Best Badminton Racquets for All Types of Players
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YONEX Nanoray Light 18i Graphite Badminton Racquet -
Victor Brave Sword 1900 D Badminton Racquet -
Yonex Voltric Z Force II 2 Badminton Racquet -
Victor Brave Sward 12 Badminton Racquet -
Wilson Gear Set Badminton Racket -
Buyer's Guide
Choosing a badminton racquet is all about personal preference. What works for one player doesn't always work for another, particularly true if you're dealing with different skill levels. For beginners just learning the basics of the game, you may want to be frugal with your racquet choice and be careful not to purchase one too advanced for you.
For starters, these best badminton racquets in 2022 we’ve chosen (with the exception of the Wilson which is intended more for casual use) meet standard game specifications with accepted length being 680 mm and total head width not exceed 230 mm with the standard weight of a regulation racquet being 100 grams.
Weight plays an important part in the development of freshman players and trying to overcompensate for using a heavy racquet could develop bad habits in arm and wrist movement. When looking for a racquet, the weight will be graded by designations 1U, 2U, 3U and 4U, running from heaviest to lightest in that order. Since this is a matter for the player to decide, we made sure each of our picks are available in a range of these weight designations.
We also looked at the materials used in the construction of each racquet, with these picks all incorporating a mix of various different components for quality, durability, and flexibility to suit just about any type of game play. Elements such as graphite, steel, and carbon will factor into the weight of the racquet in your hand. Some players prefer a heavier frame and shaft for more power, others like a faster option made of lighter materials for speed and response. We urge you to see for yourself which materials you prefer.
Grip is also an important component of any good racquet, and almost all of our picks provide a variety of choices starting from largest to smallest (G2, G3, G4, and G5). For example, some aggressive players select a bigger grip versus players gravitating towards a smaller grip so the racquet maneuvers better in their hand. You can decide which grip size is the best by grabbing couple and give them a swing before you make a final purchasing decision.
Comparing the Best Badminton Racquet for 2022
YONEX Nanoray Light 18i Graphite Badminton Racquet - Best Badminton Racquet Overall
Yonex has built the ArcSaber 11 for true versatility, offering an even balance of flex, response, and power for the best all-around racquet on the list. Whether you're a player who likes to play offense or a defensive minded adversary, the ArcSaber 11 has got you covered. The racquet incorporates the company's Neo CS Carbon Nanotube and CS Carbon Nanotube materials for more response on the shuttle cock as the frame bends just ever so slightly to cradle and hold it, before springing back to its original position for rapid-fire return. The result is a racquet which lets you apply whatever power and speed is required at the time. With this much flexibility, the racquet remains perfectly weight balanced without being top or bottom heavy either, so every player is bound to find something they like about this pick.
Victor Brave Sword 1900 D Badminton Racquet - Runner Up
The Victor Thruster K8000 racquet is for aggressive players who like a heavy head and just a little bit of flexibility in their shaft. You get a lot of power behind every swing, shots are strong from mid and far court, and you can feel the control it gives you on the shuttle. The Thruster reacts well on defense too with the larger head managing blocks and drops with ease; the faster your swing, the stronger your drive will be.
As with many heavy-head racquets, there's a tendency for some players to get a little bogged down by the extra weight at the front. However, with the amount of power it offered by the Thruster, it's worth the effort getting used to this racquet. The Thruster comes unstrung so you can set it up however you want, up to maximum tension strength of 28 pounds.
Yonex Voltric Z Force II 2 Badminton Racquet - Honorable Mention
The Nanoray 10 has been engineered using a combination of graphite, nano mesh and carbon nanotube in the frame and shaft for strength and rebound. The top of the frame is thinner for lesser air resistance and the bottom of the head has been made thicker at the sides for a more powerful return. Hitting the shuttle with some extra force always helps, but with this racquet you don't need it. Players who don't come at the game with much aggression might prefer this racquet because of its quickness. The Nanoray 10 is lightweight but the flex in the shaft will add a little extra burst to your swing.
Victor Brave Sward 12 Badminton Racquet - Consider
Shot speed and control are just some of the selling points on the Brave Sword 12. Coming in at a 3U specification, this is a lightweight racquet delivering consistent power to drive the shuttle with authority. With a lighter racquet head, the overall balance of the Brave Sword 12 delivers strong shots from across the court and reacts quickly at the net with minimal effort. It has enough flexibility to smash those overhead slams while keeping the speed and agility intact. While previous Brave Swords have been faster on the stroke, the 12 doesn't lose much in comparison and each swing combines the best of both worlds every time. The slim frame balances all its components on a frame with medium stiffness and weight making this a well-rounded racquet.
Wilson Gear Set Badminton Racket - Best Badminton Racquet
In contrast to the rest, the Wilson Match Point Pro is the most affordable choice on our list. You can get your hands on this Pick for under $20 at just about any online retailer. For that price, Wilson has made the frame out of "ultra-strong steel", but don't expect to take it into serious competition. This one is strictly built for families and casual weekends where you can set up a net and knock the shuttle cock back and forth between friends. The Match Point Pro may not be a perfectly-balanced, fine-tuned weapon for domination but it will bring you hours of fun anytime you want to get a game going.
