10 Best Badminton Rackets in the Philippines 2023 | Yonex, Dunlop, and More

Carbon fiber is the most popular material when it comes to badminton rackets. It's also durable and lightweight. They can be rigid or flexible, depending on the density of the material. Hence, it's often used by professional badminton players.

Cheaper rackets are usually made from stainless steel and aluminum. These rackets can be prone to bending and snapping if not properly maintained. 

However, newer ones are mixed with other metals like carbon and iron to make them stronger and long-lasting. They are good enough to use when you just want to play badminton as a hobby but are not recommended for professional use.

The frame is the badminton racket's skeleton. It must be strong to withstand the pressure of every play. Ideally, the frame must be made from high-quality materials like steel. 

However, this can mean that the racket will be heavier and harder to play with for beginners. It would be best to find the right balance that will suit your play and style. The frame length is crucial in badminton games too. 

As per the Badminton World Federation standards, a badminton frame must not exceed 680 mm long and 230 mm wide. Make sure to read the product description or ask the seller about its measurements, especially if you're competing.

The head shape affects the player's control and precision to hit the shuttlecock, known as the sweet spot. The oval shape is the most commonly used badminton head shape since it gives the player effortless control. It has a smaller surface, resulting in a smaller sweet spot.

Also, oval-shaped rackets deliver more powerful hits, especially if the player gets used to hitting that sweet zone. The player gains more control with the racket in dropping the shuttlecock in any part of the court.

The square head has a larger surface and optimal hitting area, in which the player will more likely hit the ball. However, it is tough to control, which means that you need to exert more effort when swinging. It is recommended only for newbies as a practice racket and not for seasoned players.

The strings are interwoven to serve as the racket's face. For competitive playing, racket strings' dimension must not go over 280 mm in length and 220 mm in width. Strings must be tightly woven together to increase the ball's bounce when it hits the surface area.

Most racket strings are made from nylon. On the other hand, carbon fiber strings are high-quality; hence, they're more expensive and commonly used in professional badminton competitions. 

The shaft of the racket will determine its flexibility or rigidness. Seasoned players prefer the stiffer ones to deliver more power smashes with high control. On the other hand, flexible shafts are perfect for beginners.

Meanwhile, some rackets are somewhere in between the pendulum of flexible and rigid. They also work fine! It is just a matter of the player's strength, control, and preference.

The handle is the part that has direct contact with the player’s hand. A good handle must be easy to hold and control during a game rally depending. With this, pick a racket with a handle that works well with your hand.

Of course, a racket must have an excellent grip as well. It refers to the material wrapped around the handle. For sweaty hands, go for the one that is either sweat-absorbent like a towel grip racket, or has an anti-slip feature like an irregular surface one.

Each grip size has distinct dimensions that players can choose from. G1 has 3 inches while G5 has 4 inches - there is a quarter of an inch increase for every grip type. For most professional players, they prefer G2 as it has the right grip tightness for their power moves and swings.

A badminton racket's weight can be categorized into four classes - 2U being the heaviest (90 to 94 grams) up to 5U as the lightest (75 to 79 grams). Lightweight rackets are swift to mobilize and shift strokes, and easy to recover from speedy moves. 

In contrast, heavy rackets are more stable and balanced in controlling their impact on the shuttlecock. In other words, lightweight rackets are best for beginners, and heavy ones are for professional players. Hence, as you gain more experience, it is better to upgrade to heavier rackets along the way.