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Best Badminton String Reviews
It is entirely crucial to use the right badminton strings so that you can maximize your performance to win in games. Apart from that, having the most suitable strings is vital because re-stringing your badminton racket can be quite expensive.
Indeed, different kinds of strings have different purposes during a game. As a result, you should select the string that matches your playing technique.
Different levels of play (beginners, intermediate, advanced and professional) require different types of strings. In this very article, we take a look at some of the best badminton strings that are both good and cost-effective.
Top 10 Best Badminton String Review
The Yonex BG 80 is definitely among the best Yonex badminton strings. It is suitable for consistent performers who know their rackets very well. This is due to the fact that it is quite thick and has a smaller sweet point. It is thicker than the Yonex BG 66 String, and its sweet point is also more concentrated.
The concentrated sweet point is advantageous as it inserts added power into your swings when the shuttle reaches it. The Yonex BG 80 is liked by many due to its power. The thickness also makes it very durable. It is easier to achieve more accurate swings with thicker strings than thinner ones.
On the downside, thicker strings are not efficient for slicing. The BG 80 is well suited to help doubles players achieve potent swings from the back of the playing field.
If you’re a badminton player who likes to take forceful and consistent shots, then the Yonex BG 80 string is what you may just need. This is a significant investment.
Pros
- Concentrated sweet spot makes it produce powerful shots.
- Thicker strings are more durable.
- Offers great accuracy.
- Great for powerful and consistent strokes.
Cons
- Being a thick string, it is not suitable for slicing.
This badminton string positively gets a good Yonex badminton string review due to its high performance.
The BG 65 is also amid the best Yonex badminton strings for 2018. It allows the player to produce very accurate shots. In addition to that, you will be able to save loads of money on your racket stringing as the BG 65 is very durable.
This is a great string for female players who carry out technical and control swings during mixed doubles plays. It is suitable for precision play.
However, the Yonex BG 65 is very thick and has a tiny sweet point. Due to this, it is very hard to produce good power with it. Beginners should probably avoid this string as it is super complicated to generate power with the BG 65. A full power smash is impossible with this string.
Pros
- Perfect for technical and control shots.
- Being a thick string, the Yonex BG 65 is very durable and thus cost-effective.
- Suitable for precision play.
- Provides accurate shots.
Cons
- Its excessively small sweet spot is very thick, as a result, it seems tough to produce power with this string.
In spite of a few flaws, the BG 65 is still an excellent badminton string that is great for you, especially if you’re into precision plays.
The BG 80 200m is yet another string that receives a good Yonex badminton string review. It features an oval Vectran that is braided and can retain tension. This helps in maximizing the durability of the string. This is a great string that is not only efficient but also cost effective. You should not hesitate to try it.
It is an extremely strong and long-lasting Vectran-fiber string that offers perfect repulsion performance and sensitive control. It is very soft as well on impact. A 200m reel can string about 20-22 rackets, and each racket needs around 10m of string.
Pros
- Offers excellent durability, which means you will save a lot of money on your racket stringing.
- It is a solid string that offers great power.
- Delivers incredible repulsion performance as you play.
- Feels soft on impact.
- The roughness of the string provides incredible control.
Cons
None
The Yonex BG 80 200m has received transcendent critiques from its users. Its rough texture is great, particularly for those players who do not like slippery strings. Many users are satisfied with the roughness of the string as it gives excellent control. Net and drop shots, together with power plays are quite decent with this string.
The Ashaway Zymax 62 is a great badminton string that is made with excellent materials. BETA Polymer Technology is embedded into it to deliver superior dynamic stiffness and high repulsion performance. You can’t go wrong with this racket string.
The ZyweaVe TM core in the string prevents loss of tension and enhances the strength and durability. There’s also the ZyMax 62 Fire that makes the series great for ultimate repulsion. The Ashaway 62 is suitable for both professional and amateur badminton players. It is very colorful as well as it comes in Fire orange and Ivory white.
Pros
- It has the ability to hold a lot of tension.
- Offers great durability, which means that it is cost-effective.
- Provides awesome repulsion.
- Stringing the ZM62 Fire is quite easy.
Cons
- Some users have complained that the string tends to move a lot during smashes. This is because of the rough texture that the string remains in a deflected state after it is served. On the other hand, a smooth string will quickly slip back into its original state after the deflection. However, this problem lessens over time as the intersections begin to acquire notching.
The Wilson Smash badminton string is also another great string on the market. It uses fluorocarbon filaments to deliver optimum power, energy and return. The 200m reel is suitable for stringing about 20 rackets.
This white string definitely suits the needs of players seeking enhanced comfort and recovering from arm injuries. It has a 0.68mm gauge and comes in a 200m reel.
Pros
- Provides maximum power and return due to the unique fluorocarbon filaments.
- Offers great comfort for people suffering from arm issues.
- Produces a sharp hitting sound.
- Quite durable.
