Badminton shoes : how to choose??

Shoes is the main equipment for badminton. With many features to be reckoned with. The nice thing about shoes is that the choice really easy. Outside the anatomical selection (fit, pronation correction for ,) are the definitions of good shoes pretty easy.


Anatomical support

The joints of a human being made in (a) direction (s) hinges. Shoes should shake so bad, and good movement easier or more correctly smoothly.


Ventilation

Badminton is an indoor sport. Including indoor sale shoes designed for sports like squash and badminton. Besides the differences in anatomical support is important to know that the ventilation of indoor shoes firmly differs from outdoor shoes. Indeed, the use of outdoor shoes such heat can cause rapid badminton movements that the temperature inside the shoe to 70 ° C rise.


Grip of the sole

Depending on the floor of a room can make any remaining differences, but overall a good sole will provide a good grip on any ground whatsoever. Only the wear of the sole will be higher in a "textured" or more "grippy" surface.

How often you see outdoor recreationists who are running shoes to play on a parquet floor? Besides striking estimated that any swift movement on the square goes completely against, often damage the hard (and dirty!) Pads the floor.

Try? Most stores will let you try really absolutely no sneakers. Logical really. But whether the grip of one sole is better than another is quite easy to test. Most stores have somewhere on a polished, varnished wooden surface - whether it's the checkout page or a table somewhere. Put two shoes on that ground, put a shoe in each hand and while you're away from your lower the pressure that pushes you in the shoes exercises. The shoe that first started to slide with the least grip.

Caution: too much grip is not good. This increases the load on joints and increases the risk of tipping of the foot.

You lose grip dirty soles? There are 'little patch-up "available in specialty stores such as resin powder, alcohol-based liquids to clean the soles and some people swear by it now and then to cut a potato in half and rub the sole, so as to ...


Damping of internal (sole)

The actual value of functional sports is actually largely determined by the damping of the base. The more damping, the more expensive. The more damping, the better for your foot and the load on your muscles and joints.

In explosive sports like badminton, the optimal damping of the sole. Although a very flexible active quench your marginal movements may adversely affect (= strain energy that can not be converted into motion) is the damping factor for sudden stop loss and country after jumping more important.

Asics, currently one of the leading companies within the sports industry, which is testing it in a specially equipped room heights from several eggs drop to the sole material. Impressive when you see an egg easily land on a 2.5 inch wide mat From 10 meters height!


Supporting the foot movement

The more you have in a cushioning material, the more unstable it is to walk on. Try to run on an air mattress. And while the ankle should be fully supported ...

But that theory is of course only for flat surfaces. The sole of a shoe is a combination of more and less absorbing material in a form that closely both lateral and forward movement fully supports, and maintains the right foot when landing after a jump.

The foot movement is further supported by the structure in the walls of the shoe. At the back is in most shoes a firmer structure, or a cross structure that excessive rotation of the ankle to go. In some Yonex shoes (and thus possibly other manufacturers) is even a piece of carbon processed - a sort of built-in brace to turn the foot as much as possible to go.


Why no bounding shoes?

So with all that trouble, why not boots, such as baskets, which enclose and support the ankle? The fact is that the movements do not allow badminton. Without impeding the movements would be minimal factual support must be personalized for each person or would weaken the muscles (as with prolonged use of a brace).

In addition, the ankle support is also subject to wear. Which means that when an overload may suddenly fail. The muscles were not prepared, and the only change would be anyway.


Correction for single mode

Badminton specific shoes never provide correction for any position. It is therefore important to pay attention to it anyway and any (extra) insoles with correction to buy.


Specific lasts and advice

There are many different models on the market. In addition, especially the big brands are guilty of "hyphen" from "technology" which is really nothing more than marketing gimmicks. The difference between a good supportive shoe and a poorly supportive shoes you notice after a few movements on the field.

Important for its own feeling, inspired by a shoe: it is narrow or wide, and where it is narrow or wide? Yonex shoes (eg the former SHB-89) often have a narrow nose, where movements of the front of the foot in the shoe will be limited. While this is positive to avoid blisters, this rather 'narrow' feel. Asics (eg Gel Blade), Adidas (eg the Star Light series) and Victor (eg V-8000 Matsui) make shoes in general slightly more space, and provide a little more explicit support for the arch. At Nike (eg Court Shuttle) is also found that wider shoes.


Flexibility

In addition, the strength of interest. Again with proprietary find differences, the Yonex shoes are very flexible, and Asics and Victor do provide something stiffer shoes. The sole may feel more or less flexible when walking, but this usually has little to do with grip or no grip. So choose a shoe that you feel good.


Weight

A player transferring to a heavier shoe can really turn a difference of 10-20 grams all serious brands. Nike seems to be the lightest shoe design, but it is looking for a compromise: a very noticeable light shoe often indicates a thinner sole, which caused less noise.


Closure

The movements that a badminton player makes a badminton shoe should be as open as possible, so that no irritation occurs at the edges of the shoe. Some models run a bit too high, or have a pretty hard edge to support the laces, making that places irritation, blisters or sores can occur. Usually such cases can be solved by the laces else to explain the top, or something less to close the top.


Shoes replace

With intensive badminton is a need to replace the shoes on time. If you do not normally have problems after exercise, are membrane irritation of the shin, sore muscles or aching joints, often the first signs of reduced attenuation. The feeling you have less grip in badminton are reasons to buy new shoes. Generally you can say that someone 3 times a week at an average level of play, up 6 to 12 months to play with the same shoe.


Outside of the shoe

A lot of badminton players dragging the back foot. Note - this is not bad, even normal, so you do not have to change your style of cancellation. Abrasion areas on the edge of the shoe or the tip of the shoe will be a first sign of light. If it really takes dramatic in places (holes or cracks), it is perhaps worthwhile to try other shoes to protect the right place for you.

There are even shoes on the market with a sole run along the side above for a real protection. We believe a bit exaggerated, considering the extra weight.