Racquetball – Racquet Stringing Explained

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Written By Dan Kaplan

Page Editor and Racquetball player

Racquetball strings come in basically two types. These two types are Solid Core and Multifilament. These can be broken down even further into Solid Core with One Wrap and multiple wraps and Multifilaments with a wrap and without a wrap.

 

 

Solid Core – One wrap – Consists of one solid nylon core with one wrap. These strings are known for their comfort and feel.

Solid Core – Multiple wraps – Consists of additional wraps which add even more comfort and feel during play.

Multifilament – No wrap – Most commonly used racquetball string. It consists of bundles of micro synthetic fibers twisted together. A good string to help minimize elbow strain/pain.

Multifilament – With a wrap – Consists of a smaller multifilament core wrapped with one or more outer multifilament wrap(s). These outer wraps make this string more durable than an unwrapped Multifilament string.

The newest string type is Kevlar – This string is used by players who hit the ball very hard and break string regularly. It is a very strong string and is very durable.

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What are racquetball string Gauge and Tension?

Racquetball String Gauge explained:

The most used racquetball string gauges are 16 gauge, 17 gauge, and 18 gauge. The gauge of the string is the thickness of the string. The lower the gauge number, the thicker the string. The higher the gauge number, the thinner the string. A 15 gauge string is thicker than an 18 gauge string.

How do I get more control, feel and touch when playing racquetball?

As the thickness of the strings increases, so does the durability. A thicker string, in most cases, will last you longer than a thinner gauge string. A 15 or 16-gauge string is thicker and is, therefore, more durable than a 17 or 18-gauge string.

Thicker gauge strings also offer a stiffer feel and better control. Using larger gauge strings reduces string flex and provides a more stable surface area to help with better control on touch and placement shots.

How do I get more power out of my racquetball racquet?

If more power is what you are after, a thinner gauge string will provide that but there is a tradeoff in feel, control, and durability. The additional power comes from something termed “the trampoline effect”. This is because a thinner string will bend more than a thicker gauge string.

When the racquet strings contact the ball, a ricochet occurs which projects the ball off the higher gauge (thinner) strings at a greater speed than a lower (thicker) gauge string.

Racquetball racquet string tension explained:

I found in my research that as a general rule, most racquetball racquets are strung with a tension between 30 and 40 lbs, with an average of about 33 lbs but this isn’t always the case. Some experienced players will string their racquets a few lbs below 30 or a few lbs above 40. This experience comes from a lot of trial and error and usually access to a stringing machine in order to play and test racquets with the different variables. Basically trial and error.

Racquets strung at a Lower tension will provide the player more power as a general rule, because of the trampoline effect. The strings bounce back farther.  Tradeoff: Less feel and control

Racquets strung at a Higher tension will provide the player more feel and control as a general rule because the strings have less give and provide a more stable/stiff string surface. Tradeoff: Less power

Now is where this Tension, Gauge discussion gets complicated.

If you string your racquet with a thinner gauged string and at a lower tension you should be picking up some real power….. but that is not always the case.

If you string your racquet with a thicker gauged string and at a higher tension you should be gaining major feel and touch…. but this is not always the case.

What if you wanted to use a thicker gauged string to get more durability but at a lower tension to pick up some power? There really is no formula to use for this.

It’s mostly through experience and trial and error. Other factors are racquet size, racquet frame flex, if the racquet has long strings meaning they go down to the end of the racquet handle vs a conventional racquet style, and the anomaly called “relative tension”.

Simply put, relative tension means that thinner strings have to stretch further to obtain the same tension as a thicker string. This means that a thinner string at the same tension as a thicker string is pulled tighter creating less bounciness resulting in the opposite of what you’re trying to accomplish.

This phenomenon adds to the complexity when changing the string gauge.

So if you usually string your racquet with a 17 gauge string and you want to go to a 16 gauge string to pick up some power, you may also need to reduce the tension by 2, 3, or 4 lbs in order to get the results your after.

This is where an experienced racquet stringer is invaluable. They understand how to make these adjustments to help you achieve the results your after.

There are many different string types and brands and each touts its touch, feel power, or durability. With all these options and variables, it can still take more than one or two stringings to get what you desire.

I recently bought a new Gearbox GB3K 165Q racquet and it is factory strung with 18 gauge string and 30 lbs. of tension. Last years Gearbox M40 model racquet is strung with 18 gauge string at 32 lbs. of tension.

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