Big "blurb" over endcap

[Mag]

Hi Jonas,

I have an equipment question: I've seen that you and many other top doubles players seem to build up a big "blurb" at the end of the racquet grip. I noticed this first when I saw you at the Copenhagen Masters, and since I've also seen other players like Kim Don Moon and Eng Hian do this. That part of the grip has a factory-built "end stop", but you guys seem to build it up quite a lot bigger before you wrap your grips over. It reminds me of the extra wraps ice hockey players put at the top end of their clubs, so that the club doesn't slip away.

Why do you do this? Is it just to prevent dropping the racquet in fast reaction shots, or is there another reason? Does it help in generating power? Or does it just act as a "stop marker" when you change grip quickly during a rally?

[Mag]

I didn't find any good photos of your racquet that illustrates what I mean, but in this photo of Kim Dong Moon you can clearly see that his endcap is built up (I assume by adding more layers of undergrip) much bigger than original Yonex. As I recall, your grip looks pretty much the same.

http://www.badmintonphoto.com/catalog/images/Kim.Dong.Moon-Ra.Kyung.Min.02.Korea_Open_2004.jpg

[ants]

They just put an extra layer of grip on that area.. it serve as a purpose to stop you from slipping when you go for the smash and at the same time more of a support for your hand.. besides that..it can be a sweat absorber for your wrist.

[Mag]

Thanks Ants. I'm still curious as to what Jonas has to say about it! :)

[JR]

It gives me better control feeling with the shuttles and when I play flat it´s better to hold higher on the racket and therefore it tend to but the grip higher than usual!!

JR

[Dill]

One of the ranked juniors that plays at my club builds his grip up by adding an extra layer of about 2cm's or so aaround the butt cap because he thinks Yonex handles are not long enough and it also feels better to gauge where the racket handles is in his hand if there is an obvious indicator of how far down he has gone.