The 9 Best Racquetball Racquets
Updated by · How we research
Racquetball racquets from Head, E-Force, Gearbox and Python, nine in all, compared on weight, balance and head size. Head Graphene Radical 170 comes out on top. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Grip feel is personal, so if a club near you lends demo racquetball racquets, swing one before you buy. These short, strung racquets, no longer than 22 inches by rule, are made for fast play in an enclosed court, and weights run from about 160 to 200 grams. Beginners, club players and league regulars all use them.
From the manual
- The center mains run down through the hollow handle and loop around four numbered grooves at its end, so a stringer must follow E-Force's pattern. steps 1, 5-7
- Hole 7 at the head is skipped on each side on purpose. That gap is the bypass pattern E-Force credits with less string breakage. steps 4, 10
- E-Force's sheet cautions that with 38 feet of string, the short side should be tied off with only about a foot of excess. step 4
Editor's Notes
November 4, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
In November 2026 we checked this list against Gearbox's and E-Force's own spec pages, E-Force's stringing instructions for the Bedlam 170 Lite, Racquetworld's warranty table and the federal recall database. We corrected the GB250's description: it's the frame Gearbox launched its line with, not a newcomer, and its patented frame is solid only in sections. We also dropped an unsourced line about the GB-75's handle and added restringing, string gauge and warranty facts to the guide.
October 18, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
New to the list and now first is the Head Graphene Radical 170, which the player-run site Racquetball Rules names its top choice short of a deluxe frame. Half of the old list could no longer be bought. The Wilson Striker, Wilson Pro Staff Countervail, Ektelon Toron Pro 170 ESP and E-Force Apocalypse were all unavailable where we checked, so they're gone. We also dropped the Head Hades, an older design sold on a page it shares with two sister frames, since Head's current racquets do the same job.
The Gearbox GB250 Original, Head Intelligence i.165, E-Force Bedlam 170 Lite, Gearbox GB-75 and Python Intro 5000 stay. New picks are the Head Graphene Radical 170, the E-Force Xcelerator 170, the Head 360 Extreme and, for people trying the game for the first time, the very cheap Head CPS Heat.
We found no lab tests of racquetball racquets anywhere. We worked from makers' spec pages, racquet shop listings, a player-run recommendations site, USA Racquetball's equipment rules, owner feedback and the federal recall database. Grip feel is personal, so if a club near you lends demo racquets, swing one before you buy.
Earlier notes
November 13, 2020, by Willis Kuelthau:
At the upper end of price and performance, racquetball racquets continue to evolve, with each brand pushing their own technological innovations. The Wilson Pro Staff Countervail is one of the best examples, joining our list as a premium option for serious players. Elsewhere, however, classic frames remain a good blend of price and performance. The Gearbox GB 250, Head i.165, and Wilson Striker are all popular choices at their respective price points, and they'll suit a wide range of athletes. Heavier racquets like the Gearbox GB 75 are a good choice for beginners and seniors, while lighter frames will work best for experienced players with fast swings. Models that weigh around 170 grams, like the Head Hades and E-Force Bedlam, are a good middle ground. When the ball hugs the wall or the floor, it's inevitable that any frame will take a whack or two. We've updated and rearranged our list with durability in mind, so that you don't need to replace your racquets too often.
April 20, 2019, by Joseph Perry:
Racquets offer what can be a bewildering array of shapes, sizes, weights, and materials. The trick is finding the sweet spot where those components come together to create high-quality, high-value products. We settled on items from leaders in the field, including Head, E-Force, and Ektelon, with some excellent value options thrown in as well. The E-Force Apocalypse should please advanced players with its power and control, while the Gearbox GB 50 or Wilson Striker are good options for beginning or intermediate players.
Special Honors
Gearbox AXS Series Gearbox added the AXS series to its own store in 2026 as its new performance line. It comes in teardrop and quad shapes at 165 and 170 grams. Gearbox says the teardrop puts the sweet spot higher for players who attack the ball, while the quad spreads a larger, more centered sweet spot for forgiveness. It costs well above the GB250, and owner feedback is still scarce, so it suits players who already know they like Gearbox frames. gearboxsports.com
Weight, Balance And Head Shape
A teardrop narrows toward the throat and puts the sweet spot higher, while a quadraform is squarer at the top and spreads it wider.
Weight is the first choice. Heavier frames, around 185 to 200 grams, carry more mass into the ball, so a beginner with a slower swing gets more help from the racquet. Lighter frames, about 160 to 175 grams, swing faster, and experienced players turn that speed into power. Racquetball Rules, a player-run site, calls a heavy frame a plus for beginners for this reason. Makers usually quote weight unstrung, and strings and grip add more: Gearbox lists its GB-125 at 170 grams unstrung and about 187 grams strung.
Balance tells you where that weight sits. A head-heavy frame adds power to each swing, and a head-light one is quicker to bring around, which helps control. Head gives balance as millimeters from the butt of the handle. On a 22-inch frame the middle is about 279 millimeters, so the Head Intelligence i.165, at 290 millimeters, leans toward the head. Gearbox counts from the middle instead, so its GB250's "13mm head heavy" means the balance point sits 13 millimeters toward the tip.
Head shape is mostly about where the sweet spot sits. A teardrop narrows toward the throat and puts the sweet spot higher, while a quadraform is squarer at the top and spreads it wider. Most heads land between about 100 and 108 square inches. E-Force sells its Xcelerator in both shapes, quadraform at 160 and 175 grams and teardrop at 170 and 190 grams. Gearbox offers its AXS frames as a teardrop for aggressive hitters or a quad for a larger, more centered sweet spot.
