The best squash racket is a never ending quest for both squash players and racket manufacturers. The sport is ever evolving, and science and technology enables this evolution with the discovery of new materials and experimenting with different racket designs. If you are reading this article, you too are experimenting as a player, and are either looking to choose a new racket or change your current frame to compliment your playing style.
As mature consumers of the game, we need to accept that the best squash racket is not always the most expensive, or the lightest, or most durable one. If that were the case, then Ali Farag, Nour El Sherbini, Ramy Ashour, Karim Abdel Gawad, and Paul Coll would have all been using the same racket. But they don’t. In all those particular cases, the brand, model, and type of racket is different, because they are all vastly different players with varying preferences. Players like us however may be better off going for the ultimate racket that gives us power, control, and durability, all in the best possible price range.
In order to choose the best squash racket for you, lets first understand the defining features of rackets. We often see rackets rated by power, control, and durability, but those features are kind of meaningless without the missing element: The player, that’s you! For example, if you are an absolute amateur, you will have the same level of control with every racket you play with. Similarly, if you pack a lot of rage, no racket will pass your durability test. Instead of trying the best rackets in those categories, lets help you decide which racket works for you. Lets be clear that I am not a salesman promoting one brand over the other. I just want to find what racket works for the kind of player you are.
Anyone shopping for a squash racket would be looking at its physical properties. These are:
Lets look at these in more detail. Or you can skip the technicalities and go straight to our top 6 picks for the best squash racket.
Key elements of a Squash racket
Frame Weight
Usually measured in grams, the weight of the racket should be the first thing you feel when you pick it up and wave it around. Some prefer heavier frames, while others prefer lighter ones. While most high quality squash frames are within the 120 to 160 gram range, the feeling of a heavy racket is quite obvious. For example, Mohammed El Shorbagy’s Airshaft weight 125 grams while Marwan’s weighs 135 grams. 10 grams does not sound like that much of a difference, but it will feel so.
If you like to have more power in your shots, a heavier frame will give you more power with less effort if you can time your shots correctly. However, the extra weight will slow you down a little bit. If you are more about fast reactions and whipping the ball, you can sacrifice some power and use a lighter frame, but get higher racket head speed to cut through the air.
Racket Balance Point
This property is often more important that the frame weight. There are three categories of squash racket frame balances:
- Head Heavy
- Head Light, and
- Balanced.
If you kind to feel of the weight of the racket transfer momentum into the shot, you would prefer a head heavy frame like Ali Farag and Nour El Tayeb. For more touch and control in steering the ball, you would prefer a head light squash racket like Gregory Gaultier and Mohammad El Shorbagy. If you are a graceful and balanced player who can play any shot from any position, then a balanced racket would be good for you, just as it is for Karim Abdel Gawad.
Frame Shape
There are two kinds of Squash racket head shapes; Closed throat and closed throat. Open throat rackets such as Ali Farag’s racket have longer strings going down the center of the racket, which stretch more and give more power. Open throat rackets are also known as tear drop rackets. Closed throat rackets such as the one used by Raneem El Weleily give more control and pack a good punch if you hit the ball cleanly like her.
Stiffness
This is really a feel thing that depends on the construction of the squash racket. The measure of stiffness written on the racket frame does not tell you much until you play with it. Less stiff rackets feel softer and bendy while playing shots. Some prefer the added comfort while others feel it messes with control. Harder or stiffer frames deform less while playing hard shots and make it feel like you have hit the ball cleanly, even if you haven’t. Its just a comfort thing.
Durability
This determines if the frame will break if you smash it into the wall. Some last longer than others. Not more to say about this. Although some squash rackets are indeed more durable than others. The most durable squash rackets are cheaper models targeted towards beginners who tend to smash everything except the ball. The lighter and more expensive a racket gets, the less durable it tends to become. However, some higher end rackets such as the Tecnifibre Suprem 135 and Carboflex 135 models are much more durable than their 125 gram counter parts.
Now that you’re all confused, lets look at some of the best squash rackets out there to choose from.