Buyer's Guide
Badminton is one of the popular sports. Badminton racquets are the important things that you need to play badminton, along with the shuttle that has to be passed over to the opponent on the other side of the field. If you don't have a good quality racket, then you can't win the game.
Planning to buy the best racquets for your upcoming badminton game? If yes, then the following buyer's guide is going to help you in making the right purchase:
What Are Different Types of Racquets?
First, we are going to look at the different types of racquets that you can buy from the market according to your use:
Lightweight Racquets
You should get a lightweight racquet because they are easy to handle. They also minimize the strain that is felt by the muscle due to continuous use. It is going to reduce the chance of injury as well in the game. Ideally, a racket should weigh 85g to 90g. The lightweight racket will allow you to do the swift strokes and return to position instantly.
Heavyweight Racquets
Most of the seasoned layers are going to pick the heavy rackets that come with higher balance points. The balance point will be a point where the racket can be balanced horizontally on your index finger. When the balance point is high, this means the head of the racket is heavy. Remember, you will have to use a lot of power to play with heavy racquets.
Towel Grip
When picking the racket, do consider the grip as well. The players mostly prefer the towel grip racquets because they are great for absorbing sweat while playing. But this is going to accumulate more bacteria, so they should be replaced frequently.
Synthetic Grip
This does not like frequent replacement similar to towel grips. They are very smooth and get less dirty in comparison to towel grip racquets. But note that they don't absorb sweat so that they might get uncomfortable after some time.
High Tension Racket
For testing the string tension, you should sink your palm into the racket string. In an ideal case, the strings will sink 1mm. Moreover, the players who will hit hard shots need racquets with high tensions. If you are a beginner, start your game with a regular tension string.
What Are Different Materials Used In A Badminton Racket?
The different types of material used in the construction of badminton racquets are as follows:
Graphite and Aluminum
The racket frame is mostly made with lightweight materials like aluminum or graphite. The reason is that most of the players use lightweight rackets for easy handling during the game. The standard weight of a badminton racket is 80g to 100g.
Nylon
This material is used to make the strings of a badminton racket. This synthetic material is cheap in production, and it is very strong as well. The gauge number designates the nylon-string sizes. The low gauge value means that the string will be thicker. Thick nylon strings provide control and durability, but you have to compromise on power.
Cotton And Elastic
Note that badminton towel grips are made from cotton and elastic. The players widely use them as they absorb the sweat quickly. The cotton content in the grip absorbs the body moisture and provides a strong grip to the player as the grip is made with cotton, so it can be dyed in different colors. You can easily place them on rubber grips as well due to their elasticity.
Natural Animal Gut
Some badminton players still like animal gut strings as they provide more control and power. They absorb the shock and minimize the vibration on the playing arm of the user. The natural animal gut is expensive, and it will not last long as the synthetic strings.
How Should You Choose A Badminton Racket?
The selection of the right badminton racket is very much important to play the game well. When buying, you should keep the following things in your mind:
Weight of Racket The weight is represented by "U." If the U number is smaller, the racket's weight will be higher. A good racket weighs 80 g to 100g.
4U: 80 to 84g
3U: 85 to 89g
2U: 90 to 94g
1U: 95 to 100g
Balance Point
Other than weight, the racket is also divided depending on the balancing point. To identify the type of balance, just place a finger below the racket's head to see in which way the racket tilts. There are three categories of balance:
Head-heavy balance:
In this, the mass is more toward the head of the racket.
Head-light balance:
It has less weight toward the head of the racket.
Even balance:
As the name suggests, it is designed to provide the middle ground between head-heavy and head-light balanced racket.
String Tension
If you want to use more force in your strokes while playing, you will need high tension for your racket strings. For beginners, 22 to 23lbs is a good tension to kick start the game. Note that temperature also affects this. High-racket tension is needed by people living in the tropics as a string will expand in hot places.
What Is The Price For Badminton Racquets?
The price of a badminton racket can vary from $19 to $80. The variation can be caused depending on the brand you are going to use and the number of racquets in the package. To buy a racket from a brand like Yonex, you should expect to pay a price of $60 or more. However, some brands are also providing the racket in pairs, and they offer shuttle as well. Such bundles will cost you more in comparison to a single racket.
FAQs
What is the ideal weight for a badminton racket?
The ideal weight will be 80 to 95g. Some skillful players will prefer to use heavy rackets as they have more momentum and effectively transfer more speed and power to the shuttlecock.
What are U and G in badminton?
The weight is represented by the U. The smaller the U value, the heavier the racket's weight. G is used to represent the grip size. The small G value means a larger handle size.
Which grip size is best for badminton?
There are different grip sizes that you can choose from:
- The X-small grip is G5: 83mm
- The small grip is G4: 86mm
- The medium grip is G3: 89mm
- The large grip is G2: 92mm
- The X-Large grip is G1: 95mm.
