Racquetball Racquets Restringing: The Top Best 10 Tips to Do It Right

Picture yourself holding the racquetball racquet on the one hand and new strings on the other and wondering what the next step is. Restringing racquetball racquets can be a daunting task, especially if you have no prior experience.  The problem is not just how to restring the racquet right, but also everything before that. And everything about these special racquets and their strings is essential – whether you plan to restring them yourself or find a pro. If you find yourself wondering which strings to get, have trouble understanding some terms, or could use some advice, go ahead and read the following top ten racquetball racquet restringing tips.

10 Best tips for successful racquetball racquet restringing

1. Not all strings are created equal

Quality matters and so does gauge. But then again it depends on whether or not you are an experienced player. What’s quality when it comes to strings, you ask? Just like any other product, they should be durable. And so their material matters. Most racquetball racquet strings are made either of thin or thick fibers. The former ones are known as multicore strings. The latter ones are known as monocore strings.

Multicore strings are soft and stretch providing you with enhanced elasticity. At one point, they will wear but won’t break. Monocore strings are thicker. Although they will provide a greater pop, they lack the elasticity of their counterparts. Since these types of strings are stiffer, they will eventually break. The good news is that they are cheaper than multicore strings.

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2. How to know it’s time to replace your racquet’s strings

How good are you in math? Not that you’ll need to make any complicated calculations, but basically you will need to restring the racquet as many times as the hours you play each week. So if you play approximately three hours weekly, you should restring the racquet every four months.

But since the quality of the strings and the way you play both matter too, pay attention to the elasticity of the strings. When they start losing tension, it’s a sign that you must restring.

3. Get to know your racquetball racquet

When you bought the racquetball racquet, you probably didn’t know whether or not it was tightly strung and which material the strings were made of. So, see if you can find out based on the brand and model of your racquet. This will help you choose the right strings and tense them right. The truth is that most strings today are monocore with a gauge ranging from 16 to 17. And the racquet is strung with tension ranging from 28 to 34 lbs.

4. String tension is important

So, what’s all the fuss about tension anyway, you ask? Well, tension makes all the difference in the way you play, we say. One would think that an actual balance – not too tight/not too loose, will be a good idea of stringing. But actually, it depends on whether you want to enhance control or power. As a rule of thumb, the higher the tension the greater the control. But if you want to invest in your power, the strings should be loosened up.

When the strings are highly tensed, elasticity is reduced. And so when you hit the ball, you get more energy back from the strings, which allows you to have a better control over the direction you are sending the ball.

With the strings more loose, flexibility grows. The ball will sit on the strings for a longer time and this will enable you to focus on power.

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5. String gauge is also essential

It’s important to pay attention to string gauge. This is the feature, which shows how thick or thin the strings are. Most players use string gauge ranging from 16 to 18. The higher the gauge, the thinner the strings. The lower the string gauge, the more durable they are. A good solution would be 17 gauge since it gives you some playability along with strength. If you get 17 gauge strings, you can string with higher tension to gain better control.

6. Don’t expect a warranty on your new strings

No manufacturer would give you a warranty on the strings. If they break, forget them. The good news is that some companies, which specialize in racquetball racquet restringing would give you a short (usually up to two weeks) warranty.

7. Try out different strings till you’ll learn not to break them often

Do you break the strings more often than you should? In this case, you should consider getting thicker strings. For example, if you are playing with an 18 string gauge racquet (and thus the strings are thin), get thicker strings. If that doesn’t work for you either, try getting stronger materials. Polyester strings are considered the toughest on the market. You will sacrifice some playability but gain in durability. To compensate for the lost playability, don’t use polyester strings for the crosses but regular ones.

Still break the strings? Try replacing the grommets or changing the pattern of stringing. And if such solutions still don’t work for you then you will have to sacrifice playability altogether by getting Kevlar strings. They can’t get any tougher.

8. Some problems are unavoidable

String flexibility is diminished game after game. That’s one of the most common problems. Their nice elasticity during the first games will be reduced overtime and when you feel that the strings won’t give you a nice spring anymore, you should replace them. At one point, strings might begin to move. There is no much you can do. What you can find on the market is sting eyes. This product is supposed to expand the lifespan of the strings. But it will only work for some time. Once the strings become less flexible, these eyes pop off.

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9. Make sure you string the mains and crosses right

When it comes to 2 piece stringing patterns, you might need to use different tension for the mains and crosses. If, for example, you get Kevlar strings for your mains, you should take it easy with tension. As we explained, the Kevlar strings are very still and reduce any playability. So, by loosening up the tension with the mains while the crosses are 17 gauge strings highly tensed, you keep balance.

10. Prefer 2-piece instead of 1-piece string methods

There is a reason why some string patterns are really complex nowadays. They keep strings from breaking. They also enhance either power or control. So lately most racquets are made with a 2 piece stringing method and thus have 4 knots rather with a one-piece stringing method and thus two knots.

Our racquetball racquet restringing tips are more helpful than you think

These are the top ten racquetball racquet restringing tips to help you avoid mistakes. Everything about racquetball racquet strings is important. You have to consider the gauge and tension as well as the material you choose. But it all comes down to whether or not you break strings more often than you should. So do some thinking and research before restringing the racquet. Your strings beg for your attention. After all, they are the main feature of the racquet. They enable you to have control or power and keep you from hurting your wrist. Without proper restringing, your performance won’t be good. It would be like installing high security deadbolts to a hollow door. What’s the point!

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