Badminton rackets can be expensive, so it would be wise to learn the basics before purchasing. If you are a novice player, you don’t need to spend a lot on a racket. A less expensive badminton racket will work just fine. Try to spend around £ 30 at the most. There are many good rackets at this price.
There are some basic fundamentals to consider in any badminton racket, the most important of which are weight, balance, head shape, flexibility, and grip size.
Most racquets weigh between 80 and 100 grams. More weight should give you more power, but less maneuverability. A heavy racquet will be more difficult to move through the air, but it will be more stable than a lighter racquet. A lighter racket will offer more swing speed and maneuverability, at the cost of power and stability. The lightest badminton racket I have come across is the Karakal SL-70 and it weighs only 70 grams. This is the weight before adding the strings and your overgrip so you need to take this into account.
Yonex is the most popular badminton racket manufacturer and has its own unique system for determining weight, the U system, which ranges from U = 95-100g to 4U = 80-84g. Various racquet manufacturers have their own way of doing things and they will differ from Yonex. A novice player shouldn’t worry so much about weight, it is much more important to focus on his badminton skills.
The balance of a badminton racket refers to precisely that. There are three types, heavy head, light head and evenly balanced. Heavy head rackets offer more weight at the top of the swing, giving more power and stability when in contact with the shuttle. Head Light rackets will allow you to swing the racket faster, but less weight means less power and stability. Even balanced racquets give you a neutral feel.
The classic head shape is usually an oval shape, but you can also buy isometric head shapes. The isometric head is more square, which creates a larger sweet spot. If you can hit the shuttlecock in the middle of the racket head, you will be hitting the sweet spot. With an enlarged sweet spot, you’ll have a better chance of getting off-center shot power. For a newbie, this could be a useful perk.
The flexibility of the racket is related to the amount of flex there is. A stiff racket will have less flexibility and as such will not spare a beginner. A flexible racket will obviously have more flexibility and this will give the beginner a bit more power as it will have a kind of slingshot effect, but the downside is that you will have less control. You should only buy a stiff and flexible racket when your technique is up to par, otherwise you may have shoulder problems as the vibration from hitting the shuttlecock travels through your arm and into the shoulder joints.
Grip sizes also come with different systems. Yonex badminton has its G system, ranging from G2 (the largest) to G5 (the smallest). Other brands use small, medium and large. Your grip size is your personal preference, they are all different.
These are the basics of badminton rackets and I hope they help you when choosing your next racket.