Shuttles are the biggest recurring cost for most badminton clubs, so it pays to buy the right ones and buy them well. Central Sports supplies feather, hybrid and nylon shuttles to clubs, schools, leagues and coaches across the UK. This page covers how to choose, how to estimate how many tubes you need for a season, and how to store them so they last.
Club pricing
If your club, school or coaching business buys shuttles regularly, talk to us about club pricing. Contact our team with a rough idea of what you use, or ask about our Partnership Programme.
Feather, nylon or hybrid?
The Laws of Badminton, published by the Badminton World Federation, define a feathered shuttle as having 16 feathers in the base and allow shuttles made from synthetic materials too. In practice, clubs choose based on standard of play, budget and how hard the shuttles get used.
Feather shuttles
- The choice for league matches, club competitive sessions and anything played to tournament conditions.
- Better flight and deceleration, which rewards good technique and makes net play and drops more realistic.
- Less durable: a mishit or worn feather changes the flight, so they get through tubes quicker.
Browse our feather shuttles.
Nylon shuttles
- Ideal for schools, beginners, junior groups, warm-ups and coaching drills.
- Much more durable, so the cost per session is far lower.
- Flight is flatter and carries further, so they do not feel the same as feathers at higher levels.
Hybrid shuttles
Hybrid shuttlecocks sit between the two, aiming for a more feather-like flight with better durability than feathers. They can suit club nights where nylon feels too different but full feather use is hard to justify.
For a fuller comparison, read our feather vs nylon buying guide. Many clubs use both: nylon for coaching and warm-ups, feathers for matches.
Shuttle speed and temperature: 76, 77 or 78?
Air temperature changes how far a shuttle travels. Yonex's own Aerosensa 50 specification explains that higher speed numbers suit colder, denser air and lower numbers suit warmer air. Many shuttles sold in the UK are labelled 76, 77 or 78 on the same principle: the higher the number, the faster the shuttle, for colder halls.
Most club halls in the UK are on the cool side, especially in winter, so 77 is a sensible default for many clubs, with 78 for genuinely cold venues. Our shuttle speed guide gives temperature ranges for each.
To check whether a speed is right in your hall, use the speed test in the Laws of Badminton: hit a full underhand stroke from the back boundary line. A correctly paced shuttle lands between 530 mm and 990 mm short of the opposite back boundary line. If shuttles consistently land short, try a faster speed; if they fly long, go slower.
Still not sure? Our shuttle finder narrows down the options.
How many tubes does your club need for a season?
Under-ordering mid-season is a headache, and over-ordering ties up cash. A simple estimate helps. Track your actual usage for a few weeks, then use this method.
The method
- Count the number of club sessions in the season.
- Work out how many tubes you use in a typical session (courts in use multiplied by tubes per court per session).
- Multiply sessions by tubes per session.
- Add matches: number of home matches multiplied by tubes per match.
- Add a buffer for busy nights, extra fixtures and damaged shuttles.
Worked example (hypothetical numbers)
These figures are for illustration only. Replace them with your own club's numbers.
- Club nights: 1 per week for 36 weeks = 36 sessions
- Usage: 4 courts, each using half a tube a night = 2 tubes per session
- Club night total: 36 x 2 = 72 tubes
- League matches: 10 home matches using 3 tubes each = 30 tubes
- Subtotal: 72 + 30 = 102 tubes
- Buffer of 10%: about 10 tubes
- Season estimate: around 112 tubes
If you use nylon for coaching and feathers for matches, run the calculation separately for each. Ordering in a few batches through the season, rather than all at once, can also help keep feathers fresh.
Storage tips: keep feathers flying longer
Feather shuttles are a natural product, and the way you store them affects how long they last.
- Keep tubes upright and closed, so feathers are not crushed or bent.
- Avoid heat. Store away from radiators, heaters and direct sunlight, and do not leave them in a hot car boot.
- Watch out for dry air. Very dry conditions, such as heated halls and cupboards in winter, can leave feathers brittle so they break sooner. Some clubs lightly humidify tubes before play in dry spells; avoid doing this when the air is already damp, as moisture adds weight and changes flight.
- Rotate stock. Use older tubes first and check boxes on arrival.
- Retire damaged shuttles. A broken feather changes the flight, so take it out of match play and use it for drills instead.
Ready to order?
Browse our full range of shuttles, then get in touch for club pricing or ask about our Partnership Programme. You can also speak to the team at our Cardiff, Birmingham, Milton Keynes and Hereford shops.