Cons
- Shuttle doesn’t bounce a significant distance without exerting extra force.
- The control is not sufficient.
The WILSON smash string is an excellent combination of comfort and power. If you love comfortable strings that won’t make you suffer, this may be just what you need.
The Ns95 from Li-ning is an all-round string that offers balanced performance. It features some Nano coating that prolongs the string’s life and gives it remarkable repulsion energy and control. The line has a diameter of 0.70mm and has a maximum string tension of 30lbs.
200m reel is suitable for stringing 20-22 rackets. The Li-Ning brand was founded by Li Ning, who used to be an Olympic Gymnast from China. Products from this company are targeted for people who are active in sports like running, badminton, tennis, basketball, football, and fitness.
Pros
- Nano coating prolongs the life of the string. Being highly durable, the string is very cost-effective as you won’t have to waste money re-stringing your racket after a few hours of play.
- Delivers great repulsion power.
- Produces a good hitting sound.
- Offers excellent control.
Cons
None.
The Ns95 is among the best badminton strings out there as it is efficient and all-rounded. It is suitable for all levels of play, and the control is splendid. If you’ve been seeking a perfect racket string that offers fabulous repulsion on the court, this is definitely it. It is superb, durable, efficient and comes in either yellow or white.
The Li-Ning Badminton String Professional No.1/5/7 Pack is full of excellent features. The core of the No.1 is made of heat-resistant and high-intensity nylon multifilament. The outer part of this No.1 string is also composed of heat resistant and high-intensity nylon.
For the No.5, the core is made from high polymer nylon multifilament while the outer part is composed of heat-resistant and high-intensity nylon just like the No.1.
Similar to the No.1, the No.7’s core is also composed of heat resistant and high-intensity nylon multifilament. The outer is made up of heat-resistant and high-intensity nylon. This string is coated with Compound Titanium Hybrid.
The big 200m reel can fit 20-22 rackets approximately. The string is extremely durable and is suitable for both beginner and intermediate players. It has a diameter of 0.7mm. The string has been rated to be better than the BG65.
It gives a soft and fantastic hitting feeling, and this is due to the special hit-absorbing coating it features. Furthermore, there’s the Deep-Re-Dipping technology from Li-Ning that enhances the durability greatly and also curbs tension at the same time. By using the heat-resistant and high-intensity material in the core and outer part, this string is highly durable.
Pros
- Very durable due to the Deep-Re-Dipping technology and heat-resistant and high-intensity fabric.
- Highly elastic.
Cons
None.
Another great badminton string from Yonex is the BG66 Ultimax. It is an enhanced version of the BG66. Its strings deliver efficient power and high repulsion. On the downside, the durability is not good but is better than that of the BG66.
Apart from the improved durability, this string is super useful for slicing. It is commonly used to carry out drop shots/ slice and backward slice, deceptive shots and many more.
Slicing with this string gives a great feel due to the power. At times, over slicing makes the shuttle travel only for a short distance. With this string, you are able to concentrate more on your playing style.
The BG66 Ultimax is amongst the most expensive badminton strings from Yonex. It is definitely worth the cost due to its high performance.
It has a thickness of 65mm, which makes it one of the thinnest strings available in the market. The BG 66 Ultimax is an ultra-thin gauge string that gives you high repulsion and produces clear hitting sounds. It comes in pearl white and yellow colors.
Pros
- Great for slicing.
- Offers great power.
- The repulsion is incredible.
Cons
- Not very durable.
- Quite costly.
The YONEX BG68TI definitely makes it among the best badminton strings of 2018. It is a great and highly recommended product. It is very powerful at lower tensions (-24) and is coated with Titanium. The string has a good hitting sound as well.
The repulsion and control are great with this string. The power produced is similar to that of the BG 80 string.
Pros
- Offers excellent repulsion.
- Produces a good hitting sound.
- Highly durable because of the Titanium coating.
- Provides great control.
Cons
- Very costly.
- Not highly durable.
- The Titanium coating makes it slippery.
When stringed at 26lbs, the repulsion is great, and back-line to back-line shots are quite easy. On the downside, some players have complained that the durability of the BG68TI is not that great. Regardless of the few flaws, the YONEX BG68TI is still worth trying out.
The Nanogy 98 is an efficient badminton string. The 200m reel is enough to use 20 times. It is a thin string that has a diameter of 0.66mm. This string offers you excellent repulsion power.
There’s an extra layer of coating that has new technology from Yonex. It helps in reducing the friction between the strings to enhance durability. The string is relatively long-lasting considering its thinness.
Yonex Nanogy 98 produces great hitting sounds that are clear and have a high frequency. It is suitable for all levels of play because it offers a medium feeling.
The core is made of high polymer nylon multifilament while the outer part is composed of special braided high polymer nylon fiber. It is coated with compound Cup-stack Carbon Nanotube.
Pros
- Possesses great repulsion power.
