Squash is one of the most demanding racket sports in the world — played on a small indoor court, with a rubber ball, in rallies that demand constant lateral movement and explosive retrieval. The gear list is short, but a few decisions matter early. Here's what you actually need.
Photo by Sven Mieke on Unsplash
If you only buy 3 things to start:
The fastest path through this guide — each best-starter pick by category. Scroll for the budget and upgrade alternatives.
| Category | Top pick | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Racquet | HEADHEAD Extreme 120 Squash Racquet | $$ | See on Amazon → |
| Ball | DunlopDunlop Progress Squash Ball (3-pack) | $ | See on Amazon → |
| Court Shoes | ASICSASICS Gel-Rocket 11 | $$ | See on Amazon → |
| Eye protection | HEADHEAD Impulse Racquetball & Squash Goggles | $ | See on Amazon → |
| Grip & accessories | TournaTourna Grip Original Overgrip (10-pack) | $ | See on Amazon → |
Find a court before you spend a dollar. Squash requires an indoor four-walled court — you can't improvise one. Many large gyms (Lifetime, Equinox, YMCA, university rec centers) have squash courts. Most standalone squash clubs charge $15-30/hour for court time. Confirm there's a court within 30 minutes of you before buying anything.
Don't buy the double-yellow dot ball yet. Squash balls are color-coded by bounce, and the double-yellow dot — the tournament standard — is designed for long, heated rallies that warm the rubber to its working temperature. As a beginner, your rallies aren't long enough to heat it up, and it'll feel like hitting a rock. Start with a red dot or single yellow dot (more bounce, far more usable on cold courts).
Eye protection is strongly recommended and required at most clubs and all tournaments. The squash ball hits harder than most beginners expect, and your opponent's racquet backswing is always nearby in the confined court. ASTM F803-rated eye guards cost about $20 and prevent the kind of injuries that end seasons.
A squash racquet is longer than a racquetball racquet but smaller and lighter than a tennis racquet — usually 125-150g and under 27 inches. The variables that matter for a beginner: weight (lighter is more maneuverable), balance (head-light is nimbler; head-heavy adds power), and string tension (lower tension is more forgiving). Stay in graphite, not aluminum — aluminum-frame budget racquets transmit harsh vibration into the wrist and elbow. A graphite or composite racquet in the $50-100 range is where you should start.
A few common shapes, each making a different trade.
Faster swing, better control, easier on the arm.
Best for Beginners and intermediates — especially players transitioning from tennis or pickleball
Tradeoff Less inherent power; you generate pace with swing speed
↓ See our pickMore power on contact, slightly heavier feel through the swing.
Best for Players who want to drive the ball from the back corners without a big swing
Tradeoff Slower through the air — can get caught out on fast retrievals
↓ See our pick120g, graphite construction, head-heavy balance that adds power without requiring a huge swing. Around $70-90. HEAD's Extreme line is specifically designed for club-level beginners and intermediates — the sweet spot is forgiving and the weight gives you free power while you develop technique.
Watch out for: Factory strings tend to run tight. Ask your club pro about dropping tension to 20-22 lbs for a softer feel while you're learning.
See on Amazon →Around $45. Large 496cm² head, Wilson's standard squash frame, and a price point that makes sense while you're deciding if squash is going to stick. Not as refined as graphite, but adequate for your first months and widely available.
See on Amazon →125g, 100% graphite, around $150. The racquet that most club-level players land on after a few months of serious play. Excellent control, clean feel, and Tecnifibre's string quality is genuinely better than the competition. Wait until your game is consistent before upgrading — but when you're ready, this is the obvious move.
Watch out for: Lighter and stiffer than beginner racquets — you need clean swing mechanics for it to feel right. Not the right move on day one.
See on Amazon →
Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash
Squash balls are hollow rubber and they need to be warm to bounce properly. The dot color tells you how much bounce you get: more dots means more bounce, which means easier for beginners. The double-yellow dot (tournament standard) is designed for sustained, hard rallies that heat the rubber — as a beginner, your rallies aren't long enough to warm it, and it'll feel impossibly dead. Start with a single yellow or red dot. You'll graduate to double-yellow once your game has consistency and your rallies last more than five or six shots.
The red dot — bouncier and easier to control before your rallies are long enough to warm up a tournament ball. Around $12-15 for a 3-pack. Dunlop makes the ball used at virtually every serious squash club and tournament in the world, so you're in good hands with the brand. Start here, switch to double-yellow once your rallies consistently hit 8-10 shots.
See on Amazon →The WSF-approved tournament ball used on the professional tour and at virtually every club match. When your game has enough consistency for the beginner ball to feel too bouncy — usually 3-6 months of regular play — this is what your opponents are using. Buy it when you're ready.
