Why you should regularly change the grip on your squash racket
Having a good grip on one's racket is one of those things that many squash players don't pay much attention to. Typical reasons are inattention, laziness or being satisfied with the way things are. In our opinion, these reasons for leaving a worn grip on your racket are not valid. Why? A worn grip simply gives you a poorer grip on the racket, which ultimately makes it more difficult to execute a stroke.
The right squash grip on your racquet can improve your game significantly. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you never play with an old one. A new grip can be purchased for around DKK 30 and is well worth the money. The reason a good grip is important is that otherwise your racket will move in your hand when hitting the ball, and therefore both precision and power will be lost in your game. A bad or worn grip can also cause blisters on the hands more easily.
How long does a grip last?
A grip should max. is used for a month before it is replaced. This is because over time the grip loses its ability to absorb sweat and will therefore become slippery to hold. Most elite players change their grips at least once every two weeks so it doesn't negatively affect their game. Remember to remove the original grip before putting on a new grip, as it will otherwise be too thick to hold unless you have a very large hand.
Replacement grip vs. overgrip for squash
In squash, the so-called replacement grip is used. As the name suggests, it is the grip that replaces the current grip. This means that you must remove the old grip and put on the new replacement grip.
Many are used to using overgrips from padel and tennis. Here you leave the original grip and apply the overgrip on the outside. We generally do not recommend this for squash, as in that case the racket becomes too thick to hold, and as a result you lose some control and maneuverability with the racket.
What is the difference between the different squash grips?
The surface is one of the things that most differentiates the different grips from each other. If you like a sticky 'tacky' surface, grips from Unsquashable, Climax, Karakal and CX Pro are great options.
If you like a soft surface on your grip, Eye's products are worth recommending.
Finally, there are also grips with air holes to transport sweat away from the surface of the grip faster. However, this is more often used in padel and tennis than in squash. The same applies to terry grips, which many people know from badminton. However, this is also not something that has gained traction in squash, and our personal experience is that terry quickly becomes incredibly smooth to hold once you start sweating.
Be aware that a grip changes a lot when you sweat on it, so don't be fooled just because a grip works well when it's new. It is during games with sweaty palms that it must be put to the test.
You are always welcome to contact us for further advice on grips for squash.