Top 6 best squash racket options
#6 Head Graphene Touch Speed 120 Slimbody
This and its red version are probably the best squash rackets that Head has to offer these days. The Head Radical rackets are also pretty good. Those are however tailored towards some of the more professional players who play with extreme precision.
Among the Graphene series, this open throat and head heavy racket hits the ball really hard. You may have noticed that the aggressive retriever Nour El Tayeb used this racket for a long time before switching to Dunlop (sponsor purposes). The Dunlop racket she currently uses is quite similar to the Head Graphene Touch. The slim body of the frame is designed to get closer to the ball and easily scrape it off the walls. Despite being slim, its construction is pretty solid, making it fairly durable. Paul Coll has also recently switched from Eye rackets to Head, and uses this same racket.
Due to its light weight, it offers good control and feel, especially for those soft drop shots at the front. The black finish is great too compared to some of Head’s other more colorful squash rackets.
As with all Head squash rackets, the handle is really comfortable. The Head squash racket handle is a defining feature and I wish other squash rackets had the kind of handle as Head squash rackets.
Overall, this racket is the best among Head’s squash product line.
#5 Harrow Vibe
Karim Abel Gawad has been using the same Harrow Vibe squash racket for as long as I can remember. His continued use of this racket has given him a custom frame with a paint job that carries his name and the Egyptian flag. That’s some serious commitment. Whats so great about this racket?
First of all, its perfectly balanced, as all things should be. It’s difficult to find a balanced racket these days because manufacturers do not make many. And manufactures usually just make what most players ask for; which these days is head heavy rackets. Consider Mostafa Asal’s green technifibre suprem. That racket is so head heavy it feels like you are waving around the hammer of thor.
But the Harrow Vibe stands out in this regard. The balance and the perfect amount of stiffness in the frame make it extremely comfortable to play with, whether you are a power hitter or a touch player, or an all rounder like Gawad. You may have also noticed that the Harrow Vibe has a closed throat frame, which usually makes rackets less forgiving. However, Harrow rackets have slightly larger head sizes which give you more power and surface area to work with.
Harrow rackets tend to be more expensive than other squash brands out there. I do not know why. Maybe its their business strategy or something. However despite the high price tag, Harrow rackets are notoriously fragile, so better be careful when playing with this. The extreme performance is worth the price though. Its an excellent racket, one of the best ever made and still in production. All good things come at a price.
#4 Dunlop Hyperfibre XT Revelation Pro
Why is this the choice of World No. 1 Ali Farag? You will know when you spend a few hours with it. Initially it is very difficult to swing. All the weight is in the head, which is a tear drop shaped web of the longest vertical strings you will find on any squash racket. You get used to it after some hitting and learn to hit the ball earlier than normal. At this point, you will feel like your next kill may break down the front wall altogether.
What an incredible racket. So much power coming from extreme head heaviness combined with the open throat frame. The weight of the frame is also kind of odd, 129g or something. Such a specific number by Dunlop shows how every gram has been accounted for when engineering this masterpiece. The frame isn’t too stiff or flimsy either, making it comfortable to hit any kind of shot with.
It it works for Ali Farag, it should work for everyone else. However, I think changing your swing a little bit will be necessary if you have been playing with lighter rackets. The adjustments include earlier racket preparation and making contact with the ball slightly ahead of you rather than in-line with your front foot as the heavier racket moves slower through the air.
The frame also comes fitted with Dunlop Silk strings, which are just as good as tecnifibre DNAMX strings. I would also recommend pairing the Dunlop Hyperfibre Revelation Pro XT with Dunlop silk for an ultimate combination of power and control.
#3 Tecnifibre Carboflex 125X Speed
Custom made for the beast and world no. 1 Mohammed El Shorbagy, the Carboflex 125X speed is one of the best squash rackets ever produced by tecnifibre. Since Mohammed El Shorbagy is constantly improving his squash, and since tecnifibre is always trying to build a better rakuet, the two make a super productive team. All the tweaks that Mohammed wanted to the original Carboflex 125s were granted, resulting in a stiffer racket that hits the ball cleaner and straighter than any other racket ever could. Nour El Sherbini adopted the same racket but got her own custom paint job on it. Her signature finish is called the Tecnifibre X Speed Carboflex 125 NS.
