Badminton Equipment List

badminton equipment list

Badminton Equipment

Badminton is a racket (or racquet) sport played between two teams of one or two people. Badminton can be played indoors or outdoors, and the objective is to use a racket to launch a small projectile, called a shuttlecock, over a raised net. In addition to a shuttlecock, the essential equipment you will need for badminton include rackets and a net. Dedicated badminton players use a variety of gear. Keep reading for a complete list of badminton equipment.

Accessories

Certain accessories are often found in badminton to help improve the overall experience and performance of a player. While these items are not required, they are certainly recommended. Types of badminton accessories include:

  • Equipment Bags
  • Headbands
  • Towels
  • Wristbands
  • Water Bottles

Equipment Bag

Badminton Equipment Bag

A badminton equipment bag is large enough to hold all important equipment while also being accessible and easily portable. There is a part of the bag to put your racket in, along with shuttlecocks. The bag has room to hold shoes and athletic clothing as well. Badminton players will put a towel in their equipment bags too. High-quality bags can be purchased for around $50 to $100. There are multiple compartments to make organizing the bag simple.

Headband

badminton headband

Badminton players often will wear a headband when they play. Headbands are worn to keep hair and sweat out of a player’s eyes. There are some sweatbands that are better for sweat prevention and others that are better for holding the hair back. Players can wear whatever they find more comfortable and helpful for them. These could be as cheap as $5 and are found at most sporting goods stores.

Towel

badminton towel

Badminton players will often use a towel to keep themselves dry by wiping off their sweat in between points, sets, games, and matches. The towels they use are like any other sports towel, and they are able to fit well into a badminton equipment bag. Players will also sometimes use a towel grip around the handle of their rackets. They will do this to give themselves a better grip and so the handle doesn’t get as slippery when they sweat. A small towel will be relatively and likely cost between $5-10 from online retailers.

Wristband

badminton wristband

A badminton wristband is similar to a badminton headband. They are the same as any athletic wristband. They are worn on a player’s wrists and used to wipe sweat off of their face during the game. They also absorb sweat on a player’s forearms and wrists. Wristbands are very simple and cheap as well. You can find them online at most sporting goods companies and in person at sporting goods retail stores. They tend to cost between $5 and $10, depending on the brand.

Water Bottle

Badminton Water Bottle

With any physical activity, it is important to be hydrated. Badminton players should make sure to be hydrated before, during, and after they play the sport of badminton. They could do this by bringing a water bottle with them when they go play badminton. Water bottles are able to fit in a badminton equipment bag really well. Like wristbands, water bottles could be found in most sporting goods stores, online and in person. There are many different kinds of water bottles. High-quality ones that hold plenty of water will usually cost between $15 and $30.

Clothing

In badminton, there are certain items of clothing that serious players wear in order to achieve maximum mobility and range of motion. This equipment resembles typical athletic gear and can often have moisture-wicking properties. Common badminton clothing includes:

  • Shirts
  • Shoes
  • Shorts
  • Skirts
  • Socks

Shirts

badminton shirt

Badminton shirts are essentially athletic shirts. They are breathable and flexible so they don’t affect a player’s swing. Some badminton shirts are collared. The company Yonex makes badminton clothing and sells athletic t-shirts for around $25. Badminton shirts are mainly made out of a mix of microfibers, polyester, and spandex. The spandex makes the shirts tighter and helps them fit well. The polyester makes the shirts more comfortable, and the microfibers are a part of the breathable aspect of the shirts.

Shoes

badminton shoes

Badminton shoes are designed to assist a player’s movement in badminton. Anti-slip and wear-resistant rubber makes great material for the soles of badminton shoes. The midfoot part of the shoe requires high-quality shock absorption and resilience. The heel has multiple layers of support and cushion. Badminton shoes usually cost between $50 and $100. Yonex makes high-quality badminton shoes, and they have multiple models for the sport. Asics also makes a great badminton shoe.

