When you say "Play at the university" do you mean AT or FOR the university? One of my good mates is the current captain of the Swansea Uni team. But he's in the middle of his finals at the moment, so there's probably not much chance of arranging any friendlies between the two teams.

 

I assume you mean Cardiff Uni and not UWIC? If you aren't already, why not try to attend some of the uni team training? I'll have a chat with some friends and find out if anyone runs any adult training sessions in that area. (There's always Newport and St Mellons, but I'm not sure how much clubs like that are charging these days!)

Good luck!

ADZ

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i'm a student so i play at the university

 

I'm not top 30 by any means (not top 100 by any means) but never mind

Thanx for your help

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I used to live in Swansea, but now I'm in Birmingham!

Where in Cardiff do you play and at what standard? I know quite a few players from that area, but they're pretty handy (top30 in wales - OUCH!)

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ok bizzare co thats just freaky.....exactly right

Thanx for your help, and u don't happen to live i n cardiff do you???

i need someone else to play wiv......

dave

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That's absolutely fine, I know which one it is (you probably bought it in the Gilesports clearance sales!) A friend of mine bought the 110 version, which I've just had restrung for him.

When it comes to getting the strings replaceed, ask to have the gromet strip changed at the same time. If you wait until the strings break, this will take around 5 days to source (so that's 5 days without a racket!) otherwise, dig into your pockets and book the racket in for a string change but only give the racket to the stringer once the new gromet strip has arrived (that way you won't get the long delays!)

I'm afraid it really is horses for courses when it comes to squash suppliers. I tend to be really fanatical about finding excellent deals on the stuff that I buy. Right now the best deals on my rackets are from Snowy Green sports (link below), but there are others that do things really cheap! Here's a few that I've used in the last 6 months and what I used them for:

1. http://www.snowygreensports.co.uk
• Dunlop ICE Tour rackets (2 for £100)
2. http://www.squashdiscount.co.uk
• Girlfriends squash kit
• My squash kit
• My Adidas Stabil 5 squash shoes
3. http://www.pwp.com/
• Dunlop ICE Tour rackets (2 for £120 - 24hr delivery!)
• Wilson xtra tacky overgrips (box of 36)
4. http://www.pdhsports.com
• Girlfriends squash shoes
5. http://www.sweatbandsquash.co.uk/
• Karakal PU Super Grip
6. http://www.jtsports.co.uk/
• Stencil ink
7. http://www.gosportsspex.co.uk/
• Leader Falcon squash safety glasses

Hope this helps!!! But don't spend too much!!!!

ADZ

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Its a browning super gun ti 130 if it helps....i think its ok, its the bumper at the top (bumper seems the best description) not just the bit the strings go through

Thanx for your help....btw which online shop (if any) do you use for buying squash related stuff???

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ddraver, you said that your racket was £140 down to £50. Which suggests that you're in the UK. Which racket is it exactly? Once I know I can probably understand which bit is broken!

The plastic strip around the top of the racket (which you described in your first post), sounds like a gromet strip. This is a plastic strip which starts just above the bottom of the racket head and wraps around from one side of the racket to the other. Some companies have these in multiple parts, others use a single strip. Using the "crash tape" across the top, will stop the gromet strip from wearing down (like Rippa describes with the wood rasp - the wall will slowly wear the gromet until it becomes so thin that it peels off in strips). However, the "crash tape" will NOT stop the gromet strip from breaking due to large impact damage. In fact repeated impact damage will probably break the racket eventually!

 

If the gromet strip has worn down, you will need a restring to get it replaced (as Rippa quite rightly said). Currently my restrings are coming to £15 (£22 if I need a new gromet strip). This gives me good quality strings and original manufacture gromet strips. Once again, it will help to know which racket you're using (make and model please!).

 

There is only one other thing to think about - The "crash tape" might be designed to protect the racket from wear, but it adds weight. It's kind of like putting a huge metal grill on the front of a ford fiesta! It puts the weight out of proportion. It might be better learning to judge the distance to the wall better so that you don't need the tape anymore (and it'll stop you breaking rackets too!!)

ADZ

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sorry evil flounder but i'm poor and thus can't afford expensive new fangled carbon ones

(aren't most metal anyway, as in the chemistry version of metal, aluminum, titanium too!?)

but thanx, could maybe do with a restring but wouldn't know where to start with my local racket shops! then they ncould replace the bumper, but as i said, i don't really like the racket too much so........not worth the bother really,. seeiong as i haven't got a spare either....

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Did you say metal???  What part of your racket is metal? Anyway, just put some tape over the cracked part, it will be fine. In my opinion the only problem with a bumper guard that can't be fixed with tape is a broken grommet. If a grommet is broken in the wrong place the string will rub against the frame and always break so you'll need a new grommet strip (which is often a part of the bumper guard). Otherwise tape fixes everything.

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well its the plasic part,  and at the bottom 9the bit not covered by the crash tape) the strings go  through it (so i assume they do at the top too)

what about the crash tape too.....is this a gimmick i'm bein sold that will actually do naff all to protect the racket, i can't see how it helps much but i ve kept this racket longewr than the other two (shame cos i don't really like it....it was reduced £140 to 50 so i got it,,,,show off!)

Thanx for your help

Dave

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heh I wore half the top of the frame away (across the top of the head i mean) on a Dunlop Pro 400 carbon cuz it didnt come equipped with a bumper strip. Good idea them.

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Trouble is to replace the bumper you will need a new restring?
Bumpers are not always available as they do vary according to the holes in the frame.

We are talking about a bumper which is part of the frame? And not a racket head protector which is to protect the bumper really.  Continually scraping the walls can work a bit like a wood rasp in time.

Without a bumper you probably will have no protection for the strings as they come out of the holes of the frame and a few scrapes along the wall or floor will soon cut the strings?

Oh blow it, use it, and then buy another racket...fixed problem...

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Sounds like just the plastic bumper at the top is broken and these can be replaced, the crash tape may help it hold on but you risk the racquet itself if you don't have a good bumper.

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