Our pick for the best racquetball racquet comes as part of the Deluxe Racquetball Starter Kit. It’s the HEAD CPS Defender, an excellent choice for beginners.
Racquetball is great for fast-paced fun and staying fit. In fact, all racket sports are incredible for your health. This should prove the point that playing this sport isn’t about winning, it’s about fun and fitness, isn’t it?
Winning is nice, though. For young players winning can be essential, and to do that, you need the right tools. In racquetball, that means the best racquet to assist you.
The best racquetball racquets are:
- Deluxe Racquetball Starter Kit
- Head MX Hurricane Pack
- Wilson Striker Racquetball Racquet
- E-Force Bedlam
- MacGregor Scholastic
- Head Black Widow
- Python Intro 5000
- E-Force DarkStar 170
- E-Force Chaos
Best Racquetball Racquets
All players need a new kit now and then. Here’s an excellent one we think anyone could get good use out of. You can never have enough balls, and new equipment is always fun. Beginner, advanced and ultimate kits are on offer, and we think the advanced package is the best value for money. It doesn’t cost much more than the beginner kit, and you get a glove and a more decent cover for the extra. This is an entire starter pack for the price of the racquet alone. That sounds like it’s worth bragging about — basically a bunch of free extras! The kit includes: And, of course, a racquet — the Python HEAD CPS Defender Racquetball Racquet to be exact. The racquet weighs 190g unstrung, making it a heavyweight racquet. This is excellent for beginners who may not be confident with fast swinging. The heavy racquet stops them from swinging too quickly, letting them learn slowly and steadily. It also makes it perfect for slow serves like the half-lob. However, the racquet is head-light, so most of the weight is in the handle. This stabilizes it in your hand. If any beginners are afraid that a heavy racquet would be hard to control, you can push that thought away. The head-light aspect means you have to put in more effort if you want powerful hits. Hopefully, you can soon handle that.
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Here we have another pack excellent for beginners, but with a lower price point and less gear. The set includes the essentials, a racquet, two balls and a pair of protective goggles — ideal for starting on a budget. The HEAD MX Hurricane racquet is another heavyweight, head-light racquet. Well equipped for beginners going slow and steady, but needing stability. It’s made of a new crystalline metal alloy, which has a smaller grain-size than most metals. The small grain size means everything is tightly packed, leading to a potentially more durable construction. Perfect for a heavyweight racquet that’s going to take some stress as it delivers a pass shot or rollout. This racquet weighs 190g. It will give the new player some power in their strike, yet restrict them to a slow swing, so they don’t overdo it and cause themselves an injury. Wonderful to introduce you to the world of racquetball. A SofTac grip provides excellent traction, further adding to the stability of your hold. Hanging on is even less of a challenge thanks to Damp Plus technologies in the racquet. Damp Plus absorbs the vibration of the ball against the racquet before it can travel down to the handle. This helps keep you comfortable and your hold steady. More control, less irritation. A neat addition to the design.
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The Wilson Striker is an ultra-heavyweight aluminum alloy racquet. Unstrung, it weighs a whopping 205g, giving you a slow swing speed but tons of power. This is not a racquet for the faint of heart or weak of wrist. It’s an even-balance racquet, so it’s stable yet powerful. It’s a racquet for someone who knows what they’re doing and can be versatile in their play-style. Older players often like to transition from a fast game to a slower, smoother one, and this heavyweight racquet is perfect for that. It lets you slow down while remaining versatile with your skills. At this weight, you still have power packed into your slow swing, which helps you win without matching a hare’s playing speed. Perfect for strategic, expert players who’ve been at the top of their game for years but need to start taking it a bit easier.
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So far, we have had no pairs of racquets sold together. If that’s what you’re looking for, here’s two that might interest you. They’re a medium weight duo, excellent for players of all levels but mainly beyond the beginner level. These are best suited for a player who’s entered the intermediate stage and wants a racquet to match their hard-earned skill base. The E-Force Bedlam is stuffed full of technology to help enhance your game. For instance, “Launch Pad” technology that adds power to your hit. The bypass string system also helps with this — there’s a more significant gap between the main strings, so the ball never hits two at once. This adds power and makes the strings last longer by only straining one at a time. If all that power makes you think you’ll lose control over your racquet, don’t fret. The Zero Richter Tubes help minimize vibrations in the handle. This enables you to keep control and protect your bones from irritating shudders no matter how hard you serve. This is an excellent racquet for helping you to play your best. If you’re careful and lucky, this racquet may even last you beyond your intermediate days into your pro-level ones.
