1. Shuttle Flight Path Quality – How close to the ideal shuttle flight path it flies
2. Shuttle Consistency – How accurately the shuttle lands in the same spot when hit in the same way
3. Shuttlecock Durability – How long it lasts before it needs replacement
4. Playing Level: Recreational, Training, Club, Match, Tournament, Senior Tournament.

There are 3 main factors when deciding what Badminton Shuttlecocks to buy:

1. Type of Shuttlecock you want & Playing Standard
2. The Speed of Badminton Shuttlecock – based upon the conditions where they’ll be played in
3. Price and Durability, leading to overall value for money

Types of Shuttlecocks & Playing Standard:

There are 2 main types of Badminton Shuttlecocks – Feather Shuttlecocks and Plastic/Nylon Shuttlecocks.

1. Feather Shuttlecocks is used by Intermediate to Professional Level players, don’t last as long, but fly much better in general as opposed to plastic/nylon shuttlecocks.
2. Plastic/Nylon Shuttlecocks are generally used by Beginner and Recreational Level players, they’re very durable, but don’t have the ideal flight path compared to feather shuttles.

Badminton Shuttlecock Speeds:

If you’re UK or Europe based, it’s simple, go for 78 – Quite Fast Speed. It’s by far and away the most popular speed shuttlecock in this region.

If you’re purchasing a plastic/nylon shuttlecock, generally go for medium speed if UK or Europe based.

For more details on how to choose the correct speed see our full Badminton Shuttlecocks Buying Guide.

So how can I choose, well for a basic guide see the below table:

Price and Durability, leading to overall value for money:
This is the final and often most important deciding factor, particularly if you’re a club or a coach, using load of feather shuttles week to week.

Our key advice is to take a look at the key graph features we show on the individual product pages, and in particular – Shuttlecock Durability. This is because many people want a quality shuttlecock but find it won’t last.