I recently got a new racket. I knew that I wanted better strings than the factory ones it came with but I had no clue which would be the best badminton string for me.
I had just spent a bunch of time comparing rackets only to discover that it’s the same all over again with strings. I didn’t care about all the crazy details, I just wanted a good string that wasn’t too expensive.
That turned out to be tricky as “just wanting a good string” is like saying that I wanted a good racket: there are too many different options and the default just becomes something that doesn’t break too easily rather than enhances your game like it could.
I couldn’t tell at the time but I later discovered that while the shop was out of the string I wanted, the “better quality” one they gave me instead actually turned out to be a shitter one. Lesson learned.
This mini-guide is an attempt at making the guide I wish I had on selecting the best strings for badminton rackets without needing to become super technical or a professional stringer. I figured you might be interested as well.
If you’re an advanced player or like going deep on how to squeeze an extra few percent out to maximize your game, you’ll probably want something more in-depth than this.
The point behind this guide is to get your 85% of the way to the right strings without spending hours learning everything there is to know about them. Get good enough, move on, and experiment as you go.
You and I will first look at the best badminton strings based on four different player types, general details about them, and which badminton string tension might suit you best.
The best badminton strings for each player type
Let’s attempt to pick a reasonably good badminton string for your racket based on something you’re more familiar with than the technical details: your playing style.
Over time, you’ll want to experiment with different strings to find your favorite, especially when you change rackets.
Like with rackets, there are a few major brands that offer strings but some make it harder to find meaningful information than others. It’s a shame but that forces me to focus specifically on the best Yonex badminton strings until I’m able to find more information from the other brands.
Player type 1: the beginner
While the other types are based on playing style, this first category is a little different. As beginners, we are usually not sure about all the nuances of how we play or how we’d like to play, yet.
Instead, we’ll benefit from strings that don’t break as often (high durability) and are at an affordable price instead of offering better control and repulsion (power).
For this category, I’ve found four different options and underlined the ones that you might prefer (you might need a few options in case the shop is out of the first one).
The best badminton string for beginners:
- Yonex Nanogy 95
- Yonex Skyarc
- Yonex BG 65
- Yonex BG 65 Titanium
Player type 2: the smash attacker
Next, there’s the classic attacker. This type of player loves smashing and prefers to boost that aspect of the game. They’ll like a string that adds power (higher repulsion) to their game in exchange for medium-ish control and lower durability.
The best badminton string for attackers:
- Yonex BG80 (this string is popular worldwide. I’ve played with it and liked it a lot)
- Yonex BG66 Ultimax
- Yonex BG66 Force
- Yonex BG66 (all the BG66s are good, so pick whichever is cheaper near you)
- Yonex Exbolt 63
Player type 3: the controlled net player
The third player type is the net player who likes controlled and precise shots. They tend to want the opposite of the smasher above. Here you’ll need more control in the string for those precise tight net- and drop shots but you’ll have to exchange it for power and lower durability.
The best badminton string for net players:
- Yonex Aerobite
- Yonex Aerobite Boost
- Yonex Nanogy 99
Player type 4: the all-arounder
Last, but not least, we have the all-around player who isn’t a beginner but just doesn’t fall into any of the categories above.
If that’s you, you might like a hybrid string with medium to high power (repulsion), medium to high control, and sacrifice durability for performance. A hybrid string mixes two other strings to give you a bit of both but sacrifices extra gains in a certain area – just like the all-around player.
The best badminton string for all-around players:
- Yonex Aerobite Boost
- Yonex Aerobite
- Yonex BG80
Did you decide on your player type and preferred strings?
Next, let’s dive into a simple overview of a few key details in case you’d like to understand what the workers at your local shop talk about when you ask them about badminton strings.
3 key insights about badminton strings
These details are not meant to make you an expert in the best badminton strings but rather to give you a general lay of the land so you can get a sense of what exists in this world.
When looking for badminton strings, there are three categories to consider:
- Your skill level
- Budget
- String characteristics
Let’s jump right into the first item: your skill level.
Your skill level
As Badminton Insight points out in their video, some strings are better suited for beginners and others for advanced players. That is best broken down by the size of the string which is measured in millimeters.
- Beginner (0.70 MM or more)
- Intermediate (somewhere in between)
- Advanced (0.68 MM or less)
This helps determine how thick or thin you’ll want your strings to be and can serve as a general reference point if you’re buying online and aren’t sure if you’ve picked some that are good for your level.
