Now before anyone starts blasting me on how technique is more important than rackets, I would like to tell a story.

There's a girl in my school who plays badminton at our practices. She can't perform clears from base to base. I'd say the furthest clear she executes from the baseline would be to the middle of the opponent's court. She was using a lower end Wilson racket. Then, this one day, I play against her and during warmups in the local YMCA, I amazingly found out that she was returning my clears to her baseline with much more ease. Moreover, her shortest clear returns can at least reach past the doubles long serve line. Knowing that she doesn't practice often and, judging from her form, still isn't using weight transfer properly, I was totally astonished. I see her Wilson racket has been replaced by the new ns7k. But still, I wasn't convinced that a change of racket would result in such major difference. My friend asked to test her racket. I believe his main racket is a YY Ti something, ti3 I think. But anyway, he executed a long serve as he always did, same strength and, OMG, the shuttle went out about 2 meters. He was so surprised at the effect that he couldn't believe it. So he told someone to play a few clears with him. The result? His clears were as out as his serve.

So this made me think. Yes, the proper form is crucial in playing badminton, but high ends rackets can also compensate for the lack of technique, to a certain extent. Am I right? I'm just wondering whether rackets technology improve at such a fast rate that almost anyone will be able to hit shots like base to base clears without much effort. And I'm not even talking about the speed of smashes yet.

Anyone has similar experience?

Just a note. I'm not suggesting that anyone who uses the best racket will become professional player. What I'm trying to say is the racket can still produce significant effects in the game.

i can affirm that racket definitely does make a difference. a group of us(badminton players) were discusssing about who's using what while waiting for our turn to play. then a girl who has been playing with us who cant really clear base to base showed me her racket. some ISO swing from yonex. the racket feels really light and the tension is very low cos she say she bought the racket off the rack and comes with string.being a avid Ti10 fan,i told her to try my girlfriend's Ti10 at 23lb. she play a game with it and was very happy with the racket and tension and decided to get a similar racket. though i am always to see ppl using Ti10( i really adore it!!!:D), I told her to restring her racket to similar tension to see if it get better before getting a new racket

bottom line is racket definitely makes a difference.....if you are talking about a low end and a high end one. however, i doubt you will see a lot of diiference if you switch from say a Ti10 to muscle power 99 or the NS7k

just my 2 cents worth

Yeah, racket may contribute to your performance too. For example, if you are a beginner and don't have the physical strength to wield a racket that is stiff and heavy (ie 2U) to hit the shuttle over the net, there is no point of getting that kind of racket. However, my suggestion is if you already have a racket and the performance seems not suitable for you, instead of changing the racket, try changing the string and string tension first. Remember you hit the shuttle directly with your racket string. :) As Gollum (I think it was Gollum. Maybe I am mistaken?) had suggested, one factor at a time.

Cheers!

i find that...

1.) For beginners (who can't play well) racket makes big difference. Say if they are playing with a group of other amateurs. If he is one of the worst in the group, with a good racket, he can beat most of them.

2.) Intermediates- Racket makes LEAST difference for them. For example, if i play with someone who is equal with me, i bet i can still give him a good fight with a lower end racket.

3.) PROS- Believe it or not, it makes a HUGE difference. Ppl in this forum always go "Pros don't need a good racket, and they can probably still beat all of us." WEll, this quote is definetly invalid, because OF COURSE PROS CAN BEAT US. Pros are NEVER going to play competitively with amateurs like us,they only play with pros like themselves. For example, let's refer to the quarter final match in olympics 2004 TAUFIK VS GADE. Taufik won by a thin margin, but what if he was using a like a LOW END TECHNO RACKET? Of course, Gade would have won, or even THRASH taufik in that match.

i find that...

...

3.) PROS- Believe it or not, it makes a HUGE difference. Ppl in this forum always go "Pros don't need a good racket, and they can probably still beat all of us." WEll, this quote is definetly invalid, because OF COURSE PROS CAN BEAT US. Pros are NEVER going to play competitively with amateurs like us,they only play with pros like themselves. For example, let's refer to the quarter final match in olympics 2004 TAUFIK VS GADE. Taufik won by a thin margin, but what if he was using a like a LOW END TECHNO RACKET? Of course, Gade would have won, or even THRASH taufik in that match.

