What is the cheapest but best badminton shoes for a beginner?

Discussion in 'Clothing & Footwear' started by pandaman, Mar 17, 2010.

  1. pandaman

    pandaman Regular Member

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    Hey im new and ive been playing badminton on and off not seriously but im tryin 2 get more into it now and the shoes i have atm dont give enough padding/protection as often my heel hurts after playing..

    Anyways i was just wondering what is the best shoe for a beginner that is light but at the same time gives good protection?

    And ofc not expensive hehe :p
     
  2. Sketchy

    Sketchy Regular Member

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    Badminton shoes are designed with very thin soles because you need to change direction a lot etc, and thinner soles reduce the risk of you turning an ankle.
    The downside to this is that they are always poorly cushioned, compared to a decent pair of running shoes.

    If you find them painful then you might want to buy some gel heel pads, which will provide a little extra cushioning.
    http://www.sportsdirect.com/sof-sole-gel-heel-pad-750404?src=google

    Personally, I wear Babolat Shadows and find them pretty comfortable.
    If you want cheap though, try APACS / Yehlex / Kason.
     
  3. pandaman

    pandaman Regular Member

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    Ah how are the babolats for lightness? and what about the other makes u mentioned.. :)

    A few years back i got som Hi-tec Badminton shoes, looked nice and that... I wore them and i felt they gave alot of cushion and protection to the heel and ankle but at the same time it sacrificed weight/speed In the end i couldnt get use to it so i passed it up to my bro (yeah weird normally u pass things down :p But ye he uses them now) So thats why i ask about them being light....

    I Dont know in what shops to look at in the UK cos i dnt rele like buying things online and the only pair ive come across were some Yonex's in Franche >.< :p

    Oh and also how long do these gel pads work? =]

    Thanks anyways man =]
     
  4. pandaman

    pandaman Regular Member

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    Are they light? and how much do u reckon i could get for a good pair but lowest price for shoes?

    The only reason i really want well cushioned but light shoes is that i bought hi-tecs before and they were really heavy and i cudnt get use 2 them so i gave them 2 my bro and know i need a pair as these running shoes do not give enough protection or grip.... =] thanks
     
  5. pandaman

    pandaman Regular Member

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    Do my posts keep gettin deleted or do i keep forgettin to click post quick reply .>.<. Bleh!
     
  6. Sevex

    Sevex Regular Member

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    Not sure why people are always looking for the best racket but cheapest footwear! :confused: This isn't a comment on the poster by the way, just a general observation. In my opinion you need excellent shoes as your feet support the rest of your body, bad shoes could equal injury.

    Having said that I think most cheaper shoes are perfectly fine, the most important thing is the fit to your foot. The Yonex 57N M cost £32 online and I used there precursor and found them fine, the sole is thin but they do have the "power cushion" which should help.

    Being in London I guess you have shops which you can go to try shoes on to find what fits and what doesn't. I would then buy from the shop (if they give you good service) this time and buy online after once you know your shoe size and what does and doesn't fit. The shop should also be able to give you better advice

    Asics shoes have the best cushioning in general but I have no personal experience with them. I would say don't get Victor if you want cushioning as they are very thin and so is the insole. Although they are decent in all other respects.

    The shoes with more padding do tend to weigh slightly more, but no badminton shoe I have tried on or used could be described as heavy.

    Or as suggested get a gel insole/other kind of insole to suit your foot, just make sure it fits the shoe first.

    Have fun playing badminton again and I hope you find a good pair of shoes.
     
  7. pandaman

    pandaman Regular Member

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    Ah i saw them for £32 aswell! haha but the sizes are like too small? >.<
    Hmm yeah i know i should be able 2 find some shops but tbh all the main shops like Sportsdirtect and JJB dont really stock badminton things near me cos its mainly Football and rugby and lil bit of basketball equipment...
    Anyone in SW london have any shops they can recommend for badminton shoes or general equipment? :p
     
  8. Sketchy

    Sketchy Regular Member

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    I also used to wear HiTec badminton shoes - including Vipers (had both the bright red and the blue versions) and some others I forget the name of.
    I also tried various Yonex shoes with the "powercushion technology".
    The Babolats are better than any of them - especially in terms of comfort & cushioning (weight is about average for a badminton shoe).
    I haven't tried many other makes though, so I'm not saying there aren't better shoes out there - it's really more about what fits your specific foot shape anyway.

