10 Best Squash Rackets for Beginners UK 2024 | Dunlop, Wilson and More
Squash is one of the most rewarding racket sports to play in the UK. With most cities and towns having courts, and the fact that you can play it indoors all year round, there’s never been a better time to give squash a go!
As your first squash racket may end up shaping your development and future playing style, it's important to make an informed choice. In this article we've compared the 10 best squash rackets for beginners from the biggest brands including Dunlop, Wilson, and Head to get you started.
Quick List - Top Squash Rackets for Beginners
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Table of Contents
- How to Choose a Squash Racket for Beginners in the UK
- Pick a Squash Racket That Weighs Between 130 – 140g if You’re Just Starting Out1
- Choose an Open-Throat Racket for Balance, or a Teardrop Racket for More Power Behind Shots2
- Opt For a Head-Light Racket With a String Pattern That Totals Over 32 When the Two Numbers Are Combined3
- How to Choose the Right Grip for Beginners
How to Choose a Squash Racket for Beginners in the UK
- Pick a Squash Racket That Weighs Between 130 – 140g if You’re Just Starting Out
- Choose an Open-Throat Racket for Balance, or a Teardrop Racket for More Power Behind Shots
- Opt For a Head-Light Racket With a String Pattern That Totals Over 32 When the Two Numbers Are Combined
Pick a Squash Racket That Weighs Between 130 – 140g if You’re Just Starting Out
As a beginner, the most important factor to consider is a racket's weight as this will affect every single shot you play. Light rackets that weigh under 125 g are the easiest to use from a physical standpoint, but aren't the best option for beginners if the forearm muscles you use playing squash haven't sufficiently developed yet to put enough force behind each swing.
Rackets weighing between 130 – 140 g are considered by the squash community to be the optimal weight. Picking up a racket at this weight will allow you to develop a well-rounded game. However, you'll likely need to invest a little more money into getting a racket within this sweet spot.
Heavy rackets over 145 g are all about the power of the shot, as the heavier the racket, the harder you hit. These are a very good option for beginners, especially considering they're often cheaper than lightweight counterparts. Be sure to practise good form with heavier rackets as the extra weight can increase the risk of injury if you’re not careful.
It's important to stay hydrated while on the court, so here are the 10 best stainless steel water bottles in the UK!
Choose an Open-Throat Racket for Balance, or a Teardrop Racket for More Power Behind Shots
If you’re familiar with other racket sports, like tennis or badminton, you may notice that squash rackets look a bit different in comparison. These rackets appear thinner and a little, well, squashed at the top. There are a few different designs to choose from, but the two most common are open-throat and teardrop designs.
As with weight, there is a trade-off between power and control depending on the design. Open-throat rackets, or classic rackets, are the more traditional and balanced of the two, offering less power than the teardrop, but a lot more control. As squash is played off four walls and the floor, learning how to place your shots properly, opposed to simply hitting the ball hard, is key to developing your technique.
The teardrop design gives more power in its shots, but this extra power comes at the cost of some control. You may find your shots aren't going at all where you want them, which can quickly become frustrating for new players. If you're the sort of person who can shrug this off and persevere, a teardrop design may be worth the pay-off.
Looking to try more racket sports? We've also ranked the 10 best tennis rackets for beginners!
Opt For a Head-Light Racket With a String Pattern That Totals Over 32 When the Two Numbers Are Combined
When learning squash, it’s worth having an idea about racket balance and string patterns. As you improve, you’ll naturally develop an understanding of what you prefer. Whether you feel that more weight at the head and looser strings will help the ball ping off your racket better, or tighter strings and a balanced grip will give you that extra spin you’re looking for.
String patterns are denominated by the number of strings going across the racket, by the number going from top to bottom. Having a dense, tighter string pattern, such as 16 x 19, improves a racket's control and tends to be more durable than an open pattern, like a 12 x 17. A good rule of thumb is to simply add the two numbers together and make sure you're over 32 until you have a little more experience.
As for racket balance, there are three main categories: head-light, head-heavy, and even balance. A heavier head helps you generate more power, whereas a lighter one lets you quickly move the racket into place for a volley or drop shot, with even balance falling between the two. Head-light rackets tend to be best for beginners, as you'll be able to get it into the right positions much easier than others.
10 Best Squash Rackets for Beginners in the UK
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Head Nano Ti 110 | | Exceptional Beginner Racket for Every Budget | |
2 | Tecnifibre Carboflex 135 X-Speed | | Powerful and Explosive Under 140g | |
3 | Head Graphine Touch Speed 135 | | Premium Squash Racket That’s Perfect for Drop Shots | |
4 | Head Nano Pro 120 | | A Comfortable Racket for an Agile Game | |
5 | Tecnifibre Carboflex 125 Heritage Basaltex | | Great Value if You Want to Take Squash Seriously | |
6 | Dunlop Sports Ultra 130 | | Open-Throat Racket for Beginner to Intermediate Players | |
7 | Wilson Hyper Hammer 120PH | | Lightweight Squash Racket With a Smaller Than Average Handle | |
8 | Opfeel SR 100 | | A Cheaper Option for Those Who Want to Give Squash a Go | |
9 | Wilson Impact Pro 900 | | A Heavy Racket for Powerful Hits | |
10 | Dunlop Biotec TI | | A Basic Racket from a Trusted Brand |
Exceptional Beginner Racket for Every Budget
The Head Nano Ti 110 is an exceptional beginner's racket in every department, especially for the price. The weight balancing gives a nice power to your shot, and it's surprisingly precise.
