Buying guide
How to choose strings
Strings change how your racket feels far more than most players expect — and they're the cheapest, easiest upgrade you can make. Two numbers matter: gauge (thickness) and tension (how tightly they're strung, in pounds). Thinner strings give you more feel and power, but break sooner. Higher tension gives you more control, but less power and a smaller margin for error.
In short: Still developing your shots? Go with a durable medium-gauge string at a low-to-mid tension — it's more forgiving, and it gives you easy power.
What actually matters
The specs worth understanding — and why.
Gauge (thickness)
Typical: 0.61mm (ultra-thin) to 0.70mm (durable/thick); 0.65mm is the all-round sweet spot
This is the big trade-off. Thinner string (0.61-0.65mm) bites into the shuttle for more power, a crisper sound, and better feel and spin — but it breaks sooner. Thicker string (0.68-0.70mm) has more material to it, so it lasts longer and feels more muted, at the cost of some power.
Repulsion (power) rating
Typical: BG65 ~6, BG66 Ultimax ~9-10, Exbolt 63 ~9-10, Li-Ning No.1 10/10 (relative manufacturer scales)
High-repulsion strings reward attacking players who want effortless power on smashes and clears, especially at lower-to-mid tensions. If power is what you're after, lead with this — just know it usually costs you some durability.
Control / shuttle hold
Typical: Textured strings (Exbolt 65, Li-Ning No.1, Aerobite) rate highest for control
If you play for placement, deception, and consistency, control matters more to you than raw power. You get more of it from thin string at higher tension, and from textured or forged surfaces.
Durability rating
Typical: BG65 / VBS-70 ~9, Li-Ning No.7 ~9-10 (highest); ultra-thin strings ~5-7
Restringing is the biggest ongoing cost in badminton. If you break strings often — hard hitters, mis-hitters, and beginners still learning clean contact — go thick and durable to bring your cost-per-hour down, even if it means giving up a little power.
Recommended tension range (lb)
Typical: Beginner 20-23 lb; intermediate 23-26 lb; advanced 26-30 lb
Lower tension (20-24 lb) gives you a trampoline effect and more power — and it's more forgiving, so it suits beginners. Higher tension (26-30 lb) gives a flatter, more controlled bed for advanced players, but it breaks thin strings fast and demands clean contact. Match the tension to your gauge, your racket's rating, and your level.
Construction / coating
Typical: Multifilament nylon core + special braided outer; coatings vary by model
Construction and coating set the feel (soft or crisp), how well the string holds tension, how it resists wear, and the sound it makes. It's why two 0.70mm strings — say BG65 and BG65Ti — can feel completely different.
Hitting sound
Typical: Sharpest on ultra-thin strings; muted on 0.70mm durability strings
Thin, high-repulsion strings (BG66 Ultimax, Exbolt 63) make the sharpest crack, and players read that as clean, powerful contact. It won't change the physics — but it's a real reason people pick a string, so it's worth naming.
Match it to how you play
Find the line that sounds like you.
Absolute beginner, any height/weight/sex, still learning clean contact and mis-hitting often
→ Thick 0.70mm all-round durable string (BG65 / BG65Ti / VBS-70 / Li-Ning No.7) strung at 20-23 lb
Thick gauge survives off-center hits and the abuse that comes with learning, and lower tension gives you a bigger sweet spot and a built-in trampoline for power before your technique catches up. It keeps your restring costs down through the phase where you break the most strings.
Recreational / improver who plays 1-2x per week and dislikes frequent restrings
→ 0.69-0.70mm durability/all-round string (Nanogy 95 at 0.69mm, BG65 or VBS-70 at 0.70mm) at 22-25 lb
Best cost-per-hour. It holds tension and resists wear, so you stretch the time between restrings — while still getting decent power at mid tension.
Power-seeking attacker (typically heavier or stronger player / steep-smash singles or men's doubles rear-court), good clean contact
→ Ultra-thin high-repulsion 0.63-0.65mm string (BG66 Ultimax 0.65, Exbolt 63 0.63, Li-Ning No.1 0.65, VBS-63 0.63) at 24-27 lb
Thin gauge grabs the shuttle and fires it back for smash power and that crisp sound, and mid-high tension keeps the bed lively without going so high it kills the power. It's for players strong enough to make their own head speed.
Advanced control player / singles tactician wanting placement, deception and a flat fast bed
→ Thin string at high tension: Exbolt 65 (0.65) at 25-29 lb, BG66 Ultimax (0.65) at 26-28 lb, or Li-Ning No.1 (0.65) at 26-29 lb
Thin gauge plus high tension makes a flat, low-powered, highly predictable bed that rewards technique and clean placement. Textured and forged strings — Exbolt 65 with its Elasticity Outer coating, Li-Ning No.1 with its 3D KINT texture — add hold for slices and net deception. Only worth it if you hit clean and your racket is rated for the tension.
Frequent string-breaker / hard hitter who snaps thin strings within days
→ Thickest durability string (BG65 0.70, VBS-70 0.70 ~9/10 durability, Li-Ning No.7 0.70 ~9-10/10) at 24-26 lb
0.70mm strings with deep-dip, deep-patterned durability coatings — BG65's braided outer, VBS-70's deep-patterned Thermo Tech coating, Li-Ning No.7's Deep-Re-Dipping — resist wear and snapping far longer than thin strings. Mid tension keeps the extra stress that very high tension puts on the bed off the table.
Doubles player wanting fast flat drives and quick reflex blocks with spin on net kills
→ Hybrid or thin textured string: Yonex Aerobite (0.67 main / 0.61 cross) or Exbolt 65 (0.65) at 24-28 lb
The thin textured cross puts spin on tumbling net shots and steep cut kills, while the slightly thicker main adds stability on your drives. The hybrid build splits the difference between power in the flat doubles exchange and control.
Lighter / lower-strength player (often a strength proxy) who still wants power but cannot generate high head speed
→ Thin high-repulsion string at LOWER tension: BG66 Ultimax (0.65) or BG65Ti (0.70 for added durability) at 20-23 lb
Lower tension gives a lighter player the trampoline assist they need for power, and the thin, elastic build (or BG65Ti's titanium-hydride coating) adds power on top — so you're not leaning on raw strength. Stay away from 27 lb and up; it would just deaden the bed for this player.
Intermediate all-rounder unsure of style, plays mixed singles and doubles
→ 0.65-0.66mm balanced string (BG66 Ultimax 0.65, VBS-66 Nano 0.66, Li-Ning No.1 0.65) at 24-26 lb
0.65-0.66mm at mid tension is the genuine all-around sweet spot — enough power to attack, enough control to defend, and durability that holds up fine for a once-or-twice-a-week player.