Rackets & shuttlecock

Badminton is not portable game. It is perfect for people who wants to get better fitness and increase their skills. Make sure you never play outside! For the more serious, the requirements for equipment vary only in quality (price), skills, and where you will be playing - on a badminton court (always indoors). Here are some helpful tips for assembling your badminton set.

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[edit] Steps

Choose whether you are playing for fun or playing competitively. This will make a difference as to the money you spend on your equipment:
- For fun: visit a large sports store, hardware store or even a pharmacy or supermarket. Do not look for a set that has already been put together for you, those in a carry-case with a zip. These sets do not cost much and contain everything you will need for taking with you to parks etc. but they are very useless and can hurt your wrist very easily. Racquets should be around $40-$100. Make sure you buy several packs of shuttles since every 2 or 3 rally can easily break the feathers. A bag is also important to look professional, buy the Yonex or Victor ones for their excellent quality.
- For competition: seek advice from badminton centers and stores personnel if you are unsure. You should go to a qualified Yonex store or sports specialist for competition equipment. It is possible also to purchase the equipment online (use an internet search engine). Consider purchasing:
  - 2 badminton rackets. The rackets will be expensive but of much higher quality than those used for fun. Have at least two, in case one's strings snapped.
  - 4 - At least 2 packs of feather shuttlecocks. The shuttlecocks will be available separately, often packaged like tennis balls. They should be of high quality (Yonex, Victor, BK, etc.). There are also synthetic Nylon plastic versions that last longer and withstand the forceful hitting. The heads should be made from cork, not plastic.
  - Net. Unless you have to bring your own net, you should not have a need for a net, as the indoor court should be providing this. If not, ask for assistance on the quality and types available. The strongest nets have metallic poles (telescopic for easy packing) and guy ropes for pulling them taut. Look for these. Also ask if the net is for all-weather so that it can withstand both sun and rain damage if you are playing on an outdoors court.
  - Pre-measured boundary. If you are not going to a court already set up for badminton, consider purchasing a pre-measured boundary which you can lay down over the floor of the place you are playing at. Ask at the sports store or specialist. Normally, only newbies at badminton plays outside.
  - Professional badminton set. You can bypass the separate purchases even if you are playing competitively, as long as you are satisfied of the top quality of everything in that particular set. If there is anything in the set that is not right, it may be more prudent and cheaper in the long run to purchase the items separately.
Dress for a match. If you are playing professionally, wear suitable sports clothing. Tennis gear is great, as is gear worn for playing ball games. There must be sufficient flexibility and comfort in your clothing as badminton is a very physical sport requiring you to dash around the court a lot. Suitable shoes include gym shoes and sandshoes, as long as they are supportive and have soft soles, but usually indoor court shoes because it is more professional.
Get a badminton set carry-all. If you buy your items separately, ask if the store also sells a badminton case for carrying everything in. This will make transporting your gear a lot easier and you'll be less likely to lose anything. This is not advised.

[edit] Tips

Be aware that the "playsets" for badminton are flimsy and you get what you pay for. They don't last and the rackets bend easily, the shuttlecocks shred easily. But if you're not serious about playing it often, or you're teaching young children, these are perfect sets.
Even the top of the line rackets will break, usually the strings. Rackets need restringing frequently, so you should be prepared to get to know a store that is able to perform this service for you at short notice. Rackets also tend to bend if you are a strong player who hits with a lot of force, but only the shaft.

[edit] Warnings

Never throw your racket on the ground. It will be damaged by dents, chips and bends. And it isn't very sporting.
Always have more than one shuttlecock. Inevitably one or more will go missing during the game and there is nothing more frustrating than wasting time seeking them out, especially in a park environment, where no one should play on and should play inside.