See on Amazon →Squash is played on a hard indoor court with explosive lunges, quick pivots, and constant direction changes. You need lateral support and a non-marking gum rubber sole — the last part is non-negotiable, because most clubs won't let you play with a black sole that marks the floor. Running shoes are dangerous: their soft, high heels roll your ankle on lateral cuts. Squash-specific shoes, tennis shoes, or indoor volleyball shoes all work; just make sure the sole is gum rubber.
Around $65. ASICS's entry-level indoor court shoe — non-marking gum sole, solid lateral support, and GEL cushioning that absorbs the shock of repeated lunges. The forefoot is reinforced for the forward slides squash demands, and it runs lighter than most court shoes at this price.
Watch out for: Runs slightly narrow. If you have wide feet, size up half a size.
See on Amazon →The court shoe we recommend across all our racket-sport guides. Non-marking sole, dependable lateral support, around $90. Works perfectly for squash if you already own a pair for tennis or pickleball — no need to buy again.
See on Amazon →ASICS's serious indoor court shoe — gel cushioning, reinforced lateral support, and a proprietary outsole compound that holds up to 3-4 sessions per week without wearing through. Around $110-130. Worth the step up once squash is a regular habit and you start feeling foot or knee fatigue over long sessions.
See on Amazon →Squash clubs vary — some require eye protection, many don't (unlike racquetball, where it's nearly universal). But the squash ball hits harder than most people expect, and your opponent's backswing in a confined court is a real hazard. Most tournaments require ASTM F803-rated eye guards, and the casual clubs that don't often should. At $20, this is a cheap piece of insurance.
ASTM F803-certified eye protection rated for both squash and racquetball. Anti-fog and scratch-resistant polycarbonate lens, adjustable strap, and a low-profile design that doesn't restrict peripheral vision. The #1 best seller in squash and racquetball goggles on Amazon — there's a reason every club player knows this model.
Watch out for: Fog can still build up in very humid gyms — wipe with a cloth between games.
See on Amazon →The ASTM F803-rated eye guard we recommend for racquetball too — works just as well for squash. Fits over prescription glasses, anti-fog coated, around $20. If you already own these for racquetball, they cross over perfectly.
See on Amazon →Two items that meaningfully improve comfort: an overgrip (squash handles run thin, and one wrap adds feel and absorbs sweat) and a wristband (indoor courts get hot fast, and sweat running down your forearm onto the grip causes slippage at the worst times). Both under $15 combined.
Tried-and-true overgrip used in every racket sport. Apply one wrap to your factory grip on day one — it improves feel and prevents slippage as soon as your hands start sweating. Replace every 3-4 weeks of regular play.
See on Amazon →Squash courts get warm, and sweat running from your forearm onto the grip is a real problem in a fast game. A wristband catches it before it reaches your hand. Around $10.
See on Amazon →Squash has a learning curve steeper than most racket sports. Here's what actually happens in your first four weeks — and what to focus on so you don't waste the time.
Read the guide →Beginners get pressured to buy a lot of stuff that doesn't help them play better. Here's what we'd skip on day one.
A short, real plan to get from gear-on-doorstep to actually playing.
Both are indoor court sports with a front wall, but squash uses a smaller, less bouncy ball, longer racquets, and a slightly smaller court. Racquetball rewards power; squash rewards precision, angles, and fitness. The scoring differs too — squash commonly uses PAR (point-a-rally) scoring where every rally wins a point. Many clubs have both courts and both communities.
Start with a red dot or single yellow dot ball — it's bouncier and easier to control before your game has consistency. The double-yellow dot (tournament standard) requires long, heated rallies to warm up properly, and a beginner's rallies don't generate enough heat. There's no shame in the beginner ball; it's the right tool.
Court fees are typically $15-30/hour at most clubs. Your starter kit — racquet, balls, shoes, eye protection — runs $100-200. After that, the main costs are court time and replacing balls every few weeks of regular play.
One or two lessons early on are genuinely worth it. Squash has an unusual swing arc and specific footwork that's hard to self-teach, and bad habits calcify quickly. Most clubs offer group clinics at $20-30/person — a good low-commitment entry point before you commit to private lessons.
Yes — squash is one of the few racket sports where solo practice is genuinely productive, because you're hitting against a wall. Solo drills (straight drive targets, boast-and-crosscourt patterns) are how most club players build consistency between matches. It's not a substitute for play, but it's a real supplement.
The basics are approachable in 2-3 sessions — you can rally and keep score. The depth is what makes it hard: movement, angles, reading your opponent, sustained fitness. Most players feel genuinely competitive after 3-6 months of weekly play. It's a sport that rewards investment.