Having trouble deciding which is the best badminton shuttlecock? With this article, you will know all about the vital aspects of badminton shuttles.
Being not that taxing on your body, it’s no wonder that badminton has become one of the most popular sports. Many people play this sport to keep in shape. However, these days it has become much more challenging to get your hands on the best badminton shuttlecock.
The number of people playing badminton recreationally far outweighs those who play it professionally. Among them, there are many unique needs and requirements, leading to lots of badminton shuttles circulating around the market.
Consequently, picking out the perfect shuttlecock for your own situation requires external help, which we offer with this article.
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Top 10 Best Badminton Shuttlecock For Professional Practice And Competition 2022
#1. Yonex Mavis 2000 Nylon Badminton Shuttlecock – Best All-Around
I believe that the Yonex Mavis 2000 Nylon Badminton Shuttlecock is the best all-around option on this list. The main reason for this belief is its highly precise nature as well as incredible durability.
While other badminton shuttlecocks either sacrifice precision for durability or vice versa, this shuttlecock has the best of both worlds. It is four to five times more durable than normal badminton shuttlecocks yet still possesses accurate flight performance.
The one minus of this otherwise perfect shuttlecock is the fact that it requires a specific natural environment to last. If you play the wrong type of this shuttlecock at the wrong temperature, it will get damaged quickly.
Pros
- Highly durable
- High precision flight
- Quick recovery
Cons
- Requires specific temperatures
#2. Yonex Mavis 300 Nylon Shuttlecocks 1/2 Dozen – Best Value
Providing you with a total of 3 packages containing exactly 18 shuttles, the Yonex Mavis 300 Nylon Shuttlecock is genuinely worth the best value title. Of course, there are options on this list offering even more shuttles, but their qualities do suffer.
Aside from the impressive quantity, the Yonex Mavis 300 does have some additional benefits. For instance, there is the cork-based design, which is only used for tournament shuttlecocks. Therefore, you can practice with the same equipment as the pros.
This shuttlecock does, however, have the same issue as the Yonex Mavis 2000. Namely, it needs specific temperature conditions to last a long time.
Pros
- Huge quantity
- Cork-based design
- Good visibility
Cons
- Each variant requiring a specific temperature
#3. Carlton Badminton Shuttles – Best Consistent Flight
The most significant advantage that the Carlton Badminton Shuttles hold over competitors in this article is how consistent they can fly. The reason for this feature is the high-quality synthetic cork. People who have experience playing badminton know just how crucial a consistent flight is.
In addition, you can freely play these shuttles outdoor without having to worry about not seeing them. This feature is possible thanks to a contrast between the yellow borders with the white feather.
On the other hand, you will notice that the Carlton shuttles feel a bit heavier than other shuttles when hit. Due to this, players can accidentally make mistakes.
Pros
- Consistent flight
- Good visibility
- Sturdy base
Cons
- Heavy when hit
#4. Ohuhu LED Badminton Birdies – Best Speed
Each shuttlecock of the Ohuhu LED Badminton Birdies only weighs 0.24 oz. This weight, coupled with how quickly the base can restore after a hit, means that these shuttlecocks can travel quickly. In fact, I am confident that they are the fastest on this list.
Also, they are all LED shuttlecocks, meaning you can play badminton even in the dark. All you need to do is lightly pressing a button at the cork’s back, and the birdy will light up.
As these are designed for beginners and amateurs to have fun with, the creators didn’t focus that much on precision. For this reason, experienced players will feel a little bit frustrated playing with them.
Pros
- High speed
- LED light
- Durable
Cons
- Low precision
#5. ZHENAN LED Badminton Shuttlecocks – Best LED Light
While the Ohuhu LED shuttlecocks also have LED lights, they are no match to the ZHENAN LED Badminton Shuttlecocks in this aspect. The LED lights of these shuttlecocks are SMD lamps, meaning they are much safer.
