Squash strings are an under-emphasized piece of squash equipment. Most people spend tons of time thinking about which squash racket they like, forgetting that it’s the squash strings that actually make contact with the ball. And I must admit, I’ve been that guy on occasion.
Best Squash Strings
What are the best squash strings on the market? Generally, the two dominant “premium” brands used by most pros are Tecnifibre squash strings and Ashaway squash strings.
Here’s a more complete list of brands. As you can see I haven’t posted all of them yet, but will get to it eventually 🙂
Also check out Tjeerd’s comments below for even more brands.
While some squash rackets come pre-strung with a premium squash string — for example, Black Knight squash rackets are pre-strung with Ashaway, and of course Tecnifibre squash rackets are pre-strung with Tecnifibre — most squash racket manufacturers string their rackets with an in-house brand of string.
Personally, I have a slight preference for the premium brands, but I find the factory strings to be acceptable.
So what’s the best string for you? There’s no simple answer. The best thing to do is try out different strings at different tensions and see what works best for you.
About Squash Strings
Here are some basics about strings.
Tension
To get more power, string at a lower tension. A string under low tension bends more easily, which sends the ball launching off your strings. Conversely, higher tension gives you a more controlled hit.
The reason is, well, think about it like a trampoline — if it bends easily, it will launch you higher (more power), but the bounce will be more difficult for you to control. Conversely, a stiff trampoline won’t bounce you as high, but it’ll be easier to control your bounces.
I would say a high squash racket string tension (more control) is 29 pounds, average is 27 pounds, and low tension (more power) is 25 pounds.
Thickness
Thinner string bends more easily, and that gives you a bit of a power boost. In addition, the thinner the string, the more it will “bite” into the ball on contact, allowing you to put more spin on your shots. So if thinner strings provide more power and better spin control, why not always use the thinnest string available? The reason is that thinner strings are more prone to breakage, which can be expensive and/or annoying to replace.
For squash strings, 1.1mm is thin (more bite / less durability), 1.2mm is medium, and 1.3mm is thick (less bite / more durability). Thickness can also be measured in “gauge”, except with gauge, higher numbers indicate thinner string — so 18 gauge is thin, 17 gauge is medium, and 16 gauge is thick.
Read More
For a lot more about strings, check out these articles:
- serioussquash.com
- squashplayer.co.uk
- squashsite.co.uk
- ashawayusa.com
- colinthestringer.com
- tennis-warehouse.com – about tennis strings, but it’s informative
- reddit.com – interesting thread that sort of refutes the trampoline theory
- string-doctor.com – “What’s the deal with factory strings?”
Sam Hood says
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Thanks for sharing valuable information on squash strings.
Keep Sharing…
Tor says
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Maybe someone can help me. Let’s say you have ten meters of both the Ultranick 17 optic green (1.25) and ten meters of Tecnifibre green 305 1.10. Which one has less weight? I have a couple of Harrow Vapors strung up with the mentioned Ultranick, but would like to get some grams of it and make it less head heavy. I assume 305 green 1.10 weighs less since it’s thinner. No idea actually. Anyone?
Tjeerd says
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Hi Tor,
Purely based on the gauge, you would say that the Tecnifibre 1.10mm string should be lighter than the 1.25 mm Ultranick. However, the construction of these strings is completely different and the core is based on different materials (nylon vs. Zyex).
I cannot find the numbers anymore, but a few year ago, I compared different gauges of similar constructed (braided) nylon strings of different gauges. The difference was only a couple of tenths grams for a complete stringbed. So in short: negligible. 🙂
My guess is that you will have more joy in finding some grams by (partially) cutting the top bumper. And if that’s not enough, go Gaultier style and start shaving you racket with sandpaper. 🙂
Tor says
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Thanks. I’ll pop out the shaving kit. 😁 Been speculating in buying some lead tape and take the bottom cap of and add some to the inside of the handle. I’m too picky on the grip and can’t add any overgrips cause I have smaller hands.
Tor says
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I forgot to mention that it’s the balance point I’d like to change the most. Not so important if the weight is 5 grams +/-
And yes you must be right. String gauge can’t have that many grams difference. Anyway; thanks again.
Tjeerd says
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Seemed that I could do a new measurement after all because I had a set of Ultranick 18 1.15 (blue) laying around. The set is 10m and I chopped 10m from a reel of the thickest braided nylon multi filament I have laying around; Kingut 1.25. Although this is a tennis string, it is perfectly suitable for squash rackets but due to it’s elasticity.
Anyway, the result was:
Ultranick 18 1.15mm : 11.4 grams
Kingut 1.25mm : 13.6 grams
So, a “whopping” 2.2 grams difference. \o/
Thomas Selway Spencer says
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You’d be surprised how much the strings weigh, and how much 2grams difference makes if it it taken away or added to the head.
I have a micro measurer and a bunch of strings/guages which I may weigh and post.
However, I would personally not tamper with the bumper or the racket itself – you will adversely affect string durability far more than going thin on your string.
Remember to drop your tension by at least 1lb for every .5mm guage you reduce. For instace if I strung a bed at a guide/avg tension of 27lbs in 1.2 string, I would string 1.1 at 24.5 or lower, otherwise you will have a far to tight feeling bed. This is because of how much more the string will stretch under the same tension. Crudely, if I stretched 5metres of 305 1.2mm at 27lbs it would elongate by 1metre. If I did the same to 1.1mm it would elongate by 2metres and be tighter than the 1.2. The flexibility of the thinner string is negated by the greater elongation.
