Shuttlecocks - What To Buy & What To Avoid

Summary

This video offers a comprehensive guide to choosing the right feather shuttlecock for badminton, highlighting the advantages over plastic and hybrid alternatives. It covers key factors to consider, such as shuttle speed, price, durability, and feel, with a comparative test of 10 different shuttle types at various price points. The video demonstrates that while expensive shuttles tend to be more durable and accurate, the choice should align with personal play style and level, with the Victor Master Ace and Yonex AS50 emerging as top performers.

Takeaways

• 🚀 The video aims to help viewers choose the right type of shuttle for badminton, focusing on feather shuttles which are used by 68% of the audience.
• 💰 Feather shuttles have two main disadvantages: they are less durable and more expensive compared to plastic and hybrid alternatives.
• 🎯 Feather shuttles offer advantages such as better control, feel, and sound, which can outweigh the disadvantages for many players.
• 🔢 There are five categories of shuttle speed ranging from 75 (slowest) to 79 (fastest), with Yonex using a different system from speed 1 to 5.
• ⛰ The choice of shuttle speed depends on factors like altitude and temperature, with slower speeds preferred in hot or high-altitude conditions.
• 💸 The price of shuttles can vary significantly, with one tube of 12 shuttles ranging from less than 15 pounds to over 35 pounds.
• 🔨 Durability is a key factor, influenced by the player's skill level, style of play, and storage conditions of the shuttles.
• 👋 The feel and control of the shuttle are important, affecting how it behaves during play and whether it wobbles or bobs.
• 📊 The video includes a comparison test of 10 types of shuttles at different price points, assessing durability and accuracy.
• 🏸 The most expensive shuttles, such as the Victor Master Ace and Yonex AS50, showed better durability and shape retention after 500 hits.
• 🎯 The accuracy test indicated that higher-priced shuttles allowed for more consistent and higher-quality shots.
• 🌐 The video creators use the Victor Master Ace for their training, noting its longer-lasting performance and suitability for competition.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is to help viewers decide on the best type of shuttles to use in badminton, focusing on feather shuttles, and discussing factors to consider when purchasing them.

Why is choosing the right shuttle not as simple as one might think?

Choosing the right shuttle is complex due to various factors such as shuttle speed, price, durability, and feel and control, which can affect performance differently depending on playing conditions and personal preferences.

What are the three main types of shuttles mentioned in the video?

The three main types of shuttles mentioned are feather, plastic, and a newer hybrid type.

What percentage of people use feather shuttles according to the video?

According to the video, 68% of people use feather shuttles.

What are the two main disadvantages of feather shuttles compared to plastics and hybrids?

The two main disadvantages of feather shuttles are their durability and cost.

What are the four main features to consider when buying feather shuttles?

The four main features to consider are shuttle speed, price, durability, and the feel and control of the shuttle.

How many different categories of shuttle speed are there, and what is the range?

There are five different categories of shuttle speed, ranging from 75 (slowest) to 79 (fastest).

How does playing at different altitudes and temperatures affect the choice of shuttle speed?

Playing at high altitudes or in hot temperatures can speed up the shuttle, so a slower speed (76 or 77) is preferred. Conversely, in colder or more air-conditioned environments, or below sea level, one might opt for a faster speed like 78 or 79.

What is the price range for a tube of 12 shuttles mentioned in the video?

The price for a tube of 12 shuttles can range from less than 15 pounds to up to 35 pounds.

What tests were conducted to evaluate the shuttles' durability and accuracy?

The tests conducted included a durability test where each shuttle was hit 500 times in various drills, and an accuracy test involving 20 lifts, 20 net shots, 20 serves, and 20 smashes with each shuttle.

Which shuttles were found to be the most durable and accurate in the tests?

The most expensive shuttles, the Victor Master Ace and Yonex AS50, were found to be the most durable and accurate, holding their shape and providing better control for accurate shots.

What is the recommendation for practice shuttles in relation to competition shuttles?

It is recommended to practice with the same shuttles used in competitions to get accustomed to their feel, especially if many international tournaments use a particular type like the Master Ace.

What is the stance of the video creators on synthetic shuttles?

The video creators are keeping a close eye on the adoption of new synthetic shuttles and will update viewers on their performance and suitability.

Outlines

00:00

🏸 Feather Shuttle Selection Guide

This paragraph introduces the complexity of choosing the right shuttle for badminton, focusing on feather shuttles which are preferred by 68% of players. The video aims to help viewers decide by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of feather shuttles, including durability and cost. It also outlines the importance of shuttle speed, which is categorized from 75 to 79, and how altitude and temperature affect the choice. The paragraph sets the stage for a comparison test of over 10 types of shuttles at various prices.

