Equipment

Racquet

Traditionally, racquets were made of wood, which were then later replaced by aluminium or other light metals. Now, almost all professional badminton racquets are composed of carbon fibre composite (graphite reinforced plastic). Carbon fibre has an excellent strength to weight ratio, is stiff, and gives superior kinetic energy transfer. However, some low-end models still use steel or aluminium for some or all of the racquet.

String

Perhaps one of the most overlooked areas of badminton equipment is the string. Different types of string have different response properties. Durability generally varies with performance. Most strings are 21 gauge in thickness and strung at 18 to 30 + lb of tension. Players' personal preferences play a strong role in string selection.

Shoes

Because acceleration across the court is so important, players need excellent grip with the floor at all times. Badminton shoes need a gum sole for good grip, reinforced side walls for durability during drags, and shock dispersion technology for jumping; badminton places a lot of stress on the knees and ankles.

The Japanese manufacturer Yonex dominates the badminton equipment market, making racquets, shoes, and everything in between.