It’s exactly a year since we last investigated the state of play in the racket market, and with the launch of new technologies at this year’s British Open (as reported in our March issue) as well as a constant stream of new designs since then, it seems timely to take a fresh look at the racket scene in readiness for the start of the 97/98 season (published in the October 97 issue of The Squash Player).

The most obvious innovation in racket design has in fact less to do with rackets themselves than with the way they are strung. Prince officially launched the PowerRing and PowerRing Lite rackets featuring their PowerWEB technology at this year’s British Open (as reported in our May issue), but Peter Nicol had been using the PowerRing Lite since the beginning of the year. We caught up with the man himself between games and asked him what he thought of the new design. "The control you get is the same as with the mid-size," he told us, "and you still get the power of the oversize racket. It’s the best oversize racket I’ve ever played with." Well, he would say that, wouldn’t he? But then who’s going to argue with his form so far this year? Actions speak louder than words, as they say.

The main idea behind the PowerWEB is that all the main strings are as nearly as possible the same length, which means they all ‘feel’ the same tension, so that whether you hit the ball right in the sweet spot or not, you still have the same degree of control over it. We’ll be looking at the whole subject of strings and stringing in greater detail in next month’s feature, but in any consideration of rackets it’s hard to avoid talking about strings. After all, it’s through them that you make contact with the ball.

Of course, ‘fan’ stringing is not a new idea. A stringing pattern not entirely dissimilar to Prince’s latest design was introduced way back in 1989 by a now defunct American company. (Can anyone remember which? Answers on a postcard please.) But with the Prince name on it and endorsement by players of the calibre of Nicol, Eyles, Barada, Martin, Jackman and Irving, the PowerWEB is sure to have a significant impact on the market. In fact, Prince tell us that PowerRings are selling so well they can’t get them built fast enough to satisfy demand. That’s why you may not have seen them yet in your local shop. But don’t despair – Prince assure us they’ll be generally available from next month.

Dunlop’s answer to the unequal string length problem is what they call a ‘new isometric’ (in other words almost rectangular) head shape, as featured in their Tour Pro and Exact Pro rackets, with both the main and cross strings of similar lengths. This development was reported in our June/July issue and it will be interesting to see how World No. 1 Sarah Fitz-Gerald and her young compatriot Dan Jenson perform with this new technology in the coming season.

A similar concept is embodied in Slazenger’s Quadro series, introduced last year, but their Mystique and Silhouette series have a more conventional ‘tear drop’ head shape. Indeed, we understand from Marketing Manager Paul Walters that Slazenger are to ‘rationalise’ their range in favour of what they prefer to call the ‘long string’ shape. Top of the current range is the Mystique Graphite 460 which, somewhat confusingly, is the only one of the four top rackets not to be of 100% graphite construction. New for ’97 is the Supercat Series, aimed at players coming into the game.

Head, for their part, seem to be concentrating more on frame technology and have followed up the extreme lightness of the Pyramid Power 120 with the extreme thinness of their new Slimbody 140 and 160 (also unveiled at the British Open) which have a frame diameter of just 16 mm. "The new Slimbody Technology," proclaims Head’s blurb, "makes use of findings from physical research in a wide variety of ways to play." Well, perhaps it made more sense in the original Austrian. Anyway, Head are giving nothing away as to how this slimness has been achieved: different layers of carbon are pressed together, we are told, "using a new technique" and the result is claimed to be "an even more precise weapon on the court". Currently wielding this new weapon is the veteran Brett Martin, so watch out!

The R&D boys at Wilson haven’t exactly been putting their feet up lately either, bringing out new ranges of both Air Hammer and Sledgehammer rackets. The Air Hammer 160, 150 and 140 feature ‘rectangular geometry’, which is claimed to reduce twist by up to 60%, while the Sledgehammer 135, 145 and 155 boast "the highest and largest sweet spot in squash"!

