Picking The Right Badminton Racket

For some, badminton is an easy sport, it takes two people, two racquets, one shuttlecock, one net, and you have a game of badminton. But for some, badminton is like fine art, you need skill, technique, power, and stamina. Like many other sports to play/learn badminton you should be interested and willing to spend time and money on learning the game.

When you start playing the game, buying the right gear becomes very challenging. Especially when you see there are hundreds of options available, for example, e.g., buying a racquet becomes so confusing. It becomes a very personal decision that we don’t want to rely on anyone else as a racquet that feels good in your hand may not feel the same on others.

When choosing the right badminton racquet, you should keep in mind the budget, playing style (defensive, offensive, or all-round) and playing level (beginner, intermediate or advance), racquet weight, and flexibility.

Budget

A graphite racquet costs as low as Rs. 1,500/- and goes up till Rs. 25,000/-. So deciding on the money you want to spend will help narrow the search. The most expensive racquets are usually for the professional player as they are manufactured to certain string tension. Do not be under the impression that if the racquet can hold higher string tension, it is always a better racquet. The ideal string tension advised by seasoned players and manufacturers is between 25-28lbs.

Playing Style & Level

Badminton racquets generally have three different balance categories, head-heavy, head-light, and even balanced.

Head-heavy racquets have the weight shifted in the head, which gives extra power when smashing, better suited for attacking players. To easily manoeuver a head-heavy racquet, the player must be strong.

Head-light racquets are good for counter-attacking defensive players, more suited for doubles play. The weight is shifted to the handle making the headlight, this allows faster manoeuvrability and engages faster drives.

Even-balanced racquets are all-rounders, offer the best from both worlds. Gives you adequate power for attack and enough control and manoeuvrability to defend. When you are unsure about picking head-heavy or head-light racquets, going for even-balanced racquets will solve your problems.

Racquet Weight

This is more of a player preference, the ideal weight for a recreation player will range from 78-84 grms. Whereas a professional player would prefer a heavier racquet weighing around 85-87 grams as they have enough strength to control the racquet.

Shaft Flexibility

Flexible shaft has good repulsion, a player doesn’t have to exert too much strength when attacking or defending a smash as the shaft bends slightly more than other racquets. Suitable for beginners and intermediate players, the only downside is that it does not offer enough power.

The stiff shaft has very little or no repulsion and provides accurate shuttle placement. A stiffer shaft has better resistance and faster recoil, best for advanced players as they can control the racquet with ease.

To put it in simple words, a racquet is an extension of your hand, and picking the right one is very important, and it might make or break your game.