Adult squash rackets are advertised across a surprisingly narrow weight band — most sit somewhere in the region of 110g to 145g, and the gap between the lightest and heaviest frame on a shop wall is roughly the weight of a few pound coins. That is the first thing worth knowing, because weight is the specification everyone asks about first and it is the one that separates rackets least.
What follows are the questions we actually get asked at the counter, in the order they usually arrive.
How much does weight really change?
Less than you would expect, but not nothing. Within that narrow band, a lighter racket is quicker to bring round when a ball comes back off the side wall faster than you planned, and it is more forgiving on the shoulder over a long match. A heavier racket is more stable when you are stretched, holds its line better on a hard drive, and takes less of a knock when it meets the wall, which it will.
The practical advice is to stop chasing the lowest number. Very light frames only pay off if your technique is already compact and your timing is good; if it is not, you simply swing a light racket badly and faster. A player of average strength who plays once or twice a week is well served in the middle of the range, and the difference they will actually feel is balance, not mass.
Check the figure on the specific model you are considering, and note whether it is quoted strung or unstrung, since brands are not consistent about it.
Head-light or head-heavy, and which suits you?
This is the decision that changes how a racket plays. Balance describes where the weight sits along the frame, and it is why two rackets of identical weight can feel nothing alike.
Head-light frames feel quicker in the hand. They suit fast defensive play, retrieving, tight volleys at the front, and anyone who plays a lot of rallies where the racket has to be somewhere it was not a moment ago. They are also the safer choice if you have had any elbow or shoulder trouble.
Head-heavy frames put mass out at the top of the swing, which generates more power for the same effort. They suit players who hit hard length from the back, who like a heavy drive, and who have the technique to swing a head-heavy frame in a confined court without catching the wall.
Even balance sits between the two and is a genuinely reasonable answer for a club player who does a bit of everything. If you are unsure, err head-light. Squash punishes slow rackets far more often than it punishes gentle ones.
Teardrop or a classic closed throat?
Look at the head. A teardrop frame has an open throat with the strings running further down towards the handle. A classic head shape has a bridge across the throat, giving a smaller, more traditional oval face.
Longer main strings mean more give and a larger sweet spot, so teardrop frames are more forgiving and generally produce more power. That is why they dominate what is on sale, and why they are the sensible default for most improvers.
Classic closed throats give up some of that sweet spot in exchange for a more precise, connected feel. Players with clean technique who value control over free power still prefer them, particularly for tight drops and boasts where feel matters more than pace. It is not a dated design, it is a different priority.
If you mis-hit regularly, teardrop. If you make clean contact and want the ball to go exactly where you aimed it, a closed throat is worth trying before you dismiss it.
Does the string matter yet?
Eventually, yes, and sooner than most club players think. A squash racket loses tension steadily whether you play or not, and a frame strung two years ago plays dead regardless of what it cost.
Broadly, lower tension gives you more power and a softer feel, higher tension gives you more control and a crisper response. Thinner strings feel sharper and break sooner; thicker strings last longer and feel slightly muted. Frames also carry a recommended tension range, and going outside it is a good way to shorten the life of the racket.
None of this is urgent for a first racket, which will arrive strung and playable. It becomes relevant the moment you either break a string or notice the ball is not going where it used to. Bring the racket in and ask rather than guessing, and get the frame checked for grommet damage at the same time — walls take a toll on squash rackets that other sports do not inflict.
So what should you actually buy?
Reduce it to your honest playing profile.
- New to squash: a teardrop head, even or head-light balance, mid-range weight. Forgiving, quick enough, and cheap enough to replace when you clip a wall.
- Playing weekly, rallying well: head-light teardrop if you are a retriever and a volleyer, head-heavy teardrop if your game is hard length from the back.
- Experienced, technically tidy, control-minded: a classic closed throat, even or head-light, and a string setup you have chosen deliberately.
- Any history of elbow trouble: lighter, head-light, softer string at the lower end of the recommended tension.
Whichever you land on, hold a few first. Two rackets that look identical on paper feel different within one shadow swing, and that swing tells you more than any specification. Our squash racket range is on the wall to compare, a fresh overgrip makes more difference to your first session than most people credit, and the rest of the squash equipment is there when you are ready. Ask in store about restringing rather than assuming your old frame is finished.