How to choose a badminton racket?
Choose your racket according to your level and play style. Read the description of each level and try to fit into one of these:
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- Beginner - occasional and recreational player, who plays badminton very little, goes to the hall 1-2 times per month, or is just about to start with badminton. This player should choose a flexible to moderately flexible racket that is hand-heavy or even. Avoid the head-heavy rackets (above 315 mm).
- Advanced player with a technical style - can return even very difficult shots in a way that breaks the opponents attack, responds with a short throw. The ideal racket should be flexible, hand-heavy or even.
- Advanced player with universal / versatile style - uses the entire surface of the court, quickly turns defense into attack. The ideal racket should be moderately stiff and even.
- Advanced player with aggressive style - prefers short exchanges, a lot of medium-height balls, punishes the opponent with a smash. The ideal racket should be very stiff and head-heavy.
Technical characteristics of badminton rackets
Flexibility
When it comes to racket flexibility, there are these two basic facts:
- The more flexible the racket, the better control - easier defence.
- The stiffer the racket, the faster the game, but the racket is also harder to handle - easier offense.
For each racket we determine up to seven groups of flexibility:
- Extra Flexible (very flexible shaft)
- Flexible (flexible shaft)
- Medium Flex / Dynamic (more flexible shaft)
- Medium / Dynamic (moderately flexible shaft)
- Medium Stiff / Stiff Dynamic (medium-stiff shaft)
- Stiff (stiff shaft)
- Extra Stiff (very stiff shaft)
Balance
Balance is measured from the end of the handle toward the head of the racket. The racket can be balanced in different ways:
- Head-heavy - intensifies strike and accelerates swing (> 315 mm)
- Even - a compromise between swing speed and ball control (305-314 mm)
- Hand-heavy - improves sensitivity and ball control (<304 mm)
Racket weight
The lighter the racket, the better the handling.
- Lightweight (<89 g)
- Moderate (90-93 g)
- Heavy (> 94 g)