Racketball strings guide
Our racketball Strings Guide
With Practical Tips for Players of All Levels
Introduction
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Do I Need to Restring My Racketball Racket?
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
Types of Racketball Strings
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
Choosing String Tension
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
String Longevity
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
Racketball Type Considerations
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
Additional Tips and Recommendations
- Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
Conclusion
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
Racketball or Racquetball?
It is worth noting the distinction between two variants of racketball. In the UK, racketball (also known as Squash 57) is played on a squash court with rules very similar to squash. American racquetball, however, is played on a longer, narrower court with no tin, and the ceiling is not out of bounds. The ball is also different.
British racketball has adopted equipment manufactured for the more popular American version of the game. It is typically played with a racquetball racket, with strings also designed for the American game. Broadly speaking, the stringing specifications for both sports are similar.
String type
Until recently, most racquetball rackets were strung with squash strings, which have similar playing properties. However, as the sport has grown in popularity, there are now many strings made specifically for racquetball.
- Multifilament — “Soft” feel with great playability and comfort; less durable than monofilament strings. Example: Head Megablast.
- Monofilament — Cheap and very durable but quite stiff. Example: Gearbox Mono Premium.
- Kevlar — Strongest, most durable string on the market. Recommended for very strong players who frequently break strings, or as a mains string in a hybrid setup. Example: Ashaway Kevlar.
Tension
- Higher tension gives more control over the direction the ball takes off your stringbed.
- Lower tension gives greater power, but with less control.
The recommended tension for racquetball rackets is normally between 30–40 lbs. For British racketball, where the ball is smaller and less bouncy, it is generally worth sticking to the lower end of the scale (30–35 lbs). The average tension for racketball is 33 lbs
Do I Need to Restring My Racketball Racket?
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
Types of Racketball Strings
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
Choosing String Tension
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
String Longevity
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
Racketball Type Considerations
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
Additional Tips and Recommendations
- Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
Conclusion
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum
String gauge (thickness)
Racquetball strings are generally available in one of three gauges (thicknesses): 16, 17 and 18 gauge.
- Thicker stringsare more durable, hold tension longer, offer greater control, but are stiffer. Thick strings of 16 (or even 15) gauge were once the norm in racketball, but there has been a trend toward thinner 17 or even 18 gauge as materials have improved.
- Thinner stringstend to be less durable, but are bouncier and stretch back further on impact. This “trampoline” effect generates more power.
The most common string gauge is 17. It offers decent durability coupled with very good playability.
Hybrid tensioning
Many modern racketball rackets depart from normal stringing patterns. Some “long string” rackets have the main strings running through the handle from one side to the other, making the main strings considerably longer than the cross strings. A long string must be strung tighter to obtain the same performance that a short string provides.
In long-string rackets that allow a two-piece stringing pattern, it is common to have the mains and crosses strung at different tensions—a technique known as hybrid tensioning. Typically, the tension of the mains is increased 1–2 lbs above the crosses.
Hybrid stringing
For frequent string breakers, it is common for the mains to be strung with a more durable, heavier-gauge (16) or polyester (monofilament) string. The crosses can be strung with a standard 17 gauge multifilament to maintain playability.
Kevlar main strings may also be considered for maximum durability. However, they are extremely tough and have poor playability. If using Kevlar, it is worth lowering the tension by 10–15% (the crosses can be strung as normal at a higher tension).
How to choose your string specifications
- Beginners:durability is often more important than performance. New players hit off-centre more frequently, which can break strings more easily—so consider a 16 gauge
- Improving players:as skill improves, many players move to 17 gauge for better playability.
- Hard hitters / frequent string breakers:a durable 16 gauge string is recommended.
- Experienced control players / soft hitters who rarely break strings:18 gauge may be suitable, but it is not generally recommended for recreational play due to reduced durability.