The problem with this question is the focus on one single item, the racket, while in a game, the performance of an athlete is the culmination of training, mental strength, physical state, etc.

"Of course, Gade would have won" statement is your assumption.

If you want to convince readers that racket makes a difference, you're going to have to make a much stronger argument than personal account. What works for you, might not work for everybody.

-dave

"'Of course, Gade would have won' statement is your assumption."

I would have to say that is a reasonable assumption given the scenario. The fact that he described Taufik won by only a small margin, it would be logical to assume that if Taufik had some 10 dollar racket, than he would have lost. It would be ignorant to say that rackets make NO difference whatsoever.
Modern equipment can greatly affect the performance of players. Just like newer hockey sticks that allow players to shoot harder than ever before. Or new swim suits with material that is designed to behave much like shark's skin and allows swimers to easily shatter previous world records.
You wouldn't think such little things like the material of your swimsuit or the smoothless of your legs would make a difference for top athletes but they do. Top atheletes do shave their legs to reduce friction. The fact is, top athletes are so high up and similar to one another in skill, that they can use any advantage they can get.
Now that does not mean I am 100% agreeing that rackets make a HUGE difference like New_guy04 says, but I am sure that a racket can play a large factor in a player's performance, if the rackets being compared are low end vs high end.

I'd have to agree that raquets do make a difference but I think the difference would only be marginal, especially for someone new to badminton.

The problem with this question is the focus on one single item, the racket, while in a game, the performance of an athlete is the culmination of training, mental strength, physical state, etc.

"Of course, Gade would have won" statement is your assumption.

If you want to convince readers that racket makes a difference, you're going to have to make a much stronger argument than personal account. What works for you, might not work for everybody.

-dave

think this assumption is valid since they are all very good players. if taufik were to use a yonex b-460( SIN$9.90 each) and uses the factory prestrung strings. i really doubt he can win.

if racket doesnt make any difference yonex would have gone bankkrupt long ago. think here we are talking about players with about equal standards playing against each other. have a friend who undergoes training and he can win us with a squash racket:crying:. then this is a unfair comparison cos his skills are way above ours. i doubt he would dare try a squash racket with one of similar standard as him

So this made me think. Yes, the proper form is crucial in playing badminton, but high ends rackets can also compensate for the lack of technique, to a certain extent. Am I right? I'm just wondering whether rackets technology improve at such a fast rate that almost anyone will be able to hit shots like base to base clears without much effort. And I'm not even talking about the speed of smashes yet.

Anyone has similar experience?

I believe there's difference between a suitable (not necessarily most expensive) racket and a non-suitable one (might still be a very expensive racket). Therefore, if a player picks a "non-usable" racket (might be cheap $10 racket from KMart, or a $200 top of the line racket, but not fit for his/her strength / style) for him/herself, then, their performance will be dragged down. However, the difference between a useable (but cheaper) and a useable (but much more expensive) racket, might not bring very significant difference.

For myself, popualr high end racket such as AT800/700, MP100 and Ti10 could only be a killer to my arm. However, not the most expensive Cab30ms can make my game to be flawless (to my own lowly standard, of course). :)

This is what I've always advocated, cheap/expensive or lowend/highend isn't as important as suitable/non-suitable. Indeed it will make some differance but as LazyBuddy says if you find two rackets which suits the same player equally well then a more expensive "highend" racket won't be sigificant different to a cheaper "lowend" racket.

So in the example given by the OP, it might be a combination of both. The girl found a racket which suits her better than the one she had before, *and* it happened to be one of the newest highend rackets on the market with new technology. But what about strings and tension? There are still too many varaiables not covered in this case to make a conclusion.

/ mats - another one who would kill the arm using MP100 or Ti10


I believe there's difference between a suitable (not necessarily most expensive) racket and a non-suitable one (might still be a very expensive racket). Therefore, if a player picks a "non-usable" racket (might be cheap $10 racket from KMart, or a $200 top of the line racket, but not fit for his/her strength / style) for him/herself, then, their performance will be dragged down. However, the difference between a useable (but cheaper) and a useable (but much more expensive) racket, might not bring very significant difference.

