The shuttlecock is the main equipment for playing badminton together with the racket. Shuttlecock and racket are two of the most important badminton equipment. You can’t play if you don’t have both.
Shuttlecocks are used as balls made of goose and duck feathers, some are made of plastic and nylon. Badminton is generally played by 2 people as a single party and 4 people as a doubles party.
In a badminton session, sometimes it requires more than one shuttlecock. Therefore, it is better before buying a shuttlecock to consider several things when choosing a shuttlecock to buy.
Shuttlecocks have different prices and are issued from different brands. Check out this explanation for tips on choosing the right shuttlecock.
1. Pay Attention to the Shuttlecock Feather Material
If you are looking for a shuttlecock, please make sure to choose the right one. Consider in terms of speed, stability, and accuracy. These three things really depend on the shuttlecock feathers used.
In addition, determine the use of the shuttlecock to be used to play badminton as a hobby with family and friends or to use it for matches.
Shuttlecock with goose down is the best choice because it is usually used for badminton matches by athletes. The advantage of the goose shuttlecock is that it has strong resistance and is of good quality.
Therefore, this shuttlecock is quite durable to use. However, in terms of price, it tends to be more expensive.
Shuttlecocks that use goose feathers have also been certified by the Indonesian Badminton Association. This means that the shuttlecock may be used for official matches.
If you want to use a shuttlecock that is relatively cheap and affordable, there is a shuttlecock with duck feathers. Although they are not as durable as goose feathers, duck feather shuttlecocks can be a great alternative to goose ones.
Using nylon shuttlecocks when you play badminton as a hobby, because nylon is inexpensive, not easily damaged, and usually lasts longer. So it can be used for a long time and does not need to change shuttlecocks frequently.
There are shuttlecocks made from a mixture of goose and duck feathers. The price is also cheaper. It can be a consideration for those of you who want to find a shuttlecock for badminton training.
2. Types of Shuttlecock’s Corks
The cork on the shuttlecock has a big influence when playing badminton. Because the cork used in each shuttlecock is different and affects comfort during badminton.
There is natural cork which is the main choice of athletes because natural cork provides comfort and accuracy of hitting according to badminton players. However, the price of shuttlecocks with natural cork is quite expensive.
In the past, every available shuttlecock only used natural cork, but the price of natural cork is increasing. This has made synthetic material shuttlecock appear on the market.
Synthetic cork is cheaper and packaged as closely as possible to natural one, but the only drawback is that it is difficult to distinguish between natural cork and synthetic cork.
You can only distinguish when shuttlecocks from synthetic materials are used to play badminton.
Finally, there is a crossed cork which can be the right answer for you if you want to buy a shuttlecock at a low price, but with good performance. Compressed cork is packaged using a mixture of natural cork and synthetic cork. The price is cheaper than natural cork and the quality is pretty good.
3. Purpose of Using Shuttlecock
It turns out that determining the purpose of using the shuttlecock can affect the choice of shuttlecock that will be used to play badminton. If you want to wear it just for regular exercise, you don’t need to buy the most expensive shuttlecock.
There are so many choices of shuttlecocks that are sold out there. You can just adjust to your budget and needs. But it’s better to look for good quality ones, so you can play more comfortably.
If you want to play badminton on a serious stage or in an official match, it is better to buy a shuttlecock at the best price and quality. So far, Yonex is still the brand with the best shuttlecock among Indonesian badminton athletes.
4. Check the Shuttlecock Speed Number
When buying a shuttlecock, don’t forget to check the speed number on the shuttlecock. Each shuttlecock shows a different speed number.
By checking the speed number of the shuttlecock, players will know more about the speed of the shuttlecock to be purchased and can adjust as needed.
The higher the speed number of the shuttlecock, the higher the shuttlecock will fly away when it is hit by a racket.
In fact, the speed of the shuttle also depends on the environment in which you are playing. If playing in Indonesia, speed numbers 76 and 77 can be used to play badminton.
The meaning of number 76 is the shuttlecock used has a slow to moderate speed, can be used in warm countries or areas. For speed number 77, it means that the shuttlecock has a moderate speed, usually used in coastal areas.
Playing badminton in an area with low or cold temperatures can slow down the speed of the shuttle. Each speed number listed on the shuttlecock makes a difference in the distance traveled when hit by a badminton player.
Those are some tips for choosing a Badminton shuttlecock that must be considered. In addition, you must understand how to choose the right badminton racket to make it comfortable when using it.