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There are tons of heavyweight racquets on the market, and here’s another, weighing 210g. It seems like companies want to get more people into racquetball by luring them in with beautiful beginner racquets. The MacGregor Scholastic is a stunning, open throat teardrop racquet with multifilament strings. The open throat design, paired with the power, makes this racquet ideal for producing an incredible around-the-wall shot. All the racquets we’ve reviewed feature the open throat teardrop shape, which is more powerful than a closed throat counterpart. This racquet, being the heaviest heavyweight of the bunch, puts it on top where power is concerned. This is the first racquet to boast of a soft grip, which is another standout feature. Grips that cause blisters or hand pain are no fun. A soft grip means you can be more comfortable for longer. It’s suited for younger, less experienced players or older players with skin that’s not as tough as it used to be.
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The Black Widow racquet weighs 160g, a lightweight racquet for a speedy player. They’ve geared it for an intermediate or more advanced player who likes to come at their opponents fast and hard. The head-heavy balance helps with the latter. Head designed this racquet with control, durability and maximum power as the end goal. We think they achieved the goal. HEAD used some advanced technology to make sure this racquet was the best it could be. The technology used includes: This and the sturdy materials (Aramid, Teflon) make this racquet durable. It’s one that should keep your fast forehand, backhand and other moves going for years. Still, it’s not too light and quick for a half-lob either. It should suit you no matter what you like to do in the game.
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The Python Intro 5000 comes with four color options and is excellent for players progressing to an intermediate level. It’s a step away from many of the heavyweight racquets so far, into medium territory — perfect for players wanting to step up their game. It weighs 180g unstrung, making it great for someone looking to speed up their swing. It’s also head-light, so it’s for a competitor who knows they can play powerfully without the racquet’s intervention. The racquet, being head-light, will be stable in your hand, but you must put some shoulder power into your shots. If you enjoy playing a gentler game, then you can leave the oomph at home. This isn’t the most premium racquet in the world, but it’s durable and affordable. It’s a perfect starter-step-up racquet after you’ve surpassed the head-heavy, heavyweight beginner stage.
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If you want a long-string racquet for maximum power, here’s your ideal choice. The main strings extend beyond the top of the handle, all the way through it. It’s long, strong, and powerful, and G2 power boosters aid it for even more force. This power won’t shake your racquet and arm to no end, though — those boosters don’t just aid power, they’re also stabilized, reducing vibrations down into the hollow handle. Zero Richter tubes also help with this. E Force has made a racquet equipped for power and durability in its entirety. This is a premium racquet, not for beginners or casual players. With all this technology packed inside the aerodynamic, thick, durable frame, you know it’s made for winners who know their jam serve from their killshot.
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For a more affordable and heavyweight long-string racquet, the E-Force Chaos is a solid pick. The strings encapsulate the entire racquet, even inside the handle itself. This increases the stringbed deflection and power, fantastic for an offensive shot. They enclose the strings in Zero Richter Tubes to bring down the vibrations, leaving you in control. Excellent for aggressive and stable play. E-Force used a Bypass stringing system to keep the strings healthy. This is a configuration of the main strings that skips every two holes, ensuring that the ball never hits two at once. That provides power and prolongs the life of the strings. E-Force made this creating chaos and experts on how to do it. If you’re a player who knows your game, you could have some fun and success with this racquet. It won’t make you the best, but it’ll add to your pro-potential!
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How to Choose a Racquetball Racquet
Plenty of sports use a racquet, but no two sports’ racquets are made the same. Some of the same elements go into choosing them, however, but not with the same outcome.
Weight
Racquetball has three weight categories for racquets: lightweight, medium weight, heavyweight.
The lightest racquets weigh around 150g, which is hefty compared to a light tennis racket at 115g or badminton racket at 60g.
There are some elements of play that can determine what weight racquet is best for you.
Lightweight
Lightweight racquets weigh around the 150–165g mark. That’s heavy enough to give you some power built-in, but still leave most of the work up to you. An example of a lightweight racquet is the HEAD Black Widow.
These racquets are excellent for power players who don’t need the racquet to do the work. They’re a brilliant choice for players who get heated and can slam the ball with the use of plenty of shoulder and forearm power. Players like this rarely need the extra help a heftier racquet can bring.