Meanwhile, Grays have added the top-of-the-range Superlative ("as used by Mark Chaloner") to their Ultimate series and have applied their DuraBraid technology to both the best-selling Maxi (oversize) and Midi series. MD Richard Gray reports a tremendous increase in worldwide demand for their rackets, most of which, uniquely, are available in three different head sizes and all of which carry a 60 day ‘fair wear’ guarantee.

German-based QM launched no fewer than eight new rackets at the Open. The £125 top-of-the-range Explosive and the slightly heavier Stingray incorporate an extra graphite strip inside the frame to give the racket more power and you more control. The new Top Gun and Fire models incorporate a distinctive head shape and a new patented string system which, it is claimed, "guarantees an optimal sweet spot".

Not to be outdone, Unsquashable took the covers off a round dozen new models, introducing the lighter, streamlined XT and Stagger series. Both are characterised by Unsquashable’s STAG (staggered stringing) system whereby the holes in the frame are arranged in a zigzag pattern rather than in a straight line. This is claimed to reduce vibration and increase string tension for greater ball control. Only the XT 450 TF, their best-selling model, remains unchanged from last year.

OTT have also gone for string innovation with their new top-of-the-range Atax Aerolite 150 Tour featuring a ‘dual grommit fan stringing system’ which is claimed to provide more power as well as greater feel and control. Their best-seller is the slightly heavier Aerolite 160, and the range is completed by the Aerolite 140 and Eco rackets. All models carry a six month warranty.

Karakal’s rackets are also guaranteed against manufacturing defects, and you can actually look to see if there are any with their new range of ‘clear view’ rackets, whose unpainted finish reveals the woven braid and layers of graphite beneath the surface. The top-of-the-range Blues Gold BB and Symphony Gold BB (£129.99 and £119.99 respectively) have more features than a video recorder and are claimed to be the thinnest rackets in the world.

Pointfore's own Hawk racket, new last year and priced at just £59.95, has a shaft tapering to a positively wasp-like 13 mm. It also features a staggered stringing system and is guaranteed against faulty workmanship, but not against "breakage due to constant contact with the surrounding court". Their top-price racket is the Golden Eagle at £89.99, also introduced in ’96.

Titan have their own philosophy, preferring to rely on tried and tested formulae. "We do not introduce ‘new technology’ until it is well proven to be of some actual benefit," asserts MD Robert Forde. "The gimmick with Titan is that there is no gimmick." Their new model for this season, the Tiger, which they describe as a "cult racket in the making", retails at just £55, as does their best-selling Classic, whose head size is just 1 cm2 short of the maximum permitted at 499 cm2. For only £20 more you could be the proud owner of a top-of-the-range Stealth. All Titan rackets come with a comprehensive six month warranty.

Climax also claim to have developed something of a cult name in squash through their "deliberate disregard of the traditional idea that all kit must be white and all rackets turbo-charged". Their racket range has appropriately provocative titles, starting with the best-selling Sixtynine, which will "turn your game upside-down" and finishing with the stagger-strung X-Rated at £85 – "a racket so good it should be banned" (and they’ll replace it immediately if you’re not completely satisfied!).

String Electric told us they had no new models this year but are continuing with their popular Electre range (see our March issue), while Fischer’s rackets (distributed in the UK by Douglas-Kenn) are so new that even they don’t have any details of them yet. As for Boz, Fukuda and others, if they have anything new, they’re certainly not telling us about it.

So, faced with this bewildering diversity of rackets, all claiming to represent the very acme of technological advancement, how are you to choose what to buy, and will it really improve your game? We spoke to Israel Gefen of Gefen Sports, who has been selling rackets for longer than even he can remember ("Ooh, about 15 years" was his best estimate). How does he go about matching the racket to the player? By asking just two simple questions: How much do you want to spend? What sort of game do you play? First decide on your price limit and stick to it. Second be honest about your game – do you enjoy hitting the ball hard or do you like to play the touch shots? For sheer power you’ll need a heavier racket, especially if you habitually play on cold courts. But what if you play all year round, in summer as well as winter? "You need two rackets, of course!" (Did you hear that, manufacturers?)