How to take care of your badminton racket?

The racquet is the most important tool for a badminton player. Every player, be it a professional-level athlete or just a beginner, needs to take care of their racquet to maintain their form. It is very difficult to find the perfect badminton as per your strengths and weakness. Adding to that, a good quality badminton racquet does not come for cheap. So taking utmost care of the racquet is very important. Changing the strings of the racquet and keeping the badminton clean is one of the few steps to maintain it. However, there are a couple of other things as well which you need to learn in order to keep your badminton in top condition. If you learn these steps it will be easier to keep your racquet ready whenever a vital match is coming up.

1) Maintain the strings Your badminton is only as good as its strings. To make your badminton give you 100% performance on the court, it is very crucial to change its strings at regular intervals. An uneven string tension or a broken string can put your entire effort on the drain. The strings are the first things to be checked in the racquets. You need to remember to constantly restring your badminton at regular intervals to ensure full use of the racquet. The string eventually becomes loose after a while. As advised by the experts, one should restring their racquet after every 2 weeks. However, it also depends upon one's playing style.

2) Storage of the Racket The lifespan of your racquet also depends majorly on how and where you store it. If you store your badminton casually with other equipment in a backpack, then your badminton will not be at your service for a longer period. Do not leave your badminton in humid conditions. Make sure to place your badminton in a cool dry room where it is cushioned properly. Keep your badminton in a bag of its own. Used a thermal-lined bag while travelling.

3) Replacing the Grommets The grommets on a Badminton are the small black blocks of plastic that are placed around the corners of the racquet head. The strings are pierced through the grommets in order to protect the racquet head. The grommets basically act as a cushion between the frame and the string. The grommets should be replaced immediately once broken or it can damage the frame or the strings of the badminton. The grommets usually break near the badminton's head and body. The strings are in danger to come in direct contact with the frame of the racquets if the grommets are broken. You can increase the life of your strings by simply replacing the grommets on time. A stringer will let you know when it is the right time to change the grommets of your racquets.

4) Regular replacement of grip tape A grip tape is essential to maintain your grip on badminton. After every game, the grip tape becomes weaker due to all the sweat in your hand. You should make sure to replace the grip tape every 1 to 2 months, which also depends on the level of your game. Remember to keep the badminton in a dry place before putting it back in the bag after every session.

5) Racket Frame The frame is the most harmed part of badminton as it is always in danger of getting damaged. The frame can get damaged if the racquet is smashed on the ground while playing a shot or a smash. You might throw your badminton out of frustration which might also lead to damaging the frame. It is very important to fix the frame as soon as it gets damaged or it can cause you the entire badminton racquet.

6) Cracks on the frame The cracks on the frame are one of the main reasons which shorten the durability of the badminton racquets. You should look for a crack where there are paint chips. If the impact of the damage is so powerful enough to create a crack, the paint will surely come off. The cracks on the frame are easy to notice as they occur as a thin black line on the frame. However, once the racquets are cracked it becomes difficult to string them.

7) Don’t exceed the specified tension Keep an eye on the maximum allowed tension of our badminton when stretching the racquet strings. You need to make sure to remove every old string when they are broken and stretch them with new ones. Remember to not fix it by rejoining the cords as it will disrupt the racquet's balance. Overstretched strings can cause warping, distortion or even result into the damaging the racquet.