Badminton is the fastest sport in the world and is commonly played and watched sport after soccer.
It is played on a rectangular court with the help of a racket, a shuttlecock, and a net.
The lightweight shuttlecock used in this sport is made of feathers, plastic, and other synthetic materials.
And today, here in this sport, we will discuss the plastic shuttlecock and its weight and dimensions.
Plastic shuttlecocks are usually used while training and playing some friendly tournaments and matches.
And these plastic shuttlecocks offer more durability and stability than the feathered shuttlecocks.
So now let’s discuss more features of the plastic shuttlecock:
Weight of a plastic shuttlecock
BWF has set some rules for the diameter and length of a shuttlecock to ensure the right trajectory and flight.
And according to those rules, both feathered and non-feathered (plastic) shuttle must weigh between 4.74- 5.50 grams.
The weight of a plastic shuttle can be 10% from this range.
It is so because synthetic materials can differ in their properties and compositions.
After all, nobody wants to play with a too heavy or too light shuttlecock, and everything from the shuttle’s diameter to its length goes into the weight.
Remember: You will require more power and a stiffer racket to hit the shuttle without an ideal weight.
Number of feathers a plastic shuttlecock has
According to the BWF (Badminton World Federation) rules and regulations, there should be no feathers on plastic and non-feathered shuttles, whereas a feathered shuttlecock holds 16 goose or duck feathers.
Plastic shuttles are usually made of a single continuous sheet of synthetic material wrapped around the bottom half of a shuttlecock’s base.
And the shuttlecocks manufactured and used by the players are made of synthetic material like nylon.
Rather than the synthetic material, the non-feathered or plastic shuttlecock needs to have the same flight as its feathered counterpart.
Length of a plastic shuttlecock
According to BWF, the length of a plastic shuttlecock varies between 62 mm to 70 mm.
The length of a shuttlecock is measured from the tip of the cork base to the end of the feathers.
Also, there might be variations because of the feather type or grade type in the feather shuttlecock rather than the plastic shuttlecock.
Length of a plastic shuttlecock’s feathers
As I have mentioned above, no feathers are indulged in a plastic shuttlecock.
Rather than feathers, a plastic shuttlecock holds a plastic skirt or plastic feathers, which are the part of the shuttlecock that extends from the base and makes up the majority of the length of a badminton shuttle.
And according to the BWF rules and regulations, the plastic feather or skirt must be 62 mm to 70 mm in length, and the part of the feather’s length digs into the base.
But in some cases, a plastic shuttlecock feather envelopes and overlaps part of the base, and without the ground, the plastic shuttlecock feathers measure approximately 37 mm to 45 mm long.
Diameter of a plastic shuttlecock
Shuttlecocks usually look cylindrical, but they hold a conical shape, so the diameter of both sides of the shuttlecock varies.
So the base tip and tip of the shuttlecock feather have different diameters.
According to Badminton World Federation rules, the diameter of the shuttlecock’s base must be between 25 mm to 28 mm, and the bottom of the shuttlecock must have a round tip.
And the diameter of the feather tip must be between 58 mm to 68 mm, and it needs to lie on the circle.
Also, plastic shuttlecocks and feathered shuttlecocks can have some variations in diameter.
And according to BWF rules, the diameter for both types of shuttlecocks is the same for the base.
Diameter of a plastic Shuttlecock’s cork base
Cork is the heaviest part of the shuttlecock, though it is the smallest part of the shuttle.
The cork base of the shuttlecock has a round tip, which receives the impact of the racket.
And the diameter of the shuttlecock cork base needs to be between 25 mm to 28 mm in diameter.
The weight of the shuttlecock is on the lower and the higher end of its base, and the flight of the shuttlecock should be within acceptable BWF ranges.
Final Words
Badminton shuttlecocks are very lightweight and can affect your game if you do not opt for the right one.
Different types of shuttlecocks are available in the market, and I suggest you choose a plastic shuttle for practising.
In contrast, a feather shuttlecock for playing any competitive tournaments, as the weight of all shuttles remains the same.
Rather than this, I have also mentioned some other features and dimensions of a feathered shuttlecock, which will help you to choose an ideal shuttlecock for your game.
And in case you face any problems or have any questions in your mind regarding this post, then feel free to ask us or pin it up in the comment section below.