Just like any other equipment in badminton shuttlecocks also comes in various types but just knowing these types is not enough in this article I will also explain which shuttle is best for you so keep reading this guide on types of badminton shuttlecock
By the end of this article, you will able to select the best type of shuttle for playing badminton
Types of shuttles in badminton
- Nylon Shuttles
- Feather Shuttles
- Air Shuttles
Nylon Shuttles
As the name suggests these are made up of nylon(plastic) material and are very popular among recreational players
Some features of nylon shuttles
Durability: There is no doubt that these shuttles are much more durable than feather ones, typically a single shuttle can last for a whole match( 3 sets) with intense rallies
Also, you don’t have to worry about the shuttle breakage like the feather ones so even if you mishit a shot it won’t be affecting the flight of these birdies
But this does not mean that it can’t get damaged not during rallies
Even though these are more durable but their skirt portion is not that rigid compared to its compatriot it means if you applied too much pressure on that portion chances of it getting damaged are high
Always handle these shuttle by holding it from cork and not the nylon part
Price: This is one of the reasons why even good skilled players who are on a budget use these shuttles
Even though per shuttle price of a nylon shuttle and a low variant feather shuttle is same but those feather shuttle only last 11 points whereas a nylon shuttle can survive a whole three-set match
So if you are on a budget using nylon shuttles is a good option and invest that spare money in good quality shoes and racket
Flight: Quality of a shuttle can be judged by how consistent the flight of a shuttle is
Flight of these shuttles is not much consistent as compared to feather shuttle, this is one of the reasons why feather shuttles are used in international matches
Do not confuse durability with consistent flight, Durability means how long a shuttle can last whereas consistent flight means how consistent flight is in different shuttles in brand new condition
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Some good options available in the market
The number of companies which offer nylon shuttles is big but after trying many of these shuttles I can say that Yonex shuttles are best
Out of all the models which Yonex offers these three are the best
Mavis 10: This is one of cheapest model offered by Yonex but if do wall practice at home this can be your best friend
Due to the material used in making cork(more padding), it provides extra bounce on the wall
So if you are on a budget and do not want to use feather shuttle for wall practice this is the best option
Mavis 300 and 350: Flight of both shuttles is the same but they become exactly opposite to each other after some use, for example, mavis 300 flight gets faster with usage whereas mavis 350 flight speed decreases with usage.
The reason for this is the style of their feathers
Look at my personal favorite shuttles
Feather Shuttles
As the name suggests these are made up of feather which can be of goose or duck
Types of Feather shuttles
- Duck feather shuttles
- Goose feather shuttles
Duck Feather shuttles
These are made from the feathers of Duck and to maintain the consistency of feather quality all the feathers are plucked from the left-wing of duck
It is still an unknown fact that where these companies get such larges no. feathers
Let’s look at some of the features of these feathers
Appearance: Generally these are white in color
Price: Duck feather shuttle is less expensive than the goose ones because of less durability of these feathers
Durability: These feathers are more fragile than goose ones, here you need to understand that I am talking about the breaking of the shaft (stick to which feather is attached) and not the feathers itself
Duck feather is much likely to break from the shaft and due to this they are less durable than goose feather
Flight: It is consistent among all the shuttles
Goose Feather Shuttles
These are made up of goose feathers and same as its compatriot feathers are pluck from the same wing to maintain quality
Before I go deep into explaining this one should understand that it is not a hard and fast rule that duck feather is inferior to goose feather
Today companies like carlton provides shuttle made of goose feather cheaper than the duck ones but the durability of those shuttles is less than duck feather shuttle
So it is not just the feather which constitutes the quality of shuttle but how they are processed also plays an important role
Let’s look at some features of goose feathers shuttles
Price: As I mentioned earlier today some companies offer these shuttles at cheaper price but quality of those are not up to the mark, generally goose feather shuttle is more expensive because of production quality
Durability: It is much more durable than the duck feathers due to the anatomy of these feathers
As I mentioned earlier that shaft of duck feather is weaker and often break after some intense rallies but goose feather shaft is more rigid which makes it more durable
After using both these shuttles I noticed that only the feathers of the shuttle(goose) were falling and on the rare occasion, the shaft of the feather broke
Flight: Same with the flight the consistency it provides in-flight of shuttle is very good compared to the duck feathers shuttle
Some good options available in the market
Here again, Yonex is the winner if you are looking at price to quality ratio
AS 2: These are good for a beginner who is just learning badminton and want to get feel of feather shuttle , as they are made up of duck feather so shaft of shuttle will break after a number of intense rallies
But if you are on a budget it is a good option in the market
AS 10: Best option if you are looking for shuttle which is good for multi shuttle session
I personally use these shuttle because of their durability but these are not much suitable for matches because they become incredibly slow after some use (especially if you live in a less humid area) so I will only advise these multi shuttle session
AS 30: This is probably the best shuttle you can get at a reasonable price, as these are made of goose feather so there is no doubt about durability
Flight consistency is also amazing in these shuttles
Look at my personal favorite shuttles
What shuttles are used in Olympic and other international tournaments?
Well it depends on which company-sponsored that tournament and accordingly these companies provide there best shuttles
For example if an international tournament is sponsored by Yonex than AS 50 will be used
For Olympics, companies make special edition shuttles solely for this tournament to provide high-quality shuttle with consistent flight
Air shuttle
Badminton World Federation (BWF)and HSBC jointly launched the concept Air Badminton, and a new outdoor shuttlecock, the AirShuttle, at a global launch ceremony outside the Tianhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou, China, on May 13, 2019.
This is simply the outdoor version of badminton, an initiative to make playing badminton easier
As you can see that it is very different from the conventional shuttles
It is designed this way so that air can pass through the shuttle for consistent flight even in breeze
Thank you for reading…
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