Fellow players have provided good feedback for Yonex BG 80 & 85 for playing with feathers. I'd like to give it a try. I currently play with BG 65 Ti on 24lb tension. However, I play with plastics quite a bit too (Yonex Mavis 300 & 370 in case it matters) as I play badminton whenever I can and some clubs simply play with plastics (for cost reasons I assume). It was mentioned to me that this might "waste" the 80s or 85s as they would wear out just as quick (if not quicker) with no added benefit. So, I would like to ask for comments/opinions on the following points: - Should I play plastics with BG 80 or 85? Is it going to "waste" the string? Should I string a spare racket with something else - perhaps sticking with the 65 Ti ? - If I'm fairly happy using 24lb on the 65 Ti, should I also string the 80 / 85 to the same? Or, because it's a different type of string, should i be adjusting my tension somehow? - If I'm going to dedicate rackets to feathers, and different rackets to plastics, should i run different tensions because of the type of shuttle? I appreciate a lot of this is trial'n'error but I'm looking for some opinions/views to start from. I also appreciate that perhaps none of this really matters unless you're at the absolute of your game ... and if that's your opinion, then please say so! Thanks, Sean.
I'm not certain but I've never heard of plastic shuttles wearing out strings faster than feathers. That aside, I don't think its a waste. I'm using bg80 right now at 24 pounds and I feel like its good with both kinds of shuttles. Obviously feathers will get the most out of bg80 but even with plastics, I get the characteristic hard feeling of bg 80 that a I can't get with nbg 95.
I play with both types of shuttles every week and I do have separate rackets at different tensions for each type of bird. For feather I use vs850 @ 25lbs, while for plastic I use vs850 @ 22lbs. It's not a matter of durability for me but a matter of feel and power. I find that those are the best settings, with plastic at 2-3 lbs lower. ..... BG80 for feather already feels harsh, and it would feel even harsher if you used it for plastic at the same tension as for feather.