How to choose a badminton racket suited to your style of play is important to improve your skills in the game. Read the Sportsjam.in Badminton Rackets Guide below to understand few crucial points while selecting your racket.

I) What is ‘head light’ or ‘head heavy’ balance of badminton rackets?

Racket Balance or ‘Balance point’ refers to the weight distribution of the racket and is determined by where the centre of balance lies in the racket, starting from the base of the handle.

1. 'Head heavy' rackets feel heavier on the racket head and yield more power in your smashes. Voltric Series rackets eg. Voltric 80, Voltric Z-force, are Head heavy rackets in the Yonex range, with a high balance number.

2. 'Head light’ rackets feel overall lighter and are more manoeuvrable than ‘Head heavy’ rackets. These are well suited for players who play at the nets. Yonex Nanoray Series eg. Nanoray 700RP, Nanoray 500 fall under Head light rackets.

3. ‘Even balanced’ rackets have an evenly distributed weight across the racket and gives good feel and flexibility to all-round players. Yonex Arcsaber series rackets eg. Arcsaber 7, Arcsaber 11 are even balanced rackets. Note that adding a string increases the weight of the racket head by 3-4 gm and adding a grip to the racket handle increases weight towards the handle and reduces the balance point.

You may select a head-heavy racket if you are an expert singles player and head-light or even-balanced rackets if you are a doubles player. Please go through Badminton Rackets on Sportsjam.in and compare ‘Racket Balance’ feature to choose your preferred racket.

II) How should I choose the weight of a racket?

Choosing the weight of your badminton racket also depends on your individual technique and skill of play. Note that the references are of Unstrung weight of the frame only and as explained earlier, the weight and balance of the racket changes when it is strung or a grip is applied. The Unstrung weight of Badminton Rackets is usually in the given range:

5U	4U	3U	2U	U
75 - 79.9 gm	80 - 84.9 gm	85 - 89.9 gm	90 - 94.9 gm	95 - 99.9 gm

Light weight rackets (<85 gm) are more manoeuvrable in the court and generate faster swing speed, hence preferred by many amateurs and advanced players. At Sportsjam.in, we have a variety of rackets in the light weight category, including the super light Karakal BN 60 Racket at an incredible 60 gm weight or the latest Yonex Arcsaber FB Racket at 73 gm.

Heavier rackets (>88 gm) generate more momentum and effectively transfer power and speed to the shuttle. Players with strong shoulders and refined technique of play can handle heavy rackets for their power-packed game. Few beginner rackets fall in the heavy category due to the heavier material used for keeping the cost of the racket low.

Select your desired “Racket Weight” option of 3U, 4U etc. in the Badminton Rackets search menu on Sportsjam.in and compare a list of available options in that weight category.

III) What should be the material composition of my racket?

Some entry-level rackets are made of Aluminium or Steel, which are cost-effective for the budget-conscious buyer. However, it is advisable to invest in a carbon fibre or ‘graphite’ racket, for eg. Yonex Carbonex 6 Light Racket, which is a recreational racket of graphite composition.

All intermediate and advanced rackets are ‘Graphite composite’ or ‘100% Graphite’ rackets, often with advanced material technologies like Nanocarbon. These are lightweight, more durable and high performance rackets than the aluminium or steel options.

IV) What is Isometric Head Shape of a racket?

Most rackets come with an ‘Isometric’ head shape, ie. with a wider top half of head than conventional ‘Oval’ shaped rackets. This square or Isometric shape gives an enlarged sweetspot to the players, whereas the conventional rackets have more concentrated feel and control of the shuttle.

V) What is Shaft stiffness in a racket?

Stiffness is related to the flexibility that a racket offers. Compare racket features on Sportsjam.in to select your choice of stiffness in the racket.

1. Stiff shafts are suited to players with refined technique and fast and powerful swing.

2. Medium stiffness rackets are ideal for players with a developing technique and lesser arm speed.

3. Flexible shafts offer more power and speed for the beginners or slow arm speed players and are easy to maneouvre.

VI) Which String should I choose and at what tension?

You can play with different strings or varying tensions to optimise the combination of power and control according to your style of play. Multifilament strings are of synthetic type, popular and durable. These are the most commonly used string in the market. eg. Yonex BG65 String. Professional players use Natural gut which are expensive, but provide the best ‘feel’ for them.

You will note that most rackets have the recommended string tension mentioned. However, how the racket string interacts with the shuttle is crucial and thus it is important that the tension at which the racket should be strung should be according to your game.

1. If you are a hard hitter and advanced player, you can have Higher tension in your racket. Tighter stringing implies that the racket will be in touch with the shuttle for a shorter time and will transfer less power and more control to your shot. Advanced players, for whom precision and control are more important, usually get their rackets strung at high tension of 25 lbs or more.

2. Lower tension provides more power in the shots as the shuttle is repelled from the string bed like a spring effect. Beginners should get their rackets strung at low tension, around 18-20 lbs. and as they graduate to intermediate level of play with better control of the racket, they can restring their racket between 21-23 lb.

You may browse through the various badminton strings available for purchase on Sportsjam.in and get your racket strung by using our Badminton Racket Stringing Service to select your choice of string. For any further queries on selection of badminton rackets, please write to us at info@sportsjam.in.