Badminton rackets are constructed from materials that guarantee that they are very lightweight. In fact, some of the more superior quality rackets available on the market weigh between 70 and 95 grams or 2.4 – 3.3 ounces, but this excludes both the strings and grip.
Today’s rackets are constructed using several different materials ranging from the popular carbon fiber composite, graphite, reinforced plastic to solid steel. The steel variety is often augmented by several other materials for better and enhanced performance.
Which One is Correct: Racquet or Racket?
I supposed the racquet is from old English.
If you find the word racket in the dictionary, it actually means a loud noise or clamor. It is not close to being a gear for people to get hold to play the sport.
Since the badminton game was originated from old Europe, what can be said is the original word the English way of speaking should be “racquet.” When coming to the United States, it has gradually become a “racket.” Other sports that used the name of racket included squash, tennis, racquetball, and many more.
What is the Standard Size of a Badminton Racket?
The length of the racket frame cannot exceed 68 cm. The width cannot exceed 23 cm. The length of the head cannot exceed 28 cm, and the inner width of the head cannot exceed 22 cm.
Most of the rackets you can find in the market have a length of around 66.5cm to 67.0cm.
Badminton racket TI series
TI is the abbreviation of TITIAN, which means titanium. The biggest feature of this series is the head of the racket is divided into semi-circles for the upper and lower.
A composite material of titanium alloy connects the two semi-circles to increase the hardness of the head. This combination greatly improves the controlling ability of the shuttlecocks.
The shape of the racket
The shape is mainly divided into 2 types, which are the oval and square head. The oval head is featured with a smaller sweet spot, but the air resistance is also lower.
The square head is featured with a larger sweet spot, but the air resistance is also higher. Of course, you can also find other rackets that have different head shapes.
Badminton racket extension
The standard badminton length is 66.4 cm. For an extended badminton racket, it is generally 10 mm longer than the standard length.
The extension part would be the shaft, while some models will have a slightly longer head. Some players prefer to use a longer racket because they can hit the shuttle higher. This helps improve the smash speed.
What is the Best Weight for a Badminton Racket?
The best weight of a quality badminton racket should be between 85 to 99g. Generally, the weight of a racket shouldn’t be more than 100g. This is the ideal weight for any player to hold the racket in hand. If you were having a check on the badminton court, you would found that most of the players are carrying 3U rackets that weighting 85-89g.
What are U and G in Badminton?
U represents the weight of the racket, while G represents the length of the racket.
Each racket should be marked with its weight. Most badminton rackets manufacturers use 1U, 2U, 3U, and 4U to indicate the weight of the rackets, with 1U being the heaviest and 4U the lightest.
- 1U: The weight is 95-99 grams or more. The frame is generally built with aluminum.
- 2U: The weight is 90-94 grams.
- 3U: The weight is 85-89 grams.
- 4U: The weight is 80-84 grams.
- 5U: The weight is 75-80 grams.
The weight of most carbon badminton rackets is 2U, 3U, 4U, but there are also a few badminton rackets that weigh less than 80. Now, the lightest badminton racket in the world is only 69g.
Heavier rackets are suitable for offensive players. More power is required for a player to play with heavier rackets. The lighter rackets are more suitable for more defensive players. Power is not the first thing they look into when choosing the racket.
For the length of the racket, it is generally shown with G3, G4, and G5.
- G3 has a length of 89mm.
- G4 has a length of 86mm.
- G5 has a length of 83mm.
Players can choose the length of the racket according to their playing styles and preferences.
Is it the Lighter the Racket, the Better?
Not necessary!
First of all, the weight of the commonly used racket is 3u (85-89g). From the weight point of view, 80% of the rackets have the same weight.
Secondly, the 3U racket will give you a different feel because of the different balance points of the racket. The balance point is measured from the handle to the head.
For example, if we use 285-290mm as the average point, the racket head will be heavy if the balance point is over 290mm. It can give you a powerful shot but with a slow swing. If the balance point is less than 285mm, then the racket is considered a defensive racket. You can swing your racket fast, but it won’t give you a powerful shot.
Third, other than 3U, some rackets carry the weight of 4U (80-85g), 5U (75-80g), and 2U (>90g). The lighter the racket, the faster the swing. This will give you less pressure on your wrist and shoulder. But the light racket only allows you to play a slower game. The heavier the racket, the faster you can hit the shuttle and the more accurate the drop point.
Fourth, in addition to the weight and balance point, another important parameter is the softness and hardness of the shaft. The harder the shaft is, the greater the demand for the strength of the player. The faster the shuttle and the more accurate the drop point. The softer the shot, the better the elasticity but, the slower the shuttle. Generally, most players can get used to a soft racket compare to a hard racket.
So different styles will need different rackets.
The Evolution of Badminton Racket
Rackets that are constructed from carbon fiber offer excellent strength when compared to their weight. Carbon fiber rackets are sturdy and boast superb kinetic energy transfer.
Before adopting carbon fiber composite in their construction, these rackets were made out of lightweight metals that included aluminum. Before the use of aluminum in their construction, the rackets were invariably made out of solid wood.
