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Some facts...
Different types of Construction.
Natural Gut – At one time the ONLY string about and rarely used these days due to its high cost and short life. It comes from the cow and goes through a long laborious process (hence the expense) where it is cut, stretched, dried, twisted, polished and finally given a polyurethane coating to protect it from harmful moisture that swells the fibres and unravels everything.
Some professionals like natural gut because it performs best of all until the moment it breaks, because the ongoing “creep” effect is almost nil and the shots will retain their accuracy.
Nylon –Accounts for about 99% of all strings, is not affected by water, is not too expensive and comes in either a “multifilament” that copies natural gut or a “solid core” nylon that will perform well until it breaks.
Many professionals use this cheaper solid core nylon a lot as they will restring often anyway due to the “creep” effect causing them to lose control. Nylon is a material that bonds onto other nylons very well, so it is easy to blend together various combinations of elastic fibres and durable wear layers to give different playing experiences.
There have been some exciting new strings come onto the market which offer high playability with good durability. The thinner gauge strings such as Tecnifibre X-One and Ashaway’s Powernick18 are good examples of either very good playability with good durability or good playability with very good durability.
What you gain with one string, you tend to lose something else. Each will have their own following because they suit different types of play.
These last two are used mainly in tennis rackets.
Polyester – Designed for tennis players who break strings each week, either because they hit the ball so hard, maybe with heavy topspin or because they play on clay courts where the clay particles chew up the softer nylon. Durability is the advantage and no polyester has yet been developed that will allow a reasonable amount of playability for the much lighter squash ball.
Aramid Fibre – Usually called Kevlar, an ultra strong string that is used for body armour, not good for the arm and is rarely seen. Fischer has used this string for the central six mains in some rackets.
GET A GRIP! Some myths dispelled ..
String texture – Some strings are very smooth to the touch and others are rough. Why? In tennis, there used to be the theory that thin, textured, roughened or contoured strings bit more into the ball and thus added more spin. Lab tests have shown however that ALL strings achieve maximum usable friction with the ball on impact, no matter how smooth the string surface may be. The slowed down film clearly shows that the ball almost comes through the strings anyway, so having any added friction will not add any spin and will in fact cause a drop in power as the added friction forces have to be overcome.
Now in squash, there is a good argument that because the ball is much lighter, we have different ball dynamics and that on slow shots such as drops and lobs, strings such as Ashaways SupernickXL/Pro will grip the ball slightly more. Squash balls can get very smooth from use and so a rough textured string will have a SMALL effect on added grip.
Thinner strings – These will be more elastic, stretch more and so will be able to return more power. The thinner strings will add a very slight amount of friction on the ball but if the ball is in good condition, then it will not be useful in that sense.
High Tensions – The higher the tension, the stiffer the stringbed, the ball not linger on the strings, will leave quicker and so will result in a more controlled shot. The strings may also add a slight increase in ball grip.
NEW RACKET … Dead Strings? Your new racket can survive a few years on the shelf but your strings cannot. That original tension will dissipate gradually over time and will explain why that new racket will perform well for a few games and then “go dead” If you have bought a top quality racket, then it is always best to pop along to your stringer and get him/her to install the strings and tension that you are used to.
WHAT IS THE BEST STRING? – Just as in choosing a new racket, the “best string” for you will be what feels good and gives you the touch and power that suits your game. Cheap strings are usually made of a single solid nylon core and will perform well if strung correctly and at the right tension. These strings can cost as little as just £2.00 a set. At the other end of the scale we have exotic brands such as TF 305, X-One, Powernick18 and so on. These will play differently from each other and may not necessarily add anything to your success rate. A racket strung correctly with a cheap string will outperform a racket that has expensive strings but at the wrong tension or badly strung. Take the chance to experiment with various types of strings and tensions so that you eventually settle for what works for you. There are so many brands and types of strings on the market, that it would be difficult to make intelligent comparison. Seek out a qualified stringer who has the paperwork to prove it and work with him/her to seek out your “Best String”
Taking care of your strings.
Liam Nolan – Technical Director, UK Racket Stringers Association, Master Racket Technician USRSA liam@ukrsa.com 07861 380981
Official Stringer for World Championships, British Open and National Championships.
Why not string your own rackets? – The Professional Stringer course lasts two days and gives you the skills, knowledge and confidence to run your own stringing business.
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