Badminton Racquet Restringing: Everything Australians Need to Know

Your badminton racquet’s strings are its most performance-critical component. A high-end graphite racquet with dead strings may play worse than a mid-range racquet with fresh strings at the right tension. Yet most recreational players never restring, playing on the same strings until they snap.

Why Restringing Matters

Badminton strings lose tension over time even without breaking. The elastic properties degrade with repeated impact, temperature changes, and humidity. Effects commonly reported include loss of power, loss of control, loss of feel, and increased arm fatigue from compensating with harder swings.

How Often Should You Restring?

A commonly cited rule of thumb: restring as many times per year as you play per week. Signs you may need to restring sooner: shots feel dull, you’re hitting off-centre more than usual, strings look visibly frayed or notched, or more than 12 months have passed since the last restring.

String Tension Guide

• Lower tension (18–22 lbs): More power, larger sweet spot, more forgiving. Generally suited to beginners and recreational players.
• Medium tension (22–26 lbs): Balance of power and control. Common for intermediate club players.
• Higher tension (26–32+ lbs): More control, less power assistance. Used by advanced players who generate power through technique.

If restringing for the first time, checking the recommended tension range on your racquet’s throat is a good starting point. The midpoint of that range is commonly suggested for recreational players. Professional players like Viktor Axelsen string above 30 lbs — this requires fast, technically precise swings to be effective.

String Gauge

• 0.70mm: More durable, less feel. Common for beginners.
• 0.65–0.68mm: Balance of durability and performance. Popular for recreational and intermediate players.
• 0.62mm and below: Maximum feel. Breaks more easily. Used by advanced players.

Yonex BG65, BG80, and Aerosonic are widely used strings at Australian clubs. A local stringer can advise based on your play style and racquet.

Indicative Restringing Costs in Australia

Costs vary by location and stringer. Indicative ranges: labour $15–25, strings $8–20, total approximately $23–45 per racquet. Confirm current pricing with your local sports store or club stringer.

DIY Restringing

Stringing machines are available for self-use. Costs can be $200–1,000+. Learning to string consistently takes practice. For most recreational players, professional restringing is likely more cost-effective.

Our Racquet Range

All racquets at Skippy Sports come pre-strung at factory tension, ready to play. Browse our range: GR 303i Set of 2, Nanoray Light 18i, Astrox Lite 27i, Astrox Attack 9, Nanoflare Speed 7, Nanoflare 800 Play. Free shipping over $100 Australia-wide. 30-day returns.