Choosing the best string tension for your badminton frame is often a case of choosing between trade offs. For example, stringing at a racquet’s maximum tension will increase your ability to control the power of the string bed, but it will also decrease string life. On the other hand, stringing the same racquet at minimum recommended tension will increase its power and extend the life of the string, but it will reduce your ability to control drop shots.
Printed somewhere on the frame of every badminton racquet is a recommended tension range. For example, a typical range for a Yonex badminton racquet is 17-24 lbs. So the lowest recommended tension on this racquet is 17 lbs while the maximum recommended range is 24 lbs. Stringing below 17 lbs will result in a string bed that is so loose that it will loose its effectiveness. Stringing above 24 lbs will put the frame under enormous pressure and may may result in frame collapse.
Benefits and Trade-Offs of High Tension
Here is a list of the benefits and trade offs of stinging at high tension.
| BENEFITS | TRADE OFFS |
|---|---|
| – more control on drop shots | – less power on drives |
| – more control on net shots | – less power on clears and smashes |
| – makes a cool sound on hard contact | – increased chances of frame breakage |
| – strings do not move around | – increased chances of string breakage |
Benefits and Trade-Offs of Low Tension
Here is a list of the benefits and trade offs of stinging at low tension.
| BENEFITS | TRADE OFFS |
|---|---|
| – more power on drives | – less control on drop shots |
| – more power on clears and smashes | – less control on net shots |
| – decreased chances of frame breakage | – does not make a cool sound on hard contact |
| – decreased chances of string breakage | – strings move around |
Choosing Factory Tension
In general, staff at Racquet Network advise customers to string their racquets at factory recommended tension unless they have a good reason do otherwise. For example, a customer who is having trouble getting the shuttle to the back of the court on clears, may be advised to string at a lower tension to increase power. Meanwhile, another customer who is regularly hitting the shuttle out the back of the court on clearing shots may be advised to decrease the power of their racquet by stringing at a higher tension.