Equipment

Squash Balls

There are a variety of balls available, rated according to their speed (or dynamicism), as indicated by the coloured dot on the ball. The recognised speed colours indicating the degree of dynamicism are: A double yellow squash ball.

• Double Yellow - Extra Super slow (very low bounce)
• Yellow - Super slow (low bounce)
• Green or White - slow (average bounce)
• Red - Medium (high bounce)
• Blue - Fast (very high bounce)

The 'double-yellow dot ball', introduced in 2000, is currently the competition standard, replacing the earlier 'yellow-dot' which was long considered the competition standard.

There is also a high-altitude "orange dot" ball, used in places like Mexico City, Calgary, Denver and Johannesburg. In North America the Dunlop "green dot" ball is often used at high altitude.

Other balls available are:

• Dunlop 'Max Blue' (aimed at beginners) which is 12 percent larger and has 40 percent longer 'hang time' than a 'double yellow' dot ball and has 'instant bounce'
• Dunlop 'Max Progress' (red) (for players wishing to improve their technique) which is 6 percent larger with a 20 percent longer hang-time than a 'double yellow' dot ball and has instant bounce ​

Eyewear

While eye injuries are rare in squash and racketball, you may wish to consider wearing protective eyewear on court. This particularly applies when playing doubles and in junior squash, where eye protection is mandatory in competition.

To meet this requirement England Squash & Racketball, together with ophthalmic specialists, doctors, optical agencies and the British Standards Institution, undertook a considerable workload over a number of years to formulate the “British Standard for Eye Protectors for Racket Sports – BS7930.1 Squash. This Standard was published in 1998 and since that date, numerous manufacturers have submitted their eye protectors for testing.

Rackets

There are lots of types of squash racket- different brands, different weights, and different sizes. Generally rackets have long handles and the racket head is smaller than a traditional tennis racket. Rackets come in different weights to suit an individual’s style of play, a ‘wristy’ player would tend to prefer a lighter racket, while a powerful player would be more likely to use a heavier racket. Different models of racket use different technology and materials. We recommend that you visit a local retailer or club shop and pick up a range of rackets, you will quickly be able to tell which racket feels right for you.

The main difference between squash and racketball rackets is size- racketball rackets have a larger head and a shorter handle to make it easier to play the ball. As with squash rackets, prices vary between brands and models, with different rackets using different materials and technology. Racket choice is very much down to personal preference, so the best thing to do when picking a racket is try as many models as possible before buying.

Shoes

Most clubs and leisure centres will allow you to play squash or racketball in standard running shoes or trainers, providing they do not have black/marking soles.

If you are a regular player you might benefit from using a pair of squash shoes (also suitable for racketball). Squash shoes are specially designed to deal with the high impact of running around court, supporting the ankle to prevent injury or discomfort.