Tag: squash racquets

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Where to Get a Squash Racquet Re-Gripped

KARAKAL PU SUPER GRIP DUO
Bring your badminton racquet in and we will professionally re-grip it for you.
When the grip is worn on your squash racquet, you will miss shots you would normally make.

In fact, every time you hit hard shots off center, the squash racquet will turn in your hand. The more it turns in your hand, the more shots you will miss.

Most recreational squash players don’t understand the importance of grip. They think it is an unimportant part of the racquet when it is actually more important than the string bed.

A squash player who has good traction on his racquet handle can play well with new strings or old strings. But a player with no traction on his handle can’t play well with either.

Racquet Network offers free labour for re-gripping squash racquets in our southwest Calgary store. The whole process only takes a few minutes. We can usually do it right on the spot.

Racquet Grip

Racquet Network carries a large selection of grips for squash and other racquet sports. Bring your racquet into the store and we will professionally re-grip it for you.

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Squash Racquets for Beginners

Head Squash Racquet
Head Squash Racquet
I give the same advice to squash beginners that I give to tennis beginners who join our network.

Don’t spend $200 on your first racquet. As a beginner, you should take that $200 and divide it into two parts. Spend $50 to $75 on a basic racquet and spend the rest on lessons.

Racquets are not lifetime investments. They are disposable tools with parts that wear out. Within a few years of purchasing it, chances are excellent that you will not be able to replace the bumper guards or other important parts when you take your racquet in to replace the strings.

Racquet technology is also changing. Like personal computers, squash racquets quickly become obsolete. One year they are shiny and new and everybody wants one. Three years later you can’t give them away and nobody at the repair shop wants to touch them.

Most importantly, though, racquets break. And the more you pay for them, the easier they are to break. This is because high-end racquets are extremely light. Many, in fact, are in the 120-130 gram range. It doesn’t take much; return a tight shot, clip the wall and SNAP! You’re on the way to the store for a new squash racquet.

Beginner racquets are much sturdier. Manufacturers know that beginners will be over-running the ball and smashing their racquets into the walls. They understand that this part of the learning process. So they design beginner racquets to take more punishment.

The money saved by purchasing a lower-priced racquet should be invested in lessons. Lessons will help beginners move quickly to the intermediate level. Since intermediate level players are less likely to over-run the ball and crash into the walls, most are ready to start shopping for a higher quality racquet.

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Squash Racquet Grip Size

Squash Racquet Grip Size
Squash Racquet Grip Size
Unlike tennis racquets for which grip size is critically important, squash racquets are not manufactured with different grip sizes. That is to say while there are differences between adult, junior and children’s squash racquets, one cannot purchase an adult racquet with a particular grip size.

Instead, squash players all start with the same grip size and then build their racquet handles up to the size they want by using a combination of grip and overgrip.

Many players are satisfied with a single grip. Some, with larger hands, will add an additional layer or two of overgrip while players with extremely large hands will often begin with two layers of grip followed by one or more layers of overgrip.

Only the highest quality squash racquets come outfitted with proper grip when you bring them home from the store. Most racquets, in fact, come with a very thin rubber wrapping that looks like grip. This is not a grip and should be replaced immediately. Even good quality racquets will usually require the installation of grip and string before you can play squash with them.

So how much grip and/or overgrip should you wrap around the handle of your new squash racquet?

To find out, hold the racquet in your hand as you would when you play. The squeeze the handle as tightly as you would if you were about to make contact with the ball.

The tips of your fingers should be barely touching your palm below your thumb. If they are pressing into your palm, the grip is too small. If they are unable to reach your palm, the grip is too large. Add or remove a combination of grip and/or over grip until it is the perfect size for your hand.

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Should I Buy a Used Squash Racquet?

Dunlop Biomimetic Ultimate Squash Racquet
Buyer beware. Used squash racquets are generally not worth the price their sellers are asking.
In tight economic times like these, everybody wants to save money where they can. Buying used squash racquets, instead of new squash racquets, is one way to do that.