For myself, popualr high end racket such as AT800/700, MP100 and Ti10 could only be a killer to my arm. However, not the most expensive Cab30ms can make my game to be flawless (to my own lowly standard, of course). :)

I believe there's difference between a suitable (not necessarily most expensive) racket and a non-suitable one (might still be a very expensive racket). Therefore, if a player picks a "non-usable" racket (might be cheap $10 racket from KMart, or a $200 top of the line racket, but not fit for his/her strength / style) for him/herself, then, their performance will be dragged down.

The weird part is, after seeing the effect the racket produces with my friend, other people were amazed and asked to try the racket. The result? Well, it looks like everyone got a decent strength boost. Given that the people who tested the racket aren't beginners, would this suggest that the racket is suitable for everyone (at least all those who have tried it)? I doubt that.

perhaps, the tension is low on her racquet.

The weird part is, after seeing the effect the racket produces with my friend, other people were amazed and asked to try the racket. The result? Well, it looks like everyone got a decent strength boost. Given that the people who tested the racket aren't beginners, would this suggest that the racket is suitable for everyone (at least all those who have tried it)? I doubt that.

The new racket is a NS7k, which is known for the head lightness when compare to most other rackets. Therefore, if a person who used to swing with a head heavier racket, just switching to NS7K and with same amount of effort to execute the swing, u will notice the swing speed will be faster. Then, that usually (not always) means u can shoot faster and further. Therefore, most of the ppl who tried (using underhand serve?) should belong to this case.

However, badminton is not all about "who shoot further" or "who shoot faster", etc. The control is more important than the power, and placement is more important than the distance. Therefore, NS7k (or any other rackets) is not for everyone. Like u metioned, the 2nd person shoot everything out, is that a good thing if in real play? :rolleyes:

Wow.

I'm currently watching Game 5 of the NBA finals between San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons, with the series tied 2-2. I find the Taufik example similar to San Antonio saying, "if only the ball was better, we'd be up 3-1 instead of 2-2."

If you find that racket makes a difference to you, great. There's plenty of company, as you can see from the posts in favor.

Racket suitability is a more coherent argument. Racket flex rating, string gauge, string tension, grip size ... yes, these are more relevent factors, indeed.

-dave

I highly doubt Taufik likes low end racquet with low factory tension so I think argument New_guy04 valid.

And ''YES'' racquet can make a difference!

Wow.

I'm currently watching Game 5 of the NBA finals between San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons, with the series tied 2-2. I find the Taufik example similar to San Antonio saying, "if only the ball was better, we'd be up 3-1 instead of 2-2."


I think that anology is a bit off, its more of an argument for the score would be different if there were better shuttlecocks. The ball is used by both teams.

The weird part is, after seeing the effect the racket produces with my friend, other people were amazed and asked to try the racket. The result? Well, it looks like everyone got a decent strength boost. Given that the people who tested the racket aren't beginners, would this suggest that the racket is suitable for everyone (at least all those who have tried it)? I doubt that.

I agree with this. I can find a high end head light racquet and a low end racquet with the same length strung with the same string at the same tension and the difference of what racquets can do will show. It's that simple.

I agree with this. I can find a high end head light racquet and a low end racquet with the same length strung with the same string at the same tension and the difference of what racquets can do will show. It's that simple.

Again and again...

I say, there's huge difference between a $75 racket and a $5 racket. But there's very minor, or no or even reverse difference between a $75 and $150 racket.

If u think top end latest racket will do the wonder for everyone, then, ppl like Mia (MP88), Gade (MP88) or Shon (Cab30ms) must be dumb, as they don't use NS7k or NS8k.

Please, there's NO point to compare two extreme ($200 vs $10) cases, as we all know it long time ago. However, whether u want to save urself $50 when u can spend $100 instead of $150, it's ur own decision.

I agree with this. I can find a high end head light racquet and a low end racquet with the same length strung with the same string at the same tension and the difference of what racquets can do will show. It's that simple.

No point, as length, string and tension are just 3 out of maybe hundreds of the features. What about stiffness, balance and weight? head shape? grip size? etc

I can say, i give u a paper bat, with same length, same paint and same shape as a real baseball bat, can u hit a home run? What's the point to compare 2 extreme cases???