Another benefit of using these shuttlecocks is that they can last for quite a while, thanks to their durable construction. Add to this the nylon fiber, and you get some unusually tough shuttlecocks.
There is only one problem within these shuttlecocks that I was able to determine the fast-changing color. Instead of designing the shuttlecocks to stay in one color, ZHENAN made it so that the colors change quickly. This feature can be dizzying for some people.
Pros
- Bright LED lights
- Long-lasting
- Durable
Cons
- Colors changing too fast
#6. Champion Sports Nylon Outdoor Shuttlecocks – Best Durability
Playing badminton for a while can open your eyes to lots of things, like how quick a shuttlecock can break. This is no longer an issue if you get the Champion Sports Outdoor Shuttlecocks, thanks to its incredibly durable construction.
In addition to the nylon construction, these shuttlecocks also have a nylon base that can quickly spring back after being hit. Due to this interaction, the shuttle can fly faster than most competitors, providing you with an exciting experience.
As far as weaknesses go, I find that their top feeling more like styrofoam than rubber severely weakens these shuttles. If its top is too light, a shuttle cannot fly straight, which is precisely what happens here.
Pros
- Amazingly durable
- Bouncy base
- Fast speed
Cons
- Easily going astray
#7. Yonex AS-10 Shuttlecocks – Best Feather
Utilizing only 100% solid goose feathers, Yonex has equipped the Yonex AS-10 with arguably the best feather across this list. Thanks to these feathers, the shuttlecock will go where you want to go, as their wind resistance is relatively high.
Each of these shuttlecocks can and will move almost the same way, thanks to Yonex’s precision-focus manufacturing process. Essentially, all shuttlecocks have the same speed, performance, and potential distance. This feature is essential for experienced players.
Nonetheless, there is still one significant disadvantage within these shuttlecocks. They are not as sturdy as the other options on this list. All it takes is some intense swings, and they will become tattered.
Pros
- High-quality feathers
- Uniform quality
- Stable flight
Cons
- Not sturdy
#8. Echelon E100 White Badminton Shuttlecocks – Best For New Players
Thanks to having a synthetic base of durable nylon construction, the Echelon E100 Badminton Shuttlecocks has the best response. To be more specific, it takes less than 0.02 seconds after a hit for the base to spring back.
This feature, coupled with the medium speed these shuttles travel at, makes them excellent choices for new or young players. After all, these players are weak at controlling their force, so a bouncy yet not that fast shuttle is ideal.
If Echelon manages to fix the problem of the feathers, these shuttles can move up the ranking quite a bit. As of right now, the feathers fall apart too quickly.
Pros
- Springy
- Reasonable travel speed
- Durable base
Cons
- Weak feathers
#9. HIRALIY 24 Pack Nylon Badminton Shuttlecocks – Best Accuracy
The HIRALIY 24 Pack Nylon Badminton Shuttlecocks have a heavy base alongside some tough feathers. Due to this reason, they can travel precisely the way you want, as no wind pressure can change their course. This kind of accuracy is simply incomparable across the list.
Obviously, having such a heavy base means that the travel speed of these birdies is on a whole new level. If you want to feel the satisfaction of a fast-paced match, these shuttles can satisfy that itch.
However, they are not really of the best quality, so you will find the shuttle breaking after some days. To make up for this disadvantage, HIRALIY sends you a total of 24 pieces.
Pros
- High accuracy
- High speed
- 24 pieces in a pack
Cons
- Easily tattered
#10. YONEX Mavis 350 Badminton Nylon Shuttlecock – Best Versatility
All the other options on this list have a common weakness, they can only be used in specific weather conditions. This is not too big of a problem for the YONEX Mavis 350. YONEX has introduced two more variants to them, ensuring both playability and durability in many situations.
Mavis 350 shuttlecocks are only inferior to the Echelon E100 when it comes to the base reaction after each hit. To be more specific, the recovery of these shuttles is only 0.008 seconds slower than that of Echelon E100 shuttles.
