Racket advertised as "T700 carbon": the five checks before you buy

This article, "Racket advertised as "T700 carbon": the five checks before you buy," proceeds in announced stages, and I will outline its thread right away. Get a checklist for validating a T700 listing.

At the outset: Toray states that small tows (1,000 to 6,000 filaments) suit tight weaves and prepregs requiring good drapability, whereas standard tows (12K to 36K) serve high-throughput applications. The Laws of Badminton limit the racket to 680 mm in total length and 230 mm in width, and the strung area to 280 mm by 220 mm, but impose no material: the term "T700 carbon" is the manufacturer's choice and not a regulatory requirement. Toray notes that its carbon fibers show little thermal deformation, with a coefficient of thermal expansion along the fiber axis on the order of −0.4 to −1.0 × 10⁻⁶/K, as well as electrical conductivity and good chemical resistance.

How to use the checklist: the essentials

Let us first set out this principle: T700G is a variant of T700S with reinforced fiber-resin adhesion; Toray intends it in particular for aerospace and sporting goods. Keep this rule in mind for the sections to come.

The principle to know: Toray presents T700S as a standard modulus fiber with high tensile strength, with processing characteristics suited to filament winding, weaving and prepreg. Take this principle as a framework for what follows.

What to compare

I suggest this reading grid to guide your decision.

• The three main failure modes of a carbon composite are debonding between fiber and matrix, fiber pull-out and delamination between plies.
• Toray offers T700G only in 12K tows, whereas T700S exists in 6K, 12K and 24K: the same "T700" name therefore covers different variants.
• Toray explains that sizing improves processing and compatibility with the resin; a small amount promotes spreading of the fiber, while a larger amount suits demanding manufacturing environments.
• Toray classes T700G, the version with reinforced fiber-resin adhesion, among the fibers intended for sporting goods: a T700 grade can therefore exist in several variants (T700S, T700G) with different uses.

The basic lexicon

Let us take the time to name precisely the notions we will be handling.

Shaft

The part of the badminton racket that connects the handle to the head.

To make the notion tangible, the Laws of Badminton name the shaft among the components of the racket.

I refer you to the Tige entry to go further.

Stringed area

The area of the badminton racket occupied by the stringing, intended for hitting the shuttlecock.

To illustrate it, for example: the Laws of Badminton specify that the stringing forms a bounded surface within the head of the racket.

You will find the details in the entry devoted to Surface de cordage.

Intermediate modulus fiber

A category of carbon fibers that are stiffer than standard modulus fibers, but less stiff than high modulus ones.

To make the notion tangible, Toray's page on standard, intermediate and high modulus fibers makes it possible to compare these categories.

I refer you to the Fibre à module intermédiaire entry to go further.

What questions should you ask?

Note this figure: Toray's M series (M35J to M60J) covers moduli from 49.8 to 85.3 MSi (343 to 588 GPa); T700, at 33.4-34.8 MSi, therefore sits in the lower part of the stiffness scale of Toray carbon fibers.

The figure to remember: at Toray, standard modulus fibers have a modulus of about 33-34 MSi or slightly higher; this family includes T300, T700S and T700G.

The figure to remember: Toray T700S carbon fiber has a tensile strength of 711 ksi, or 4,900 MPa.

What documents should you ask for?

Consider this measured reference point: Toray's T700S is offered in tows of 6K, 12K and 24K, that is, about 6,000, 12,000 or 24,000 filaments per tow.

Let us rely on this verified value: the tensile modulus of the T700S fiber is 33.4 MSi, or 230 GPa.

To close this presentation

Return to the headings that concern you most and reread them carefully.

Related reading

• T700 carbon: what this designation really refers to — Definition, properties, and comparison of T700 with other fiber grades. Topics covered in turn: what organizes the subject.
• T700S, standard modulus and intermediate modulus: reading the difference — Place T700S relative to the intermediate- and high-modulus fibers from the same manufacturer. The topics covered in turn: the basic vocabulary.
• Tensile strength and modulus: two notions you should not confuse — Learn to tell what breaks a fiber from what makes it stiff. The sections ahead cover the following: the definitions to keep close at hand.
• Hitting surface of a pala: reading the spec sheet of a carbon model — Decode a pala spec sheet to separate information from slogan. The sections are as follows: a close look at the core of the method.

Sources cited

• Familles de fibres de carbone TORAYCA — Place of T700 among the standard modulus (T300, T700), intermediate (T800, T1000, T1100) and high modulus (M series) ranges. Checked on 2026-10-13.
• Laws of Badminton, spécifications de la raquette — Maximum dimensions of the racket (680 mm by 230 mm), strung area, ban on devices that change the shape, authority to rule on compliance. Checked on 2026-10-13.
• T700S, fibre de carbone standard (Toray Composite Materials America) — Characteristics of the T700S fiber: tensile strength 4,900 MPa, modulus 230 GPa, 6K, 12K and 24K formats. Checked on 2026-10-13.
• Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer, Wikipédia — Composition, anisotropy, failure modes and sports uses of carbon composites. Checked on 2026-10-30.
• Fibres de carbone à module standard, intermédiaire et élevé (Toray) — Presents T700S and T700G: T700G offers a higher modulus and better adhesion and targets aerospace and high-end sporting goods. Checked on 2026-10-13.

Sources and verification

• This text relies on 5 sources: 1 official body or institution and 3 manufacturer documents.
• Facts checked against their sources on October 13, 2026.
• How sources are chosen and verified: Fact-checking.