# RacquetTested

> Tennis, padel, badminton and squash gear reviews and buying guides: racquets, strings, shoes and bags, matched to your level and style of play, with reader codes.

RacquetTested publishes racquet sports reviews, buying guides and reader discount codes. Every review states who the product suits, the current price from the brand's own store, and any active reader code.

## Key pages
- [Reviews](https://racquettested.com/reviews): every product we recommend
- [Buying guides](https://racquettested.com/guides): how to choose
- [Glossary](https://racquettested.com/glossary): racquet sports terms defined
- [How we review](https://racquettested.com/how-we-review)

## Topics
- [Tennis](https://racquettested.com/category/tennis): Tennis racquets, strings, shoes, bags and accessories.
- [Padel](https://racquettested.com/category/padel): Padel rackets by shape and level, balls, shoes and bags.
- [Badminton](https://racquettested.com/category/badminton): Badminton racquets, shuttlecocks, strings and court shoes.
- [Squash](https://racquettested.com/category/squash): Squash racquets, balls, eyewear and court shoes.

## Buying guides
- [Badminton Racquet Buying Guide: Weight, Balance and Flex](https://racquettested.com/guides/badminton-racquet-buying-guide): Most beginners and intermediate players do best with a light 4U or 5U racquet (about 75 to 85 g), even or slightly head-light balance and a medium or flexible shaft, which is forgiving and quick to swing. Head-heavy, stiff racquets add power for smashes but need strong, fast technique, so they suit advanced singles players. String at a moderate tension around 20 to 24 lbs unless you have the technique for higher tension.
- [Badminton Shuttlecocks: Feather vs Nylon and Speed Ratings](https://racquettested.com/guides/badminton-shuttlecock-speeds): Feather shuttlecocks fly with the most precise, consistent flight and are used in competition, but they break quickly. Nylon shuttles are much more durable and cheaper, which suits beginners and casual play. Shuttle speed ratings match the shuttle to temperature and altitude: use slower shuttles in hot conditions or at altitude, where shuttles fly further, and faster ones in the cold. Test speed with a full underhand hit from the back line.
- [How to Choose a Tennis Racquet for Tennis Elbow](https://racquettested.com/guides/best-racquet-for-tennis-elbow): If you have tennis elbow or want to avoid it, choose a racquet with a flexible frame (a lower RA stiffness rating), enough weight with a head-light balance to absorb shock, and a mid-to-large head with a forgiving sweet spot. String it with a soft multifilament or natural gut at a lower tension, and make sure the grip size is right. Equipment helps, but technique and medical advice matter most.
- [How to Choose a Tennis Racquet: Head Size, Weight and Balance](https://racquettested.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-tennis-racquet): Beginners and improving players do best with a larger head (100 to 110 sq in), a light to medium weight (about 255 to 300 g unstrung) and an open 16x19 string pattern for easy power and spin. Advanced players with full swings often prefer a 95 to 100 sq in head and 300 to 320 g for more control and stability. Get the grip size right first: too small or too large a grip is uncomfortable and can contribute to arm strain.
- [Padel Racket Shapes Explained: Round vs Teardrop vs Diamond](https://racquettested.com/guides/padel-racket-shapes): Padel rackets come in three main shapes. Round rackets have a large, centered sweet spot and low balance for control, so they suit beginners and defensive players. Teardrop rackets balance power and control and suit most intermediate players. Diamond rackets have a high balance and the sweet spot toward the top for maximum power on smashes, so they suit advanced, attacking players.
- [Padel vs Tennis vs Pickleball: Key Differences Explained](https://racquettested.com/guides/padel-vs-tennis-vs-pickleball): Padel is played in doubles on a 20 by 10 meter court enclosed by glass walls, with solid perforated rackets, underhand serves and tennis-style scoring. Tennis uses a larger open court, strung racquets and overhead serves, and takes longest to learn. Pickleball uses a small court the size of a badminton doubles court, solid paddles, a plastic ball with holes and a non-volley zone near the net. Padel and pickleball are quicker to learn than tennis.
- [Squash Racquet and Ball Guide: What Beginners Should Buy](https://racquettested.com/guides/squash-racquet-and-ball-guide): Beginners should choose a squash racquet around 120 to 140 g with an even or slightly head-heavy balance and a teardrop (closed-throat) head for a bigger sweet spot. Use a beginner ball with more bounce, such as a blue or red dot ball, and move to single and then double yellow dot balls as your game develops. Always wear protective eyewear on court.
- [Squash Rules for Beginners: Serving, Scoring and Lets](https://racquettested.com/guides/squash-rules-for-beginners): In squash, players take turns hitting the ball against the front wall above the tin (the low strip) and below the out line, before it bounces twice. Games use point-a-rally scoring to 11, and you must win by two points at 10-10; matches are usually best of five games. The server stands with a foot in a service box and must hit the front wall above the service line so the ball lands in the opposite back quarter. Lets and strokes handle interference.
- [Tennis Grip Size Chart: How to Measure Your Grip Size](https://racquettested.com/guides/tennis-grip-size-chart): Tennis grip sizes run from L0 (4 inches) to L5 (4 5/8 inches). To find yours, measure from the middle crease of your palm to the tip of your ring finger; the length in inches is roughly your grip size. Most adult women use L1 or L2 and most adult men L2 to L4. When between sizes, choose the smaller grip and build it up with an overgrip.
- [Tennis Shoes by Court Surface: Hard, Clay and Grass](https://racquettested.com/guides/tennis-shoes-by-court-surface): Match your tennis shoes to the court. Hard courts wear soles down fast, so choose a durable outsole with a modified herringbone pattern. Clay courts need a full herringbone outsole that grips without clogging. Grass courts call for pimpled or nubbed soles, which many grass clubs require. All-court shoes work on hard courts and occasional clay. Choose tennis shoes, not running shoes, for the lateral support tennis needs.
- [Tennis Strings Explained: Poly, Multifilament, Synthetic Gut, Gut](https://racquettested.com/guides/tennis-string-types): Strings change how a racquet plays as much as the frame does. Synthetic gut is cheap and all-round, multifilament is soft and arm-friendly, polyester gives control and spin for hard hitters but is stiff, and natural gut offers the best feel and comfort at the highest price. Many players use a hybrid of poly in the mains and a softer string in the crosses. Lower tension adds power and comfort; higher tension adds control.

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