Dato Method and Advanced Dato Method are stringing methods that allow badminton racquets to be strung at extremely high tensions. Both methods were developed in Calgary by stringers at Racquet Network over a period of years between 2004 and 2018.
The word “dato” means “beloved”. The term “Dato Method” reflects the love and attention to detail that the racquet stringer puts into his/her work when using this method to string badminton racquets.
Dato Method racquet stringing is a center-out stringing technique for badminton racquets that utilizes one piece of string and two Parnell knots. It can use used at any tension, but it was created as a way to string at high tension while minimized the chances of breakage during stringing.
Dato Method represents a major advance over traditional high tension stringing methods in which stringers over-tension some areas of the string bed and under-tension other areas while hoping to achieve an estimated overall tension.
Dato Method stringing ensures that every string in a badminton racquet is pulled to a very specific tension. There are no estimates in Dato Method. The pattern followed allows stringers to string racquets at extremely high and extremely precise tensions without breaking the frames.
Advanced Dato Method stringing allows the customer to specify different tensions on different strings. For example, a customer may want the center mains or crosses to be at 0.2 lbs higher tension than outside mains or crosses. Or they may want to increase tension by 0.1 lbs on every main string outside of the sweet spot.
At Racquet Network, all Dato Method stringing occurs after hours when there are no distractions and the stringer cannot be rushed. Pull speeds are reduced to absolute minimums and several pauses are built into the stringing process in order to allow the frame to absorb all of the additional tension.
Dato Method Badminton Racquet Stringing
When performing the Dato Method, stringers double back on the outside mains and then string the middle crosses first. This prevents the loop from becoming deformed at either the top or the bottom.
Once the loop is stabilized by installation of the middle crosses, they complete the bottom crosses This ensures that loop is fully stabilized before starting the weakest part of the frame, which is the top of the loop furthest from the handle.
When stringing at tensions over 32 lbs., Dato Method stringers take additional steps to stabilize both the top and bottom of the loop order to prevent it from changing shape while they are stringing the mains.
In addition to the steps above, the stringing machine must be precisely re-calibrated immediately prior to all high tension stringing jobs.
All of these extra steps and precautions increase the stringing time from about 20 minutes (standard stringing) to well over an hour. The higher the tension, the longer it takes. Hence, the relevance of the term “Dato”.
Great news for Yonex fans in Calgary. Our Yonex badminton racquet program just got even better.
There is no point in buying your Yonex racquets anywhere else because nobody can beat this deal.
Starting today, every customized Yonex ™ badminton racquet purchased in-store now comes with $200 in free stringing upgrades.
But wait! There’s more …
Customers who purchase these racquets from us will save time as well as money because they will be able to automatically upgrade from basic labour (one week turnaround) to guaranteed one-hour stringing at no extra charge.
Racquet Network’s new badminton program saves you $20 every time you string your racquet. It also cuts down on the number of trips you have to make to our store.
Here is how things normally work.
Break a string.
Bring racquet to the store.
Go home and wait for email notification.
Come back to the store a few days later to pick your racquet up.
In other words, you make two trips to the store.
Here is how things work now.
Break a string.
Book an appointment.
Bring your racquet to the store.
Wait 30 minutes and then take your racquet home with you.
The new system also saves you money. Guaranteed one-hour racquet service normally costs $40.00 plus the cost of string. Under the new program, it costs the same as one-week service: $20 plus the cost of string.
So players who are participating in our new program save $200 and 10 trips to the store, which more than pays for the cost of a new racquet.
This is because when you purchase a new Yonex badminton racquet from us, we automatically include $200 worth of stringing upgrades.
Yonex Nanoray Series
While this is awesome deal for anybody who lives in southwest Calgary, this is an even better deal for badminton players who live far from our store because it saves them even more time and more money on racquet stringing services.
Program Details
Our new badminton program, therefore, continues to be the best overall program in Calgary for badminton players who want to save time, save money and play with the best badminton racquets in the world. In addition to those three things, our program is also best for the environment because it reduces car trips and keeps racquets out of the landfills for longer.
Humidome is an easy to use product that maximizes the durability of your feather shuttlecocks by increasing the humidity inside the shuttlecock tube.
How does it work?
When you purchase a tube of shuttlecocks, the humidity inside the tube is often extremely low, meaning that the dry shuttles are very brittle and break prematurely.
As humidity is the single most important factor in increasing a feather shuttlecock’s life span, Humidome works by creating and maintaining a high level of humidity inside your shuttlecock tube. The shuttles will then absorb this humidity, and last a lot longer.
By maximizing the durability of your shuttles, you will save money through decreased shuttlecock consumption.
