed to developing equipment to be used by the world’s leading players because we believe that engineering equipment for professional competition makes for better product for the everyday player.

Our aim is to inspire all squash players by offering squash specialist equipment that helps them fulfil their potential & gain maximum enjoyment from playing one of the world’s most exciting & healthiest sports.

Whether you’re looking for the latest racket used by one of our #teamunsquashable players on the PSA World Tour or perhaps one of our exclusive OUTLET racket offers, our Squash Racket Buying Guide will help you select the right racket to suit your own unique playing style and budget.

We welcome your feedback should you have any suggestions how we can improve our Buying Guides or any aspect of your shopping experience and please do not hesitate to email sales@unsquashable.com should you require any further help or information.

Squash Racket Headsize:
The maximum headsize allowed under World Squash Federation (WSF) rules is 500 sqcm. All UNSQUASHABLE squash rackets, regardless of shape, feature a 500 sqcm headsize which our research and insights from players of all standards shows to be the most popular headsize for optimum performance and ease of play.

The main performance characteristics sought by players are power, control or feel and the degrees by which a racket provides these characteristics is determined by a racket’s headshape.

Squash Racket Headshapes:
There are three types of squash racket design which are generally referred to as Teardrop (open), Classic (closed) with the third option, Hybrid, featuring a small bridge and therefore an amalgam or combination of the Teardrop and Classic headshapes.

UNSQUASHABLE offer squash rackets with all three types of headshape.

Teardrop squash rackets have a longer string-bed and longer sweet spot which offers a more power even for off-centre hits.

Squash rackets featuring a Teardrop headshape are currently the most popular type of racket amongst UNSQUASHABLE players competing on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour and are used by James Willstrop, Iker Pajares Bernabeu, Moustafa Elsirty, Lucas Serme, Rory Stewart, Yannick Wilhelmi, Iván Pérez, Anna Serme and Ambre Allinckx.

Our UNSQUASHABLE Y-TEC squash racket series features a Teardrop headshape and are the most powerful rackets in the UNSQUASHABLE range.

Classic squash rackets have a bridge across the throat and a more traditional appearance similar to tennis rackets. The more traditional design, with a bridge across the throat area, provides greater torsional stability and produces an isometric (square) string-bed area and sweet spot which is more suited for players looking for greater levels of control and accuracy versus power.

Leading #teamunsquashable players who use a Classic headshape, include George Parker, Josh Masters, Temwa Chileshe, Elliott Morris Devred and Fergus Richards.

Our UNSQUASHABLE TOUR-TEC squash racket series features a Classic headshape and offers the most control of all rackets in the UNSQUASHABLE range.

Hybrid squash rackets feature a small bridge to provide a combination of power, control and improved player feel. Todd Harrity and Lwamba Chileshe both use rackets with a Hybrid headshape.

Hybrid rackets offer greater levels of feel and an overall combination of power and control somewhere between a Teardrop headshape and Classic headshape.

Our UNSQUASHABLE SYN-TEC squash racket series features a Hybrid headshape and offers unique ‘player feel’ as well as the ideal combination of power and control.

Squash Racket Weight:
UNSQUASHABLE squash rackets weigh between 120 grams and 135 grams which refers to the actual weight of the raw frame – i.e. unstrung weight, before paint, grommets & grip are added.

This unstrung weight is often included in the racket name – for example, the raw frame weight of our UNSQUASHABLE THERMO-TEC 125 squash racket is 125 grams.

Lighter rackets generally offer better manoeuvrability and are therefore suited to more attacking players and junior players.

Heavier rackets are generally suited to players with a more traditional playing style player and slower swing.

Rackets with a frame weight between 120 grams and 125 grams are often referred to as ‘super-light’ which are preferred by players who have a fast-paced attacking playing style or players who like playing with deception.

Rackets with a frame weight between 130 grams and 135 grams are often referred to as ‘lightweight’ and are particularly popular amongst club and intermediate players as they offer good overall performance and combination of power, control and feel.

UNSQUASHABLE do not make any performance squash rackets with a frame weight heavier than 135 grams.

Lighter rackets are often more expensive due to the materials and manufacturing processes used and many players consider ‘lighter must be better‘ when selecting a racket. However, it is important that you select your racket based upon what suits your own individual playing style, remembering that you will often sacrifice power and accuracy in favour of speed and manoeuvrability when purchasing a lighter racket.

125 grams is currently the most popular weight for many professional players competing on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour.

The weight of your squash racket is important, however of equal importance is the balance of the racket.

Squash Racket Balance:
The distribution and position of weight has far more impact on the playability of a squash racket than the overall frame weight. Some rackets may be termed ‘super-light’, however with a balance point further away from the hand the racket will feel a lot heavier. The combination of weight and balance is referred to as ‘swing-weight’.

Headlight rackets, with a balance point nearer to players hand, offer great manoeuvrability and are typically favoured by players who look to generate power through a fast swing as well as play quick volleys. Greater manoeuvrability is also important for players who like to play with deception.

Power however can often be sacrificed by using a headlight racket, unless you play with a fast racket head speed, and accuracy is often more challenging as it is more difficult to remain in control of the racket head during your swing and ball contact.

Even balanced rackets sit between a headlight and head-heavy alternative, with the balance point midway between the players hand and furthest tip of the racket, and offer a combination of power, control and manoeuvrability. Evenly weighted squash rackets are easier to control and have traditionally been favoured by many professional players on the PSA World Tour, however as the professional game has become quicker and more attacking the trend amongst many top players is towards headlight rackets.

Following feedback and insights from players of all standards, UNSQUASHABLE only offer headlight and even balanced squash rackets which we believe allows players the best possible options when selecting the most suitable racket for unique playing style.

Always consider weight and balance in tandem when selecting a racket that best suits your playing style.

Squash Racket Frame Beam:
The frame beam widths (cross-section) of UNSQUASHABLE rackets are all very similar.

The frame beam width of our Teardrop (open) and Classic (closed) squash rackets are 18 mm, whilst the beam width of our Hybrid rackets is 19.14 mm. Rackets with a thinner beam width, such as our UNSQUASHABLE frames, offer greater manoeuvrability than thicker equivalents.

The manoeuvrability of our UNSQUASHABLE rackets is further enhanced by their aerodynamic cross-section.

Squash Racket Durability:
Squash is an unforgiving sport for rackets, and it should be remembered that contact with the court walls and floor is inevitable and can’t be avoided. Contact with the squash court surfaces will inevitably lead to your racket eventually breaking and therefore durability should be taken into consideration when choosing a squash racket in order that you can select a racket that offers you the best combination of performance and durability.

Durability is something that is hard to measure, however reading customer reviews and comments on our website should give you a good idea of which racket is most suited for you as well as giving you the assurance of quality and craftsmanship.

Squash Racket Strings:
All UNSQUASHABLE squash rackets come pre-strung with an UNSQUASHABLE performance string of 1.20 mm diameter which combined with its construction offers the ideal combination of performance and durability.

For improved performance, particularly for club players through to professionals, we recommend that you re-string your rackets with our UNSQUASHABLE TOUR-TEC PRO 1.18 (mm) string which provides greater overall performance through greater levels of power, control, feel or a combination of these three different attributes.

Lower string tensions produce greater power whilst tighter string tensions offer more control.

All #teamunsquashable players competing on the PSA World Tour use our UNSQUASHABLE TOUR-TEC PRO 1.18 string which is available in black and fluorescent yellow.