Are Carlton Badminton Rackets Good? (Reliable Review)

Carlton sports is known for many badminton players, but it echoes more from the past. In the modern days, brands such as Yonex rule the majority of the market. As Carlton isn’t so common nowadays as it used to be, it’s only natural that you want to know whether its products, especially rackets, are any good?

Carlton’s badminton rackets are very good in terms of durability, technology, and world-class quality. The Carlton Badminton System introduced in 2009 scientifically proves that their rackets use key components with a systematic approach, considerably improving the user’s badminton performance.

That being said, you should have a very positive experience with Carlton badminton rackets, even when compared to more modern brands that dominate the badminton markets.

Carlton has been around for a while now. Ever since 1946, Carlton has been a pioneer in the badminton world, making innovations after innovation. One of the most known ones is their all-metal rackets and stainless steel used in racket manufacturing. Today, nearly all rackets are made completely of metal, and Carlton was the first to do so.

The early age, first innovations, and the Carlton Badminton System are more than enough to prove that their rackets are of world-class quality.

Many companies that have investigated and listed the best badminton brands, such as Medium.com, rate Carlton as one of the best badminton brands in the world. In the list found from Medium, Carlton is a close second right after Yonex, which is by far the most valued badminton brand nowadays.

Finally, Carlton rackets are mostly found in the United Kingdom and other European countries, so the price tag is averagely higher. This is a problem in Asian countries, where the general wealth is lower, making Carlton rackets even pricier.

On the other hand, Yonex provides a bigger badminton racket selection of all price ranges, making Yonex more popular in Asian countries where there are also far more people than in Europe. This is one of the reasons why Carlton has lost some of its popularity worldwide.

Now, let’s learn more about Carlton as a brand and see whether they fit more than just rackets!

Is Carlton a Good Brand for Badminton?

Carlton is an excellent brand for badminton. Carlton is a British sports equipment brand that focuses on badminton and table tennis equipment. Their rackets have been used to win Olympics by Nathan Robertson, and their innovations such as the injection-molded shuttle have changed badminton forever.

Carlton brand has decades of extensive knowledge and expertise and a deep understanding of what is needed for quality badminton. In addition to badminton rackets, Carlton provides shuttlecocks, shoes, clothing, and various accessories such as badminton bags.

Many people don’t know is that Carlton became a subsidiary (daughter company) of Dunlop in 1985. Yet, many Carlton products are still using their original brand logo and manufacturing methods; the owner was just changed.

Which Carlton Racket Is the Best?

Carlton Vapour Trail is the best Carlton badminton racket of all time. The racket is meant for advanced and professional players, and it has various amazing benefits such as a graphite frame, lightweight for speed, 3.25-inch grip size, which allows more grip, and heavy head weight for increased power.

As the perks make you want this racket for yourself as it does the same effect for me, it does have a couple of cons.

This racket isn’t meant for beginners as the control is hard to master, so you will need to have good skills to get all the benefits of these rackets. Also, the price isn’t for the cheapest end, but that’s only natural, given that this racket is meant for advanced and professional play.

Where are Carlton Badminton Rackets Made?

Most Carlton rackets are made in China; even when Carlton is a British brand, their rackets are manufactured elsewhere. In 1985, Carlton became a subsidiary of Dunlop, which headquarters are in the United States. The research and development center is found in England.

Don’t let the fact that Carlton rackets are made mostly in China brother you because most things in life are made in China, including Wilson rackets.

What Happened to Carlton?

Back in the day, Carlton was huge; now, Yonex dominates badminton markets globally. Carlon was and still is a big deal in Uk; however, Yonex and its rise in Asia has superseded Carlton and conquered the markets all over the world. As you have probably noticed, the vast majority uses Yonex.

From the picture below, you can see Google Trends data of worldwide searches of Carlton badminton, and its a trend during and after the year 2004

As you can see, Carlton as a badminton brand has been steadily decreasing since 2005, so yes, this happened to Carlton. The reason for this is that all things come to an end, and brands such as Yonex have taken a big chunk of Carlton’s popularity.

Still, the top countries where Carlton is still popular are the United Kingdom and Malaysia, where Carlton is a big deal. Yonex as a brand is also most popular in Malaysia. Still, badminton is the most popular sport in Malaysia, so it’s only natural that the majority of the brands and everything related to badminton is most popular in Malaysia.

Which Brand Is Best for Badminton Racket?

Generally, Yonex is currently the best brand for badminton rackets. Their top-quality materials, latest technology, private Japanese manufacturing, and racket design makes them as good as their reputation, which is excellent.

Yonex Vs. Wilson is also a big discussion in tennis, as Yonex provides equipment for that as well. Wilson is the more popular brand, but Yonex quality is rarely beaten in tennis as well.

In badminton, however, Carlton is a great choice for Yonex, so if you feel like getting a Carlton racket instead of Yonex, don’t have second thoughts because, after all, these two brands and others as well provide incredible products!