Babolat 1

Was visiting Northern Malaysia recently and saw the Babolat 1 for sale in some shops at RM89-90. We have tried the Babolat 2 before and was naturally curious about it's higher rank sibling. Hence bought some to try.

As our weekly session was later in the week (after 30Oct), I could not wait to test this new shuttle and brought a sample to test at a less intensive session earlier in the week. Will update after testing in our regular weekly session.

The following pix(s) is the shuttle tested after about "1.5 sets" - basically lasted a set and a half from a non-intensive session. One of the feathers has split from the stem but still hanging on (not really visible in the pix).

Initial impression during the non-intensive session are - speed-77 rating is more alike the Yonex as faster than RSL shuttles, retains the "play" speed thru-out the 1st set (as I did not participate in the 2nd set) and does not slow much after a few hard smashes unlike the RSL Supreme (Ultimate is the exception); much more durable than the RSL Gold No1.

Will update on how the Babolat 1 compares to our defacto standard once utilise in our regular session. The reason is because our shuttle usage is quite consistant week after week. For instance, a tube of RSL Supreme will only last for about 40min with game(s) on 2-courts while a tube of AS30 lasts roughly 1.5hr(s) in the same environment. Our de facto standard lasts about 1hr in the same scenario,

Babolat 1 logo

Babolat 1 with 3-layer cock structure

Protech Priviledge

Found this sample in the hall. 

Never tried before. 

Adding for documentation purposes.

Sporting new Protech logo

3-layer cork structure

Video on Yonex tournament shuttlecock production

Please click https://www.facebook.com/bwfbadminton/videos/1125705517586707/?t=99 to view

RCL 1103

Found this sample in the hall. 

Never tried before. 

Adding for documentation purposes.

Internal label on shuttle

2-layer cork structure

Apacs Aero Flight 800

Found this sample in the hall. 

Never tried before. 

Adding for documentation purposes.

2-layer cork structure

Internal label on shuttle

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