There is such a change in feel with changing guage, that it needs a little experimentation to get right for you. Costly if you are paying a good stringer to work with you. However, we can adjust to most changes over time.
I would personally stick with what you’ve got and open of the butt cap and pump in about 2grams of bathroom silicone. or get 3grams of lead tape and wrap it on the handle where your middle finger wraps around. This is a good balancing point for making things head lighter.
Borja says
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Hi, the easiest way to change the balance of your racquet is by adding weight to the grip. Even if you add weight there, you will feel the lightest racket. Try putting two grips on it, one on top of the other and you will see how the sensations change. When you get the feel you like, weigh the added grip. Then you take out the lower cover of the grip, put the weight you want and reassemble it. You will have the original grip and your balance will have changed. Although you find added weight, the feeling will be the opposite. I hope it is understood, I am using a translator. Cheers
Tor says
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Yeah thanks. Understood. 😊 I have been experimenting with grips for sure. Last time now I used most of the grip’s length by adding it little higher than normal to the frame. Also I tried wrapping it gently without stretching it too much. It makes a difference.
Andrei Breslavski says
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I pull my racket 24lbs horizontal and 26lbs vertical. How do you pull on your racket?
Rob says
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To go under the Oliver link (that is not showing)
https://www.oliversport.co.uk/product/sq-x5-200m/
Bill williams says
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Hi Pierre have you seen the Ashaway oblivion 18/17 hybrid stings ? Can’t find a review anywhere
Thomas says
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The cross string is just supernick xl 1.25 without the flecks of blue and red running through.
It is a lot cheaper to buy a set of powernick and supernick and try hybriding them.
make the powernick lower tension by 2-4lbs, as it is a stiff string which requires less tension. It will also move MORE if it is the tighter string (weird right?). It is the tighter crosses which work better to lock in the mains and top them from moving. As it is a two-piece, if the mains are tighter, they will dominate the tension against the crosses and be allowed to move more.
I’ve tried the oblivion as was sent demo sets a couple of years ago. I personally think that just using supernick a little tighter (and still dropping the mains tension by a 1lb, even when strung in1-piece, is a more consistent bed than the hybrid product. But, you should try it, as fell is in the hadns of the beholder.
John says
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I know the best two makes for strings are Tecnifibre and Ashaway .. but does anyone use string made from your racket manufacturer? Example I alternate between a Prince ExO3 Rebel and Tecnifibre Carboflex 130S .. the Prince had the signature green Prince synthetic gut 17g, whilst the Carboflex has the legendary 305+ 17g string in it. Honestly I hit fine with both as is (or was). I just recently cut out the synthetic gut and put in Tecnifibre X-One Biphase 18g on the rebel and took it out on the court last night and I was just off with it all night. I felt I was hitting better with the old strings in it. Maybe I just need to get used to it more for it to feel like the same old trusty rebel it was. But does anyone use strings aside from Tecnifibre or Ashaway? Ramy plays with Prince, does anyone know if he uses Prince strings as well?
Appreciate the feedback in advance! Cheers
Jay says
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Ramy always uses the Tecnifibre 305 green strings from what I’ve seen.
I’ve always kept and enjoyed the factory strings on my Xamsa racquets. They’ve never broke on me and I find that I get good power and cut from them. Otherwise, I usually use Ashaways (found and bought some half-reels for cheap) because I’ve found that factory strings are usually crap (Dunlop, Prince, Head, Karakal). Just my opinion as I’m no expert.
Pierre says
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Like Jay said, Ramy uses the 305 green. I’ve tried Gamma and Head strings before (in addition to all the factory strings) and I’ve liked some of those. Some pros also use a brand called RAB I think — but I’ve never tried it. Strings are something of a mystery to me. I don’t really have a go-to option, I just keep trying different setups and hoping one day a grand unified theory of squash strings will pop into my head.
Greg says
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It looks like Technifibre 17g, but happy to stand corrected on that…
Antoine says
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Good morning squash lovers,
The Harrow strings section is not available. I tried on a few occasions the Barrage Pro strings and it feels really close to me to Ashaway style strings.
Is there a reason those strings aren’t used that much?
Thanks
Pierre says
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Thanks for the reminder Antoine. I’ve added a Harrow strings page now with just Barrage Pro on there for the moment.
Harrow rackets used to come strung with Ashaway so I think they probably worked with Ashaway’s manufacturer to come up with their own branded line of strings.
JB says
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Lawrence sorry didn’t see your question till now. Using a Slimbody speed at 19 and works well. Plenty of power and for touch stays in contact a bit longer doesn’t just fly off the strings like at higher tensions. Our clubs best player strings at 17. I switch back and fourth between 305 18g and x-one.
JvN says
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I’ve started stringing my rackets with Sufix PU Multifibre 1.27, 17 Gauge strings. Has a similar construction to the Tecnifibre 305 but less than half the price (works out at 160 ZAR, that’s about $13). Works pretty well for my style of game, it allows me to generate massive spin, it has enormous consistency keeping it’s tension but with time they soften up instead of loosing that tension. Power is moderate, control good and you feel the ball on them pretty well. My last stringing was 25lbs on my Wilson Pro Staff NTour, will probably string it next time to 24lbs to see how they perform as I found that 25lbs was a small touch too tight for my liking. PS. Really enjoy Squash Source, great blog and Youtube channel. Keep up the good work.
Pierre says
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Thanks, never heard of that! https://www.string-along.co.za/p/633022/suffix-pu-multifiber-17