The frame has been slightly broadened to achieve the Carboflex 125 X-speed’s stiffness. This meant more meat went into the racket in terms of material and in turn we got more power. However, the light headedness of the racket remained for us to play those deceptive flicks. The extra weight was accounted for by replacing the heavier grommet strip of the Carboflex 125s with a lighter set of transparent grommets. Although this racket performed just as well as its predecessor, or even better, it is slightly less durable. Its still pretty strong though and can give plenty of play time if you aren’t reckless with it.
#2 UnSquashable 555 Jahangir Khan
No, Jahangir Khan did not use this racket. Back in his day, rackets looked nothing like what we play squash with today. Its simply referred to as the 555 Jahangir Khan to make a tribute to the great man. Someone also made a tribute to Jahangir Khan by creating a perfume in his name. Watch the presentation here.
This racket is special for two reasons. 1: Its difficult to find, and 2, its got all the great things we can ask for in a great racket. Its balanced, has an open throat for generating lots of power, has great control, and its very durable. The weight initially feels heavier than a normal racket when first picked up. But after waving it around, you realize this cuts through the air better than any tecnifibre or slim body head would. Mainly because this IS a slim body compared to other squash rackets in its category.
In my opinion, this is THE BEST SQUASH RACKET. The only reason why I am not ranking it no. 1 is because its difficult to find in the market. If you come across this racket in your local store, I suggest going for it.
#1 Tecnifibre Carboflex 125S
All things including economics and placebos considered, this is the best squash racket. I am glad tecnifibre still manufactures and sells these despite being an older model. I hope they continue to do so. The weight, balance, and stiffness are on point, and the with the open throat, you get tons of power. Due to the stiffness, ball control becomes high after practicing with this for an extended time.
Out of all the rackets listed in this article, this is by far the most durable. Yes, even more durable than its successor, the technifibre Carboflex 125X Speed. The durability not only comes from the quality of its frame, but these genius thing tecnifibre did. They added a protruding bumper to the grommet strip. This means the impact is absorbed by the plastic grommet strip rather than the frame when hitting walls. This drastically extends the life of the frame. This is the racket that gave tecnifibre squash rackets the reputation of being “bomb proof”.
This racket was developed through a collaboration between tecnifibre and Mohammad El Shorbagy. It was designed for the way he played at the time. The subsequent models of the carboflex series including the X-Speed and now the Air Shaft are just minor tweaks to this legendary piece of engineering. Even today, given a choice between this and the latest tecnifibre rackets, I would pick the Tecnifibre Carboflex 125s due to its availability and price point.
How to choose the perfect squash racket?
Lets summarize our findings according to the physical characteristics we previously discussed.
Best Head Heavy Squash Rackets
- Dunlop Hyperfibre XT Revelation Pro
- Head Graphene Touch Speed 120 Slimbody
The Best Head Light Squash Rackets:
- Tecnifibre Carboflex 125S
- Tecnifibre Carboflex 125X Speed
Best Balanced Squash rackets:
- Harrow Vibe
- UnSquashable 555 Jahangir Khan
The Best Open Throat Squash Rackets:
- Tecnifibre Carboflex 125S
- Tecnifibre Carboflex 125X Speed
- Dunlop Hyperfibre XT Revelation Pro
- Head Graphene Touch Speed 120 Slimbody
- UnSquashable 555 Jahangir Khan
Best Closed Throat Squash Racket:
- Harrow Vibe
Stiffest Squash Rackets
- Tecnifibre Carboflex 125S
- Tecnifibre Carboflex 125X Speed
Hopefully this article helped you find the best squash racket for your playing needs. In the same way, we have shortlisted the best squash strings, grips, and shoes for you as well. Click any of the below links to learn more:
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