05:04

📊 Comprehensive Shuttle Testing and Analysis

The second paragraph delves into the testing process of different shuttles, emphasizing the importance of shuttle speed, price, durability, and feel. It describes a durability test involving hitting each shuttle 500 times and an accuracy test to evaluate performance. The paragraph also mentions that the tests are not scientific but are conducted fairly and consistently. It provides insights into the performance of shuttles from various brands at different price points, highlighting the differences in durability and accuracy.

10:06

🏅 Results and Recommendations from Shuttle Testing

The final paragraph summarizes the findings from the shuttle tests, noting that more expensive shuttles tend to be less fluffy and maintain their shape better after 500 shots. It discusses the accuracy test results, where cheaper shuttles were found to be less controlled and consistent, especially in net shots and serves. The paragraph concludes with personal recommendations, disclosing a sponsorship by Victor for the Master Ace shuttles, and suggests that players should practice with the same shuttles they use in competitions for familiarity.

Keywords

💡Shuttles

Shuttles, in the context of this video, refer to the small, lightweight projectile used in the sport of badminton. They are critical to the game, influencing play dynamics due to their speed and flight characteristics. The video discusses different types of shuttles, focusing on feather shuttles, which are preferred by 68% of players for their control and feel, despite their lower durability and higher cost compared to plastic or hybrid alternatives.

💡Feather Shuttles

Feather shuttles are a type of badminton shuttlecock made with natural goose feathers. They are known for providing a superior feel and sound during play, as well as better control due to their natural flight characteristics. The video emphasizes the advantages of feather shuttles, such as the control and sound they offer, which are considered to outweigh their disadvantages in terms of durability and cost.

💡Durability

Durability, in this script, refers to the longevity and resilience of the shuttles during gameplay. It is a key factor when choosing shuttles, as feather shuttles are generally less durable than plastic or hybrid ones. The video mentions that the durability can be influenced by factors such as the level of play, style of play, and storage conditions, with the most expensive shuttles showing better durability in their tests.

💡Cost

Cost is a significant consideration when selecting shuttles. The video outlines a range of prices for a tube of 12 shuttles, from less than 15 pounds to up to 35 pounds. It suggests that while more expensive shuttles may offer better durability and performance, they are not necessarily three times as good as cheaper options, indicating a need for players to balance cost with quality.

💡Shuttle Speed

Shuttle speed categorizes the flight speed of shuttlecocks, with numbers ranging from 75 (slowest) to 79 (fastest). The video explains that the choice of shuttle speed depends on playing conditions, such as altitude and temperature. For example, slower shuttles are preferred in high-altitude or hot conditions to counteract the increased speed of the shuttle in the air.

💡Altitude

Altitude is the height above sea level at which the game is played and has a direct impact on the shuttle's flight. The video mentions that higher altitudes or hot temperatures can speed up the shuttle, thus affecting its trajectory and speed, and players may need to choose slower-speed shuttles to compensate for these conditions.

💡Temperature

Temperature affects the air density and, consequently, the flight of the shuttlecock. The video script notes that in hotter conditions or at high altitudes, shuttles tend to travel faster, which may lead players to opt for slower-speed shuttles to maintain consistent gameplay.

💡Durability Test

A durability test is conducted by hitting each shuttle 500 times using various drills to assess how long each shuttle lasts before it becomes unusable. The video uses this test to compare the longevity of shuttles at different price points, finding that more expensive shuttles tend to maintain their shape and functionality longer.

💡Accuracy Test

An accuracy test is performed to evaluate how well the shuttles allow for precise shots. The video describes a test involving 20 lifts, net shots, serves, and smashes with each shuttle to determine if more expensive shuttles contribute to better shot accuracy and control during gameplay.

💡Fluffing Up

Fluffing up refers to the wear and deformation of the shuttle's feathers after repeated use, which can affect the shuttle's aerodynamics and performance. The video script uses this term to describe the condition of shuttles after the durability test, noting that cheaper shuttles tend to fluff up more quickly, impacting their flight and playability.

💡Mishit

A mishit occurs when a player fails to make solid contact with the shuttlecock, often resulting in damage to the shuttle, such as broken feathers. The video mentions that mishits can significantly impact shuttle durability, with the testers noting that none of the more expensive shuttles broke feathers during their testing, suggesting a possible correlation between shuttle quality and mishit resistance.

Highlights

The video aims to help viewers decide which type of shuttle to use for badminton, focusing on feather shuttles which are used by 68% of players.

Feather shuttles offer advantages such as control, feel, and sound, but have disadvantages in durability and cost.

Shuttle speed is categorized into five levels, affecting play based on altitude and temperature.

