Racket String Buying Guide
Your complete guide to choosing the right strings for tennis, squash and badminton — from gauge and tension to texture and composition.
By Racketlon Sports
Before You Choose
Consider your budget, playing style, level of play, and what you’d like to achieve — more power, more control, or a mix of both. Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll be closer to choosing your ideal string type and tension.
💰 Budget
String prices don’t vary considerably. The small price difference should not deter you from getting the string that best suits your game or gives you the desired effect.
🏅 Level of Play
Are you a beginner, intermediate or advanced? Do you play once a week or five times a week? Socially or competitively? If you’re not playing often, don’t overspend on strings — but if you’re playing regularly, get the best strings to suit your game. No expense spared, you’re worth it.
🎯 What Are You Looking For?
- More power? — Thinner gauge, softer strings, lower tension
- More control? — Thicker gauge, tighter tension
- More durability? — Thicker gauge strings last longer
- Easier on the arms? — Softer, more flexible strings reduce strain
Once you’ve identified your game plan, these can be fine-tuned with hybrid stringing and different tensions for mains and crosses — but let’s start with the basics first.
Understanding String Specs
Gauge (Thickness)
Gauge measures the thickness of the string. The basic rule:
- Thinner strings = more power and spin
- Thicker strings = more control and durability
Badminton:
| Gauge | Diameter | Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| 22g | 0.60mm | Thinnest — more power & spin |
| 21g | 0.70mm | Thicker — more control & durability |
Squash:
| Gauge | Diameter |
|---|---|
| 19g | 1.10mm |
| 18g | 1.15mm |
| 17g | 1.20mm |
| 16g | 1.25 – 1.30mm |
Tennis:
| Gauge | Diameter |
|---|---|
| 17g | 1.20mm |
| 16L | 1.25mm |
| 16g | 1.30mm |
| 16L | 1.35mm |
| 15g | 1.40mm |
| 15L | 1.45mm |
Colour
Colours vary across brands and don’t affect string performance at all — purely personal choice and manufacturer identification.
Length
- Badminton & Squash: A set is typically 9–10 metres
- Tennis: A set is typically 12 metres
- Reels: 100–200 metres (covers 12–22 stringings). More budget-friendly for regular stringers.
Our Rating Scales (1–10)
| Spec | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Durability (10 = very durable) | How long the string lasts. Go high if you break strings often. |
| Power (10 = very powerful) | How much extra power the string generates. Go high if you need a boost. |
| Touch/Feel (10 = very feel-oriented) | How much feedback and finesse the string provides. Prioritise this for delicate shots. |
Texture
- Smooth / Silicone-type — Ideal for power. String slides easily for a clean, fast response.
- Rough / Textured — Gives bite on the ball, enhancing touch and spin. Tennis strings also come in shaped profiles (e.g. hexagon) which grab the ball for even more spin — but these tend to cut into each other and reduce durability.
String Tension Guide
Once you’ve chosen your string, your stringer can advise on the best tension. The general rule:
- Tighter strings = more control, less durability, less power
- Looser strings = more power, less control
If you’re unsure, start in the middle and work your way up or down.
| Sport | Loose | Average | Tight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badminton | 16 lb | 22 – 24 lb | 28 lb |
| Squash | 18 lb | 24 – 26 lb | 30 lb |
| Tennis | 45 lb | 52 – 56 lb | 60 lb |
Other Factors
- String pattern — More strings = more control. Fewer strings = more power.
- Head shape — Larger heads have longer strings = more power. Smaller heads have shorter strings = more control.
Quick Reference — What String Do I Need?
| I Want… | Choose This |
|---|---|
| More power | Thinner gauge, smooth texture, lower tension |
| More control | Thicker gauge, higher tension |
| More spin | Thinner gauge, rough/textured or shaped strings |
| More durability | Thicker gauge, smooth texture |
| More feel / touch | Multifilament or natural gut, softer strings, medium tension |
| Easy on my arm | Softer, flexible strings, lower tension |
One Last Thing
We believe strings are of utmost importance on your racket — even more so than the racket itself. The type of game you play or want to play is highly influenced by the type of string and the tension. So experiment, have fun, and see what suits your game best.
Remember: not all stringers are equal. Technique and equipment vary, so these are also factors to consider. It’s no wonder tour pros have their personal stringers and machines travelling with them!
Our String Brands
We stock strings from the top names across all racket sports:
- Tecnifibre — premium multifilament and monofilament strings
- Wilson — reliable performance strings for all levels
- Babolat — innovative string technology for power and spin
- Weiss-Cannon — specialist strings for serious players
- Yonex — top-quality badminton and tennis strings
- Dunlop — trusted squash and tennis strings
- Head — quality strings across all racket sports
Need Help Choosing?
Not sure which string or tension is right for your game? Our team — and our experienced stringers — can help match you with the perfect setup.
📧 [email protected]
📞 083 231 6858
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