BADMINTON TIPS: SHUTTLECOCK HYDRATION

Humidify your shuttlecock before using them & you will save a lot of money

To extend the life of badminton shuttlecocks, it is very important to keep the feathers of these shuttlecocks from getting too dry or brittle, especially in the United States. Listed here are few methods that might be able to help prolong the life of any feather shuttlecocks.

The first important step is to make sure that the shuttlecocks are stored at or below room temperature. Keep shuttlecocks away from heat or direct sunlight such as heater and the car dashboard. One good practice that I learned from my brother is to keep them in the bathroom where moistures from showers or bath will help humidify the shuttlecock feathers.

The second step is to prepare the shuttlecocks 1 to 2 days before playing. This preparation is very important in extending the life and durability of your shuttlecocks. Here are some suggestions that I compiled from my friends, badminton stores, and other badminton players.

STEAMING/HUMIDIFYING METHOD - Steaming / Humidifying is one of the fastest and effective way of preparing shuttlecock for tournament. It's recommended that this process is performed 2-3 days before being used and stored in a cool and humid area. There are multiple ways to create the steam needed for humidifying the shuttlecock. One way is to boil water and use the steam. A much better approach is to purchase a humidification system that produce warm/cool steam.
6 Steps of Steaming / Humidifying
1. Remove both ends of the shuttlecock tube's caps.
2. Place each tube over the humidifier exhaust or a pan full of steaming water so that the steam can pass through from one end, the entrance, of the tube to the other end, the exit.
3. When the steam comes out of the exit end of the tube, wait for 2 seconds and turn the ends around.
4. Repeat from steps 2 with the change.
5. Caps both ends of the shuttlecock tube to keep the moisture inside the tube.
6. Store the tube in a cool and humid room, e.g. your bathroom / shower. Never store or leave shuttlecocks in your car!
WET TISSUE/SPONGE METHOD - A fast method for people who want to maintain the durability of their shuttlecocks. This method is not as effective as Method 1, Steaming/Humidifying method but It helps a little.
5 Steps to the Wet Tissue/Sponge Method:
1. Open the bottom end of the shuttlecock tube, the end where the shuttlecock is usually taken out.
2. Take a tissue, a paper towel, or a small sponge and soak it with water
3. Squeeze the soak tissue, paper towel, or the sponge so that it does not drip too much, and yet do not squeeze out all of the water out.
4. Place the soak tissue, paper towel, or the sponge on the inner part of the bottom end cap.
5. Close the cap with the wet tissue, paper towel, or sponge in the tube to keep the moisture inside the tube.
RINSE & DIP METHOD - Another fast method of preparing shuttlecock similar to Method 2, Wet Tissue/Sponge method. Again, the method works, but not as effective as Method 1, Steaming/Humidifying method. This method should not be used for new shuttlecocks that recently came from the factory because it could make the feather weak.

Rinse (and Dip*) Method:
1. Remove all shuttlecocks from the tube.
2. Close one end of the tube while leaving another end open.
3. Pour some warm water in the tube through the open end.
4. Close the open end so that water will not come out when it is shaking.
5. Shake the tube for about 3-5 seconds so that the inner wall of the tube is wet.
6. Open one end of the tube and drain all the water out.
7. If you want to get the best result, continue with the Dip Method.
8. Else, insert the shuttlecock back in the tube and close both ends of the tube to keep moisture inside the tube.
Dip Method (Optional): Slow, but the one of the best method to prepare each shuttlecock to its potential usage.
1. Take a small empty bowl and fill with water.
2. Take each shuttle by the cork and hold the shuttlecock with the feather on the bottom.
3. Dip the shuttlecock's feathers inside the bowl filled with warm water for about 2-3 seconds. Make sure that only the feathers are dipped in the water.
4. Shake the shuttlecock a couple of times to remove the excess water.
5. Place the shuttlecock inside the tube.
6. Repeat the process until all shuttlecocks are dipped inside the bowl.
7. Caps both ends of the shuttlecock tube to keep the moisture inside the tube.

(www.shuttlecock.com)