Yonex uses a unique speed system from 1 (slowest) to 5 (fastest), differing from the standard 75 to 79 scale.

Choosing the right shuttle speed depends on playing conditions such as temperature and altitude.

The price of shuttles varies significantly, with a 12-shuttle tube ranging from under 15 pounds to over 35 pounds.

Durability of shuttles is influenced by player skill level, style of play, and storage conditions.

Feel and control of the shuttle refer to its performance and whether it wobbles or bobs during play.

A comparison test of 10 types of shuttles at different prices was conducted to evaluate durability and accuracy.

Durability testing involved hitting each shuttle 500 times to see how long they lasted.

Accuracy testing assessed whether expensive shuttles helped players hit more accurate shots.

The cheapest shuttles lost their shape more easily and fluffed up, affecting play.

More expensive shuttles like the Victor Master Ace and Yonex AS50 provided better feel and control for accurate shots.

Some shuttles, despite being speed 78, played faster than others, such as the Babolat twos and Forza VIPs.

The Victor Master Ace shuttles were the choice for the creators' own training due to their longevity and feel.

The adoption of new synthetic shuttles is being monitored for future updates.

Transcripts

There's a lot of choice when it comes to shuttles  but what should you be using? Well in this video  

we're going to help you with that decision as  it's not as simple as you might think so we're  

going to break down the different types of feather  shuttles look at the features you need to consider  

before buying do a comparison test of over 10  types of shuttles at different prices and we'll 

also share what we use so let's get straight into  it so there are three different types of shuttles  

feathers plastic and a newer hybrid but 68% of  you use feather shuttles so that's what we're  

going to focus on in this video and that's also  where our expertise lies as we've used feather  

shuttles from a lot of different brands over  the last 20 years in training clubs coaching  

and professional tournaments! Now there are two  big disadvantages of feather shuttles compared to  

Plastics and even hybrids one is the durability  and the second is the cost but we'll come back  

to both of those later in the video but there are  some big advantages which in our opinion outweigh  

the disadvantages these are the control you can  get the feel of your strings and the amazing sound  

and with the right shuttle if you can avoid Miss  hitting it we found that it can easily last a one  

hour session but that's a key phrase the right  shuttle so let's move on to the features you need  

to consider when deciding what feather shuttles  you should buy because there's a lot of choice  

out there so we've got four main features you need  to consider and first is the shuttle speed there  

are actually five different categories of shuttle  speed going from 75 which is the slowest up to 79  

which is the fastest and to make it slightly more  confusing Brands like Yonex use their own system  

where speed 1 is the slowest going up to speed 5  which is the fastest so which speed is best? Well  

it depends on a few things but most importantly  the altitude you're playing at and the temperature  

so if you're playing in really hot temperatures  or high altitudes these playing conditions tend  

to speed up the shuttle so you would opt  for a slower 76 or 77 speed or in extreme  

circumstances the 75. If you don't do this then  you might be one wondering why your smash feels  

10 times more powerful or why all of your shots  are flying out the back! On the other end of the spectrum

you'd opt for speed 78 or 79 if you're  playing in colder or more air-conditioned calls  

or you're below sea level but generally the most  common speeds are 77 and 78. okay moving on the  

second factor to consider is the price one tube of  12 shuttles can cost up to 35 pounds but you can  

get tubes for less than 15 pounds and stay tuned  to the next section of this video to see how much  

better these expensive shuttles actually are! The  third feature to consider is the durability how  

long does each shuttle typically last for? Well  this can depend on a few things the level you  

play at as beginners tend to mishit the shot or  more meaning they break more feathers the style  

of play as if you hit lots of powerful drives and  smashes the shuttles won't last as long and the  

storage conditions for example if we're leaving  shuttles in a really dry space then the feathers  

can dry out and become brittle which again again  reduces how long they last the fourth feature to  

consider is the feel and control of the shuttle  what we mean by this is how does it feel when you  

play with it does this shuttle wobble and bobble? Some new shuttles might feel like they're coming  

off your racket really weirdly and it's hard  to play accurate shots so keeping these four  

features in mind with over 50 different types of  shuttles on the market what should you actually  

buy and how much better are the 35 pound tubes  compared to the cheaper ones? Well we're now  

going to compare 10 types of shuttles at various  price points ranging from just five pounds per  

tube all the way up to 35 pounds for each shuttle  we're going to do two tests a durability test if  

we hit each shuttle 500 times in a variety of  drills how long will they last? And an accuracy  

test are the expensive shuttles going to help you  play better and more accurate shots? And a couple  

of quick disclaimers before we get started these  aren't scientific tests because we're not robots  

but we'll do our best to test all of the shuttles  both fairly and consistently also we're obviously  

not going to test all of the shuttles you can buy  worldwide but we've tried to choose a selection  

from different well-known brands that we could  get at different price points here in the UK and  

they're all speed 78. okay disclaimers out of the  way let's get started with a five pound tube from  

Drafon all right this tube is kind of a joke we  actually bought this from a supermarket in Kuala  

Lumpur as we couldn't believe a tube of feather  shuttles was this cheap but we opened them and

it gave us a good laugh but we're not going to  bother testing them they've already failed both tests!