Remember, i always use the term "useable" and "suitable". If u give me a $5 racket, it clearly does NOT fit for my description.

No point, as length, string and tension are just 3 out of maybe hundreds of the features. What about stiffness, balance and weight? head shape? grip size? etc

I can say, i give u a paper bat, with same length, same paint and same shape as a real baseball bat, can u hit a home run? What's the point to compare 2 extreme cases???

Remember, i always use the term "useable" and "suitable". If u give me a $5 racket, it clearly does NOT fit for my description.

Err sry if I wasn't being too clear on this. But I actually meant....

a low end racquet with the same string, tension, grip size, length, stiffness, balance, weight, head shape as a high end racquet...

If one can find a racquet like that to compare, then they can show where the racquet technologie start to make their appearence. For example what material they used. And muscle power arches and stuff.

i find that...

1.) For beginners (who can't play well) racket makes big difference. Say if they are playing with a group of other amateurs. If he is one of the worst in the group, with a good racket, he can beat most of them.

2.) Intermediates- Racket makes LEAST difference for them. For example, if i play with someone who is equal with me, i bet i can still give him a good fight with a lower end racket.

3.) PROS- Believe it or not, it makes a HUGE difference. Ppl in this forum always go "Pros don't need a good racket, and they can probably still beat all of us." WEll, this quote is definetly invalid, because OF COURSE PROS CAN BEAT US. Pros are NEVER going to play competitively with amateurs like us,they only play with pros like themselves. For example, let's refer to the quarter final match in olympics 2004 TAUFIK VS GADE. Taufik won by a thin margin, but what if he was using a like a LOW END TECHNO RACKET? Of course, Gade would have won, or even THRASH taufik in that match.

Interesting.. we agree on point number 3. But I have to say with my own observations, beginners who don't even know how to hold the racket properly, proper steps etc... differences is rackets is nil (I don't mean the U$5 price range)

For intermediate players, the differences beigns to show.. of course depending again on each individual.. but I seem to observe, those who have better basics get to optimize the advantages of the racket.

For pros, we are in total agreement..

I use to not believe that rackets made that much of a difference.. my previous experience seemed to indicate different string tensions had a more appreciable difference, than rackets.

Now, I seem to be able to distinguish the nuances of different rackets more.. but still have a long way to go... swinging the Nano 7k and 8k I still can't tell the differences (unfortunately was unable to try them with a shuttle)

So yes, rackets do make a difference...

regards

Err sry if I wasn't being too clear on this. But I actually meant....

a low end racquet with the same string, tension, grip size, length, stiffness, balance, weight, head shape as a high end racquet...

If one can find a racquet like that to compare, then they can show where the racquet technologie start to make their appearence. For example what material they used. And muscle power arches and stuff.

If all the important features are exactly the SAME, then, what's the difference btw this so-call high end racket and low end racket??? :confused: :eek:

a low end racquet with the same string, tension, grip size, length, stiffness, balance, weight, head shape as a high end racquet...

I think the question now is, "how do u define a lower end vs higher end racket".

If lower end means no more than $10, crazy weight, crappy string and tension, while the higher end means $150 or above, then, there's no point even to bring up this thread.

However, if lower end means cheaper, older model, but useable, while higher end means newer, more expensive and also useable, then, I still say, the difference is rely depend on each person's own preference.

I think the question now is, "how do u define a lower end vs higher end racket".

If lower end means no more than $10, crazy weight, crappy string and tension, while the higher end means $150 or above, then, there's no point even to bring up this thread.

However, if lower end means cheaper, older model, but useable, while higher end means newer, more expensive and also useable, then, I still say, the difference is rely depend on each person's own preference.

Depends on what you mean by "useable".

$10 racquets with crazy weight, crappy string and tension is also "useable". When I say lower end models, I'm referring to the yonex racquets that are made in Taiwan and China. Those are crappy, in my opinion. Compare to the higher end models that are made from Japan. When it comes to suitable... I can find a low end isometric model that has the same tension, string, stiffness, grip, and length as a nanospeed.

If racquets DON"T matter, then people will buy the isometric model because it's alot cheaper.

