Badminton Rackets

• 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)