Nowadays, the prices of badminton rackets vary considerably depending on the quality of the materials used in constructing the rackets. It is possible to find some made out of cheaper metals such as steel, and therefore these rackets cost less and do not offer the same level of performance.
To make rackets more durable alternative materials are used. Nanomaterials such as fullerene and carbon nanotubes are combined to provide even greater durability.
What is the Best Material for Badminton Rackets?
Badminton rackets can be roughly divided into 7 types according to different materials:
1. Wood
Wood is the ancestor of a badminton racket. With the development of badminton and the advancement of technology, wood has been basically replaced by other materials. Wooden rackets are no longer manufactured because of their weight and also the cost involved in their manufacture.
2. Iron
The composition and characteristics of an iron racket are the frames of the racket are made of iron, and the shaft is made of iron pipe. The body is heavy and easy to deform, and it is rarely used now.
3. Aluminum alloy shot
The composition and characteristics of the racket are the frames are made of aluminum alloy. The shaft is made of iron pipe. A T-shaped joint connects the frame and the shaft. This is the most popular badminton racket available today, and the price is lower.
4. Aluminum and iron
The main structure is the same as the aluminum alloy racket. But it uses the internal 3-way connection for the T-shaped joint. The required technique to construct this racket is high.
5. Aluminum carbon
The composition and characteristics of this racket are the frames are made of aluminum alloy, and the rod is made of carbon fiber. It is connected with the T-shaped joint. It features lightweight, the price is relatively moderate, and the coating is generally simple.
6. Aluminum carbon
The composition and characteristics of this racket are the frames are made of aluminum alloy. The rod is made of carbon fiber, and the frame and shaft are connected with a T-shaped joint. The frame is generally heavy, and the painting is generally more beautiful.
7. Carbon Fiber
The full carbon fiber material is currently the most used material for badminton rackets. It has outstanding toughness and is also lightweight.
8. Carbon composite fiber
The racket is adding ordinary metal elements such as aluminum into the carbon fiber. The material is relatively heavy, and the toughness is not as good as the all-carbon material.
9. Adding with rare metal
The best one is to add rare metal to the carbon fiber material on the frame. The frame with rare metal has strong resilience and better stability. It is suitable for double-play.
Number and Character interpretation
For an original racket, you can find the number on the handle. The number represents the country where the racket is made from.
- 4 – Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.
- 3 – North America.
- 5 – Mainland China.
- CH—China (CN, CP is the represent the sponsors of China national team).
- CD-Canada.
What is the Sign Behind the Racket Means?
You can find that the rackets handle words like long, swing power, VF, MPF, etc. Have you ever wonder what all these signs are mean?
Long
The meaning of this sign is the length of the racket has an addition of 10mm long. It is longer than the average badminton racket. The features of this type of racket are it helps the player to expand the range of receiving the shuttle. It can improve the offensive shot, performing a drop shot, and hit a strong high-angle smash.
Power
It is designed with the enhanced attack power concept (SPT). The top of the racket is heavier, and it can hit the high angle shuttle back with less power.
Light
Generally, you can find it from a 3U racket where it is lightweight design. The traditional racket’s swing speed is faster, but the strength is weaker. It is more suitable for defensive players. The slim frame only having a width of 9mm. It can reduce wind resistance by 10% and increase the hitting speed by 5%.
Tour
It is a racket designed for a tour tournament. The material that is used to build the racket is of top quality. It also has better craftsmanship and performance.
Swing Power
It uses different elasticity, weights, and balance point positions. The racket is suitable for different types of players.
VF
It stands for “vari-frame.” The racket is designed to reduce the air resistance and improves the shot. The bottom of the frame adopts the box shape (CAB) design, reducing the hitting impact and enhancing controllability.
MF
It stands for Mega-Frame. Is the new technology being released by Yonex company in 2000.
MPF
It stands for “muscle power frame.” The frame of the racket is designed to be muscle-shaped. One of the rackets that feature MPF is the Ti-10.
Brand Selection
YONEX is the number one brand of badminton supplies. Most of the top players in the world are using YONEX rackets to play in international tournaments. Other badminton racket brands are Oliver, LINING, FLEET, Victor, Carlton, Apacs, Head, etc.
Purchasing your Racket
With several different manufacturers and designs available on the market today, there are plenty of rackets designs to choose from, and deciding which is right for you can be overwhelming.
A major consideration in choosing badminton rackets is price, and it is best not to be too economical in your choice since the lower-priced varieties are constructed from cheaper material. Because of this, more arm movement is required to hit the shuttle rather than the wrist, which leads to the development of bad habits.
There are usually 4 grip sizes to choose from, and you need to choose the one that best suits you. Attacking players tend to prefer bigger grips because they need to hold the rackets tighter to generate power. Those who enjoy rallying choose the smaller grip, making the rackets easier to turn in their hands.
You should purchase a headcover for your rackets and make sure you use it when your rackets are not in use. Also, it is important not to keep badminton rackets near central heating radiators or leave them exposed to sunlight.
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