Best Badminton Rackets for Beginners
Is there really such a thing as the best badminton racket for beginners? Well, to answer this question, we have to delve into the characteristics of a badminton racket that is suitable for beginners.
What Do Beginners Need?
Ideal weight for beginners
For children, there are junior rackets in the market that are shorter than your normal rackets. These are suitable for kids below 7 years old in general, +/- 1 year, depending on their height and also strength
Children aside, what about the rest of the population? Overall, beginners will need a racket that are neither too heavy nor too light. If the racket is too heavy, then it will be harder to handle. Your hands will get tired easily too. On the other hand, if it is too light, the racket will have no power as well. You can no doubt fling your racket as easily as a feather duster but you can't hit a shuttlecock far with a feather duster, can you? The concept is the same. When your equipment is too light, there is no momentum. Your back court baseline shots and your backhands will all be weak. They will not go far and hence, will easily present your opponents with a kill opportunity.
Having said all the above, what rackets have good weights for beginners? Anywhere between 80g to 85g will be good. For those who have slightly more humble built or strength, you can also opt for 75g to 79g. Most brands have rackets between 75g to 79g while all brands have something between 80g to 85g. Just to name a few rackets between 75g to 80g: Apacs Nano Fusion Speed 722, Yonex Nanoray Light 18i and Yonex Voltric Lite 25i. For 80g to 85g, there are : Toalson Raptor series, Apacs Commander series and Felet TJ Power-Power
Suitable racket balance
A badminton racket can have an even balance, a head light balance or a head heavy balance. A head light balance will make the racket feel lighter than its actual weight while a head heavy balance will do the opposite. An even balance racket will "tell the truth." For singles games, an even racket is usually recommended. However, since most beginners will start off with doubles games, a head light or head heavy racket will usually be considered. But, which of these two is better? Many beginners, especially those who have never played racket sports before, will need more strength from a racket. Based on this alone, a head heavy balance will; be preferred. It will give your shots a boost of momentum. The shuttlecock will travel faster and farther. When will a head light racket be suitable then? If you need the racket feel lighter, especially during fast rallies or front-court play, then a head light racket will be ideal.
Which type of shaft flexibility is suitable?
As we know, the shaft of a badminton racket plays an important role in the performance of badminton racket as well. Not only is it the longest part of a racket, but it also determines the trajectory and directions of your shots. A shaft flexibility is measured from "very flexible" to "very stiff." A flexible shaft means it can flex easily: its range of movement is larger. On the other hand a stiff shaft yields less bending room. What is the implication of this? It means a flexible shaft will propel your shuttlecocks farther and the possible space for your shuttlecocks to land is bigger. In other words, your shots can go across the net easily but exactly where it will land, it's harder to tell. As for a stiff shaft, you can better control where you want the shuttlecock to land. This is especially important for advanced or competitive players. Therefore, for beginners, the straight answer is: a flexible shaft will be better. It can either be very flexible or medium flexible.
What about shaft thickness?
In addition to flexibility, the thickness of a badminton shaft is also worth considering for beginners. Shaft thickness typically ranges from 6.0mm to 7.8mm. There is also a tapered shaft, whereby the shaft's thickness reduces from bottom to top. A tapered shaft is not very common, so we will leave that aside. So, it a thicker or thinner shaft better for beginners? A thinner shaft helps the players to move faster as it is less air resistance. It will just ease through the wind. On the contrary, a thicker shaft is slower but is more stable. It has lower torsion and less vibration. Your shots are more accurate and it generates a stiffer feeling. As you would have known by now, a beginner's racket should be easy to play with. Neither a very thin nor very thick shaft will be helpful to beginners. The best solution will therefore be somewhere in the middle: arout 7.0mm shaft.
What is the Conclusion Then? What Are Exactly the Best Badminton Rackets for Beginners?
Well, there is not exactly one, but a few that we can suggest, based on the criteria mentioned above.
- Yonex Astrox Lite 27i
- Yonex Nanoray Light 18i
- Apacs Commander 30
- Apacs Commander 10
- Felet TJ Power-Power
- Carlton Airtec 2100