Badminton · Guide
Shuttlecocks explained: feather vs nylon
Feather shuttles fly best and are used in every serious match. Nylon shuttles last far longer and are the right choice for learning and casual games.
| Feather | Nylon (plastic) | |
|---|---|---|
| Flight | True and consistent; slows sharply | Slightly different flight, less precise |
| Durability | Feathers break, especially on smashes | Much longer lasting |
| Cost per game | Higher | Lower |
| Used for | Club matches, leagues, all competition | Beginners, schools, casual play |
How a shuttle is made
A feather shuttle has sixteen feathers fixed into a cork base covered in thin leather. Under the laws it weighs between 4.74 and 5.50 grams. The cork is always hit first on the serve.
Speed
Air temperature and altitude change how far a shuttle flies: warm, thin air lets it travel further. So feather shuttles are sold in different speeds, usually numbered on the tube. Use a slower shuttle in a warm hall and a faster one in a cold hall. A correctly paced shuttle, hit with a full underarm stroke from the back line, should land just short of the opposite back line.
Making them last
- Store feather shuttles somewhere slightly humid, not in a hot car; dry feathers break.
- Pick them up by the cork, not the feathers.
- Retire a shuttle once it wobbles in flight.
Quick answers
- Feather or nylon shuttlecocks: which is better?
- Feather shuttles fly truer and are used in competition, but break more easily. Nylon ones are cheaper, last much longer and are ideal for beginners and casual play.
- How many feathers does a shuttlecock have?
- Sixteen, fixed into a cork base.
- What do the speed numbers on shuttlecocks mean?
- Feather shuttles are graded by speed. Use slower shuttles in warm halls or at altitude, where the air makes them fly further, and faster ones in cold halls.
- How heavy is a shuttlecock?
- Between 4.74 and 5.50 grams under the laws of badminton.