Plastic or feather? Here's what you need to know to pick the right badminton shuttlecock for your game.
As a racket sports brand, we have plenty of advice to help you with your game.
Your shuttlecock choice will depend on your playing level, what you feel when you are playing with different shuttlecocks and what you expect from them.
Your shuttlecock choice will mostly depend on your playing level. There are different types of shuttlecocks which suit different playing levels. Knowing the difference between the two types of shuttlecocks can be helpful.
When you start playing badminton, you simply need the shuttlecock to be strong so that you can make the most of your first few games. Pick a plastic shuttlecock with a foam head.
For regular practice you will need your shuttlecock to be strong but also comfortable on impact. As your game evolves so will your feel for the shuttlecock. Opt for a plastic shuttlecock with a cork head.
Once you have mastered badminton, you can move on to feather shuttlecocks with cork heads which will give you more control and comfort.
It may not be clear, but the difference between feather and plastic shuttlecocks, aside from appearance, is the trajectory. Take a look at this image, which shows the different trajectories for the various types of shuttlecocks. Line no. 1 shows the trajectory of a feather shuttlecock, while line no.2 shows the trajectory of a plastic shuttlecock.