If racquets DO matter, then people might consider buying the higher end models for a boost in their games.

Inorder for yonex to make money, they can make a variation of models that have the same stiffness, length, grip, etc to suit a person. I bet I can find a suitable racquet from the armortec series, muscle power series, nanospeed series, carbonex series, isometric series, and walmart :S

I'm sure there are racquets that costs $10 and have the same stiffness, grip size, length, and whatever other features that would fit you. But will choosing a racquet be as simple as only finding features that fit you? Or you'll want to get a higher end model for better preformance if you're serious into badminton?

sometimes its just preference. my dad used to play badminton in his school days. now that we play once a week. he always complain that the rackets are not powerful enough. i let try my cab 9, isometric, thunderbolt II proace, TI10 and MP33. his conclusion was they are all the same and the most powerful racket is still his wooden dunlop racket! and he asked me if still can get that racket! firstly i really doubt that racket can do him any good, secondly where am i suppose to find one?

i also have to admit that my Ti10 is not that much a difference from my US$16 thunderbolt(got it in a clearance sale, original thunderbolt, not thunderbolt II) strung at 25lbs, they feel almost the same except that Ti10 is more accurate and consistent in placement. honestly, the difference is not worth the price difference either. but my heart still loves and prefer and i play better with Ti10...cos i love the matt finish with black strings:D

I think the question now is, "how do u define a lower end vs higher end racket".

If lower end means no more than $10, crazy weight, crappy string and tension, while the higher end means $150 or above, then, there's no point even to bring up this thread.

However, if lower end means cheaper, older model, but useable, while higher end means newer, more expensive and also useable, then, I still say, the difference is rely depend on each person's own preference.

Ti10 will be consider lower end then cos its old model n only half the price of NS7000 here in singapore.

Depends on what you mean by "useable".

$10 racquets with crazy weight, crappy string and tension is also "useable". When I say lower end models, I'm referring to the yonex racquets that are made in Taiwan and China. Those are crappy, in my opinion. Compare to the higher end models that are made from Japan. When it comes to suitable... I can find a low end isometric model that has the same tension, string, stiffness, grip, and length as a nanospeed.

If racquets DON"T matter, then people will buy the isometric model because it's alot cheaper.

If racquets DO matter, then people might consider buying the higher end models for a boost in their games.



1. How to define "useable" is base on the player's need. If s/he uses it for recreation type of games, then, the standard could be very low, as the $10 cheaper racket might be an ok (still prefer not) choice, if $$$ is an issue. If s/he uses it for competitive games, then, usually, a good all graphite racket is more desireable to be considered as the baseline.

2. I am sure racket matters in some sort of a degree. However, once u compare with the price ratio, and ppl's preference, usually, the more expensive the rackets are, the ratio for perforamnce improvement vs. price could be very very tiny, or reverse (preference issue). Of course, some ppl tend to invest every penny into something they love, and even means the price is doubled, they are still willing to try, fine. However, a lot of ppl more tend to settle for an "ok" deal, while don't have to spend all the $$$ on the sport, sure deal for them, too.

3. Again, whether a PARTICULAR more expensive racket can really boost up someone's performance, is still down to his/her own preference. If yes, not a bad investment. However, if s/he can get the same lvl of performance, while save 40% of the cost, don't u think that's the even better deal?

Ti10 will be consider lower end then cos its old model n only half the price of NS7000 here in singapore.

Exactly my point here.

Ti10 is an excellent choice for a lot of players (including pros), way over the new AT or NS series. Therefore, the cheaper and older model is NOT necessarily WORSE than the new stocks.