Now let's go into the testing!  

okay first up we have the yelex tournament

shuttles at 16 pounds per tube so to test  the durability of each shuttle we're doing  

150 shots of rear mid 100 shots of net t's 150  shots of defence and 100 shots of drop push  

after hitting the shuttle 500 times you can  see it's no longer circular and the feathers  

are a bit fluffed up okay next up is the  Li Ning g800 which was 17 pounds for the tube

okay the leading g800 didn't break and it  held its shape quite well but it went so  

fluffy this one's fluffed up a lot and  we've still got 150 shots to go when  

it gets this fluffy it means the shuttle  massively slows down and it feels really  

different to how a brand new one would which  can be quite hard to deal with in a match  

okay tube number three is the Babolat  number twos at 19 pounds per tube

okay we've got a bit of a Feather  breakage there right at the end of  

the 500 shots next we have the  Yonex as30 at 22 pounds per tube

our first change after only 150 shots  it's not broken like a feather's not  

broken but it's completely  misshapen [Applause] [Music]  

the second as30 held its shape much better for the  remaining 350 shots but that might be because we'd  

finished all of the Smashing and it's worth noting  that neither of us have mishit any shuttles so far  

which is often what causes the feathers to break!  Next up Forza VIP at 24 pounds per tube

another shuttle that's squashed and it's not  flying properly at all so we're gonna have to change it

one thing we're noticing with all  of the shuttles we've tested so far is that  

they're losing their shape quite easily and  fluffing up a lot we wonder if this is going  

to continue happening with the more expensive  shuttles and by the way for those wondering yes  

we have paid for all of the shuttles used in this  video so if you're enjoying it and want to help  

support the channel then check out our Patreon  where you can also access lots of benefits we'll  

leave a link in the description below! Our next  tube is the Yonex as40 at 26 pounds a tube

after 150 shots this is definitely the least  fluffy we've had so far and here's the shuttle  

at the end of the 500 shots next we have  Victor gold champion at 30 pounds per tube

after hitting this shuttle500 times it's

held it shape very well and just had one small  break to this feather here next tube is a Yonex  

as50 at 32 pounds a tube that's double  the price of the first tube we tested ah

so as you can see the Yonex as50 has kept its  shape and all the feathers are intact next is  

the Victor Master Ace at 35 pounds per tube 

after hitting this shuttle 500 times the master 

Ace hasn't really fluffed up and has held its  shape really well so are the shuttles that are  

two times more expensive than others two times as  durable? Well we found they were half as fluffy and  

the two most expensive were definitely in the  best condition after 500 shots whilst we didn't  

completely break any feathers as we didn't miss  hit many shots we did notice that the cheapest  

shuttles lost their shape a lot easier but what  about the accuracy? Will the expensive shuttles  

help us play better and more accurate shots? To  test this we're going to hit 20 lifts 20 net  

shots 20 serves and 20 smashes with each shuttle 

Okay so we've just finished the accuracy test and  

generally we noticed that the shuttles at the  cheaper end bobbled more and we felt like we  

had less control especially with our net shots and  serves with the more expensive shuttles like the  

master Ace and as50s we both felt we could play  higher quality and more consistent shots we also  

noticed that even though they were all speed  78's the Babolat twos and the forza VIPs  

were quite a bit quicker as we mentioned at the  start of this video we've used a lot of different  

shuttles from a lot of different brands and for  our own training we used the Victor Master Ace  

full disclosure we are sponsored by Victor but for  us we found these last over three times as long as  

various other cheaper ones and of course aren't  three times the price it's also worth mentioning  

that if you can it's better to practice with  shuttles that you compete with to get used  

to the feel of the shuttle a lot of international  tournaments use the Master Ace so this works well  

for us but if you choose what shuttles you play  your matches with then we'd recommend trying these  

tests out yourself maybe try a more expensive tube  and see how much longer this lasts for you because  

as we've said the durability depends on your level  and playing style. If the shuttle lasts double as  

9 hours for this video then please give it a like  and also we're keeping a close eye on the adoption  

of the new synthetic shuttles which we'll of course  keep you updated on so make sure you SMASH the  

Subscribe button so you don't miss out on that  and we'll see you on another video very soon :-)