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Shuttlecock weight, type, speed, all details

Shuttlecock Weight, Type, Speed, All You Need To Know

Shuttlecocks are the most frequently used equipment in the game of badminton. The knowledge about the characteristics of a shuttlecock like weight, specifications, speed, and types will keep you in an advantageous position for the best use of this essential equipment in badminton.

What is a Shuttlecock in Badminton?

A shuttlecock is an essential piece of equipment that is used to hit a racket in the game of badminton. It is formed by inserting feathers or synthetic feather-like material into a rounded base cork. After insertion, feathers take the conical shape which gives the shuttle stability in the air. Whatever the initial orientation is, a shuttlecock always flies pointing the cork base first. A shuttlecock is also called a shuttle or birdie.

Specifications and Dimensions

Dimensions and weight of a shuttlecock

The specifications of a shuttle, governed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), are as follows:

  • A shuttlecock consists of 16 feathers fixed on the base.
  • The length of feathers from the tip to the top of the base is within the range of 62 mm to 70 mm.
  • The tip of the feathers forms a circular circumference with a diameter from 58 mm to 68 mm.
  • To maintain the stability of the shuttle, feathers are fastened with thread or other suitable materials.
  • The base of the shuttle should be rounded with a diameter from 25 mm to 28 mm.

What is Shuttlecock Made of?

A shuttlecock is made of two parts, a skirt, and a base. For the skirt, feathers of the left wings of gooses or ducks (considered low quality) are used. There is also some use of the right-wing feathers, but for a shuttle, only feathers from the same wing (left or right) are considered to conform to the flight characteristics.

Apart from feathers, synthetic materials (Nylon/ Plastic) are also used as a skirt material to enhance the durability of a shuttlecock.

The base of the shuttle is made with cork covered with a thin white layer of leather.

What is the Weight of a Shuttlecock?

The permissible weight of a feather shuttlecock is as under:

  • 4.74 grams to 5.50 grams
  • 0.167 oz to 0.194 oz

Because of the difference in specific gravity and other properties between feathers and synthetic materials, there is an allowable variance of 10% for non-feather shuttles.

So, the weight of a plastic shuttlecock must be within the limits.

  • 4.27 grams to 6.05 grams
  • 0.15 oz to 0.21 oz

What are the Types of Shuttlecock?

Depending on the material used, shuttlecocks are three types.

  1. Feather 
  2. Plastic
  3. Hybrid
Feather shuttlecock
Feather Shuttlecock
Plastic shuttle
Plastic Shuttlecock

Feather shuttles use the natural feathers of goose as a skirt material. Feathers of 16 numbers are sequenced one after another and fixed in the base made of cork with the help of glue. To strengthen the stability further, two threads are used for fastening feathers. To give the look and feel, a thin white layer of leather covers the round-shaped cock.

As mentioned earlier, non-feathered shuttles use nylon/ plastic as skirt material. Depending upon the quality, there is the use of cork or other synthetic materials for the base of the shuttlecock.

Hybrid shuttles use synthetic materials and end feathers for skirts but the base remains the same, i.e. cork.

Take a quick look at the comparison between feather and non-feather shuttles.

Feather ShuttlePlastic ShuttleHybrid Shuttle
Use natural goose or duck feathers as a skirtPlastic/ nylon as a skirtCombination of plastic and bird feathers
Excellent flight characteristicsFaster flight than feather shuttleFlight is better than plastic but not as good as feather shuttle
Better control and feelLess controlControl and touch play is inferior to feather shuttles but better than plastic shuttlecocks
Less durabilityExcellent durabilityDurability is >feather but <plastic
Best for intermediate and advanced playersBest for beginners and amateurs (Cost-effective solution)Good for practice 

Shuttlecock Speed

Temperature, humidity, and altitude are the three main factors that affect the speed of a shuttle. 

Hot temperature ⇨ Low air density ⇨ Less air resistance

Cold temperature ⇨ High air density ⇨ More air resistance

Due to less air resistance, a shuttle flies faster in hot areas. So to get the precise flight trajectory, you need slow shuttles. The reverse is true for cold environments. 

Again, at high altitudes, air density is considerably lower than sea levels. So a slow shuttlecock is suitable for hill areas. Below sea level, fast shuttles are better to use.

The below chart shows the use of shuttle speed in different conditions.

Shuttle SpeedSuitable TemperatureSuitable Altitude
75 – Very SlowVery Hot (33℃ above)Above Sea Level
76 – SlowHot (27 – 33℃)Sea Level
77 – Average SpeedAverage (22 – 26℃)Sea Level
78 – FastCold (17 – 21℃)Below Sea Level
79 – Very FastExtreme Cold (Below 17℃)Below Sea level

In Yonex’s system, the speed rating of shuttles varies from 1 to 5, where ‘1’ represents very slow and the last rating, ‘5’ is very fast.

Also, for nylon shuttles, Yonex uses different color tapes to indicate the speed of the shuttle and suitable temperature ranges

ColorSpeedTemperature Range
GreenSlow22℃  – 33℃ 
BlueMedium12℃  – 23℃ 
RedFast<13℃ 

Testing Shuttle for Speed

For testing a shuttle for the right speed, you have to hit it in an upward direction parallel to the sideline over the back boundary line of the court. For correct speed, a shuttle should land within 530 mm – 930 mm short of the opposite back boundary line.

How to care for a shuttlecock

Feather shuttlecocks tend to deteriorate within a short period. To enhance longevity, here are some common practices:

  • Feather shuttlecocks become brittle in low moisture content areas. So keep your shuttles away from hot elements like heaters and furnaces.
  • To decrease the brittleness of the shuttle, you have to add moisture. Buying a humidome is a good solution that fits at one end of the tube and humidifies shuttles.
  • If possible, try to keep shuttles in a humid environment.
  • Before passing the shuttle to your opponent or before serving, unruffle the feathers if they get ruffled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is a shuttlecock called a birdie?

Shuttlecocks are also known as birdies because they fly like a bird and bird feathers are used to make them.

How many goose feathers are needed to make a shuttlecock?

To get the best result for speed, spin, and flight, 16 goose feathers are tied in a conical shape to form a shuttlecock.

How many times a shuttle may be hit?

Every player is allowed to hit a shuttle only once for executing any type of shot.

When a shuttlecock lands on the line, is it out?

No, it is right or in. When a shuttle falls, its head first touches the ground, which is a valid shot. In this case, the head first touches the line. So, the shuttle is inside.

How fast does a shuttlecock go?

The fastest measured sports equipment is the shuttlecock with a whipping speed of 493 km/ h (306 mph), hit by Tan Boon Heong of Malaysia.

Which shuttlecocks are good for beginners?

As beginners are going through the initial stage of the development of badminton skills, there is a high possibility of wrong hits which may damage the fragile feather shuttle. To use shuttles cost-effectively for beginners, the use of nylon shuttles, like Yonex Mavis 350 or Mavis 600 is a far better option as these shuttles are way ahead of feather shuttlecocks in terms of longevity.

Which shuttlecock is used in international matches?

High-quality feather shuttles like Yonex AS-30 or AS-40 are used in leading international tournaments. But from 2021, synthetic feather shuttlecocks also get approval from the Badminton World Federation for use in international tournaments at any level.

Related Topic:

  1. Top 15 Best Shuttlecocks in 2023 for Badminton Enthusiasts
  2. The 7 Best Shuttlecocks for Outdoor Badminton

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