Professional Squash Coach

General Advice on Equipment

Rackets

Choosing a racket is a very personal thing - I really can't say to get this or that racket.

BUT - do not buy a racket without trying it first !!!

I would advise you to try a few rackets before to decide which one to buy, after all, you are probably (hopefully) going to be using that racket for a few years. Any good store (or myself included) will have 'demo' rackets, which you can borrow, take away, keep for a week or so and play some games with. This is the only way to know if a racket suits you.

Don't just go by the stated weight of a racket, that will not reflect the balance of the racket. I've had people pick up my racket and comment on how light it is, only to compare weights and find that it's actually heavier than their racket.

Personally, when I find a racket that I like, will buy 2 of them and aim to get them re-strung alternately. Then I will always have a spare racket just in case one breaks and the strings are never too old.

I have quite a varied selection of rackets that you are welcome to try in order to help you decide on a racket that is correct for you. I can also string rackets.

Tip: generally, the string that comes in a new racket is not very good. You should think of it as - they are selling the frame, they don't really care about the strings. And as the 'feel' of the strings is such a personal thing, they don't want to waste putting a good string in a racket if you are going to replace it. Restringing a racket should cost around $25, so you should factor that into the cost of buying a new racket.

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Strings

After the racket, the strings are the most important part of your equipment. After all, the ball is being hit by the strings - these are the only moving parts of the game (apart from you) from a dynamic point of view!

So my advice would be to try different strings and tensions, looser = more power, tighter = more control.

How often should I restring ?

One thing is for sure - don't simply wait for the string to break (or be close to breaking). Strings naturally loose their tension over time because they stretch. Even if you didn't use a racket for 6 months or so, the strings will lose tension and no longer play as you want them too. It's a slow change over time that you don't feel on a day to day basis.

The more you use a racket, the quicker the strings will stretch and the more often they will need replacing.

Tip: restring as often per season as you play per week. And by season, I mean 6 months (fall/winter and spring/summer each being a season). So if you are a light player and only play once per week or less, then get your recket strung at the start of a season and then you are good for the season. If you play twice a week, then you should think about doing a restring mid-season.

Tip: when you get a racket re-strung, do have them check the plastic bumper strips. If the grommets that guide the strings through the frame have broken off, then do get new ones. If not, then the new string will rub on the frame, which may have sharp edges and cut the string very quickly - you'll just be paying for another restring within weeks.

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Grips

A very personal 'feel' thing, I like a sticky grip. Something like a PU style (Karakal or Point4) is good.

Recently I've started using the Black Knight, Rad Wrap-AC-087. Pack of 3, $5

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Balls

After your strings, the squash ball is the next most influential item of the game!

Unlike tennis balls from different manufacturers, squash balls from different manufacturers do behave slightly differently, but it's enough to be noticeable and effect the 'feel' of the game.

The official ball of the game is the Dunlop brand. This is the ball that will be (or should be) used in all tournaments and competitions. So my advice is to always use a Dunlop squash ball, whatever the dot type it is that you use.

Using a different brand ball may save you a buck (really, at most a buck!), but you will suffer when you play a game with the correct ball, as it will probably bounce a bit less than you are used to.

When is a ball 'old' ?

If your ball does not break (burst), there is still a limit for how long you can use it and have it bounce correctly.

If you take a close look at the surface of a (new) squash ball, you will notice that it is matt (not glossy/shiny) and has a rough feel to it. This is important as it effects how the ball behaves when it contacts the walls and floor of the court.

The rough and even tacky (when hot) surface means that when it hits the side wall or floor, the ball grips the surface and this causes it to loose speed and come away from that surface more, ie. bounce instead of 'skid through'.

So my guide for when a ball has become old and should be thrown out to be replaced with a new one, is this :-

When on the squash court, hold the ball in front of you in the palm of your hand and look into it to see if you can see the reflection of the lights on the ball (like it were a shiny metal ball). If you can see the lights clearly and distinctively in the ball, then it is old and should be replaced.

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Shoes

Do not use outdoor (especially running) shoes, or black soled shoes, or dirty shoes.

Any of the above will be dangerous ! A running shoe will have a high heal and does not provide much lateral stability. You are very likely to roll and twist your anckle.

You really need some sort of indoor, court shoe. Feel free to try squash a couple of times in whatever shoes you have (as long as they are clean) just to see if you like it, but once you have decieded that you would like to play squash on a regular basis, then it's time to get proper shoes.

I've been using Prince squash shoes for years, and I've always really liked them. But in recent times, I've noticed that Asics have become the shoe if choice for the majority of professional squash players.

I had the chance to try a pair of Asics recently, and I definitely noticed that the grip from the sole was excellent. I also noticed that there are more colour choices in the womans shoses, so I asked what the difference was - "a womans shoe is slightly narrower than a mans shoe", I was told. So it may be worth trying a womans shoe if you really like the colour, and you don't have wide feet !

In the Asics range, their 'volleyball' shoes are good for squash (they are also listed in places as 'squash/racquetball/court' shoes).

To check their shoes, click here.
Then you can choose mens or womans shoes. When you click on a shoe, you also get to see the 'available colors' in a tab/link under the picture.
eg. the GEL-1130V is available in 9 colors for women, but just 2 colors for men.

Tip: the quick movement and stopping can lead to banging your big toe against the front of your shoe, so I tend to get a squash shoe that is a half size bigger than I need.

Tip: for the benefit of your foot health, it is worth buying new shoes every year. Even if they do not appear to be worn out, the shock absorption properties of the sole will have deteriorated.

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Socks

The fast movement required in squash can generate high impact through your feet, so I like to use a thick sock that is designed to reduce shock.

See: Thorlo Socks Website.

I like to use their: JMX13, thick (3) mini-crew running, WH/NAVY, or: TMX13552 thick (3) mini-crew Tennis BLK.

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Eye Glasses

I do recommend wearing eye protection !

Growing up in the UK, we never wore any eye protection, and it is still quite rare to this day. However, in the USA - it will be a requirement to wear eye protection in any tournaments, or by any responsible coach while they are working with you.

I can supply eye glasses with a cloth bag (choice of colours available) for $15.

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Costs

Lets look at the cost of all the equipment you'll need to play squash, over a 1 year period. And this is a MAXIMAL estimate - if you wanted to keep everying in a perfectly 'new' condition.

Racket - they will break occasionally, so lets say you need to buy a new racket once every 2 years. A top quality racket will be around $200.
=> $100 per year.

Strings - if you restring your racket once a year.
=> $25 per year.

Grips - most people never replace their grips, but lets say you really wanted that feel of a fresh new grip all the time. A grip costs upto $5 and you could replace it every month.
=> $60 a year.

Balls - if you used a new ball every month, a box of 12 costs about $50.
=> $50 a year.

Shoes - a new pair every year.
=> $100 a year.

Socks - if you had 2 pairs and replaced them every year.
=> $30 a year.

That's a MAXIMAL cost of $365 per year, or $1 a day !

Any squash player would look at the above and say that it's a rediculas over estimate, no one replaces their equipment at those rates (probably the pro's do).