Storing shuttlecocks properly in the tropics

I wanted to share on the method(s) to store shuttlecocks in the tropics. The procedure is quite different than when I was living in NZ or California.

In countries such as NZ and California, the climate tends to be less humid and not as hot year round. Hence it was more likely I had to "steam" the shuttles before usage. Otherwise the shuttles would be brittle and highly likely for a feather to give way after a few average smashes.

However, the reverse is true for tropical regions. In the tropics, the average humidity is atleast 70-80% per annum. Hence the shuttlecocks have to stored in a dryer or more regulated environment.

Here's one true experience from a few years ago. The organiser bought a new batch of shuttles and we could differentiate that new batch immediately. The following week, the shuttles were back to their usual lack luster form. I then asked the organiser if it was the same batch of shuttles and how it was stored. He confirmed it was the same batch as per previous week and he stored it under his work bench in the house. Since the shuttles were being exposed to the high humidity and temperatures, it was if these shuttles were being steamed before usage in the tropics!!! Thus the ribcage of these exposed shuttles would be soften and the feathers would be easily ruffled.

A more recent experience was from a friend who recently took over a badminton group and started buying shuttles in bigger quantity. He was quite frustrated as he tried using the same brand and model as myself but only to be disappointed by the quality of the shuttles tend to be only good within the 1st week of purchase. Those used after the 1st week tend to be disappointing in some manner. When we discussed the issue, my 1st question to him was regarding storage. Sure enough ... he was doing as per the previous true experience.

I find the following technique effective for storing shuttles in the tropics. Keep them in a windowless storage facility eg store room. I store them in large cardboard boxes, in the storeroom. This seem to be quite effective in maintaining the quality of the shuttlecocks.

If in doubt, you can experiment by leaving a control tube in a normal room and the other tube within a box, in the storeroom. Then use these tubes the following week and survey if the player(s) can tell the difference ...

Any one seen the Lee Chong Wei Biopic movie - the coach "processing" shuttles???

Was wondering if anyone saw the LCW biopic and notice his hometown coach processing shuttlecocks with broken feathers - replace the broken feathers by matching with good spare feathers?

Is this a common practise worldwide?

RSL Mars

Found this newbie RSL shuttle in one of the halls I frequent. Never used before and adding to the repository for record purposes.

RSL Mars with budget-type cork structure

RSL Mercury

Not used before, found in one of the halls I frequent.

Cork structure of the budget variety

Ashaway Orange (***Update***)

Joined a friend playing with a group at a nearby school badminton hall recently made available for general booking over the weekends.

They were using this Ashaway Orange shuttle. Suppose to be a training shuttle ...

Durability is acceptable for a social game.

Cost is unknown.

Performance. Well ... atleast it was consistently slow. The speed was alike between Speed-76 and Speed-77 (but closer to Speed-76 side), with a nasty tendency to drop steeply towards the end of the flight path.


13Sept2013

Have not played with the following and found the sample in one of the badminton halls I frequent.

Enclosure for documentation purposes.

RSL Ultimate (***Update#1***)

Just tried using the RSL Ultimate when I joined a friends' friend session over the weekend.

Pix from internet

Playing using the RSL Ultimate really reminds me of what the Tourney No1 used to be like  ... before 2007, when profits weren't the only thing which matter to the MNC(s).


Performance: Great! Slows only slightly after a few hard smashes, unlike the Supreme which starts "accumulating air-brakes". The Ultimate then retains the "broken-in" performance for quite some time.

Durability: As good as the pre-2007 Tourney No1 aka Very good!

Price: Not cheap but atleast you get what you paid for!



18Jun2018

Inside label looks pretty alike the Supreme before the introduction of the Ultimate

2-layer cork structure as per other RSL shuttles

Kason KS70 (Orange)

Have not tried this shuttle before and adding for documentation purposes.

Shuttlely (local SG brand)

Was informed by a visitor to the blog of this brand. I then proceeded to the website to request for samples.

Self collected the samples of 2-tubes, with 3 shuttlecocks per tube. Speed-77.  

Cork structure is 3-layer as per stated on their website.

Out of the tube, the shuttle has an acceptable feel - not too heavy nor light. Feather quality is above average. 

Sample tube with 3 shuttlecocks

I then introduced the shuttles into our next weekly game. Managed to locate only 5 of the 6 samples provided. No idea what happen to the 6th sample??

The following are the pix(s) of the resultant usage.

Sample-1/6 (normal wear and tear)

Sample-2/6 (slight ridcage lob-sided)

Sample-3/6 (slight ridcage lob-sided)

Sample-4/6 (ridcage very lob-sided)

Sample-5/6 (broken feather)

Overall:-

PERFORMANCE: Flight characteristics is good until the shuttle need to be replace.

DURABILITY: @Statistically (based on available samples), more than 50% had a lob-sided ribcage structure which was resultant of high intensity smashing games.

@ To be fair to Shuttlely I must point out that most of the players in our group have undergone some form of formal training. Hence the intensity of their smashes are above that of the average players. It's like comparing the intensity of a Karate chop blow from a white belt (beginner - injury to hitter!!) vs red belt (intermediate-slight injury to opp) vs black belt (advance-atleast moderate injury to opp!).

A tube of Shuttely No3 (if extrapolated) would last roughly about the same duration as the RSL Supreme - 40min for my regulars; we do use other brands and models of shuttlecocks from time to time to keep pace with market developments.

COST: $25 per tube. Good value for most of the player population, Why pay for gold plating when it is not required! About time...

In summary, I can recommend Shuttlely shuttlecocks for most games. GOOD value for money in the Singapore market when compared to the available products at that price bracket, as there is balance of durability and performance together with reasonable cost.