Inside the product are non-toxic beads which can carry up to a hundred times their own weight in water.
The product is made of high quality materials specifically chosen to have a high level of impact resistance and durability, and the product is designed to fit shuttlecock tubes from all known manufacturers.
Using Humidome
To use the product all you need to do is submerge the product under clean water for at least four hours, and the beads inside the product will absorb water and grow in size. Just plug the product into your shuttlecock tube, and you are all set.
The beads inside the product will maintain a high level of humidity for months which means your shuttlecocks are always optimally stored and always ready for use without effort.
Once every couple of months, when you see the beads have shrunk, submerge the product again to re-infuse it.
Racquet Network invites frequent intermediate racquet sports players to become Product Playtesters.
Product Playtesters are brand ambassadors who test racquets, strings, shoes and other products during their regular activities and then write product reviews which are published on our website.
Even though they do not work for us, we consider Product Playtesters to be part of the family and we allow them to purchase everything we sell at staff price.
In many cases, Product Playtesters are allowed to keep what they test. In some cases, they have the option of purchasing tested products at staff price once testing is complete.
In order to become a Product Playtesters, an applicant must be a frequent player at the intermediate level who has been a Racquet Network customer for at least one full year. They must be active in their sport at least nine months per year, must be active on social media channels and must demonstrate enthusiasm for Racquet Network on their social media accounts.
Racquet Network supports a maximum of five product testers in each of the following sports:
tennis
squash
badminton
pickleball
racquetball
To apply to become a product tester, please send an email to orders@racquetnetwork.com.
Before you do that, however, consider the following points carefully.
We only consider applicants who live in Calgary.
We only consider customers who have been with us for a year or more.
We only consider frequent intermediate players — not beginners, not experts.
We only consider people who are active in their sport nine months a year or more.
We only consider people who have already shown us love on their social media accounts.
All new Product Playtesters start on a waiting list and remain there for a minimum of three months while they wait for a position to come open. When/if they are accepted as Product Playtesters, they get a maximum term of one year.
Sorry. There are no exceptions. After one year, it is time to step aside and allow somebody else to have this opportunity.
Where to play badminton in CalgaryThe information in this article is offered as a courtesy to our customers. We cannot guarantee that it is 100% accurate because these groups do not always update us when they make changes.
If you have questions about these groups and their activities, DO NOT call our store. Call or email the contact info for the groups below.
Our retail store staff will not be able to give you answers about any of these clubs or facilities. So please do not call the store.
SOUTHWEST BADMINTON GROUPS
FISH CREEK BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
Phone: 403-281-7024 (Frank)
Email: suneel@telus.net (Suneel)
Location: Woodlands Elementary School – 88 Woodgreen Drive SW
Summary: Adult group. Three courts. Tuesday and Thursday evenings September through April. There are 12-20 regulars at the intermediate level. Some of these players have been playing together for 30 years. Drop-ins are welcome but beginners typically don’t come more than once or twice. Racquet Network staff play here frequently.
FALL 2018 SCHEDULE
8:00-9:30 PM
Tuesdays, Sep 11, 18, 25 — Oct 2, 9, 16, 28 — Nov 6, 13, 20, 27 — Dec 4
Thursdays, Sep 27 — Oct 4, 11, 18, 28 — Nov 1, 8, 15, 29 — Dec 6
DIE HARDS BADMINTON (GROUP)
Phone: 403-281-6940 (Phil)
Email: phil-hum@shaw.ca (Phil)
Location: Southland Leisure Centre – 2000 Southland Drive SW
Summary: Adult group. June/July/August only. Four courts. Thursday evenings June through August. There are 25-30 regulars at the intermediate level. Racquet Network staff play here frequently.
HARSIDE BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
Email: hardside_badminton@shaw.ca
Location: Menno Simons Christian School – 7000 Elkton Dr SW
Summary: Adult group. Wednesday evenings. September to May. Racquet Network staff play here occasionally.
KINGSBORO BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
Locations:
Henry Wisewood High School – 910 75 Ave SW
Lord Beaverbrook High School – 9119 Fairmount Dr SE
Summary: Adult group. Wednesdays and Fridays. Season runs from September 2015 to end of May. Racquet Network staff play here occasionally.
NORTHWEST BADMINTON GROUPS
BEARSPAW BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
Phone: 403-239-1502
Location: Bearspaw School – 253210 Bearspaw Rd, Calgary, AB T3L 2S5
Summary: 6 courts.
Time: Monday and Wednesdays 7-10pm
Summary: Adult play. All Skill levels welcome. Players are primarily intermediate to Advanced level.
Nylon Shuttles provided but feathers are welcome.
They play during the school year, September to end of June.
Membership option or $7 drop-in fee.
