If you are a badminton player, you would know this. The badminton racket is a personal and sensitive matter. Nobody else could understand how a little amount of carelessness can alter the dynamics of the racket and its performance during crucial matches. Typically, badminton rackets are fragile equipment made of many elements, each of which can get damaged or altered on the slightest mishandling. For these reasons, a badminton player would never risk carrying his racket casually.
A badminton racket should be carried with proper care and attention. To this end, it should be properly stored in its case and kept in a badminton kit bag before carrying it anywhere. During the trip, care should be taken to ensure the badminton bag does not hit any hard object. Similarly, it should not come under a heavy object. The idea is to protect the badminton racket from getting damaged even slightly.
Even the slightest change in the badminton racket may affect the shots and the game of the player. It can change the course of the game and leave the player utterly frustrated. That’s why it is important to know how to carry a badminton racket.
Whatever the badminton racket is made of – wood, steel, or graphite – it’s fragile equipment. It is prone to get damaged even with the slightest carelessness. Any external damage can reduce the lifespan of the racket. To ensure your badminton racket is not vulnerable to damage, you should always use a foam cover to store it.
While carrying it, you should ensure that a pointed or heavy object is not kept on the badminton bag. Such pressure can alter the shape and flexibility of the racket.
Another very important thing to remember is that the badminton racket should be kept away from high temperatures. Graphite or high modulus rackets can start melting at high temperatures that include intense sunlight.
The badminton rackets are strung to a particular level of tension in the mesh. Any alteration in the shape of the racket can change the tension and that could render a racket useless for a professional badminton player.
How To Travel With Badminton Rackets
Before traveling, you should store badminton rackets properly in the badminton kit bag. The head of the racket should be put inside its case or sleeves. The racket should be further covered with bubble wrap or styrofoam peanuts. If you can use both, that’s better. The grip should be removed and dried before putting inside the bag.
Professional badminton players normally pack in 12 to 16 rackets. If you are a pro, you know how many essential things you have to put inside the bag. Your badminton bag should be big and strong enough to fit the profile. It should be ergonomically designed for you to carry without getting stressed or exposing the bag to external damage.
If you are traveling with badminton rackets, you should always remember that you are carrying fragile sporting equipment. You should avoid being rash and hurried as you get into the car or board a van to the flight. You should ensure your bag does not hit anything. Nor should it get smashed by something coming towards it.
It’s best to keep the packaging materials and the bag ready for travel on short notice. However, it’s always better to plan your travel and make necessary arrangements to ensure the safety of your sports kit, particularly the badminton racket.
How To Carry Badminton Racket In Flight
For professional badminton players, traveling by air to different events inside and outside the country is a routine matter. They should look at the issue of carrying badminton rackets in flight in a professional manner. That’s to say that they should be ready to let the badminton rackets go as check-in baggage.
Your badminton bag would be big enough to pass off as average check-in baggage. However, you should ensure that it is not unwieldy. Nothing other than your badminton essentials should be inside the bag.
Taking a heavy badminton kit as a handbag is not appropriate and may not be allowed. However, if there are just one or two standalone badminton rackets, you may ask the airlines and follow its guidelines.
Presuming that you have a badminton kit bag filled with the essentials for the game, you should plan every aspect of your travel well. We can’t overemphasize the need for storing the badminton rackets in proper bubble wraps and putting them inside the pockets meant for the rackets. And, don’t overstuff.
During the trip, you must remain focused on the safety of your badminton kit, particularly the rackets. For this, you should avoid being in haste or getting distracted by other things.
Is Badminton Racket Allowed In Flight?
You can travel with your badminton rackets on a flight. All that an airline or airport may want is that you carry it as check-in baggage. A lot of sports materials and goods are transported by air every moment. There should be absolutely no problem transporting badminton rackets by flight.
Most flights allow up to 20 kg of baggage free with the ticket. If your baggage is heavier than that, you can pay the additional charge and carry your baggage.
However, some people may want to carry badminton rackets as a handbag inside the cabin. That may be a contentious issue as the size of a badminton racket is more than the size that the overhead compartment inside the flight can comfortably accommodate. The airline staff may not allow you to carry your badminton rackets inside the cabin. Carrying your badminton bag inside the cabin can be even more problematic.
The safety of the passengers and the flight is the topmost priority for any airline. The restrictions on the size and weight of handbags to be taken inside the cabin are for the safety of everyone. By asking the airline staff to relax the rules and allow you to take your badminton rackets for a badminton bag inside the cabin, you will only compromise everyone’s safety. You should better avoid it.