The one thing that I am not pleased about these shuttlecocks is how hard it is to store them. If you do not keep the shuttles’ cork facing down in storage, there will be some problems with accuracy.
Pros
- Three available temperature variants
- Fast base recovery
Cons
- Hard to store it properly
How To Pick The Best Badminton Shuttlecock
Now that you have gone through all the recommendations I put together, I figure that you would like some help. After all, seeing all 10 options at once can be a little bit overwhelming. So, here are some pointers that you should keep in mind to get the best badminton shuttlecock.
#1. Expertise Level
An experienced player should never play with the same badminton shuttlecock as a new/young player, no matter the circumstance.
You see, when someone is new to playing badminton, they are still not familiar with controlling their own strength. Therefore, the best badminton shuttlecock for them should be plastic ones, which are strong and long-lasting. The player can be as challenging as they want with these.
As for intermediate badminton players, they tend to have much stronger stroke strength, yet they also require lots of comforts. For this reason, it is better for them to use nylon plastic shuttles.
Finally, experienced players can control their strikes much better with improved accuracy. They are also much gentler to the cork, so they can enjoy all the benefits of the delicate feather shuttles.
***Read more: Top 5 Best Badminton Rackets For Advanced and Professional Players
#2. Feather Cork
No matter which type of cork you start with, eventually, there will be a point where feather cork is a must-have.
At the end of the day, there is nothing else as suited for badminton as a feathered cork. Their bouncy and soft bottom, coupled with the symmetrically pinned feathers, make for the best response.
A good feather cork’s bottom and feathers should be so close they almost overlap. There must be a hollow area between each feather, ensuring that the classic mid-air cork rotation will happen. With this kind of arrangement, the cork can travel further.
The best type of feather for these kinds of cork is generally goose feathers due to their tough nature. You should see six feathers in an ideally arranged feather cork.
#3. Weight And Speed
There is just no denying it, badminton is all about agility and speed. You can rely on beautiful footwork or amazing racket placement, but they will not carry you all the way.
Ultimately, the winner of this game is more often than not one who is more agile. So, if your own agility is not enough, you can consider enlisting the help of the best badminton shuttlecocks. They typically have unique material, weight, or even feather numbers.
To increase the cork speed as much as possible, the most vital aspect is its weight. The heavier a cork is, the faster it will travel. In general, cork has five weight classes, numbered 1 to 5, with 1 being the lightest and 5 the heaviest.
Aside from the speed boost, the weight can also stabilize the cork if you are playing in colder regions. In these regions, the air is so dense, lighter corks will always lose their momentum. For these cases, you can still play naturally if you have a No.4 or No.5 cork.
In the same vein, the No.3 corks are meant for a badminton game at sea level. No.1 and No.2 are best for places higher than sea level.
***Read more: Top 8 Best Badminton Shoes for Players of All Levels in 2022
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Best Brand Of Shuttlecock?
These days, the sports industry focuses completely on specialization, each brand will only develop what they are the best at. As a result, these days it has become hard to single out a top-tier among the best badminton shuttlecock brands.
For now, the two best brands on the market are Yonex and RSL, and each of them has a unique strength.
How Do I Choose A Badminton Shuttlecock?
There are many factors that you can look at to pick the best badminton shuttlecock.
For example, the air density in your area is too high can make lighter shuttles lose their momentum. So, you will need a heavier one if you want to play below sea level.
How Many Types Of Badminton Are There?
In total, there are a total of five types of badminton: Women’s Singles as well as Women’s Doubles, Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, and Mixed doubles. Each of these has its own unique rules and playstyle.
Conclusion
After reading through our buying guide, we hope that you are now confident enough to make your own choice. Remember that each of the options we present has a situation where they would be the best badminton shuttlecock possible.
If your situation does not apply, you can check out the Yonex Mavis 2000 Nylon Badminton Shuttlecock. It is the most well-rounded option, after all.