But you have to be careful if you want to go this route. Saving money is one possibility, but getting ripped off is another. So here are some things to consider when shopping for a used racquet.

Kijiji

It is certainly possible to get a good used squash racquet on Kijiji and other websites. However it is also possible to buy cheap knock-offs and once-broken-now-repaired frames.

Buyer beware. I won’t buy a racquet unless I can check the entire frame for tell-tale swelling, bulging or other signs of repair. I also need to examine every sticker or label on the racquet in order to prove to myself that it is not a knock off.

There is also the sucker-born-everyday factor. Today for example, I see six squash racquets for sale on Kijiji. Two are “almost new” for $40. Both can be purchased new for less. Two are for sale at $20.00 neither for which is worth half of that. And the remaining two are so old they are worthless, yet their owners want $10-12 for each.

Used Goods Stores

While it is possible to hold a racquet in your hands and examine it carefully in a used sporting goods store, it is not always possible to determine how old the racquet is. As a result, I have seen more than one intermediate player show up to play with a “new” racquet that is, in fact, ten years old.

It is advisable, therefore, to stop at a new racquet store and have a good long look at what is on the shelf this year before going to the used racquet store to buy last year’s model. Do this and you will increase your chances of spotting really old frames when you get to the used racquet store.

Hand-me-downs

Buying used racquets from friends and other players in your network can be tricky. Generally, you should pay no more than $40 for the frame, $40 for the string and $10 for the grip. In other words, a quality used racquet shouldn’t cost more than $90.

If the frame is a mid-range frame (not a high-end frame), deduct at least $20. If the strings have more than 50 games on them, deduct $20. If the grip needs to be replaced, deduct another $10.

Slightly Used Demos

Pros and sponsored players often get their racquets for free. Occasionally, they will play with them a few times and then put them away for good. In most cases, they will play with them until the brand rep gives them another new model.

Since pros, sponsored players and other frequent players treat their racquets with respect, you are not buying junk. In most cases, you are buying slightly-used, high-end racquets that are in near-pristine condition.

Check for wear on the grip and marks on the strings. If it’s a factory grip with very little wear and the strings are relatively clean with few black marks, you will know that the racquet hasn’t been used very much.

Price Ranges

New, low-end squash racquets are pre-strung and are priced in the $30 to $60 range.

New mid-range squash racquets are usually pre-strung and are priced in the $70 to $100 range.

New high-end squash racquets cost more than $150. Stringing costs another $20 to $50, depending on the type of string you like.

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Wrong Product – Right Price

It doesn’t matter what you are buying — racquets, shoes, string, accessories — price should not be your most important consideration. If it is, you will almost certainly make a poor decision.

In the past 24 hours, for example, we have had two customers make poor decisions because they had price-focused tunnel vision. One spent twice as much as she should have because she refused to consider a less expensive pickleball paddle that was perfectly suited to her needs. Another saved $40.00 but walked away with shoes that will actually detract from his on court performance and may actually lead to injury.

We understand that price has to be a consideration at some point in the purchasing process. That is completely reasonable. But it should never be a starting point.

Sports are about performance. The products that you purchase for sporting activities must not hinder or detract from your performance.

All too often, customers come into our store with the preconceived notion that expensive is good and cheap is bad. While this may be generally true (most products are priced according to their input costs), it is not always the case. Sometimes, the better option is the cheaper one.

How can you know? Come into our store and ask our experts.

Staff at Racquet Network are trained to ask questions. They want to know what level you will be playing at and the context you will be playing in. They will also want to know what problem you are trying to solve. Once they have this information, they will be able to help you select some products that fit your needs.

Often, our staff will come up with a category of products that will support your performance goals. And within that category, there will be items at different price points. At that point, price considerations become appropriate. But not before. Otherwise, you run the risk of buying the wrong product just because it is offered at the right price.