Shorts

Badminton Shorts

Badminton shorts are athletic shorts that are flexible and breathable. The shorts usually have a lining or compression on the inside, which is great for competitive badminton. Shorts are made mostly from polyester and a smaller proportion of spandex. Yonex makes badminton shorts, as does Li-Ning, typically with 87% polyester and 13% spandex. The cost of badminton shorts tends to fall between $20 and $40, regardless of the company.

Skirts

badminton skirt

Badminton players can also wear skirts when they play the sport, and these are usually worn by female players. They have a lining inside and are sold by most sporting goods companies. Badminton skirts are the same as tennis or racquetball skirts. Badminton skirts start around $30 and cost a little bit more than badminton shorts.

Socks

badminton socks

There are socks designed for badminton players, which provide more support with extra cushioning. They are more durable for the quick foot movements of badminton players and will last longer than normal sports socks. Badminton socks aren’t very stretchy and have a high knit count. They are a little more expensive than normal sports socks, but they are helpful for badminton players, especially those who play the sport very often. They cost around $10 online.

Game Equipment

In order to play badminton, there are a few items that are essential to have. Similar to a basketball and basketball hoop, certain pieces of equipment will be found in every badminton game. Essential badminton game equipment includes:

  • Badminton Nets
  • Badminton Rackets
  • Shuttlecocks

Badminton Net

badminton net

In badminton, there is a net in the middle to separate the two sides of the court. The objective is to hit the shuttlecock, or birdie, over it. The net is 5 ft 1 in at the ends and 5 ft high in the middle due to a slight slope. The bottom of the net itself is 2 ft 6 in from the ground. The poles of the net are placed over the doubles sidelines, even for a singles match. A quality badminton net costs around $100.

Badminton Rackets

badminton rackets

A racket is used in badminton to hit the shuttlecock back and forth. A badminton racket has a frame of 68 cm, with the head being 28 cm long and 22 cm wide. The head is where the racket’s stringed area is. The handle, where players hold the racket, is at the bottom. A racket is usually priced between $10 and $25 and is available at sports equipment stores. Due to how tightly the racket is strung, the shuttlecock bounces off of it pretty well. Top-quality badminton rackets weigh between 70 grams and 95 grams. Today’s rackets are composed of a carbon fiber composite.

Shuttlecock

badminton shuttlecock

A shuttlecock is essential to the game, as it is what badminton players hit back and forth over the net. It is a cork with feathers attached to it to form a cone shape. It is made of plastic. When hitting a shuttlecock, players usually hit the cork part of it, as it weighs the most and is the most springy. A shuttlecock is also referred to as a birdie. A shuttlecock is usually about $2. They are sold in bulk, with a pack of ten costing around $20.

List of Badminton Equipment

  • Badminton Net
  • Badminton Rackets
  • Equipment Bag
  • Headband
  • Shirts
  • Shoes
  • Shorts
  • Shuttlecock
  • Skirts
  • Socks
  • Towel
  • Wristband
  • Water Bottle

FAQ

What makes badminton equipment unique?

Badminton equipment is unique because the net, court, and shuttlecock are different from those in other racquet sports. Badminton rackets are smaller and lighter than those used in tennis, with fewer strings that are placed under less tension. This makes them optimized to strike the lighter shuttlecocks, which are not used in any other racquet sports. Badminton shoes are made for particularly quick stops and can also be worn indoors.

What equipment do you need for badminton?

You won’t need very much to get started playing badminton. For the bare minimum, you will need a badminton racket, a raised net, and a shuttlecock. You can play badminton with those three pieces of equipment and nothing else. However, for the complete competitive experience, you will also need badminton shoes, an equipment bag, socks, wristbands, a headband, and a towel.

How much does badminton equipment cost?

You can purchase a basic badminton set from anywhere between $20 to $200. Of course, the more you’re willing to spend, the higher the quality of the product. As badminton is often a recreational sport, most of the sets you buy will likely be of lower quality, so you may consider buying your equipment individually. You can typically buy a racket for anywhere between $10 to $25, a shuttlecock set (usually 10 to 12) for about $15, and a decent-quality net for around $100.