Best Squash Grips in 2023

In this article I’m going to run down the best squash grips on the market, based on my years of experience playing squash and talking to other squash players about their favorite equipment.

Here are the topics covered on this page:

• The overall best squash grips
• The difference between a replacement grip and an overgrip
• The best replacement grips
• The best overgrips
• How to regrip a squash racket
• Frequently-asked questions

Overall best squash grips

The best squash grip overall is the Karakal PU Super Grip. This is the most popular choice for pros and amateur players alike due to its combination of tackiness, thickness, comfort, and absorbency. It comes in a variety of colors so you can match the cosmetics of your racket.

If you prefer overgrips, my favorite choice is the Solinco Heaven Grip for its extra absorbency, durability, and muted color scheme that matches most rackets. See below if you want to understand more about the differences between replacement grips and overgrips.

What’s the difference between a replacement grip and an overgrip?

Squash rackets come from the factory pre-installed with a grip. This is usually referred to as the factory grip.

Over time the factory grip may get dirty or lose its tackiness and you find yourself wanting to replace it. This is where a replacement grip comes in.

A replacement grip simply replaces the factory grip. Or, if you already replaced the factory grip, then you’re replacing the replacement grip, and you can keep replacing them to infinity.

At the end of the day, these are all a “base” grip that sits in between the raw carbon frame and your hand.

A squash overgrip is a little different. It’s thinner, and meant to go on top of the base grip. Most squash players don’t use an overgrip, but personally, I’m an overgrip guy.

I mainly use overgrips for sweat absorption. When my hands sweat heavily, that makes it difficult to grip the raket. I find that overgrips do a much better job of handling sweat than base grips.

Related to the first point: overgrips are quicker to change out. If my racket handle gets sweaty during a match, it’s pretty easy to change the overgrip in between games. Replacement grips are a little harder to change because they have an adhesive that keeps them glued to the bare handle, so you have to take a little more care doing the job.

Another reason people use overgrips is to add thickness to the handle. Some people like a really thick grip and will actually put a replacement grip on top of the factory grip, but this is bigger than most people want. An overgrip on the other hand is just a little additional thickness.

Best replacement grips for squash

You can use any brand of grip to replace the factory grip.

Usually, squash racket manufacturers — and especially the larger brands — sell their own line of grips. If you like the factory grip, you can always buy an exact replacement grip from the same brand.

But of course, experienced players may start to develop their own preferences and want to switch to a different brand. We’ll cover some of those below.

As I mentioned earlier, I’m an overgrip guy. That means my experience with replacement grips is somewhat limited — I never even touch the base grip! So in listing the best replacement grips below, I’m going off what I see other players using, what I’ve heard from players over the years of writing this blog, plus some others I’ve tried.

Karakal PU Super Grip

Karakal is the big dog in the grip game. They have been used for years by pros and amateurs all around the world.

Karakal grips are so well-ingrained that people actually have favorite colors, and not just for cosmetic reasons. I’ve heard several people over the years swear that the lighter-colored grips (yellow and white) are the best in terms of tackiness.

Eye Grip

The other grip I want to mention here is from Eye. I’ve heard from a few different people that swear by the Eye grips for a combination of comfort, softness, and durability. The white ones seem to be a favorite.

Other Brands

I’m planning to test out some more replacement grips soon and will update this page as I have more to say. But for now, here are some links to all the brands of replacement grips I’ve posted on Squash Source so far:

Ashaway | Black Knight | Decathlon | Dunlop | Eye | Gamma | Harrow | Head | Karakal | Mantis | Prince | Salming | Tecnifibre | Wilson

Best overgrips for squash

Solinco Heaven

My number one pick in the overgrip department is Solinco Heaven. This grip is very absorbent, and I never have trouble keeping my grip on the racket, even in the hottest conditions.

I’ve found this to be the most durable overgrip. As with any grip, it’ll wear out eventually, but one of these usually will last me for weeks.

I also really like the cosmetics of this grip. The gray and black color scheme goes well with most squash rackets on the market.

Tourna Grip

Tourna Grip had been my favorite overgrip for twenty plus years before I stumbled onto Solinco Heaven, and I still have a soft spot in my heart for Tourna.

Tourna Grip’s strength is its absorbency. It’s equal to the Solinco, in my opinion.

Tourna Grip is not as good on the durability front. After a week or two, it starts to fray a little, which makes it less grippy. I once had a pack of Tourna Grips that started fraying after just one game. Granted it had been sitting in my closet for over a year and it only happened to me once, but it was still a bit odd.

As for the cosmetics, well, Tourna Grip is just iconic, with that light blue color, and then the bit of red tape to finish it off. The light blue doesn’t necessarily go with every racket, but on the other hand you could argue that it’s the racket that doesn’t go well with the Tourna Grip.

Yonex Super Grap

This is another good all-around choice. I think it was the first overgrip I tried after Tourna Grip. The absorbency of this grip was really nice, and it’s black, which goes with lots of rackets.

Wilson Perforated

Here’s one more overgrip option. I tried this once and though it performed well.

How to regrip a squash racket

Here’s a video I did that doubles as a review of Tourna Grip plus a tutorial on how to regrip a squash racket. (This was recorded before I found Solinco grip.)

Soon I’ll record a new video that’s just for the regripping but this ought to do for now.

If you can’t watch a video right now, the basic premise is this:

• Remove the old grip (if desired)
• Start applying the new grip from the very butt end of the racket
• Often the new grip will have a tapered end — this is what you start with at the butt end
• Wrap the grip tightly in the beginning so it hugs the end of the squash handle that bulges out
• After that just wrap slowly and consistently, with a little bit of overlap, up to the throat of the racket
• Use the bit of tape that comes with the grip to finish it off

Pro tip: get a roll of electrical tape for your bag. This is thicker, more secure, and more satisfying than the thin little piece of tape that usually comes with grips.

Frequently-asked questions

How often should you regrip a squash racket?

You should regrip a racket whenever you feel the old grip is not performing for you, for whatever reason. Simple as that. It could be because the old grip is no longer as grippy or as absorbent as it once was. It could be because the old grip is dirty and you want a fresh, clean look.

At the end of the day, your grip is a very personal matter. For fun, do you want to see the grip Ramy Ashour used to win the World Championships? Sure you do. Here it is:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @ramyashourr

Now myself, I could never play with that grip. What a mess! But it worked for Ramy, and I’m posting that photo just to emphasize that grips are all about your own feel. After all, the grip is your only point of contact with the racket. Do whatever makes you comfortable.

Can you use a badminton or tennis grip for squash?

Yes, you absolutely can use badminton or tennis grips for squash. In fact many of the products listed above are marketed primarily to other sports but work great for squash rackets.

What about gloves or antiperspirant lotions for squash?

In racquetball, you often see people wearing gloves when they play, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen this in squash. I’m not sure why it’s like that, but I don’t see any reason you couldn’t try using a glove.

There are also a number of antiperspirant lotions you can apply to your hand to reduce sweating. My friend CJ uses Dry Grip and I’ve tried it once and found it helpful.