Ashaway SuperKill® Family of Racquetball Strings - Still Popular After All These Years

Since racquetball's first surge of popularity in the 1970s, Ashaway SuperKill® strings have been a popular choice for players at all levels. As the game has evolved and new string materials have been added, nylon SuperKill strings have retained their popularity. Today, the SuperKill family of strings offers an array of playing characteristics optimized to meet the needs of both recreational and competitive players.

Range of gauge, nylon core designs, power, durability and feel, provide choices for all players

Despite the many changes in racquetball over the years, one thing has remained relatively constant. That is the continued popularity of nylon strings like Ashaway's SuperKill^® family. As new string materials like PEEK have been added, SuperKill nylon strings have remained a popular choice for players at all levels. Today, the SuperKill family offers an array of playing characteristics optimized to meet the needs of both recreational and competitive players.

"The story of our SuperKill line of racquetball strings has been evolving now for nearly 50 years," said Ashaway Vice President Steve Crandall. "As racquet head designs, styles of play, and string materials have changed, we have expanded and enhanced our SuperKill family to meet the needs of a broad spectrum of players."

All three SuperKill strings feature a nylon core with a high tenacity nylon wear surface, and offer a range of design and construction features. The original SuperKill string is now called SuperKill II and is the heavyweight of the family. At 1.3 mm, or 16 gauge, it has a monofilament nylon core wrapped in a tough nylon wear surface. SuperKill II offers a superior combination of power and durability with excellent resiliency. Its rugged, abrasion resistant jacket resists notching even with the most powerful strokes. Offered in natural and white colors, recommended stringing tension for SuperKill II is up to 55 lbs. (25 kgs.).

As the sport of racquetball matured, players began requesting thinner strings. In response to this demand, Ashaway designed and introduced SuperKill 17. Also built on a monofilament core, SuperKill 17 is 1.25 mm in diameter (17 gauge) and offers an excellent balance of power and ball control with superior resiliency and above average durability. Designed for optimum playability at all skill levels, SuperKill 17 is a tough, long-lasting string with good abrasion resistance, and was used exclusively by many top touring pros in the 1990s. Offered in natural and white colors, recommended stringing tension for SuperKill 17 is up to 45 lbs. (20 kgs.).

The most recent addition to the family is SuperKill XL, which incorporates a multifilament nylon core that provides a softer feel with excellent response and resiliency. Also 1.25 mm (17 gauge), SuperKill XL is a thin, lively string that provides enhanced grip on the ball and shot placement. Designed for use by top players looking to optimize power, touch and ball control, SuperKill XL is white in color with a distinctive red and blue cross pattern. Recommended stringing tension is up to 50 lbs. (22.5 kgs.).

Said Crandall, "As the sport of racquetball continues to grow and gain in popularity, we will continue to develop new strings and stringing materials, like our PEEK-based UltraKill^® and PowerKill^® families. But we will also keep our eye firmly on market dynamics, and continue to provide the types of string players demand, such as our new multifilament PU MultiKill^® 17."