When choosing the best badminton rackets, you have to ensure it has the correct string tension. Otherwise, you won’t register optimal performance.
For example, an extremely low tension will see you hit the back fence in every serve. On the other hand, an extreme cord tightness may result in a power outage and issues with the arm.
Stringing is a vital skill in badminton racket maintenance that every player should have. Therefore how do you determine the correct string tension?
Here are the core factors to guide you in selecting the correct string tension for your racquet;
Table of Contents
Tips for Choosing the Correct Badminton String Tension
Know the Type of String You are Using.
A badminton racket can employ different types of string materials. Most common materials include gut, polyester, nylon, or a hybrid of various materials.
Nylon has a playable quality. And due to its elasticity, it’s commonly used in stringing racquets for beginner players. On the other hand, polyester is less playable and thus makes an ideal material for badminton racquets for professional players.
Understand your need, Power or Control?
Your skill level also determines whether you need more power or control from your racquets. For example, beginner badminton players often require more power. For that reason, rackets with low string tension suit them most.
At low tension, the racquets have a high rebound effect and thus generates more power. Also, the low-tension racquets have a wide sweet spot, thus suiting novice players. Therefore a slight miss of the sweet spot still produces good play.
On the other hand, professionals require racquets that give them fine control in each shot. As such, rackets with high string tension suit them. But to enjoy such preciseness, you must hit the narrow sweet spot consistently.
With that said, intermediate players require a blend of power and control. So rackets with mid tension strings suit intermediate players
Type of Shuttlecock you Use
Badminton shuttlecocks are usually of three types. That is the feather, synthetic (nylon and plastic), or hybrid shuttlecocks. Each type requires a different amount of energy to fly in the air.
Feather shuttlecocks are lighter than their plastic counterparts. Therefore the plastic shuttlecocks require slightly more power to propel them in the air.
So recreational or beginner players relying on plastic shuttlecocks need to string their racquets at a few pounds less than the standard requirements. However, it’s vital to note that competitive matches use only feather shuttles.
And with that said, here are suggested racquet string tension for players of different skill levels:
Beginner level; 19 to 21lbs
Intermediate level; 22 to 24lbs
Advanced levels; 25 to 27lbs
Professionals (international) levels; 28 to 32lbs
But remember, each frame has the maximum string tension it can support. So do not exceed that factory specified limit.
Conclusion
Several factors come into play when determining the correct badminton racket string tension. You need to identify the type of string material you want to use.
Then know your skill level and what you need from a racquet. When you put those tips into practice, you can’t go wrong when stringing your badminton racket by hand next time the cord snaps off.