Well, last nighT was Sotx-night for us. Our shipment came in and we have had the chance to play/test:
-Sotx A1 and A2 shuttles
- the woven 9, 10, 11, 12 13
-the bs-963 string at 23-24 lbs

The Testers
Me and my dad have played with all rackets. The game was doubles bit I had the chance to go threw all my strokes with each racket.
I´m what you might call an attacking player. Not a power/animal, but my game is to keep attacking (smashing/placement + intercepts). My dad is a bit more passive but ‘court-smart’ and is a dinker.

The Bias
Before I start reviewing the rackets I have to say I’m a bit biased to head-heavy rackets with a 3U or 2U weight. My dad searches for a racket with ‘feel’.

The shuttles
…were good, playing with AS-30 most of the time both the A1 and A2 performed excellent. Some lasting an entire set (rarely), flight was good (common), a satisfied customer concerning shuttles…

The Rackets
All racket were strung with BS963 between the 23 and 24 lbs (10/12/13 at ~23, 11/9 at 24. I strung the 9 myself at 24 lbs. the rest came in strung)
And I have to say: even though they were all wovens and some stats look very much alike: each racket ‘feels’ different when you hit. Though all rackets made that ‘punch’ feeling when you hit. I/we really felt the racket ‘punch’ through the shuttle.
Underneath each model there are the specs listed as: Weight(grams), length (mm), stiffness (8,5-9,0 is stiff, 8,0-8,5 is extra stiff) balance point (mm)

Woven 9
84g, 675mm, 8,5-9,0, 293mm
Honestly, the 9 didn’t impress me a lot. The feeling very distinct, even though it’s a 4U it felt reasonably solid (not as much as the 10/11 though).
Mobility is good and power is reasonable. (I just don’t swing faster with a 4U as with a 3U…so might be me as well) overall I’d say this is a doubles-racket: It’s fast enough for the net-game and performs OK from the baseline.

Power: 7 (still, not bad)
control/feel: 7 (didn’t feel alright for me, but that’s personal, other may like it. Or tension/string needs changing..)
manoeuvrability: 9

Woven 10
89, 680, 8,0-8,5, 293mm
The 10 isn’t a very heavy racket (3U) but certainly plays like a 2U racket. It’s long and reasonably endloaded, making this an offensive racket. I liked playing with it, it’s not a slowcoach and packs a good punch. The stiffness was nice. It’s a great feel when you flex it on a smash/clear. I’d say this racket is for aggressive players, single or doubles, who can sacrifice some defence.

Power: 9 (good!)
control/feel: 7,5 (it feels nice, solid and has a good touch)
manoeuvrability: 7 (not bad, but not the fastest, gripping higher up the shaft solved my initial problems in defence…)

Woven 11
91, 680, 8,0-8,5, 295
The infamous woven 11 is everything I thought it would be. Comparing to the 10 it’s more head-heavy and heavier to play with. But defence wasn’t bad: it’s a very fast racket, for a 91grams beast.
In this review though it’s the slowcoach of the 5, which is rewarded with a really big increase in power. I’d say the 11 is a more extreme racket than the 10. I played about 6 games with it, no tired arm…yet…

Power: 10 (best. I hadn’t told my dad any specs, the look of surprise on his face when he smashed, great stuff)
control/feel: 8, same as the 10, but a bit more solid.
manoeuvrability: 6,5 Just a tad slower than the 10, but still satisfactory considering the up-side this racket has

Woven 12
86, 670, 8,5-9,0, 290
The 12 is not a bad racket. It’s very allrounded and performs good in every category. The ‘shortness’ didn’t mess up my timing at all.
The problem though: after playing with the 10 11 and 12 it just feels blend. It hasn’t got the power of the 10/11 or the touch of the 13 (will get to that).
The defence is as good as the 9, maybe slightly better.

Power: 7 (not the best, but satisfactory)
control/feel: 9 feels good, control is nice
manoeuvrability: 9, good defence, an agile racket.

I can’t say it’s a ‘bad’ racket. It’s first-rate stuff. But I just don’t like it. My dad liked it, un til he played the

Woven 13
89, 675, 8,0-8,5 292
You always mess up the first hit with a racket, you never get tit right the first time. But you adjust and get a good feel after a couple of hits.
Well, not the 13. I loved it from the word go. So did my dad. Sotx claims to have used ‘supercarbon’ in the racket. While I have no idea what it is, but the touch on this racket is great, cause-effect? Who knows, all I know is the result.
Like I said, control and feel was top of the bill, the best I’ve ever felt. I felt confident on my shots and feedback from the racket was great.
Power: 8 (less than the 10/11 but still quite good)
control/feel: 10, unique feeling, second to none
manoeuvrability: 8, slower than the 12 (it’s heavier ánd head-heavier) and also slower than the 9. but quite good (better than 10/11 and my at500)

Just a side note:
By these ratings:
At500: P:8, C:7m M: 6,5
ns8k: P:6, C:9. M:10

In the end all I can say is all rackets were first-class stuff And I chose the 11 (10 as back up: in case too tired/on the defence) mainly for the power and good feel. And my dad couldn’t resist the feel the 13 provided. Bs963 performed great, possibly a culprit in the great feel all rackets had, and held tension nicely.

it would've been nice to test a D-series of AK-racket, but all turned out great.:D

Like the fat kid in baseball:
I'm out
-Sotx jerry (;))

since you are from holland... might as well ask you a question

holland is now officially called netherland right? what constitute that change anyways?

thanks for the review btw

since you are from holland... might as well ask you a question

holland is now officially called netherland right? what constitute that change anyways?

thanks for the review btw well, besides being a review, I'd like to ask people to give there opinions on the racketss,a nd feedback on the review.

well, it's a double story. In our own language we mostly call ourselves 'the netherlands' (well, the dutch word 'nederland') the name came from the the words 'nether' meaning low. because I'm currently conversing with your from 4 meters below sea-level....

