There Are So Many Strings Out There, Which One Do You Use?

You have your racquet, you know what string tension you want but you haven't considered one very important factor yet, the strings!

To complicate things once you have chosen your racquet, you actually need to consider string tension and string type together. In our previous article, What's The Deal With String Tension, we talked specifically to the point of string tension but now let’s talk about string types.

It can be very confusing as a first-timer or even if you’re a seasoned player as there are just so many string options out there!

Some general rules of thumb for strings are:

• Thinner strings provide higher repulsion at the cost of durability
  
  
• Thicker strings tend to provide lower repulsion but higher durability
  
  
• All strings begin to lose tension from the day it is strung (as they stretch, like elastic)
  
  
• To get a similar feel for thicker strings and a high tension, consider a thinner string at a lower tension
  
  
• Thick Strings are generally > 0.68 mm
  
  
• Thin Strings are towards the 0.62-0.68 mm range

If you are spending your time on court playing with plastic shuttles, remember that a plastic shuttle actually degrades your strings faster than a feather shuttle would. If you're on a tight budget, a thicker string might be a smarter option!

Also, if you are new to the sport, using a slightly thicker string would benefit you especially while you improve your consistency with contacting the sweet spot.

The following are some of the most commonly used strings in the game that I have used personally (Not an exhaustive list):

• Yonex BG-65
  An extremely popular string for beginners and club players with great durability. You can't really go wrong starting with this string but if you're after something a bit more tailored to a certain playing style, then look further!
  
  
  

• Yonex BG-65 TI
  Not quite as durable as the member of the family mentioned above but an improvement in control and sharpness. A great string for casual/social hitting as well as club/competitive players. Although I am slightly biased as this is the string that I currently use!

• Yonex BG-66 Ultimax
  I bought a reel of this a while back when there was a good deal on it. It can be quite unforgiving and has lower durability but it is great for generating power due to its high repulsion. I would probably stay away from this string to begin with if you are a beginner as it is quite a thin string (0.65mm).
  
  
  

• Yonex Nanogy 99
  One of Yonex's top selling badminton strings and is a great choice for those that love the power game (smash all day!) as well as control players. It will probably be the next string that I consider long-term use with.

• Yonex BG-80
  Another widely used string by intermediate to professional players. It is a thinner string (0.68mm) with quite high repulsion, great for generating power and holds its tension very well. When learning badminton, I made the foolish mistake of stringing my racquet with this string and breaking them within a week.
  

Have a read as well as explore other brands of string out there if you feel like it! (Ashaway, Li-Ning, Victor etc.). See which ones seem to work with your budget (remember thinner strings won't last as long, which means more stringing!) and playing style then go out and try them.

Like string tension, don't be fooled by what all the "good" players are using. Remember that the above comments are based on my personal experience with the strings and that yours may be different. Experiment and see what works best for you!

See you out there! :) 

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Main image source: PowerTI 

Body image source 1: Nikeairmax90shoes

All string images source: Yonex