i've now managed a game with the Carboflex 130 and am very impressed - it comes in around 165 grams but feels very comfortable when you swing it - it has good touch and accuracy and is the most powerful racket i've had (far better than my last racket - a Dunlop ICE which i hated !) - highly recommended  

Back to top

Wow, I hadn't realized I had gotten so many responses to this message. 

Here's what happened after getting rippa rit's and iamsparticus' comments.  I restrung my Dunlop and got much better control and a little power.  Soon after I spotted a Prince More Dominant on ebay and got it.  After one month I gave up on the racquet.  I really prefer the way it feels when I swing, but once the ball comes into play it doesn't work well for me.  I agree with what other people seem to think about Prince racquets (nice control, hard to generate power, etc).  I also found that the frame was a little thicker than my Dunlop, so getting shots off the wall became much more frustrating.  I suppose eventually I would have gotten used to it, but I gave up soon enough.

Rather than run out for another racquet I finally started taking lessons.  I'm working a little bit on getting power on my backhand, but I think most of my problem was actually just the form... I think I was putting the ball way too low to get any real depth.  I also wasn't getting my shoulders into the action enough.

After lessons I started looking for racquets, using a demo program from www.squashproshop.com (can I plug this shop?  the owner was nice to deal with, so I would like to) and really liked the Black Knight 7730 CCT.  It's advertised as an intermediate player's racquet... I felt a little less power, maybe, but better control and NO vibration, which was nice.  I also tried the Wilson nTour, and the Technifibre Dynergy.  They both felt a little more powerful than anything else I had played with, but I was enjoying the Black Knight so much I didn't bother with them too much.

But, strangely enough, I was browsing ebay on Sunday and found a Carboflex 140 for $60.  I've only just started hitting with it, so I'm not sure how it will work out.  I came on here to ask... do the Technifibre racquets weigh more than they list them at?  I weighed the Dynergy with an overgrip & head tape and got about 160 grams.  The Black Knight was similar.  The Wilson was closer to 165.  But the Carboflex 140 is coming out around 175-180 grams with overgrip, head tape and dampener.  I'm pretty surprised, but it seems consistant... Dynergy 125 -> 160, Carboflex 140 -> 175.

Thanks for the comments.

Back to top

further update to last reply on 27th - i have received the racket but haven't played with it yet as i've pulled a hamstring playing 5-a-side - as soon as i get back to playing i'll let you know what i think about the racket

Back to top

Hello folks,
Topic has started on a racket advice (oh, how much I try to avoid those topics), though we have touched few important topics here. One of them is "power of shots".

• My advice is first to tame the CONTROL of the shot, then add some power  (If needed)

What I see in the WISPA game in contrast to PSA game is a lot of finesse shots with no power but excellent targeted and executed.


Though it is so nice to hear the ball smashed on the walls, accuracy will always beat power.

Have a nice weekend

Back to top

having owned many racquets in my time and being aa avid collector of squash racquets( thats what i ntell my girfriend to justify 9 of them sitting in my wardrobe) and a lot of different brands are represented i would say that my favourite racquet is the hot melt pro' folloewed by the dunlop ice pro and thirdly the technifibre 130 carboflex. the prince racquets are very good and solid but the head raquets just dont seem to last the distance with many of my friends experiencing head breakages in the top corners of the racquets. i must say the best racquet for power with the least effort of swing is the technifibre. but for overall feel and swing you cant beat and of the pro series of dunlop.    

Back to top

I've recently ordered a Carboflex 130 - when I get it i'll let you know what it's like - in the meantime log onto sweatband.com - they have some good reviews for the Carboflex series

Back to top

I've recently ordered a Carbolex 130 - when I get it i'll let you know what it's like - in the meantime log onto sweatband.com - they have some good reviews for the Carboflex series

Back to top

rskiting - suppose car buffs talk about their revs so squash buffs can do the same.
Must say I hated changing rackets, liked the same one to last, and did not like changing rackets in the middle of a game, wanted some strong fella to play with and  "run in" my new bats for me so I could get the "feel" back into my shots. The string quality and  tension seemed to play a big part in the feel too.

It is hard sometimes to know when "a bad workman is blaming their tools" or when the equipment is actually faulty, yeah

So much of how a racket feels depends on many variables as I understand:

• the size of the person
• the length of their limbs
• the technique
• the style of the player, eg power or touch
• the type of string
• the tension
• the size of the grip
• the racket composition

Hashim Khan said "squash racket like toothbrush is personal".

Back to top

richard, i think swinging is one thing, but getting excited about new products is not a bad thing either. totally agree with rippa, but equipment does make a difference! The better you are the less difference because pros can adjust easily, but for us mortals, stiffer racquet give more length on the same swing! My opinion anyways

equipment junkie

Back to top

richard - experiment by all means with your swing, but not at all cost.  The power is generated by the release of the arm action (pronation/supination); and if you have half expended your swing before hitting the ball, the swing will only generate half of the power.

About power, I always would explain to my students that if you were going to hit a person on the head with a saucepan, for example, and want to get power, you would not straighten your arm until you wanted to release the power; nor would you uncock your wrist to get momentum, as it would then become a sort of flapping action (so it could be a sharp action) which would not have the power.  Better still I guess, like a bowler in cricket, take a run up, and then unfoil the arm to increase the speed, provided you can still control the ball, etc.

Not all shots need power - some need accuracy, before power, some require no power, so it depends on the shot, your position on court, and your opponent's position,  and your ability to be able to chose/play the correct option.

Is this making sense?

Back to top

The Prince More Game is not very forgiving at all, like most top end racquets including the O3 tour, which is probably the most unforgiving racquet I've ever played with. Much more forgiving is the lighter Prince TT sovereign, which like the more game is actually long discontinued, but you will find some very cheap ones on ebay.

I actually think the Dunlop muscleweave series were one of the best ever designed, I've used a MW pro and still own a MW jonathon Power and they are great racquets. you haven't said why you want to change? is the racket on it's 'last legs' so to speak? because if it's still in good nick you probably aren't going to get anything better no matter how much you pay. Probably best to just get a re-string, new grip and wall bumper!  But if you really need a new one probably a more suitable choice may be a dunlop hot melt pro as this may be more familiar to you, if you can't get one you might only be able to get the m-fil pro now, which is the same racquet basically with new paint job.

A good way to increase backhand power (assuming the swing is technically correct in other ways) is to break your wrist at the top of the backswing so your palm faces upwards towards the ceiling. This creates extra momentum through the hitting zone, while keeping the stroke compact and efficient.

Back to top

Thanks for the advice on my swing.  I guess I should worry less about the racquet, then. 

Back to top

richard - I doubt very much if the racket is the problem with the forehand overhitting, and the backhand being too short.  It sounds like your swing on the forehand is stronger and with pronation (as in skimming a stone action) otherwise it would not overhit on a driv.
Well, sounds as though the backhand might lack power, and is more a push rather than a swing (using the rotating swinging action).
Remember: the height of the target on the front wall gives length (depending on the power in the hit) - so lower the target if you are powerful, and hit higher if you do not have power.

Here is the revision of the drive which might help.

Back to top