Racket Sports Equipment

The large variety of sports necessitates a range of sports equipment, which may not necessarily be the same. However, racket sports involve equipment which is similar, with slight variations in size and technique of play.

Racket Sports Equipment: Categories

Racket sports can be categorized into two, direct and indirect games:

Direct Games – Those games in which the opponents, although separated by a net, face each other are called direct games. The games that fall in this category, with their respective sports equipment are:

• Badminton – The rackets used in this game are light, weighing between 79 and 91 grams. They can be made of various materials, ranging from carbon fiber composite to steel or aluminum to wood. Nano materials, such as fullerene and carbon nanotubes are sometimes added to increase durability. The strings are thin, ranging from 0.65 to 0.73 mm thickness. The popular grip materials are synthetic and towel grips. Shuttlecocks are generally either made of synthetic or nylon materials with a rounded leather base.
• Court Tennis – Originally, rackets were made of laminated wood and the strings were made from animal gut. Modern day racquets are made of carbon graphite, ceramics and lighter metals such as titanium. Synthetic materials are used to make the strings. Tennis balls are made of rubber covered with a layer of felt.
• Platform Tennis – The paddles (18″ long) are prepared with composite material with aerodynamic holes in the head. The ball is made of rubber and measures 2.5″ in diameter. The exterior is covered with a flocking material to prevent it from skidding.
• Pickle Ball – Very similar to badminton and tennis, this game requires a hard paddle and a perforated plastic ball.

Indirect Games – The contenders of indirect games compete within the same space, but by facing a common wall. The games in this category are:

• Fives – This game can be further categorized into Rugby Fives and Eton Fives. The main equipment of this game is a ball, the weight of which differs according to the type of game, and a pair of gloves for hitting the ball against a wall.
• Squash – The racket is made of composite materials or metals. This includes graphite, kevlar, titanium and boron. It also has synthetic strings attached to it. The balls are made of two pieces of rubber compound, glued to form a hollow sphere.
• Racquetball – The equipment needed for this game are a rubber ball, measuring 2.25 inches in diameter and a racket not more than 22 inches long.

Holabird Sports specializes in the sale of racket sports equipment, sportswear and athletic footwear.