How to Choose Best Badminton Racket for Every Type of Player

Time, when badminton was just a recreational game on beaches during a summer holiday, is gone. Nowadays badminton is an as serious sport as any other. A lot of people prefer badminton over tennis due to its speed and energy. I still prefer tennis but I have to confess that I like playing badminton too. When I started to play badminton, hardest task was to choose the right gear. Here is my look at how to choose the best badminton racket for a beginner. And here you can check how to find best badminton shuttlecocks.

I will also address the question of badminton rackets for kids. If you are interested in buying the kid’s badminton racket just scroll down to the end of the article.

There are three important parameters you need to know before buying your first badminton racket. Balance, Flex, and Weight. And there are few others which are not so important, but we will write about them too.

BALANCE

The balance of badminton racket means where is the balance point of the racket or better said where the mass of the racket is. There are three types of badminton rackets.

HEAD HEAVY BADMINTON RACKETS

The name says it all. The mass is shifted to the head of the racket. You will get more power, however, ability to react quickly in defense will lower. Also, head heavy rackets are for the players with really trained wrists. Head heavy rackets are suitable for offensive players who like to play from the back of the court.

HEAD LIGHT BADMINTON RACKETS

These rackets are opposite of head heavy badminton rackets. The mass is shifted to the shaft. Badminton player gains speed and greater maneuverability with the head light racket. On another hand, he will lose the power of strokes. Good for doubles and defensive plays at the net.

EVEN BALANCE BADMINTON RACKETS

Even balance badminton rackets have mass in the middle. Its parameters are also in the middle. You still can give power stroke but not so strong as with head heavy racket. And you can still be able to play at the net with great control, but not as great as with head light racket. This is the choice for beginners who do not know yet what their style of play will be.

If you need to change the balance on your racket, you can do it with help of tape.

FLEXIBILITY OF SHAFT

The second most important parameter is the flexibility of the shaft. There are four different types. Flexible, Medium, Stiff, and Extra Stiff. More stiff the shaft is, more power you will give to the shuttle. However, you need to have good technique. Therefore, for beginners, flexible or medium shafts are recommended.

WEIGHT OF THE RACKET

There is a little sign on every shaft which says how heavy your racket is.

U: 95-99g
2U: 90-94g
3U: 85-89g
4U: 80-84g
5U: 75-79g
6U (F): 70-74g

The heavier racket gives you more power but is more difficult to handle. The most common weights are 3U (85 – 89g)and 4U (80 – 84g). There is no reason to start with 2U or U racket for beginners. The more weight means also bigger pressure on your shoulders and wrists. Not saying that your swing will not be so fast.

Do you like tennis more? Best tennis rackets for every type of player.

OTHER PARAMETERS

HEAD SHAPE

In past, all badminton rackets had oval head shape. Now, almost all badminton rackets have isometric head shape. Isometric head shape enlarges sweet spot. The sweet spot is the area of the string bed which gives you maximum power when you hit the shuttle.

GRIP SIZE

If you play any racket sport you probably know what grip size means. Grip size depends on the size of your palm. You will find the sign of grip size next to weight sign on your shaft.

G1: 4 inches
G2: 3.75 inches
G3: 3.5 inches
G4: 3.25 inches
G5: 3 inches
G6: 2.75 inches

Grip size choice is strictly personal, but I recommend to choose smaller grips as you can still adjust (enlarge) the size with grip tape.

SUMMARY – The Best Badminton Racket is …

There is no need to go for expensive badminton racket at the start. The best badminton racket for the beginner is even balanced, flexible to medium shaft flexibility with weight 4U (80 – 84g) at a reasonable price. After you play few games you will find out what kind of play you like most. If you prefer doubles more than singles. If you like a play from the back of the court or you are on the net all time. Then comes the time to adjust your gear accordingly. However, with the choice, I recommended you can play for a long time from recreational to an advanced level without any restraints.

Yonex Badminton Combo Set 2-B350 and 1-Mavis 300 Yellow

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BEST BADMINTON RACKETS FOR KIDS

Choosing and buying badminton rackets for kids is always a little bit tricky. It really depends on your kid. What I know for sure, that kids should play with lighter rackets (4U, 5U or 6U which means 70 to 84 grams). Heavier rackets can cause damage to kids’ shoulders or wrist.

The harder question stays regarding the length of the racket. There is a lot of children who play with “normal” length (25 – 26 inches) rackets for adults. However, some kids have problems with swings and touch the floor with racket head. Then it is appropriate to use the shorter racket. Junior badminton rackets are usually 21 or 23 inches long, badminton rackets for up to 9 years old kids are even smaller. But even if your child will start with a smaller racket, do not hesitate to change to longer or normal length badminton racket as soon as possible.

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