Sports accessories are evolving and the badminton shuttlecock is no exception to this rule. It was in 1920 that the first steering wheel was born with a rubber base. In 1935, attempts to replace feathers with casings failed. Today the skirt and base are either plastic or rubber for the base and feather for the skirt.
Where to find good quality badminton shuttlecocks?
You will find quality badminton shuttlecocks in a sports store. This type of store offers approved steering wheels at affordable prices. Homologation can be important, especially if the steering wheel purchased is used in competition. The list of approved shuttlecocks is available on the FFBAD (French Badminton Federation) website. Meet in badminton stores as Etoilebad.fr to find the type of shuttlecock you’re looking for, whether it’s plastic or feathered.
You will also find on online sales sites specializing in the trade sporting goods quality steering wheels. You will find not only shuttlecocks, but also rackets, grips, ropes or even bags and nets. This type of site generally offers good value for money. You will thus have the possibility of buying your steering wheel without breaking the bank. Prefer one plastic steering wheel if you are still a beginner. This type of steering wheel is reserved for training.
The history of the very first badminton shuttlecocks
The first rubber badminton shuttlecock was created in 1920. At that time, its designers used rubber and feathers for its manufacture. Later, new ideas appeared and shuttlecock manufacturers tried to replace the feathers with natural guts, without real success. It was only later that plastic steering wheels made their appearance. However, they are reserved exclusively for training sessions, official matches being played with feathered shuttlecocks.
The other notable feature of the steering wheel evolution of badminton concerned his weight and height. If the steering wheel today is made up of 16 feathers, measures 8 centimeters and weighs 5 grams, this was not the case in the past. A collector’s shuttlecock dating from 1900, for example, measures 6 cm and only includes 10 feathers. Additionally, the oldest known badminton shuttlecock is on display in a museum in England and weighs 100 grams, measures 16 cm and contains 35 feathers.
Before rackets became the approved accessory for hitting shuttlecocks, the heaviest shuttlecocks were hit with a beater. For the lighter ones, a tambourine was used. It was around the middle of the 16th century that the wooden beater was definitively abandoned in favor of the racket. All this, thanks to certain kings of France (Charles IX, Henri IV and Louis XIII). These kings ensured that the manufacture of the racquet was the monopoly of a single company.
The evolution of shuttlecock materials over time
Long before the first rubber shuttlecock, badminton shuttlecocks were made of cork. The very first, in 1873, was also made with a champagne cork to which feathers were attached by English officers. Wanting to practice the “poona”, but not having a steering wheel, they decided to make their own. They then named the game after the castle where the shuttlecock was made: Badminton Castle.
The badminton shuttlecock then evolved and cork gave way to rubber for the base. The feathers, however, were retained. Since the idea of using natural gut didn’t work, a new material had to be found for the new shuttlecocks. This is how the first modern feathered shuttlecock was created. Even today, the feathered shuttlecock is used in competition, although it has gone through some changes over time. The plastic shuttlecock has also made its appearance and is used for training or recreational badminton practice in order to preserve the longevity of feathered shuttlecocks.
Plastic steering wheels fall into two categories. First of all, there are those with a cork base and a plastic skirt, which are intended for beginners. They are used in schools or on the beach, by children or inexperienced adults. Then there are shuttlecocks with a cork and a plastic skirt, which are intended for unranked players. They are more resistant and describe a parabolic curve when they are in the air.
New steering wheel technologies
In addition to ordinary steering wheels, today there are steering wheels with certain advanced technologies. This is particularly the case with luminous flywheels. These allow you to play at night, during improvised evenings with friends or family. These glowing flywheels are equipped with an LED lamp energy efficient to be visible in the dark. Badminton can thus be practiced at any time. In addition, some latest generation shuttlecocks are made of feathers, cork and a plastic frame. The stopper is made of a mixture of cork and composite wood. The cork provides good elasticity and the wood provides more hardness to prevent the steering wheel from deforming and to be durable.
Regarding the plastic part, its primary role is to reduce production time to minimize costs. It’s about a economical and ecological option, because it reduces the use of glue. For feathers, goose feathers are the most used for hybrid shuttlecocks. Inserted directly into the plastic element, they are both flexible and strong, which allows the steering wheel to have maximum longevity. Goose feathers are shorter than duck feathers and their canyons are deeper. In addition, they are much less marked.
