(Hier gehts zur Deutschen Version)

If you need a restringing or stringing of your racket, beside going to a shop, Henrik is offering this service at low prices for all club members (Darkos offer, see here). Convenient and affordable for you. Please contact Henrik.

• Either via Whatsapp, signal or sms to this phone number + 49-172-30080 (six) (one) (Please replace the numbers with digits)
• or in person while playing
• or by email to Henrik

Please advise which string and which tension you need, as well as information about your racket: manufacturer/brand and model. See also the contact form further down.

If it is not possible for you to meet Henrik at the game, you can also leave your racket in our closet in Plänterwald. Three things are important:

1. for reasons of space, please WITHOUT the bag (racket cover)!
2. please cut the strings. No one else will then accidentally take your racket. Scissors available in the locker (hangs at the door).
3. please let Henrik know that your racket xyz is in the closet in the gym at Plänterwald and should be re-strung with the string xyz,  and string tension shall be x kg or x lbs. Please message or use the form further down.

The re-stringing of a racket including the string material currently costs 20 €. How to pay:

• Either pay in cash directly to Henrik.
• Or by paypal to: henrik.turzer@me.com    Please select the function "send to friends or family".
• Or by bank transfer. You will receive the IBAN account number through the chat / mail answer.

Often eyelets (gromits) have to be replaced. 2 - 3 broken eyelets will be replaced at no extra cost. If more gromits have to be exchanged, Henrik will let you know, how much to be paid additionally.

Faulty eyelets (gromits) have to be replaced to avoid damaging the new string. In this case you will be informed.

If a racket is not worth to be re-stringed, for example because of a hidden crack, you will be notified and the racket will be returned.

These strings are currently offered:

From Yonex:

• BG3 (best durability, but dull. White color)
• BG65 (good durability. Soft feeling. available in blue)
• BG80 (good durability. hard feeling. suitable for conrol, precision, net play. White or yellow)
• Nanogy 99 (very good control, very durable, but nevertheless good repulsion power. Best compromise. White)
• Nanogy 98 (very good repulsion power, still acceptable control/precision, but less durable than Nanogy99. If played by smashers, will not last as long as the above mentioned. Ivory white)
• EXBOLT63 (very good support for clears and smashes, moderate control, medium-long durability, although very thin. Announced by Yonex as THE new star among the strings, that supposedly combines the advantages of a thin string (good repulsion power) with those of a thick string (long-lasting). Expensive string. Extra costs 3 €. Little experience so far in our club, but highly praised from Yonex itself (manufacturer, who's surprised). Available in yellow or black.)
• Aerosonic (thinnest available string, superior repulsion power. But breaks quite quickly. This string might not last even a single month if played by a strong player with explosive power. More suitable for beginners and people without offensive power. White)
• BG66 Ultimax (best support for clears and smashes, moderate control, and not long lasting, not recommended for people with excellent smash power, unless the money to restring the racket every 4 - 6 weeks is not a problem. Yellow)

From Ashaway:

• Zymax 69 fire (very durable, but not very "explosive". Very good control at high tension. Color: orange)
• Zymax 66 fire (still durable, more explosive than 69,  explosiver, Compromise between 69 and 62. Color: white)
• Zymax 62 fire (very thin string, very explosive, high repulsion support, but similar to Yonex BG66 ultimax not very durable. Available in orange)
• Hybride stringing possible: vertical strings: Zymax 69 fire, and cross strings: Zymax 62 fire. Good combination!

Please note that choosing the right string is a very subjective and individual decision. It depends as well a lot on the racket: who is playing with the racket and what effect exactly is desired. Many players therefore use several different rackets for singles, for doubles or for mixed. It is impossible to provide a correct advice. Some swear up on BG80, others may find Nanogy99 to be the best choice.

And the string tension plays a very important role. See next section.

It can also play a role how much money you want to spend on restringing.  BG3 would last for a long time, meanwhile a Aerosonic string might break after a month of regular playing, depending from how often the racket has been used for hard smashing.

In general, one can say that the thinner strings are particularly good for players with less speed or smash power.

The strings are listed above according to their thickness, the thicker ones first, the thinnest last.

A very good solution is Nanogy99, which offers excellent shuttle control, but still a good repulsion support, and is also quite durable. Many club members choose this string and are very satisfied. This string is only available in white.

If you want to try something new, you might be well advised with the new  EXBOLT63, available in yellow or black. Attention, surcharge 3, - €, as this string is very expensive. The latest technology from Yonex, explosive repulsion support is promised, but still good control and according to Yonex acceptable (however not outstanding) durability. We'll know after a few months whether it's true. At the moment some club members are already playing with this string.

Click here for a review about the exbolt63 string at youtube.

Another rewiev of this string, more detailed.

