Choosing Badminton Equipment

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Choosing Badminton Equipment

While higher end badminton equipment is no replacement for a good skill set and some exceptional training, they can certainly help increase your potential for playing the game. The budget-minded sets on the market are fine for family barbecues, but if you are considering entering badminton competitively or even as a "serious" hobby, you should be in the market for some decent equipment. Of course, the netting is of little concern, but it is the equipment you hold in your hand (and on your body) that you should be paying serious attention to.

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Shoes

Easily one of the most important pieces of badminton equipment you will ever consider is the pair of shoes you wear on your feet. Many say that the footwear is even more important than the racket (which most people would assume is the main priority).

Badminton involves rapid movements, quick changes of direction, and a lot of twisting and turning. You want lightweight shoes that have a thin sole, but good support -- especially lateral support -- is incredibly important. Thicker soles found on running shoes will leave you more prone to injury; twisting your ankle, for example. The soles should also have great grip to prevent slipping, and the shoes should, above all else, be comfortable.

The most highly recommended brand is Yonex, though you will also find excellent badminton shoes from Mizuno, Hi-Tec, and a number of other companies. You can expect to spend in the neighbourhood of $70-100 for a decent pair of badminton shoes.

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Rackets

Racket selection is largely personal preference and must cater to each individual player's style. However, there are a few key characteristics you can bear in mind when choosing the right badminton racket for you:

Shape: Egg-shaped heads tend to have a smaller, more concentrated sweet spot. These rackets give greater power at the expense of being less forgiving should your shot miss that sweet spot. Isometric or square heads are gaining in popularity among those starting out in the sport, because they provide a larger sweet spot and thus allow novices to have fewer missed shots.

Stiffness: Much like graphite-shafted golf clubs, badminton rackets typically have quite a bit of flex to them (as they are generally graphite or carbon fiber shafted). You choice of stiffness depends on how powerful a player you are. For stronger players, you may consider going with a stiffer racket (and string tension) as they would have the strength to muscle through and have a more powerful shot. At the same time, a stiff racket will rob a lighter hitter of power, creating a near "paddle-like" effect.

Weight: There is a tradeoff when it comes to picking the badminton racket with the right weight. Lighter rackets allow you to swing faster (and thus harder) and have more powerful shots, but heavier rackets are more stable and are less likely to result in missed shots. In this way, badminton rackets are much like golf clubs.

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Clothing

As with most other racquet sports, two key factors should come into play when selecting your badminton clothing. First, they should provide for excellent mobility because you will be moving a considerable amount on the badminton court, and many of these movements are very quick. Avoid any tops or shorts that feel restrictive.

Secondly, the material should be lightweight and have good ventilation. You shouldn't feel weighed down by your clothing, nor should you feel like you're being baked. Your shirts/tops, especially, should be made of breathable material to allow your body heat (and sweat) to better dissipate.

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Shuttlecocks

Shuttlecocks, or "birdies" as they are better known to most people, come in two main varieties: plastic/nylon or feathered. I personally prefer a good set of plastic birdies, but at the competition-level, they typically make use of the more expensive feathered-type shuttlecocks. Like most other badminton equipment, Yonex is a brand that I know and trust when it comes to selecting my birdies.

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Strings and Grip

Arguably more important than the racket itself, strings and grip play an integral role to your badminton game. As with the flexibility and stiffness of the racket, the string tension is largely personal preference and should be catered to each individual player. You may be tempted to go higher and higher in string tension, but try to stick within your skill level until your game progresses to higher levels and your muscles become better developed for badminton. Beginners should stick to the 20 pound range for string tension.

The grip on the racket, much like the string, is personal preference. Some players prefer a stickier ("tacky") grip, while others opt for smoother options. There are different materials available as well: towel-types tend to absorb sweat better, whereas synthetic grips last longer. Bearing in mind that badminton is largely a precision game, the size of the grip should not be too large nor too small.

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