Badminton gear talk

A quick word on badminton. Where are you all playing lately? What kind of gear are you running with? Any interesting links to share? Basically, anything you think someone else on this forum might find useful...

Here’s a link to an interesting thread from this forum titled: Is it true that badminton is gay?

A little bit about badminton, and a little bit about sexuality...

Arthur Lewis62 said:Now, let’s pivot slightly toward badminton. Where are you all playing lately? What kind of gear are you actually using? Any interesting links or resources? Basically, anything you think someone else on this forum might find useful regarding the sport—lay it all out.

Trade fair

CES Uniprise, Adidas, Nike

Association

That's about it.

👋

Court - CES Uniprise

Racket - Babolat Booster

Balls - Babolat yellow plastic balls with red rim

Sneakers - Lotto Indoor Znojnik

Sweatband - Adidas

Shirt - Kaba girls

Shorts - RollerBlade

Socks - Nike

Shoes - Palmers play

I’ve been playing recreationally for five years now, bouncing between doubles and singles. It’s a hell of a sport—insanely dynamic and requires raw, brute strength. People have no clue how much easier tennis is on the body compared to this; it’s like three times less exhausting, but nobody seems to get it. They think playing a singles match in a tournament is some marathon, lasting maybe 30 or 40 minutes, while a tennis match can drag on for three hours straight. Man, I feel bad for all the trash talk I used to dish out to my buddies before I actually gave this a shot...

Honestly, I should probably just tell people this sport is a total headache because you can't just show up and snag a court whenever you feel like it. A couple of years back, they opened up another pavilion (18), and let me tell you, it is absolutely packed. Save yourself the trouble and don't bother showing up!!!

Where else in the US can you get some court time besides the CES Uniprise? I wonder if the conditions there are actually the best.

Honestly, I’m just finishing up my eighth-grade year now, but looking back, I managed to pull off a national championship and won the regional title twice here in the States. I even had some pretty decent runs competing over in places like Canada and Mexico, but lately, I feel like I've just hit a wall and lost my momentum, and I can't quite put my finger on why that is. It really gets under my skin when people dismiss badminton as some easy, casual game, because they truly have no idea how intense it gets once you actually step onto the court and face someone playing the real version of the sport.

Game on! Using a Yonex isometric 65 lt, which is honestly solid enough for anyone just playing for fun. No point wasting breath explaining how I’m not stuck in place or how fast the shuttle flies... it’s obvious.

So you're asking where I play...
At the CES Uniprise trade fair...

Asking about my gear? It's all Nike...

Oops... my bad... I was using Nike gear
before someone swiped my sneakers from the club locker room...👎

Oh yeah... everything is covered in those signs saying "we aren't responsible for lost items"... and sure, I get it... but seriously people... what am I supposed to do about my old sneakers that have already grown a decent little colony of blue and green mold?

Honestly, I can't believe the kind of people out there... and don't even try telling me that guy just "happened" to grab my shoes... (and hey, it's not like there were extra pairs lying around anyway)... plus, they cost me about $267...

Give me a break...

Anyway, listen up, everyone...
BRING ALL YOUR STUFF WITH YOU TO THE COURTS... EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SIGNS EVERYWHERE TELLING YOU TO BRING CLEAN, DRY GEAR... JUST IN CASE SOMEONE DECIDES TO SNATCH THE STUFF I LEAVE IN THE LOCKER ROOM AGAIN.

Badminton is... yeah, it's actually pretty decent😁
it's getting late....

Walter Garcia53 said:It’s playable! The racket is a Yonex Isometric 65 LT—totally decent for a casual player. Do I really need to waste my breath explaining that it doesn't feel sluggish and the shuttle flies like a bullet? No point.

🤣
👍

I'm at the trade fair right now, and I'm actually borrowing this racket from them since mine mysteriously vanished into thin air.
And man, it is packed. 😢
I started playing here six years ago and even then it was busy, but nothing like this madness.
Anyway, I mostly play doubles because it's way more fun, but right now I'm in a total bind because my long-time partner bailed on me due to work stuff. 😢
I can already see myself losing my mind trying to find someone else who actually "gets" my movement on the court. There's nothing worse than a partner who's playing checkers while you're playing chess.
I mix it up with some squash over at the local gym.
And to all those people who think badminton is just some easy little sport for girls 🙄 — I am officially challenging you to a match. 😈
There have been plenty of people who tried it and immediately had to eat their words and repent for their arrogance. 😁 😉

I’ve been using this cheap Victor for $43, and honestly, it’s done the job just fine for the ten or so times I’ve hit the courts at 🙂.
But now, I’m actually looking to upgrade to something decent. I’ve been doing the whole deep dive online, and it seems like the choice really boils down to Victor or Yonex—though Yonex is crazy expensive, and Victor is still a bit of a stretch. If you had the cash to burn, which one would you actually pull the trigger on?
Right now, my eyes are set on the Victor dual pipa 8000 hi fibre Magan.