The next topic that is difficult to give advice on is string tension. That's a very individual decision.

Some information and pieces of advise:

Many believe that the more string tension, the better it is for smash power. But the opposite is true. A lot of tension = more precision, but less bouncy. Little tension = more support to smash effortless, but poorer precision. And you can't have both. So you have to decide whether you want more control and precision, or better kickback support*.

(*Better kickback support means that the racket and string will help hit the shuttle far or smash it at a slightly higher speed. This can be achieved with a lower string tension. More control / precision means that you can aim more precisely. Less scatter, easier to place the shuttle exactly in a certain corner)

Since the world class players all have enough strength for top speed smashes (otherwise they would not have become world class players), at this level they work with tensions of even 14 or 15 kg. To increase the precision as much as possible. The string bed then feels like a hard board.

The problem with such a high string tension: a racket strung with 15 kg breaks through with the slightest incorrect load, for example if two rackets are clashed (double). Furthermore the string will not last that long and may break not many games. This is irrelevant for world top players, who get as many rackets from their sponsors as they can destroy. But if you have to pay for the racket yourself, you will probably think differently about it, especially since good rackets are not cheap.

I therefore advise a maximum of 12 - 13 kg string tension at our level, not more. We don't have any world top players (not yet 😉).

Now about the question of how high the tension should be?

If you want support for your clear, it is better to choose a less high string tension, e.g. 9-10.5 kg.

On the otherside, if you don't need such support, a string tension of 11-13 kg is advisable.

However, there are rackets that can only be strung with a certain maximum tension, Most sensitive: very light rackets ("head light balance") with a thin frame. The specification of the maximum tension is printed on the handle or shaft of the rackets from higher quality brands. It is possible to ignore the maximum load and put an extra kg of tension. but with a higher risk to destroy the racket.

Finally: please do not overestimate the question of the correct stringing. If you play "shit" or can't hit a proper clear, it is often due to the wrong technique, arm posture, body work, etc. The differences are noticeable, for example whether you have strung with 10 or 11.5 kg, but the effect usually is smaller than you might expect from a string exchange or other tension. Don't blame the racket and/or shuttle for the own imperfections 😉)

In view of the huge number of different rackets on the market and the wide range of different strings that furthermore can be strung with different tensions, it is difficult and also very time-consuming to find the best alternative for yourself. How to approach the best solution?  Try out rackets from club colleagues, compare to your own ones, and step by step you will get closer to the relatively best racket for your needs.

A major impact on your performance: the ability to hit the shuttle with the center (sweetspot) of the racket. If you are able to hit the shuttle precisely with the center of your racket, you will be able to play fast smashes and long clears quite effortless. But missing to hit the center, the shuttle will not fly.

That is the reason for the positive effect of lower string tension: it expands the sweet spot area. Good players, who always hit the shuttle correctly, therefore can go for higher tension and harder strings. like the BG80.

Here we have a useful link about racket testing and review. Curiously it turnes out, that factory specs not always are correct, and a racket sold as "very stiff" could even be "quite flexible". Or wrong specifications about weight or balance.

Usually the string gets broken at one of the crossing points somewhere in the center of the racket head. "wear and tear"-effect. Depending from the thickness of the string and the tension, and very much depending from your strike power and how much do you play per week, a string can last just some weeks, or half a year.

If you don't like to spend a lot of money on restringing, and if you are a hard smasher, we advise to use the Nanogy99 string from Yonex, as this string is relatively durable, but nevertheless offers very good control and quite good repulsion power. The Nanogy99 is a great product from Yonex.

Another weak point are the knots. At this point the vertical string is squeezed by the knot of the horizontal string. But this cannot be avoided, thats the construction and restringing principle of every racket so far.

A mishit exactly onto the knot may lead to a broken vertical string, even if the string in general is yet new, far away from being close to break anyway.

This is unfortunately an additional risk with strings like Aerosonic, Exbolt63 and BG66 ultimax. They are very thin, deliver excellent repulsion power, but are very sensitive. Women will not face this problem usually, and people with low or average smash power (like Henrik) neither. These people may choose such strings. But a hard hitter should either accept some extra cost for restringing if using such a string, or better choose Nanogy99, BG80, BG65, or Ashaway 69. At least, please don't complain, if you choose such a string and have to restring the racket after some weeks.

Kento Momota, Lin Dan, Victor Axelsen, Saina Nehwal, and others use strings for high control: see here.

Meanwhile Marcus Gideon, Sakaya Hirota and Ratchanok May Intanon prefer soft feeling and durability: see here.

And who likes fast repulsion power? Lee Chong Wei, Chou Tien Chen, Akane Yamaguchi, and others: see here.

useful additional information and faq about restringing rackets, from Henrik

1.) What shall I do, if my strings got broken?