It's like if u compare a $500 suit with a $2 t shirt, I will say the suit should be much more formal than the t shirt. However, I might not be able to tell the difference, if u ask me to compare a $500 suit with another $800 suit. ;)

I guess with all the points mentionned in the posts, we can conclude that:
1. The effect of the racket really depends on the player's style.
2. "Lower end" rackets are not necessarily synonym of "useless" and can therefore also perform very well given the right owner.
3. It's difficult to agree on what a "low end racket" is. :p

I guess with all the points mentionned in the posts, we can conclude that:
1. The effect of the racket really depends on the player's style.
2. "Lower end" rackets are not necessarily synonym of "useless" and can therefore also perform very well given the right owner.
3. It's difficult to agree on what a "low end racket" is. :p

Good points. Also:

4. Whether the extra investment (time and money) worth the difference in performance, is also depend on the user him/herself. ;)

latest findings.....was playing with my 8 year old nice yesterday. she was using a apacs 960 that i gave her strung at 22lbs. then when we took a rest. she took my Ti10 and wanted to try. it was strung at 26lb which i felt was too high for myself after playing for a while and think 25lb is the max for me. then as we play, i was surprised by how much further she could hit with the racket!

on our way home she was eyeing my Ti10 saying that it is more powerful cos its heavier. funny thing is she was using 2U MP23 before changing to apacs and my Ti10 is 3u and she claimed heavier and could really play better with it. the MP was even heavier but she keeps missing shots with it.

now i am puzzled. thought higher tension need more strength to hit further but my niece whom i hardly believe have much strength actually hit better than the apacs at 23lbs!:confused:

latest findings.....was playing with my 8 year old nice yesterday. she was using a apacs 960 that i gave her strung at 22lbs. then when we took a rest. she took my Ti10 and wanted to try. it was strung at 26lb which i felt was too high for myself after playing for a while and think 25lb is the max for me. then as we play, i was surprised by how much further she could hit with the racket!

on our way home she was eyeing my Ti10 saying that it is more powerful cos its heavier. funny thing is she was using 2U MP23 before changing to apacs and my Ti10 is 3u and she claimed heavier and could really play better with it. the MP was even heavier but she keeps missing shots with it.

now i am puzzled. thought higher tension need more strength to hit further but my niece whom i hardly believe have much strength actually hit better than the apacs at 23lbs!:confused:


Perhaps the Ti 10 is more head heavy, that's why she felt it was heavier, overall.

Now before anyone starts blasting me on how technique is more important than rackets, I would like to tell a story.

There's a in my school who plays badminton at our practices. She can't perform clears from base to base. I'd say the furthest clear she executes from the baseline would be to the middle of the opponent's court. She was using a lower end Wilson racket. Then, this one day, I play against her and during warmups in the local YMCA, I amazingly found out that she was returning my clears to her baseline with much more ease. Moreover, her shortest clear returns can at least reach past the doubles long serve line. Knowing that she doesn't practice often and, judging from her form, still isn't using weight transfer properly, I was totally astonished. I see her Wilson racket has been replaced by the new ns7k. But still, I wasn't convinced that a change of racket would result in such major difference. My friend asked to test her racket. I believe his main racket is a YY Ti something, ti3 I think. But anyway, he executed a long serve as he always did, same strength and, OMG, the shuttle went out about 2 meters. He was so surprised at the effect that he couldn't believe it. So he told someone to play a few clears with him. The result? His clears were as out as his serve.

So this made me think. Yes, the proper form is crucial in playing badminton, but high ends rackets can also compensate for the lack of technique, to a certain extent. Am I right? I'm just wondering whether rackets technology improve at such a fast rate that almost anyone will be able to hit shots like base to base clears without much effort. And I'm not even talking about the speed of smashes yet.

Anyone has similar experience?

1. Maybe the shuttle was fast
2. If it was a cold day the shuttle would would have flown faster. So if it was cold that might be why.

I am in agreement with LazyBuddy. IMO the only thing that makes a difference in the racquet itself (not including grip, strings etc) is the weight, balance, and flexibility. (this is assuming the racquet is not a $10 garden set racquet) I think that technology such as Yonex's Ultimum Ti etc are more of a marketing ploy than anything else.

she used the weight of the head to do the work... if she was performing proper swings, then this topic would get much more interesting

I think beginners who can't consistently hit the sweet spot cleanly will often think about getting "better" equipment. Most start with intermediate racquets, thinking they don't need top of the line or don't want to spend that much money... then they buy a top of line racquet and notice no difference... They realize its their own technique that just plain sucks...or maybe they keep trying different other things like strings and tension... I think that's why there's so many posts about what racquet to get and what string to use and what tension to string it.

Do racquets matter? Yes. Does it help when you don't even got the basics? No.