I’ve been playing for about six months now, maybe once or twice a week. It’s not bad—honestly—but if I’m being real, my personal take is that the game feels a little limited. You don't really get this massive variety of shots or anything—that’s just my two cents, anyway. But man, it can get absolutely exhausting—it really can. It makes me wonder what it's actually like when you're out there playing competitively...

Arthur Lewis62 said:Now, let's pivot slightly to badminton. Where do you all actually go to play? What kind of gear are you running with? Any interesting links? I mean, anything at all regarding badminton that you think someone else on this forum might find useful or perhaps already knows...

Locations - CES Uniprise - B.C.Max - Pavilions 18, 20, 25
- Turbo Sheet Metal - Pavilion 24 (if I recall correctly)
- Concordia - Klanječki street equipment racket

Gear
Racket - Wilson N6
Shuttlecocks - depends on the day, mostly plastic since they last longer, Yonex Mavis 350
Good indoor sneakers - incredibly, incredibly, incredibly important
Other clothing - just whatever makes me feel comfortable, I guess

As for interesting links, I’d recommend this whole pile of stuff on YouTube - and also http://www.badmintoncentral.com

Best to everyone 😉

cosmicowl732 said:We've been playing about once or twice a week for half a year now. It isn't bad, I suppose, though my personal impression—and this is just how I feel—is that the game feels a bit limited. There isn't a massive variety of shots available. That's just my opinion, anyway. But it can be incredibly exhausting—it really can. I sometimes find myself thinking about what it must be like when you're actually playing competitively...

When it comes to badminton, there is actually a huge range of shots and movements you can make, I guess; it all depends on where you are and from what position you want to hit the shuttlecock... It comes with a lot of practice... 😉
And if you're asking if it's strenuous, man, it is absolutely brutal. 👍

I’m a huge fan of badminton. I play it all the time with my buddies, but there isn't a single decent court in Seattle. So, we just end up messing around with the shuttlecocks in the backyard or something. 😁

So, there’s a tournament happening at the convention center tomorrow http://www.turboliga.org/—just thought I'd mention it in case anyone's looking for something to do.

I used to play a fair amount of badminton back in the day, and let me tell you, it’s no joke if you actually want to win...

If you’re just playing for fun on the weekends, my best advice is to go out and grab a decent, lightweight racket. It makes a massive difference. Even a 10 or 20-gram difference feels like night and day once you're mid-match. It’s especially huge for the ladies who might not have as much raw power in their wrists. You don't need to drop $333 on it, but (correct me if I'm wrong here) you really want something under 100-110 grams. Seriously, just stay away from those cheap, clunky steel rackets they sell at big-box stores for $33.

wanderinghawk17 said:I played some competitive badminton back in the day. Let me tell you, it’s no joke if you actually want to win.

For anyone just playing for fun, do yourself a favor and grab a better, lighter racket. It makes a massive difference. A 10-20 gram shift is night and day. Especially for women who might not have raw power in their wrists. Doesn't need to cost $333, but—correct me if I'm wrong—it should be under 100-110 grams. Bottom line: stay away from those cheap steel junk rackets meant for $33.

I use one like that. I'm a woman, and everyone tells me mine is too heavy, but I don't feel it. I train hard with basketball, swimming, and a bit of rowing, so that racket feels like a feather to me.😁

Brenda Kelly28 said:I’ve got one just like that. I’m a woman, and everyone tells me this racket is way too heavy, but honestly? It doesn't feel that bad to me. I guess because I'm always training—lots of basketball, swimming, and a little rowing on the side—this thing feels light as a feather.😁

Until you try a lighter one, you won't realize how good this one actually is.

Nah, switching to a lighter model would just give you more speed, and in badminton #1, speed is everything. Besides, just borrow one from a friend and see how it feels...