I have found the BWF approved list helpful in looking at different shuttles that my club could use. I have just finished testing 5 of the tubes that was mentioned and all were pretty durable and consistent in flight. The benifit of the list is that you don't waste time and money trying out shuttles that are junk. I looked at the BWF list due to the increase price of Yonex - pleasantly surprised by some of them. Wilson Topline 100's were okay, as were the ashaway int.
not true. i bought a bulk order of 200 tubes of yangyang 300B back in 2003. I still have 30 or so tubes or so. they have been kept in storage room away from heat. they are the only shuttles i used and they play like new, at least as good if not better than most other shuttles, and today still matching AS50 flight quality.
I hate the xumax. it feels heavy on the racket. Smashes tend to be really fast and harder to return. It's like a flying bullet.
That's probably because you have gotten used to a 'lighter' shuttle. If so, when you switch to a regulation-weight shuttle, it will feel heavier. The point to note is that the Xumax X1 is NOT heavier. It's just that you now feel it is so
Protech's PT-10 is a good, popular, economical shuttle. But the BWF hasn't cited it for international tournaments. That's why it isn't on the BWF Approved List.
Yeah if you look at my post, I wrost "feels" heavier. This is probably due to the different composition and shuttle stiffness. My point is that I don't like this shuttle. I play regularly with the AS30, 40, RSL #1, and I don't like the Xumax X1...
This is typical of cheaper feathers shuttles. The reason is the use of an all synthetic cork as the base. Synthetic corks have slower recovery rate, meaning the shuttle base turns around slower, after a shot, and follows a more parabola path, like a plastic but less so.
That means.. ..the birdies haven't lost their quality but are also very durable (despite being stored over the yrs).....or maybe kwun needs to go out and play and kill more birdies..
Feathers have natural oils. They also use different types of glue, some for strength and others for shock-absorption. These dry out over time and will not be as good as new. Of course storage conditions are important factors, but they cannot arrest its decline over time. It is not possible that 6 year old shuttle can play as well as when it was new. You will notice that the tube containing a dozen feather shuttles has an aluminum foil inside and a film-wrap outside. They go a long way to keep the feathers in good condition over a reasonable time, but not for an extended period of time. The tube is not a vacuum. Cheap training shuttles do not have an aluminum inner foil/lining.
Fresh feather shuttlecocks are water-proof and should not be steamed or dipped in water prior to play. However, older shuttles will benefit with steaming.
well, it does. every tube that i have plays as well as other top quality feathers that other people bring into the court. i don't have any theory for it. but i know that your theory don't hold any water (or oil, in this case. )
BWF should insist that all their Approved Shuttles to have Best Used or Expiry Dates . If taneepak is correct, then perhaps BWF should insist that all their Approved Shuttles to have Best Used or Expiry Dates on their tubes. .
This depends on the industry. In food and medicine some countries have an expiration date. But in feathers shuttles even shuttles that have been stored for say 6 years can still be played except that they are more fragile and may need a little himidification. It will be odd to have an expiration date for shuttles if strings and grips don't have it. Just dip an inch of your shuttles into water, feathers side, for a minute and then take it out. A fresh shuttle will be water-proof and no water will get into the feathers. At worse you will find small round beads of water which will disappear if you shake it. Use your fingers to feel the shuttle and you should not feel any wetness or even any trace of water.
I don't always agree with taneepak and his theory, but i do think what he says this time have merit. I guess being largely made of natural products it would only stand to reason that shuttles would degrade as time goes by. being organic i would think that bacterial action at least would have some effect on the shuttle. kwun's experience with his 300B shuttle is likely a testimony to how well those shuttles were stored and cared for rather then the quality of the shuttles itself. Having said that i would not think a shuttle made 3 weeks ago would be very different from one that was made 8 months ago, assuming that those 8 month old shuttles have not been abused. Just my thoughts, i have no way of really knowing since i never tried keeping shuttles in my home for more then a week nor have i tried real fresh shuttles. I do think it is a great idea if all shuttle manufacturers have a manufacture date on the shuttles.
Some feather shuttle manufacturers do give a rough estimate of the shelf life. It can vary from 8,000 hours to two years. But I think the environment in which they are stored is also very important.
i think taneepak's theory is general sound and make sense. however, the rate in which it affects the flight and durability of the shuttle is not as dramatic as mentioned, as my experience shows. as said, having the right storage condition is the key. my shuttles are stored in the storage room in their original silver lined tubes. temperature hovers around above 50F to 75F. they were in their original cardboard box and never exposed to direct sunlight. when used, i normally don't even moisturize them. sometimes i do to feel safe, but i never do it coz i don't feel a need to.
One thing I've found from using some of these brands is differing speeds. Despite all being marked as 78's: Yonex, aeroplane, carlton gt1's, snowpeak were all roughly the same speed. Victor champions and air power were slow. Wilson and Ashaway were fast, ashaway being faster. All were used in an air conditioned sports hall so humidity and temperature should not be so much of an issue. I will agree it isn't the most well air conditioned hall ever but all have been used at various points in the year. Durability wise Yonex were the best, then aeroplane, snowpeak and gt1 fairly similar, wilson, Victor, RSL(bad batch? they were breaking far faster than tourney 3's) ashaway and last air power. All were purchased in October 2008 and used over the course of the uk winter. My personal favourite were aeroplanes then gt1's. Due to cost when compared to Yonex! I just wish shuttles were more consistent in durability. Maybe a made by date would help this.