Rules, Eyewear And The Wrist Cord
Racquetball has firm equipment rules, and they matter if you ever join a league. Under USA Racquetball rule 2.4, the frame, bumper guard and solid handle parts can't be longer than 22 inches, and playing with a longer frame costs the game. A grip that extends past the 22-inch mark draws a penalty too, so check the length after you add a thick overgrip. A tennis or squash racquet is far too long. The rules also treat the wrist cord as a safety part that players must wear on the wrist.
Eye protection matters more. Rule 2.5 requires every player in a sanctioned event to wear lensed eyewear designed for racquet sports, and a player must be able to show that it meets ASTM F803, the standard for racquet-sport eye protectors. Street glasses and lensless guards don't count. Missing eyewear costs a point the first time and the match the second. USA Racquetball doesn't test or certify eyewear, so look for the F803 claim on the maker's packaging. The ball is about 2 1/4 inches across and moves fast in a closed room, so wear lensed goggles in friendly games, too.
Strings, Grips And How Long A Racquet Lasts
Strings usually wear out before frames do. Many factory strings are basic, and owners of budget racquets in particular report breaks within weeks. A shop restring with a better string is often the cheapest upgrade a racquet can get. Gauge is the main trade-off. Steve Crandall, then vice president of sales and marketing at string maker Ashaway, wrote in a stringing column for Racquetball Magazine that between two strings of the same material, "the thinner one will break more easily," though thin string responds better. The GB250 ships with thin 18-gauge string. Some frames are built around their strings: the E-Force Bedlam 170 Lite runs its center strings through the hollow handle and uses a bypass pattern that E-Force says reduces breakage. Its stringing instructions loop the center mains around grooves at the end of the handle and skip a hole on each side, so use a stringer who works from E-Force's pattern. Head's Radical can be strung in either of two patterns.
Grip size is the next fit check. Most adult racquets come with a 3 5/8-inch handle, and a smaller handle lets the wrist move faster. Racquetball Rules warns that one E-Force model ships with a 3 15/16-inch grip, too big for small hands. Replacement grips and overgrips are cheap and can build a handle up, as long as the racquet stays within 22 inches.
In the owner feedback we read, regular players often go through a racquet in one to two years, with strings failing first and cheap frames failing sooner. Frame warranties are short: Racquetworld's warranty table lists six months for Head, E-Force and Gearbox, for defects under normal use. Racquetworld calls the Head Graphene Radical one of its exclusive models and says warranty claims on it go through the shop. E-Force asks buyers to register with an online warranty form. To try before you buy, Gearbox mails up to four demo racquets for a week for a small shipping fee.
How we researched this
We compared 22 racquetball racquets from Head, E-Force, Gearbox, Python, ProKennex, Wilson and Ektelon. Racquets ship without manuals, so we read Gearbox's spec pages for the GB250 and GB-75, E-Force's pages for the Bedlam 170 Lite and Xcelerator along with its Bedlam stringing instructions, shop spec listings for the Head and Python frames, USA Racquetball's equipment rules and Racquetworld's warranty table. On November 4, 2026, the CPSC's recall database listed no recall of a racquet from any of these brands (its only racquetball racquet recall, from 1984, involved another maker), and Health Canada's recall site showed none either. We found no independent lab tests of racquetball racquets.
Sources (18)
- USA Racquetball: Rules, Section 2, Courts and Equipment
- ASTM F803-25: Eye Protectors for Selected Sports
- Gearbox: GB-250 Original
- Gearbox: GB-75
- Gearbox: racquetball racquets
- E-Force: Bedlam 170 Lite
- E-Force: Xcelerator
- E-Force: Warranty
- Racquetball Rules: Racquetball Racket Recommendations
- Reddit r/racquetball: Choosing a new racquet
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: SaferProducts.gov
- E-Force: Stringing instructions A (Bedlam 170 Lite)
- U.S. Patent 7,867,428: Method of making a composite racquet (Gear Box)
- Racquetworld: Racquet warranty by manufacturer
- Ashaway, Steve Crandall: String Gauge, the Basic Choice
- Gearbox: GB-125
- CPSC: 1984 DP racquetball racquet replacement program
- Health Canada: Recalls and safety alerts
Frequently asked questions
What is the best racquetball racquet for beginners?
A heavier, forgiving frame of about 180 to 190 grams, such as the Head CPS Heat or the Python Intro 5000. The extra mass does more of the work on a slow swing. Players who stick with the game often move to a lighter graphite frame later.
Is a teardrop or quadraform racquet better?
Neither is better overall. A teardrop puts the sweet spot higher on the head, and a quadraform spreads it wider. Head sizes are similar, about 100 to 108 square inches, so it comes down to feel.
Can I use a tennis racquet for racquetball?
No. USA Racquetball limits the frame to 22 inches, and tennis racquets are much longer. Racquetball racquets also carry a wrist cord that the rules require players to wear.
Do I need goggles for racquetball?
Yes in sanctioned play, where the rules require lensed eyewear made for racquet sports that meets ASTM F803. They're a good idea in casual games too, since the ball moves fast in a closed court.
How long does a racquetball racquet last?
Strings usually go first. Racquetworld's rule of thumb is to restring as many times a year as you play each week, so a twice-a-week player restrings about twice a year. Racquetworld lists six-month frame warranties for Head, E-Force and Gearbox, covering defects, so a frame that cracks later is yours to replace.
Why aren't Wilson racquetball racquets on this list?
When we rebuilt the list in October 2026, the Wilson Striker and Pro Staff Countervail were unavailable where we checked. Some shops, such as Scheels, still list the Striker, a heavy aluminum starter frame, and we found no announcement that Wilson has left racquetball.