    I don't know how long the gel pads last, as I've never needed them myself. For £3 though, I'd have thought it might be worth you getting some just to experiment.
     
  9. Many Ch0icez

    Many Ch0icez Regular Member

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    I have SHB-56EX of yonex. I'm fourteen and I am fine with it. Will have to go for a bit higher. Starting to wear down after 3-4 years of constant play. They served me well. They're certainly going on my wall ;)
     
  10. Many Ch0icez

    Many Ch0icez Regular Member

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    They cost me 70$ CAD to so |-D
     
  11. vctrku

    vctrku Regular Member

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    Where did you guy those shoes?
     
  12. kevingoorijan

    kevingoorijan New Member

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    I use APACS, but right now, im wondering which socks suits best while playign badminton or running a marathon. Any ideas?
     
  13. vctrku

    vctrku Regular Member

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    Wow, you bought shoes from Apacs? I am too scared of buying shoes online that I have not tried on before since they are shoes and the slightest defect could cause the most irritation. How are they? Which model did you buy? Assuming you bought them from Apacs Canada, the models look like clones of the Yonex models so how similar are they to the original. Also, I have really wide feet so if I do not wear shoes that are wide enough and play badminton, my big and little toes at the ends hurt. Would the shoes you bought suit me?
     
  14. Many Ch0icez

    Many Ch0icez Regular Member

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    vcrtku I bought mine a store called lecoureur in quebec. For like 60-80 $ Served me fine. Genuine Yopnex power cushion the whole deal ;)
     
  15. Loop

    Loop New Member

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    Hi guys,

    I am looking to get my first pair of badminton shoes.
    Will buy it online (Europe)

    What would You recommend?

    I am looking to get Babolat Shadow Tour shoes.
    [​IMG]
    What You guys think of these?
    My budget is around 50 - 100 €
    Any other good looking, comfy alternatives?

    By the way. Does anybody knows about Babolat size, are they smaller/larger thank regular running shoes etc.
     
  16. Genkz

    Genkz Regular Member

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    Shoes are a very personal topic, what fits one might not fit you. Since the size, more or less, only represents the lengths of the shoe there are aspects to consider. How wide or narrow is the forefoot, hight of the ankle and cushioning to name only some.
    Your budget seems ok and you should be able to get very good shoes for yourself for that. So what people can do for you is only to name you some models they liked themself a lot. (or did not like)
    My actual shoes are from Yonex shb sc6ex and I am really happy with them since I am a bit too heavy to play badminton and they are offering a lot of cushioning.
    Another pair i liked very much, but decided against them in the end, were Victor's sh a920

    About your babolat shoes I sadly can't give you any recommendation since I don't know anyone who owns them nor have i ever tried a pair myself.

    So I would advise you to order some you like (alot can be already got from the product description, like are they on the heavy side but good cushioning or very light ones with almost no cushioning) and try them on yourself. Especially in Eu this should not be a big problem.
    One last thing keep an eye out that the shoes are for Badminton and not for tennis since those two have completely different requirements and you risk hurting your ankle by playing with a tennis shoe.
     
  17. Loop

    Loop New Member

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    Genkz, thank You for replay.
    I have ordered Babolat shoes from badmania.fr (France)
    Hopefully fitment will be ok :)

    I will write how I like them!
     
  18. Loop

    Loop New Member

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    Received Babolat shadow tour 2 shoes from Badmania.fr

    Have not played with these yet, however I had opportunity to try Yonex Aerus 2 few days back. Babolat shoes are much more comfortable for my feet. Soft, yet ridget heel, good grip.
    I am happy with the purchase.

    [​IMG] [​IMG]
     

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