Volant badminton plume ou plastique : que choisir ?

Plastique pour le loisir et l'initiation (incassable, économique), plumes pour le club et la compétition (trajectoires précises, obligatoire en tournoi FFBaD).

Que signifie la vitesse 76, 77 ou 78 d'un volant ?

C'est la vitesse du volant : 76 pour les salles chaudes, 77 standard, 78 pour les gymnases froids. Un dégagement complet doit retomber entre les deux lignes de fond de service.

Comment faire durer ses volants plumes ?

Humidifiez-les la veille des matchs : une plume souple plie au lieu de casser, ce qui prolonge nettement leur durée de vie.

How to choose your badminton shuttles: complete guide feather vs plastic

Apr 17, 2026

16 goose feathers, all taken from the left wing so that the shuttlecock spins in the right direction. The badminton shuttlecock is a small aerodynamic marvel: it goes from 300 km/h to 60 km/h in just a few meters. But you still need to choose the right one.

In short: the plastic (nylon) shuttlecock is for leisure and beginners: virtually unbreakable, simplified trajectory. The feather shuttlecock is mandatory in competition and transforms the game: sharp trajectories, drop shots that die at the net. The speed (76, 77, 78) is chosen according to the temperature of your gym: the colder it is, the faster the shuttlecock should be.

Feathers or plastic: the match

Criterion	Plastic (Mavis 2000…)	Feather (AS20, AS30, Ice Strike…)
Trajectory	Straighter, "floats"	Precise, vertical drop
Lifespan	Several matches	1 to 3 matches depending on level
Cost per use	Very low	Higher (hence the interest of good deals)
FFBaD Competition	❌ No	✅ Mandatory (approved shuttlecocks)

Shuttlecock speed: the detail 80% of players ignore

Each tube has a number: 76, 77 or 78. The warmer and lighter the air, the further the shuttlecock flies – so you need a slower shuttlecock (76) in summer or in a heated hall, and a faster one (78) in a cold gym in winter. The club test: a full clear should land between the two back service lines. If all your shuttlecocks go out, it might not be your arm – it's the speed of the tube.

Goose feathers or duck feathers?

High-end shuttlecocks (Yonex AS30, AS50) use goose feathers: stiffer, more consistent, more durable. Training shuttlecocks often use duck: very good for the club, less consistent at the end of their life. Our best value for money: Ice Strike shuttlecocks, goose feathers at a training price.

Which shuttlecock for your use?

Beginners, garden, leisure → Yonex Mavis 2000 plastic
Club training → Ice Strike or Yonex AS20 feathers
FFBaD Tournaments → Yonex AS30 (elite approved) or official shuttlecock of your committee

Frequently asked questions

Why are feather shuttlecocks so expensive?

Each shuttlecock requires 16 natural feathers sorted, adjusted, and glued by hand onto a cork base. It's a handcrafted product consumed in industrial quantities.

How to make your feather shuttlecocks last longer?

Moisten them the day before (tube slightly open above a source of humidity): a dry feather breaks, a flexible feather bends. Club players can easily extend the life of each shuttlecock by one match.

Which shuttlecocks are FFBaD approved?

The federation publishes its list of approved shuttlecocks by category (elite, standard) each season. The AS30 is listed as elite – check the tube's label before a tournament.

Written by the DC.Sports team — badminton specialist, Morsang-sur-Orge (91).

Tubes individually or by carton (club rate): see all our shuttlecocks — free relay delivery from €50.

How to choose your badminton shuttles: complete guide feather vs plastic

Feathers or plastic: the match

Shuttlecock speed: the detail 80% of players ignore

Goose feathers or duck feathers?

Which shuttlecock for your use?

Frequently asked questions

Why are feather shuttlecocks so expensive?

How to make your feather shuttlecocks last longer?

Which shuttlecocks are FFBaD approved?

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