Best of all, this racket is durable! When starting off, you'll want to get as many games as you can from your starter racket to learn what you like and dislike, and how you prefer to play. Thankfully, you won't want, or need, to replace this choice until you're ready to make that next step up.
Powerful and Explosive Under 140g
If you liked the look of no. 5, but baulked a little at the price, then maybe the 135 X-Speed will be easier on your wallet. It's the heaviest racket in the range, but still sits perfectly within the 130g - 140g sweet spot for beginner rackets and is evenly balanced.
What sets this racket apart is its quick swing speed, thanks to the AeroShaft design. This means you'll be able to generate a powerful swing quickly. Add this to the teardrop design, and you have a racket that can hit hard whilst remaining extremely agile.
Premium Squash Racket That’s Perfect for Drop Shots
For our money, Head make some of the best squash rackets for beginners on the market! Balancing affordability with excellent design, the Graphine Touch Speed is a more premium option than the other two Head rackets on our list.
You'll get the right amount of both power and control, and it will happily see you through to intermediate level if you're planning on pursuing squash. Far from just a name, it really does have a great touch that's perfect for drop shots.
A Comfortable Racket for an Agile Game
Coming in at 120g, the Nano Pro is the best in class for those after a squash racket that's easy and comfortable to wield. This racket will really help you improve your volleys and drop shots due to the combination of its overall weight and head-light balance.
The teardrop design helps mitigate the power loss from the lack of weight, so it's definitely worth considering if you struggle with heavier rackets. If you are looking to play an agile game, you can't do much better!
Great Value if You Want to Take Squash Seriously
While expensive for those starting out, this racket will see you a long way in your squash journey. It's also the first teardrop design on our list, making the sweet spot on this model larger than open-throat designs.
It can generate a decent amount of power for a lighter racket, as it's slightly head heavy. If you're willing to invest a little bit more right off the bat, believe us when we say it punches way above its weight in terms of value.
Open-Throat Racket for Beginner to Intermediate Players
The Dunlop Sports Ultra 130 is a fantastic racket! It sits in the perfect weight category and can generate quite a lot of power for a lighter racket thanks to its Power-Ridge and PowerMax string pattern.
It does stretch the definition of a beginner racket slightly as it's possibly better suited to intermediate players who will be able to get the most out of the design. But if you're confident you're in it for the long haul, and happy to invest a little extra, you can't do much better.
Lightweight Squash Racket With a Smaller Than Average Handle
Hyper Hammer is a range of rackets that Wilson offers. The 120 is a light and delicate option for playing squash, with a smaller handle than the average; its head-heavy balance helps generate much needed power.
While light rackets may not be the best choice for beginners, you shouldn't discount them entirely. For those who don't have much forearm strength, and want to play an agile, tricky game, they are certainly worth considering. But, this racket is not for everyone, and you'll ironically struggle to hit like a hammer with it.
A Cheaper Option for Those Who Want to Give Squash a Go
You may be surprised to learn that squash isn't a very expensive hobby, as splitting the cost of renting a court won't break the bank. That said, if you're looking to give squash a try before investing in gear, this racket is a fine choice.
As this is a budget option, it's important to realise that it won't be the best racket in the world, but it does have a very sturdy build quality for the price. You will probably find that your first racket will come into contact with the walls and floor a few times, which is why we appreciate that it can handle a few bumps and scrapes.
A Heavy Racket for Powerful Hits
Like the majority of names on this list, Wilson are specialists in the world of racket sports. This is one of their entry-level squash rackets, which is ideal for beginners.
At 215 g this is a very heavy racket, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but something to be well aware of. Unless you already have some decent forearm strength, you may find this one a little unwieldy when on the court.
A Basic Racket from a Trusted Brand
Although more famous for their shoes and tennis balls, Dunlop also make excellent rackets for a variety of sports. If you're not sure what to buy, the Biotec TI is a good choice for those looking for something reliable.
However, this racket comes in at the heavier end of the spectrum, with the weight being more balanced towards the head. You'll likely also need to replace the grip as there are some reports of it slipping with use.
How to Choose the Right Grip for Beginners
When it comes to the handle and grip of squash rackets, there’s actually not a lot to worry about even though it may seem like a crucial element of whether you’ll get on with a racket or not. Nearly all squash rackets will have the same size grip when new, so it’s simply a case of trying it out to see if it’s comfortable.
If you're not happy with the grip, the first thing to do is to check you're gripping the racket properly. If you are and it's still not quite right, replacement grips and tapes are cheap and easy to come by. You can either opt for a slightly thicker tape, or add thin replacement grips over the tape that's already there.
It’s easy to change and there are plenty of different options to choose from, so don't be afraid to customise your racket!
Top 5 Squash Rackets for Beginners
No. 1: Head｜Nano Ti 110
No. 2: Tecnifibre｜Carboflex 135 X-Speed
No. 3: Head｜Graphine Touch Speed 135
No. 4: Head｜Nano Pro 120
No. 5: Tecnifibre ｜Carboflex 125 Heritage Basaltex
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