- Fairly durable considering it’s a thin string.
- Matches all levels of play.
Cons
- Being a thin string, it produces less accurate shots.
The Yonex Nanogy 98 gives you a sharp feeling and powerful repulsion for quality, precise and defensive shots.
What Defines the Best Badminton String
Quite a number of people are usually confused when trying to choose the most suitable racket string. There are always new rackets strings that come to the market. To select the right one, you should know your playing style. String tension, gauge size, construction, materials and sweet spot are essential factors.
String tension
The string produces most of the power in a racket shot. As a result, it is crucial to know how the string tension can affect your play. Be it a thick or thin string, you can change the quantity of power or control by adjusting the tension.
Lower tension usually translates to:
- A looser string bed resulting in a reduced feeling of the shuttle, which leads to lesser control and poor accuracy.
- The badminton racket will possess a looser string bed, which causes more repulsion. As a result, the player is able to get added power from the racket without using a lot of force.
- A bigger and more forgiving sweet point that needs lesser accuracy in shots to produce power.
- More durable strings that are not prone to breaking due to miss hits.
To sum it up, lower tension is best suited for beginners who are not yet good at hitting and need more power while playing.
On the other hand, higher tension often means:
- A tighter stringbed that offers more feeling, leading to more control and better accuracy.
- The badminton player will have to be more accurate and consistent in his/her shots to be able to produce sufficient power because of the smaller sweet point.
- The stringbed will be harder, meaning the repulsion is inconsiderable. As a result, the player will have to use more force to produce power.
- The durability of the strings is less, and they are highly prone to break from miss hits.
In conclusion, higher tensions are better suited for professional/advanced players who have mastered their hitting style and need added control while playing.
Every racket comes with its own recommended string tension. The recommendation ensures that you do not break the racket while stringing it. The racket may break if it is exposed to intense pressure as a result of the high string tension.
Materials used
Furthermore, the top badminton strings use unique technology and materials.
- Cup-Stack Carbon Nanotube is an advanced construction that reduces notching at the intersections for enhanced durability and greater repulsion.
- Vectran strong and elastic spiral winding lengthens the life of a string and the stringing tension.
- Hydro Titanium coating gives a sharp feel and also improves the durability.
- MultiFilament technology offers a fine diameter, soft feel and great durability.
Thick and thin strings
Popularly used badminton strings have diameters of between 0.65mm and 0.70mm. Strings with diameters outside this range are not that common.
Thin strings:
- Generate more repulsion power.
- Possess a bigger sweet point on the string bed.
- Do not last as long as thicker strings.
- Have less accurate strokes.
Thick strings:
- Generate less repulsion power.
- Possess a smaller sweet point on the string bed.
- Last longer than thinner strings.
- Give more precise strokes.
Repulsion
High repulsion gives added power to badminton strokes, and the shuttles bounce off very fast. On the other hand, low aversion translates to lower power in your strokes and the shuttle remains on the string bed for quite some time before it bounces off.
Sweet Spot
A bigger sweet spot makes it easier for the shuttlecock to make contact with it, while a smaller sweet spot makes it more difficult.
The sweet point becomes smaller once the thickness of the string is increased. A more trivial sweet spot is quite advantageous at times because if the shuttle hits the smaller sweet spot, the shot produced is compelling. This needs a proper technique to be achieved.
5 FAQ
- What is the best string tension for my racket?
Lower string tension is better suited for beginners as it provides more power while advanced tension is good for advanced players as they know their hitting technique. Higher string tension does not provide more power.
For beginners, the string tension should be between 17-20lbs, 20-24lbs for intermediate players, 24-27lbs for advanced players, and 27-30lbs for professional athletes.
- What differences are there between badminton strings?
There are primarily 3 kinds of string used in badminton: multifilament, monofilament, and microfilament. A multifilament string is composed of many thin fibers that are twisted together. Multifilament strings are highly resilient and powerful.
A monofilament string is commonly a core that is protected with a jacket/sleeve. This core is the source of power for the string. Monofilaments are usually stiff strings and are mostly suited for beginners and intermediate players.
For the microfilament strings, the fibers in the core are thinner than those of multifilament strings. These strings are not popularly used in badminton.
- What does string gauge mean in badminton?
String gauge is the thickness of a string.
- What causes a racket string to break?
Racket strings usually break when a miss hit occurs due to how tight the strings are strung on the racket.
- Which is the best Badminton racket string?
The finest Badminton string offers adequate tension, great repulsion power, and high durability.
Conclusion
Needless to say, there is a lot of different opinions regarding string tension and string choice. Making the right choice should follow your personal needs. The above badminton strings are among the best in the market. A good badminton string has satisfying string tension according to different levels of play, has a good impact feel, is durable, and provides sufficient repulsion power.
When choosing a badminton string, you should focus on the string tension and the materials used in making it. Additionally, the thickness and sweet spot of a string are also important as well.
