You don’t need a lot of equipment when playing Badminton regularly, but there are a few items that are always good to have on hand when needed. I find that a lot of players don’t carry even a couple of these items off the list. They’re practical and when anybody needs some I can always share.
These are 11 accessories and gadgets I recommend anyone who plays Badminton to have in their bag.
- A pair of scissors
- Black electrical tape
- Yonex Super Grap Overgrips
- White easy tear zinc oxide tape
- Sports Kinesiology tape
- Deep Heat and Deep Freeze
- Sports shoe bag
- Badminton shoe insole
- Yonex Badminton socks
- Odour eater inserts and spray
- A skipping rope
Read on to find out why these items are useful to have stashed in your Badminton bag.
A pair of scissors
It’s an easy and cheap recommendation to make for any Badminton player. Whether you need to cut some tape, trim racquet grips or cut out the remains of broken racquet strings they’re handy in many situations.
You don’t need anything too heavy duty but I’ve found it worth spending a little more for a pair that won’t break when trying to cut something a little tougher. People often break the strings of their racquet when playing and it’s good to cut the rest of the strings up once one has gone so that the tension from the racquet is released. Leaving one string broken whilst the others remain can distort the racquet head because the tension is no longer evenly spread.
Other times people just need to cut some tape or are redoing the grip on their racquet and need to trim it to the right length. It’s always good to have a pair handy not just yourself but so you can lend them to others. This pair I found on Amazon from Amazon Basics do the job great at a good price.
Black electrical tape
This one is an odd one. I don’t particularly like the magnetic sticky tape that you get with racquets grip wraps when you buy them. They’re not terrible but they always end up peeling away in the end. I instead have a couple of these black electric tapes from Amazon in my bag to finish off the top of the grip.
Tradesmen use it for all sorts but mainly used by electricians. It’s got a strong stickiness that lasts, you won’t find yourself resticking it all the time or have it peeling off. It also smooths out very nicely so it doesn’t create any additional bulk where you use it.
Beyond using it for grips I use it for marking tubes in my bag which have used shuttles. Just sticking it around the tube shows me straight away if the tube has new or old shuttles in it. Just a couple of examples but worth the buy as it’s quite cheap.
Yonex Super Grap Overgrips
There are two types of players in Badminton, people who play with towel grips and those who don’t. I’ve tried both in the past and I’ve never really seen the benefits of towel grips. I always stick to using Yonex’s Super Grap Overgrips for all my racquets. You can buy them on Amazon in a variety of colours to suit your style.
I used to use the PU grips and replace my whole grip every time but I kept finding that I’d do it slightly differently or get it slightly wrong and it takes a little getting used to again once you start playing with it. These Overgrips are so thin that they add very little to your grip size and means you only need to replace this top layer to get a fresh grip again. We have an article on PU and Overgrips that you can read here. It details what these two different grips are and the differences between them.
It’s always handy to have a few of these knocking around in your bag for when you need a fresh grip, especially if you play a lot. A must buy.
White easy tear zinc oxide tape
Zinc oxide tape is a common physio sports tape that is used to immobilise joints. Used a lot in Rugby this tape is commonly used to protect ankles and knees from injury and also as a support for the joints to prevent injury. This is its main purpose but I actually use it for something else.
This tape is decent for strapping but I’ve found that it fails to stick once you start sweating. I use this for taping up my wedding and other rings I wear. I find that when I do start to sweat my rings are prone to slip off. I put some of this tape around the rings and my finger to just hold them on. It works really well. This tape is also brilliant for any simple taping need for keeping on plasters or first aid treatment, providing a protective layer to the wood on the handle of my racquet before I apply grips and creating make-shift labels (they’re easy to write on with a pen). You can buy them off Amazon here and get three at a bargain price.
Sports Kinesiology tape
Much like the zinc oxide tape, Sports Kinesiology tape is used by athletes and physiotherapists as a support bandage. They’re applied in a particular direction to support muscles, tendons and joints. They’re a lot better sticking on even when you start to sweat than zinc oxide tape is. You see this used by a lot of the top athletes nowadays. They wear it for preventative measures and to aid with existing minor injuries.
You can buy this at a great price on Amazon and this top brand also packages their tape with a special guide that details how to apply it for different areas of the body. Over 2000 reviews it’s a tried and tested product. For anyone who picks up minor injuries frequently or plays a lot and could benefit from the support every now and then, it’s a no brainer.
Deep Heat and Deep Freeze
These are two great products that I always carry but hope to never use. Deep Heat is a pain relief warming spray. You spray it directly onto the skin. It’s used to help sore or tightened muscles relax by dilating the blood vessels and promoting increased blood flow. It’s a form of heat therapy.
