Badminton Racket & Shuttlecock Rules: Official Specifications and the Shuttle Speed Test

An official shuttlecock has 16 feathers, weighs 4.74–5.50 g, and passes the speed test by landing 530–990 mm short of the far back boundary; a racket frame may be at most 680 mm long and 230 mm wide. These BWF equipment laws keep play consistent — and using non-conforming gear is a fault under the complete 2026 badminton rules.

Why your shuttles fly long on a hot evening

Same tube, same hall, and yet in July the shuttles sail out the back while in January they drop short — and it's pure physics, not your timing. Warm, thin air gives less drag, so the shuttle carries; cold, dense air holds it back. That's the whole reason shuttles are graded by speed number (76, 77, 78…) and why the 530–990 mm speed test exists: pick a slower shuttle for a hot room, a faster one for a cold one. Test a fresh tube before a match by hitting a full underhand serve from the back line — if it sails past the other end's doubles long service line, it's too fast for the conditions and you'll spray everything long all evening.

Shuttlecock

• 16 feathers, each 62–70 mm long, fixed in a cork base 25–28 mm across.
• Weight 4.74–5.50 g. Synthetic shuttles may vary up to 10% to match flight.
• Speed test: with a full underhand stroke from over the back boundary, hit parallel to the sidelines — a correct shuttle lands not less than 530 mm and not more than 990 mm short of the opposite back boundary line.

Racket

• Frame: overall length ≤ 680 mm, overall width ≤ 230 mm.
• Stringed area: ≤ 280 mm long × ≤ 220 mm wide.
• The racket must be free of attached objects that aren't for wear/vibration/weight, and within the BWF frame rules.

Why the speed test matters

Shuttles are graded by speed (often numbered, e.g. 76/77/78) because temperature and altitude change how far they fly. The 530–990 mm landing window is how you check a tube suits your hall before a match.

FAQ

• Q: How many feathers does a shuttlecock have? 16.
• Q: How much does a shuttlecock weigh? 4.74–5.50 g.
• Q: How do you test shuttle speed? Hit a full underhand serve from the back line (see legal serve rules); it should land 530–990 mm short of the far back boundary.
• Q: What's the maximum racket length? 680 mm overall frame length.
• Q: Why do shuttles have speed numbers? They compensate for temperature/altitude so flight distance stays correct.