My Most Important Piece of Equipment

So, by now you know I love my racket, and my squeaky new shoes are fun to run around in. But I played before I had them, and if they were taken away, I can continue to play.

But there is one piece of equipment I cannot live without. I got it originally to help me during badminton and soon realized I couldn’t leave my house without it.

That equipment? My trusty sweat bands.

Sweat bands

You see, I have been genetically”blessed” to have 85% of my sweat glands located on my nose. It’s something I inherited from my grandma. At the first sign of heat, my nose beads up like a blade of grass at daybreak. And I used to wipe my face off with my hand. Only, with the huge amount of sweat that rolls off me in the tropical heat, my hand wasn’t doing it. Like a squeegee my hand would wipe my sweat off leaving my hand totally soaked. Then I would have to wipe my wet hand on something. It was gross.

So I got a sweatband. And now I won’t leave my house without wearing one, even on days I don’t play badminton.

In fact, Saturday night I met one of my co-workers at the bus stop. I usually run into her on badminton nights and she asked me “Going to badminton?”

Offended, I said “No! I’m going to the Russian ballet! Do I look like I’m going to badminton?!” I had worn one of my crisp black button-up shirts, khaki pants and my “fancy” shoes (the slip on ones with no laces). I thought I was looking fancy.

“Kinda,” she said pointing out my sweat band. She had a point.

Because one thick terrycloth band takes a day or two to dry out, and because I wear one everyday, I have amassed quite a collection. Different colors, different brands, and one even with a tiny hidden pocket.

Don't believe me? This is me on my most recent birthday. It was friday night, I had just been showered in champagne and what am I wearing? My sweatband and the trendy bar.

Don’t believe me? This is me on my most recent birthday in the summer. It was friday night, I had just been showered in champagne (it’s not sweat, I swear!) and what am I wearing? My sweatband at the trendy (and expensive) bar. Stay classy Becky.

If I was quirky in a Wes Anderson way, the sweat bands would be cool. But I dress like a 14-year-old and the sweatbands don’t add anything except confusion. But I am someone who has always put comfort ahead of fashion so there ya go. I’d rather have an ugly sweatband than a wet face (or even worse, a wet shoulder where I keep wiping my face off). I love my sweatbands.

7 Comments

  1. brian

    hey, you waiting to win a tournament before you wash those things?! https://www.badmintonbecky.com/2015/11/11/my-most-important-piece-of-equipment/

    Reply
  2. Becky (Post author)

    I wash them ALL the time, thankyouverymuch. ;P You can see the dark blue all the way on the right is kinda rattier than the rest. That’s my oldest and therefore most washed. It’s kinda too scratchy on my face to use too much. I really put way too much thought and effort into these sweatbands, hahaha

    Reply
  3. brian

    two words: fabric softener.

    Reply
  4. Autumn

    So are there the normal number of sweat glands elsewhere? Or is that a personal question?

    Very practical equipment. Thumbs up.

    Reply
    1. Becky (Post author)

      Well, I might as well confess that I apparently have sweat glands on the front of my knees. I soak through just the knee cap areas on my leggings almost every time. And since I started playing I now feel my knee caps sweating at other times, like in the classroom. Not sure what that is all about. But yes, basically I’m normal after that, haha

      Reply
  5. La Renarde

    I agree, the wrist band is the most important piece of equipment! Not only does it avoid sweat to run down my arms into my hand, and make my racket super slippery (the shame of loosing your racket after a hit…), but for me, it actually helps holding my wrist too, and avoid it to hurt.
    In the past, I already had to stop playing badminton for a few months a couple of times, because my wrist was hurting so much. Once, I couldn’t even hold my chopsticks anymore! Since then, I changed my racket and always wear a wrist band or strap, and hope that it won’t happen anymore!
    One piece of advice: if you start playing regularly, several times a week, you might think about investing in all types of straps (wrist, knees, ankle, elbow, etc.). Badminton is really harsh on articulations.

    Reply
  6. Becky (Post author)

    Hmm, thanks for the advice, I’ll pay attention to my joints and stuff and get some support if I need it. I have a sweatband question though. Why don’t the pro’s seem to wear them? In all the games I’ve watched they often towel off during the breaks, but why don’t they wear sweat bands? Do you know? Are they not allowed?

    Reply

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