Deep Freeze is the cold therapy version of Deep Heat. It’s also a pain relief spray but cools the skin and beneath where you apply it. It’s used to reduce pain and swelling in muscles and joints. It reduces blood flow circulation to relieve inflammation.
Both of these sprays can come in handy for Badminton. Deep Heat is good to have if you suffer from chronic injuries and need to relax the muscles. Deep Freeze is good for if you pick up an injury during a match and need some instant pain relief and reduce potential damage.
I’ve had to use both of these and they work so well. I don’t advise depending on them for day-to-day practice, training or matches but they’re good to have in an emergency. It’s also good to be able to offer help to teammates or other players when the occasion arises. Both products can be found on Amazon (Deep Heat and Deep Freeze) and you can buy them in packs to save more money.
Sports shoe bag
Not an accessory that people think to have but I’ll tell you why you need it. I’ve always had the big tournament series type of Badminton bags. They hold a lot of racquets and have side pockets etc. One of the more useful features is that they tend to have a separate compartment to put your shoes in. Saves the rest of the bag from getting dirtied and dusty from your court shoes. The only problem with putting them straight in there is that the dirt and dust will just build up in there. Once you’ve had the bag a while it’ll you’ll need to start cleaning it to avoid getting mould from the humidity of your shoes.
A great way to solve this problem is to put your shoes in a little shoe bag. They’re made from breathable nylon and are much easier to wash with not being connected to the rest of your bag. It also means you can store your shoes in any other part of your bag especially if your Badminton bag doesn’t have a shoe pocket. These bags on Amazon fit any shoe size and you get two of them, perfect for keeping a spare pair of shoes in your bag.
Badminton shoe insole
Whether it’s to replace your current insoles, to provide more support on top of your existing ones or to provide better grip between your sock and insole at some point you’ll need a pair of insoles. Most people play with the same pair of shoes until they give out, never thinking about wear and tear on the inside of the shoe too. A good pair of Badminton shoes can last a long time but I can guarantee the insoles don’t last as long. They’ll start to get holes in them and any texture they had will eventually be smoothed out giving you less stability.
It’s a good idea to check your insoles regularly to see if they need replacing. I needed a pair to stop my sock slipping inside my shoe and provide better arch support for my foot. This pair from Victor on Direct Badminton provides great arch support, grip between the sock and sole and adds more comfort and support when jumping and moving about.
Yonex Badminton socks
Not just Yonex but any Badminton brand socks really. Most people don’t know that there is a big difference between socks designed for Badminton and regular or even sports socks. Badminton socks are thicker, more durable and have a higher thread count compared to other socks. They’re designed to lick moisture away from your feet and let it escape. They’re also not as stretchy as normal socks which provides more protection against blisters and rubbing. Some brands add texture to the bottom of the socks to provide better grip between shoe and sock.
You can buy a three pack of Yonex’s best socks here on Direct Badminton. They’re a bit pricey for socks but they’re so comfortable. You’ll notice the difference straight away and wonder how you managed without them before.
Odour eater inserts and spray
We’ve recommended a lot of accessories that are footwear related and for good reason. Footwork is paramount in Badminton, you’ll be moving a lot. It’s worth investing in looking after your feet and footwear. The final pieces of essential equipment for footwear are odour eater inserts and odour eater spray.
These inserts from ECO-FUSED on Amazon are designed to deodourise your shoes which makes them smell nice but they also absorb moisture. Placing these in your shoes after you play will keep your shoes dry and prevent them from smelling.
Another alternative is this Odor-eaters spray, again off Amazon. It’s more preventative than the inserts as you spray it onto your feet and like an antiperspirant, it helps stop your feet from sweating. You can use it by spraying it into your shoes to kill any odours that way too.
A skipping rope
Skipping is an essential skill for Badminton players of all levels. It’s great to have a skipping or a speed rope in your bag ready to use for warmups or workouts. Skipping can be done anywhere, you don’t need a lot of space and it’s a quick and efficient way to get warmed up properly as it gets your pulse rate up. Good exercise for your calf strength with helps a lot with agility in Badminton you can use it in your speed and agility training schedules too.
This skipping rope from Speed Rope on Amazon is of fantastic quality. Its modern design makes it easier to skip with. It’s also adjustable so you can change the length of the rope to suit you.
Written by Liam Walsh who lives in Manchester, England. Working as a Software Engineer but moonlighting as a dad, Badminton player/coach and creator of BadmintonsBest.