Budget
Next is the budget and from what I can find online, there are three different price categories in general:
- High-end: $10/package
- Mid-range: $6/package
- Low-range: $5/package
These prices are in USD and are based on what I could find here in Vietnam, so they might be slightly different in your country but the idea is to get you a point of reference so you can choose if you prefer high-end, mid-range, or the cheapest option.
This was based on packages with enough string for one racket as if you’re purchasing a new badminton racket and want to replace the strings right away. It’s more affordable to buy long rolls of strings but for most players who get their racket strung somewhere, that isn’t relevant.
Badminton strings and characteristics
Last, we have the characteristics of the string–the important stuff. The four overarching categories are:
- Durability
- Repulsion (power and speed)
- Control
- Hybrid
This is where things get complex and like with the racket, it depends on your playing style and preferences but let’s do a brief rundown of them.
Durability is self-explanatory and refers to how long the strings tend to last. Repulsion (or “quick repulsion” on Yonex’s newer packages) refers to the power and speed the string can help generate. Control is all about the hold of the shuttle, which is what happens during the contact point between your racket and the shuttle.
Finally, hybrid is a combination of the above often with the intention of combining for example durability and repulsion.
Up until now, you and I have been looking at getting strings that strengthen your playing style such as increasing power for attacking and smash-prone players.
The problem is that it can lead to one-trick pony syndrome and make you look like a 2D character from a movie with just one signature move. It becomes predictable.
For example, imagine that you max out all your racket and string attributes for power like it was a video game: get the most powerful racket with the most power-prone strings at the highest string tension. If you’ve got the skills to master it, you’ll land some killer smash winners but soon the opponent will predict what’s coming, adapt and find a way to close your attacks down. It’s not like a fireball burning a hole in their racket.
This is a common approach but some players choose to go in the other direction and pick a racket and strings that support their weaknesses.
There are a number of pro doubles players with a killer smash who don’t use a head heavy racket due to the defensive capabilities they can get out of other racket types instead. This is possible due to their technical skills, so they are less dependent on the racket to help.
With badminton strings, there are several options within each of these categories depending on your budget and skill level. This is where things get technical and if you want to geek out on the best badminton string, I’ll leave you with an in-depth video instead of diving into that in this article.
Badminton string tension: gain an extra boost in your shots
One powerful aspect of strings is string tension. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I increased the tension on my strings as I was able to generate more power and length on my shot quite easily.
But as with many other things, it’s a balance because the higher the tension, the more likely the strings are to break and the more skill they require to master since the sweet spot you’ll need to hit gets smaller, so it’s not as simple as just getting the highest tension possible.
The first time you get your racket restrung from the factory strings, you’ll notice a remarkable difference. In most cases, you’ll be able to produce more power with better sound and less effort as factory strings are typically shitty and the tension set low because it’s easier to play with.
Replacing the strings and tension is one of the first things you’ll wanna do to get a boost in your performance but there are many different options that can make things confusing. As with the rest of this guide, I’ll attempt to make this simple and string forward for those of us who don’t want to become an expert but just want the easy gains.
When it comes to badminton string tension, there is no single best string tension as it depends on how much each racket can withstand before breaking. Typically, rackets aimed at beginners can withstand less tension simply because the players rarely need it and it’s not on their radar.
For example, my old beginner (garden) racket could withstand tension from 9-10 KGs (20-22 lbs), while my current Yonex Astrox 77 Play can handle 9-12.5 KGs (20-28 lbs) but Viktor Axelsen plays with 14×15 KGs (31×33 lbs).
The two numbers represent vertical and horizontal string tension but when you get yours done, the stringer or shop will be able to help recommend something specific for your racket. I’ve found that just using one number tends to be fine if you don’t know what you prefer yet.
In fact, if you don’t know and are around the beginner or intermediate level, 10 KGs will likely be the best badminton string tension to start with as you’ll need to experiment to find your preferences anyway.
If you’re curious about what tension your racket supports, you’ll usually be able to find it printed directly on the racket just above the handle. Alternatively, you’ll often be able to find it online.
Takeaways
- Badminton strings are an important part of your game and some argue they are even more important than the racket itself
- The stringing jungle can feel overwhelmingly detailed and not like something you’ll want to dive into right now. The simplest way to find the best badminton strings for you is to determine it based on your playing style
- Badminton string tension is an important factor to help your game as you’ll often be able to get extra length and power on your shots simply by increasing the tension but it comes at the expense of them breaking more easily
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