BRIAR HILL / HOUNSFIELD HEIGHTS ADULT BADMINTON (GROUP)
Phone: 403-289-0921 (Lorne)
Location: HHBH Community Gym – 1922 14 Ave NW
Summary: Adult group. Morning group plays Tuesday through Friday. Three courts.
NORTHERN LIGHTS BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
NO LONGER ACTIVE
Phone:
Location: Beddington Heights Elementary School – 95 Bermuda Road NW
Summary: Adult group. Wednesday evenings. 6 Courts
SOUTHEAST BADMINTON GROUPS
BOT BADMINTON (GROUP)
Email: botfederball@gmail.com
Location: Prince of Wales School – 253 Parkland Way SE
Summary: Adult group. Tuesday and Wednesday evenings
FCR BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
Email: fcrnsa@hotmail.com
Location: MidSun Community Center – 50 Midpark Rise SE
Summary: Adult group. No summary available.
RIVERBEND BADMINTON (GROUP)
Phone: 403-816-1661
Email: RiverbendBadminton@groups.facebook.com
Location: Riverbend Elementary School – 65 Rivervalley Dr SE
Summary: Adult group. Wednesday evenings. September through April.
LAKE BONAVISTA BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
Phone: 403-248-8530 (Pat or Kelly)
Email: pat.eberle@shaw.ca
Location: Lake Bonavista Community Center – 1401 Acadia Dr SE
Summary: Adult group. 4 Courts. Drop in welcome
NORTHEAST BADMINTON GROUPS
FRIENDS OF BADMINTON (GROUP)
Phone: 403-710-8393 (Alfred)
Location: Georges P Vanier Jr High School – 509 – 32nd Ave NE
Summary: Adult group. 4 courts. All skill levels welcome. Friday evenings.
U of C BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
2500 University Drive NW
Email: ucbadminton@gmail.com
Summary: Adult group. No summary available.
BADMINTON FACILITIES
VILLAGE SQUASH LEISURE CENTRE (FACILITY)
Location: 2623 56th Street NE
Phone: 403-280-9714
Summary: No summary available.
WESTSIDE REC CENTRE (FACILITY)
Location: 2000 69 St SW
Phone: 403-531-5875 ext 0
Summary: No summary available.
TALISMAN SPORTS CENTRE (FACILITY)
Location: 2225 Macleod Tr S
Phone: 403-233-8393
Summary: No summary available.
SOUTHLAND LEISURE CENTRE (FACILITY)
Location: 2000 Southland Drive SW
Summary: Friday, Saturday, Sunday drop in. Open courts. First come first serve. No coordinator present. Racquet Network staff play here occasionally. Kids programs available.
HILLHURST/SUNNYSIDE BADMINTON (FACILITY)
Phone: 403-283-0554 Ext.232
Email: frontoffice@hillhurstsunnyside.org
Location: 1320 5 Ave NW
Summary: Monday and Thursday evenings. There are 4 courts with good lighting, rubber compounded floor, showers and lockers for post beginners to advance level.
EDISON BADMINTON CENTRE (FACILITY)
Phone: 403-306-0001 (Billy or Beth)
Location: 2km North of Okotoks on highway 2A
Summary: No summary available. Lessons and programs available for kids and adults.
SUNRIDGE BADMINTON CENTRE (FACILITY)
Location: 401 33 ST NE
Phone: 403-263 9222
Email: info@sunridgebadminton.com
Summary: Private club. 16 professional IBF/WBF approved courts with a 30ft high ceilings. Lessons and programs available for kids and adults.
CLEARONE BADMINTON CENTRE (FACILITY)
Phone: 403-265-3886
Email: calgary@clearonebadminton.com
Location: 1853 – 120th Ave NE Calgary AB T3K 0S5
Phone: 403-265-3886
Email: calgary@clearonebadminton.com
Summary: Full service badminton club. 14 sprung wood courts with specialized flooring system and 32′ ceilings. Lessons and programs available for kids and adults.
SAIT BADMINTON CLUB (FACILITY)
Summary: Sunday mornings.
Phone: 403-284-8734
Email: tj.babey@sait.ca
Summary: No summary available.
SMASH CITY (FACILITY)
Phone: 403-569-0328
Location: 4839 47 St SE, Calgary, AB T2B 3S5
Summary: No summary available. Lessons and programs available for kids and adults.
Our Pro Shop has moved to Canyon Meadows Shopping Center. It is on the 2ND FLOOR of the NORTH WING. The unmarked glass doors leading to the second floor are immediately to the right of the Rexall Drug Store. Please note the new address: 2ND FLOOR - NORTH WING, UNIT 201, 11625 ELBOW DR SW. Dismiss