Usually people start to panic when a string gets broken. Thinking, that if not cutting all strings immediately, the racket will be deformed. Sorry to say, but this is nonsense. Modern rackets cannot be that easily deformed, as they are made of carbon/aluminium compound. Furthermore, one broken string will not have any major effect. But if you cut all the strings, 2 things will happen: - first it will not be possible to evaluate, where and why the old strings broke. Usually they break because worn out. But in some cases the reason is a damaged eyelet, or a non existing protection ad the racket head top.  

- second: it happens, while you remove the cutted pieces of the string, that you remove an eyelet without noticing it, which got lost then and has to be replaced. 

So PLEASE, do not cut out the strings. Unnecessary complications. 

2.) String tension:

Another wrong myth, which cannot be eradicated: "More string tension means a better performance, or more powerful smashes". No, No, No !!! More string tension means, more accuracy, you will be able to aim to a certain point or corner more precisely, less „dispersion“, but you loose repulsion power, which means, that you need a little more force to play a long clear or a fast smash. In general less tension will increase the size of the sweet spot, allowing you to play long clears even if not hitting the shuttle with the racket center, with less effort. And it will increase as well the dispersion tendency. What does this mean:

• if you are a strong player with fast acting muscle fibres, thus effortless can play long clears, then you do not need much support from your racket. But you may find a better control (accuracy and for net play) more useful. That is the reason, why world class players do string up to 14 kg. They simply do not need special support to play long clears. And they give a shit to the durability, because they get new rackets from their sponsors at any moment. Thus, if you are an expert, if you do not have any problem to play a long clear, then you can go for tension of even 12 or 13 kg. However, even some experts might consider a lower string tension better, as they like to accelerate the shuttle speed of a smash a little bit further. 
• but if you are a beginner, you will be fine with string tension of 8,5 to 10 kg.
• intermediate players may consider a string tension of 10 - max. 11 kg.
• more advanced players may consider 11-12 kg string tension.

But once again, as you cannot have both, repulsion support and superb accuracy, you have to decide, what is more important. Henrik cannot decide for you. Please decide on your own. 

3.) String type: so many string types are sold, from Yonex, from Adidas, from Ashaway, from Li-Ning, from Victor. But they cook all with the same water, as we say in Germany. In general, the thinner a string the more support you get for repulsion, but less control and less durability. Meanwhile a BG3 string from Yonex might last for many month or even years (thickness 0,74 mm), a Yonex aerosonic string (0,61 mm) might break within a few weeks. 

Again: your decision! You don’t care about the cost, you wanna have good repulsion power: go for BG66 ultimax, or the new Yonex exbolt 63, or Yonex aerosonic (most sensitive, not durable at all). But if restringing cost matters, you might be fine with the great Yonex Nanogy99, which offers superb control, still quite good repulsion power, and a durability more than average. This string is a favourite string for a lot of our club members, who mainly are satisfied or even very satisfied. 

4.) … I am used to BG65 or BG80 … well, these strings exist since many years, and are widely used worldwide, probably the most popular ones in the Badminton world (offered in many different colors). Logically, if somebody is used to play with such a string, he or she might not like to change, as a different string tend to act a little bit different. And that is fine. If you want to continue to use BG65 or BG80, go for it. By the way, BG65 has a very special characteristics, it is suitable for trickshots like cross drops.  It is said, that the shuttlecock sticks to the strings a little bit longer (soft feeling). On the other side, BG80 is promising „hard feeling“, nice for accuracy, and for net play. But … according to Yonex itself, both strings have worse specifications, if compared to the newer Nanogy99, Nanogy98, or Exbolt63. Please have a look on the specs on the back side of this sheet. And then decide!!

Questions?

As you see, at least according to the specifications of Yonex itself the more modern strings Nanogy98 and Nanogy99 outperform the traditional strings BG65 and BG80 in almost every discipline. But, again, if you are used to BG65, or BG80, or whatsoever, you may continue to use them. Otherwise, these nice stings from the Nanogy family might be a fresh and better alternative. But Henrik cannot decide for you, you have to decide.

And please don’t overestimate the influence of the string. Much more important is to hit the shuttle with the racket center. If you wanna improve your game and avoid mishits (and thus destroying shuttles!) try to improve your accuracy and timing, while hitting the shuttle. And avoid nonsense strikes, like trying to do an overhead smash even if the shuttle already passed your head. That will cost you the point, the club has to buy more shuttles, and it might damage your racket/strings as well.

My personal note about Nanogy99: The durability is minimum an 8, not a 7. 

R means Repulsion power = support to play longer clears and smashes

D means Durability (how long does such a string last probably)

HS means hitting sound. If this is important for you …

S means shock absorption, which might help, if you suffer from a „tennis ellbow“

C means control, which leads to an improved accuracy in hitting a certain point or corner.