However, light models can be finicky and hard to control at times. You have to be careful the racquet doesn’t get away from you — consider a head-light balance.
Head-light racquets carry most of their weight in the handle. This gives you a stable hold over a racquet that wants to fly out of your hand.
A lighter racquet lets you swing faster motions. Once you’re experienced and prefer to play a quick, fluid game, then a lightweight racquet will be perfect for you. If you’re a beginner, look for a heavier racquet.
Medium Weight
Medium racquets range from 170 to 185g. They give you a power balance, letting you and the racquet contribute equally to the ferociousness of your play. For medium weight rackets consider the E-Force Bedlam.
You have more control over a medium racquet than a light or heavyweight one. A heavyweight racquet may weigh you down as you hold and swing. A lightweight racquet is so light and free that it requires a level of attention to keep it controlled.
If you like a balanced power to control ratio, a medium weight racquet is for you.
Many leisure players will have a moderate swing. You’re not just getting into the game, or a speedy ninja master of Racquetball quite yet. The control element comes into play here too,
Medium weight racquets are great for people who play and swing with variety but don’t quite have the power and skill of an expert.
Heavyweight
These 185g+ racquets are fantastic for people who like a lot of power in the racquet. They help boost your shots from the back corners of the court. The HEAD CPS Defender as part of the Deluxe Racquetball Starter Kit is an excellent choice for a heavyweight racket.
Heavyweight racquets are great for a game full of shots so harsh that it’s shocking. Games where your overhead smashes are so violent that the ball could almost break through the front wall. The racquet may slow you down during these high-energy moves, but the power you get makes it worth it.
If harsh games aren’t your thing, heavyweight racquets are great for older players stepping away from that style. Instead of using the weight for more power, it’s used to help stay steady and slow down.
You get a certain level of control with a heavy racquet. Maybe not as much as a medium one, but far more than something lightweight.
With the racquet being heavier, your swing speed will probably be slower. Often it’ll be newer players who swing slower — they don’t have the confidence to go all-in yet.
As you get into the swing of things, you can transition into a medium or even heavyweight racquet. They’ll allow you to speed up your game.
Balance
In racquetball, there are three different ways that a racquet can be balanced. As with the differing weights, they all come with their own uses and benefits.
Head-Heavy
The head is the part of the racquet that hits the ball. Regardless of its overall weight, a head-heavy racquet will add power to your swing.
These are good for players who like an attacking game. Pair head-heavy with a heavyweight, and you’ll have a racquet to break through walls.
HEAD’S Black Widow is a prime example of a head-heavy racquet. However, it’s medium weight, not heavyweight, so you don’t get the enormous oomph factor of the two combined.
Head-Light
Head-light racquets are ideal for control. They carry their weight in the handle, becoming more stable in your hand. They’re built for finesse, so it’s you that needs to put the power into the swing with a head-light racquet.
The HEAD CPS Defender in the Deluxe Racquetball Starter Kit is an example of a head-light racquet.
Even-Balance
Even-balance racquets are an excellent choice for beginners. They equalize power and control, allowing you to work at both.
If you don’t know how you like to play yet, they’re great. Or if you prefer control but find that a light head doesn’t do it for you, you could try an evenly balanced racquet.
They’re also great for older players who like to keep their game even and versatile. The Wilson Striker is an excellent example of an even balance racquet.
RELATED: Top Racquetball Goggles Reviewed
Conclusion
The HEAD CPS Defender in the Deluxe Racquetball Starter Kit has to be the best choice on our list today. It’s perfect for beginners, and everything else that a beginner needs comes with it.
The heavyweight and head-light balance mesh well together, giving you a powerful racquet with stability. There’s plenty of force behind your swing, while the racquet stays steady in your hand, no chance of it flying away from you.
The next best pick is the HEAD MX Hurricane Pack. Another excellent beginner racquet with some extras at a lower price. Head-light and heavyweight again, but at around half the cost. HEAD is a renowned brand that seems to be ahead of the game, churning out an array of radiant racquets.
Understandably not every beginner has money to spend freely on their hobby. Especially one they don’t know if they’re good at yet! We think this racquet will do nicely for those on a tighter budget or making their first excursion into the sport.
These racquets and kits are both excellent, and any beginner should be able to use them brilliantly. They may even take you into your intermediate playing days.
Meta: To play like a champion, you need the best racquetball racquet so you have the tools of one. To learn the secrets of the winners and experts, read on.