Overview
Whether You’re A Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced Player, here’s The Complete And Easiest Guide In Choosing Your Badminton Racket.
Badminton game is all about fun. When it comes to buying and choosing a badminton racket, the process should be stress-free.
CLICK HERE to get straight to The Complete And Easiest Guide In Choosing Your Badminton Racket
Why are badminton players stressed out when choosing a racket?
We’ve seen many social players looking for new rackets having trouble with making a decision when choosing their ideal badminton rackets and who ended up buying something they don’t need at all.
Players think that once they bought a racket, it will be stuck with them for at least a year or so before they would spend on another one. If the rackets are not right for them, many would sell it to their buddies at cheaper price so they can move on getting another one.
A badminton racket can be considered by some players as a very personal equipment and most of them won’t lend it to others. Badminton rackets are tools that get you to achieve that particular shot that you’ll remember for the rest of the week. That’s the shot that keeps you continue loving playing badminton.
Smile if you agree.
If you are a player who wants to have a racket that could help you make that smash you desire or generate that hitting sound that sweeps off your feet, please read on.
Before that, let’s look at the types of badminton racket buyers we came across so far.
There are four types of badminton racket buyers.
The first type of players wouldn’t want to understand the terms involved such as balance point of a racket, flexibility, weight and grip size. We know you can relate to that, don’t you. All you care is to get something affordable and have fun with it without thinking whether it would be a performing racket.
The second type of buyers like to do a lot of research before buying. These group of buyers would watch review videos, read those technical racket’s specification and finally decide on the racket they think is suitable for them. They care very much how the racket would perform and feel. This doesn’t mean that they know what they’re choosing because they might sometimes make mistake in positioning themselves in the wrong performance level.
The third type of buyers are those who care only about trends. It doesn’t matter how expensive the rackets are, as long as they are famous rackets used by top international players, they’ll go for it. You would find them carrying the latest badminton racket in the market and like to show the racket around.
Finally, the fourth type of buyers are people who only buy an item after getting the feel of it in their own hands. The buyers in the group like to feel, touch and swing the badminton rackets in their hands. We’ve had a customer who came and swung almost every light racket there was in our store for about an hour. We are glad, at the end of the hour, we found him a right racket, he bought it and left feeling happy.
No matter what type of buyer you are, you need a badminton racket selection mechanism that works for you.
Is there a universal rating system for badminton players?
There should be a rating mechanism that calculates and reflects a badminton player’s level of playing ability. The rating should be assigned merely to a player and from this, grouping and matches can be formed easier with the similar background and ability when badminton matches are carried out.
A rating is different from ranking. USTA.COM stated, rating is a number assigned to a player that reflects their level of playing ability. Meanwhile a ranking reflects the position of strength based on other players on the rankings list and is only achieved through tournament play.
According to an article published by BadmintonCentral (link is here), it is true that one may perceive themselves in the wrong category as we do not have any universal player rating system for badminton players other than the world ranking. Absolutely not one like the one for tennis called the National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) which was developed as early as in 1978.
Is BWF looking into developing the badminton player rating system anytime soon?
Well, while that’s getting done, look no further. Let’s get started!
The Complete And Easiest Guide In Choosing Your Badminton Racket
Step 1 – Choose Racket’s Stiffness/Flexibility
This is general classification that lets you determine your racket’s flexibility level.
First, determine your badminton level of playing ability.
This can be self-rated or based coach’s or badminton buddies’ observation and judgement.
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Beginner
Racket stiffness : Medium, Flexible
- You have not played badminton before
- You do not know any badminton fundamentals
- You can’t control where the shuttle should go
- You can’t tell the difference between a head heavy and even balance racket.
- You have not taken part even in friendly matches.
- Generally you are a player who have played for less than a year. May be able to execute proper strokes and footwork but lack success in match situations.
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High Beginner
Racket stiffness : Medium, Flexible
- You are familiar with badminton fundamentals.
- You are able to hit almost every shuttle
- You may probably be able to sustain a full rally.
- You have regularly played for more than a year.
- You are probably a regular social player.
- You may occasionally take part in friendly matches with other social groups. You also have low degree of success in friendly matches. Hardly takes part in local competitions.
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Intermediate
Racket stiffness : Stiff, medium, flexible
- Very familiar with badminton fundamentals
- You have the ability to execute power shots to do intended attacks.
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- You are a player who has not/had occasionally taken part in local competitions for fun but have not had a high degree of success.
- You belong to social groups/clubs. Generally have very sound basics and good gameplay but do not undergo regular formal training. As such, they do not have good stamina, speed and power to match the more regular competitive players.
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High Intermediate
Racket stiffness :Stiff, medium
- You apply correct footwork and arm swing during your badminton games.
- You perform dependable stroke.
- You regularly take part in local competitions and have had a high degree of success.
- You possess very good fundamentals but lack the experience and certain aspects of their game to put them on par with the Advanced players eg speed, power, stamina, killer instinct, gameplay.
