Either you broke your squash strings again or you are looking to upgrade your racket. Its cool how squash equipment has evolved over the years to suit all the different playing styles, from rackets, to strings, to eye guards, to shoes etc. People even ask me what the best socks for squash are! Any sports socks are fine.
In this article we are going to review the best squash strings, tried and tested. We will give recommendations on which string to use based on the type of player you are.
A note about squash string gauge
It is necessary to know about the different kinds of squash string gauges in order to make an informed decisions of not only which string to buy, but with which gauge and specifications. To learn about squash string gauge, check out this article.
Best Squash Strings Recommendations
#1: tecnifibre DNAMX
Endorsed by Mohammed El shorbagy, this particular string has been my favorite to play with for years. Available in 16G, 17G, 18G, I preferred the standard 17G strung at 24lbs tension on my tecnifibre Carboflex 125 X-speed racket. In fact that particular racket comes factory strung with tecnifibre DNAMX 17G string.
It has great power, good control, and feels very light on the racket. Some strings have a weight and influence the overall balance of the racket. This string has also broken less frequently on me. As a power player I have not experienced much breakage with this string. The fray of the string is also gradual, making this string reasonably durable and cost effective.
For those who own a Dunlop Hyperfibre Revelation Ali Farag series that came with Dunlop Silk 17G string, the tecnifibre DNAMX is a great substitute for the Dunlop Silk string which is difficult to find and is slightly pricey. I don’t think you would be able to tell the difference.
#2 tecnifibre 305 Green
This is the flagship string by tecnifibre, used by every pro you can think of. Nicole David, Raneem El Welily, Tarek Momen, Karim Abdel Gawad, Ramy Ashour, Gregory Gaultier, the list goes on. This string can be seen from miles away due to its iconic bright green color. It has incredible power, control, and touch. When you feel the string with your hands you can feel an oily and rubbery varnish on it that gives its texture and grip on the ball.
Compared to any other string, including the tecnfibre DNAMX, you will feel an insane amount of power coming from this string in your hard drives from the back of the court. At the front you will feel the weight of the ball on your racquet face during your drop shots. Its obvious why this string has become one of the most popular amongst the pros. Available in 16G, 17G and 18G, there seems to be an option for all levels of players and their preferences. The Tecnifibre suprem line of rackets come factory strung with the 305 green string.
Although this will remain the favorite string for most squash players, its disadvantage is more relevant to amateur and club level players: its fragile. One wrong hit with excessive force and a brand new set of strings goes to waste. Its also not meant to last beyond a full season of play as it withers very quickly. This string is more suitable for high performance players who can afford to replace it after every tournament or few weeks on several rackets.
I still recommend every serious player to try this string at least once to experience what it offers.
#3 Ashaway SuperNick XL
A workhorse of squash that has endured the years. Ashaway is an American brand specializing in strings for all sorts of racket sports including squash, racketball, tennis and badminton. They know their business. Ashaway SuperNick XL is one of the most popular strings among club level and advance level players for its performance, durability, and price. Although just slightly below tecnifibre in terms of power, its texture produces good control and cut, generating lots of spin on the ball.
Its also reasonably durable, and can go on for months without breakage if played without too many miss-hits. Ashaway SuperNick XL comes in 17G in two different colors; an iconic red white and blue, and a red, lime green, and blue, both performing equally well. There is also an 18G variant, the Ashaway SuperNick XL Micro, for more precision players and comes in lime green and black. Many racket brands including Black Knight and Harrow come factory strung with Ashaway strings.
Ashaway SuperNick Variants
Ashaway has other other string variants to try including Ashaway ZX, Ashaway Powernick, Ashaway UltraNick, Ashaway MultiNick, and the titanium coated variation of this string, the SuperNick XL Ti. The SuperNick XL Ti comes in a textured metallic coating that claim to enhance durability. However I found that string to be very prone to breakage and was only sold at generic sports stores rather than specialty racket shops.
If you ever need a good reliable squash string and have trouble deciding, the Ashaway SuperNick XL is a safe option for all players. The other great thing about it is that most shop carry it and its reasonable prices.
#4 Head Evolution Pro
If you are a beginner or an intermediate player with a history of breaking strings, this is a great string that is reasonably priced and performs decently. Im glad Head is still producing these strings in three different colors, an attractive flaming orange, a pearly white, and a jet black. The string also comes in both 17G and 16G variants depending on whether you want more performance or more durability.
The best thing about this string is the price. You can keep breaking it and it wont hurt too much. Its a great string to develop your game with or repair your racket for the one-off squash session (though I always encourage endless play).