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Advanced
Racket stiffness : Extra stiff, stiff, medium
- Strong shot anticipation & ball control
- Consistent gameplay
- Strong established strategy
- Comfortable in high stress competition
- Players who are/were members of the national training squad but have not represented their countries in major international tournaments belong to this category. National Youth squad trainees (above age 17) belong to this category too.
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Professional/Elite
Racket stiffness : Stiff and extra stiff
- You play for a living and maybe sponsored
- You have mastered all badminton techniques
- You may be/have represented your state/county/country in international tournaments.
- You have entered the highest level competition
- You are an elite player and have played for many years.
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Step 2 – Determine your preferred game type
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Singles : You like playing One-against-one games
or
Doubles: You usually buddy up to play badminton doubles games
or
Singles & doubles: You relatively like both game types occasionally switch between the two
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Step 3: Choose Racket’s Weight & Balance Point (BP)
Now that the hard part’s done, based on your selections in Step 2 and Step 3, your playing style is very much an important factor to determine the racket’s weight and balance point.
Note : Racket’s weight and balance point in the specifications are measured without string and with only the original manufacturer’s grip. (Read more about type of grips HERE)
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Playing style : Attacking player
Game Type : Doubles
If you have the above playing style and game type, choose rackets with the following choices of combination:
- Weight : 75g-79g with BP : Very Head Heavy (>300mm)
or
- Weight : 80g-84g with BP : Head Heavy (295mm – 300mm)
or
- Weight : 85g-87g with BP : Slightly Head Heavy to Head Heavy (290mm – 300mm)
or
- Weight : 88g-89g with BP : Even Balance to Head Heavy (285mm – 300mm)
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Playing style : Attacking player
Game Type : Singles
If you have the above playing style and game type, choose rackets with the following choices of combination:
- Weight : 85g-87g with BP : Slightly Head Heavy to Head Heavy (290mm – 300mm)
or
- Weight : 88g-95g with BP : Even Balance to Head Heavy (285mm – 300mm)
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Playing style : Attacking player
Game Type : Singles & Doubles
If you have the above playing style and game type, choose rackets with the following choices of combination:
- Weight : 75g-79g with BP : Very Head Heavy (>300mm)
or
- Weight : 80g-84g with BP : Head Heavy (295mm – 300mm)
or
- Weight : 85g-87g with BP : Slightly Head Heavy to Head Heavy (290mm – 300mm)
or
- Weight : 88g-89g with BP : Even Balance to Head Heavy (285mm – 300mm)
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Playing style : All-Round player
Game Type : Doubles
If you have the above playing style and game type, choose rackets with the following choices of combination:
- Weight : 75g-79g with BP : Slightly Head Heavy to Head Heavy (290mm – 300mm)
or
- Weight : 80g-85g with BP : Even Balance to Head Heavy (280mm – 300mm)
or
- Weight : 86g-89g with BP : Head Light to Even Balance (278mm – 290mm)
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Playing style : All-Round player
Game Type : Singles
If you have the above playing style and game type, choose rackets with the following choices of combination:
- Weight : 85g with BP : Even Balance to Head Heavy (280mm – 300mm)
or
- Weight : 86g-89g with BP : Head Light to Even Balance (278mm – 290mm)
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Playing style : All-Round player
Game Type : Singles & Doubles
If you have the above playing style and game type, choose rackets with the following choices of combination:
- Weight : 75g-79g with BP : Slightly Head Heavy to Head Heavy (290mm – 300mm)
or
Weight : 80g-85g with BP : Even Balance to Head Heavy (280mm – 300mm)
or
Weight : 86g-89g with BP : Head Light to Even Balance (278mm – 290mm)
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Playing style : Defending player
Game Type : Doubles
If you have the above playing style and game type, choose rackets with the following choices of combination:
- Weight : 50g-79g with BP : All Balance Points
or
- Weight : 80g-83g with BP : Head Light to Even Balance (270mm – 290mm)
or
- Weight : 84g-85g with BP : Head Light to Even Balance (270mm – 285mm)
or
- Weight : 86g-89g with BP : Head Light (270mm – 278mm)
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Playing style : Defending player
Game Type : Singles
If you have the above playing style and game type, choose rackets with the following choices of combination:
- Weight : 85g with BP : Head Light to Even Balance (270mm – 285mm)
or
- Weight : 86g-87g with BP : Head Light (270mm – 278mm)
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Playing style : Defending player
Game Type : Singles & Doubles
If you have the above playing style and game type, choose rackets with the following choices of combination:
- Weight : 50g-79g with BP : All Balance Points (doubles)
or
- Weight : 50g-79g with BP : Head Heavy (singles)
or
- Weight : 80g-83g with BP : Head Light to Even Balance (270mm – 290mm)
or
- Weight : 84g-85g with BP : Head Light to Even Balance (270mm – 285mm)
or
- Weight : 86g-89g with BP : Head Light (270mm – 278mm)
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Now that you have the essential specifications- the stiffness level, weight and balance point , you can start shopping for your ideal badminton racket!
Please comment below if the method works or not for you. Hoping to hear from you!
Do you know that BadmintonBay.com has a useful badminton racket selector just for you?
CLICK HERE to start shopping!
I read the blog about badminton. I love to play badminton and thank you for sharing.