Though in a patriotic sense (like the WC soccer) it's mostly 'holland'.
For english it's even worse, since 'dutch' is also thrown in...

name for the country: Holland, The Netherlands
the people: The Dutch, dutchmen (nót neanderthals;))
language: dutch

hope it helped, but it really doesn't matter much what you call it...as we mostly listen to every possible variation.:o

as for the review...it seems i spelled 'Through' as 'Threw', again....

Nice review “SOTX Jerry”, do I get a discount for coming up with your new name? :p

You finally contributed something pertinent and valid! :p ;) :D


Some miscellaneous ramblings...

...I need to get some SOTX shuttles...

…glad to see your father and I are of the same ilk; dinking is an art-form. :D

…of course you can’t compare the Woven 9 to the 10/11, it’s a much lighter racket. If you compare the 9 to similar rackets (4Uish), you’ll find it’s a very good racket, one of the best.

…agree on the 11. It’s very fast for a 2U racket. Stick with the 11 if your arm can take it.

…I agree with your side note ratings of the AT500 and NS8000 so I’m confident your ratings on the other rackets I haven’t tried (Woven 10, 12, 13) will be similar to mine.

…If you really like the 11, you will love the D600. As I've said before in another post, it's faster, more mobile, sacrificing minimal power.

…though the AK rackets are powerful, they lack control because of the “rattlesnake” beads. It’s hard to transition the AK rackets consistently as you don’t know where the beads are and that can mess up your timing.

...though the BS-963 is a very good string, after testing it more, I can't say it's the best. I'm starting to get partial with Ashaway MicroPower. For me, the jury is still out on what's the "best, relatively durable string". Candidiates: Ashaway MicroPower, Ashaway PG65 Neon, Yonex BG80, and SOTX BS-963. All play a bit different in terms of feel. If you like a stiffer, crisper string, go with BG80 and MP, if you want a softer string, go with PG65 or BS-963.

Now this is the Jerry I know. You get a another new name, "OT Jerry". OT as in "Off Topic." :p

OT but I have to admit, I learned one new thing...I think. ;)

well, it's a double story. In our own language we mostly call ourselves 'the netherlands' (well, the dutch word 'nederland') the name came from the the words 'nether' meaning low. because I'm currently conversing with your from 4 meters below sea-level....

Though in a patriotic sense (like the WC soccer) it's mostly 'holland'.
For english it's even worse, since 'dutch' is also thrown in...

name for the country: Holland, The Netherlands
the people: The Dutch, dutchmen (nót neanderthals;))
language: dutch

hope it helped, but it really doesn't matter much what you call it...as we mostly listen to every possible variation.:o

Thanks Dan:D

I'm a born 'n raised Dinker, I'm just startign to get the hang of smashing. (aren't we two opposites;) )

Another positvie aspect is my dad is now just as enthausiastic (..spulling error...) as I am about Sotx:D

I can't wait to try out the d600/900 alos on my list: ak8 (just because it says "thunder wrath: on the shaft:D ) the ti-17 (680m, 290mm, 85gr, 8,0-8,5) and maybe the stb-9080: 100% woven! tension up to 35lbs, 90gr, 295mm, 675mm, 8,0-8,5. Dink-proof perhaps?;)

I agree with you on the 9. I had bene hitting the 10, 12, 11, 13, 9 In that order, so that might explain why it felt 'yuck'. also nice to notice: the 12 feels lighter than the 9...must be the balance and length kicking in...

BTW: I know I own a 7(:p duh), and didn't include it my review, because the grip is shabby and the strings are different. as to compensate I started dicking around and strung it to 31lbs. without problems...the sound is insane...the look on my dad's face when I gave it too him ":eek: 31lbs?"

that's it for my ramblings:D

Now this is the Jerry I know. You get a another new name, "OT Jerry". OT as in "Off Topic." :p

OT but I have to admit, I learned one new thing...I think. ;)
there's an OT in SOTX..so it will be sOTx-jerry:p

but then, Hydro asked me, and I have no moral problems derailing my own thread.;)

besides: the review is still being discussed anyway:D :p

as you might've noticed: I'm in a very good mood today:D

nice review, some spellings errors but didn't compromise the points you were trying to get across. hmmm, can someone explain to me what dinking really means??!!??
other than that, if you could add a similar rating by power, control and what naught for the 7, that'll be great. also, has anyone tried the 16?? i'm curious how such an expensive racquet performs ...

well, yeah, some bad spelling...like "threw" which should be 'through'....sorry bout that...

as for the woven 7. Id say rouglhy P9,C7,M7

but then, don't forget how subjectvie this all is.

well, the 13 was a sorta last-minute added to our list. I thought it wouldn't be that great "just a middle road between the 12 and 10" but it was so much more.
if the 16 is made out of something special it might perform good...also remember that the 16 is $300 everywhere...Selling it for 190usd is a lot more apropriate..

and a dink is a dropshot, also known as a 'sissy-smash';)

Actually, a "dinker" is a person who does that act of "dinking", which is hitting very softly, usually reserved for a beginner. When a beginner that doesn't know how to hit properly, hits the shuttle, it goes "dink".

I hit the W16 way back in the day and was completely unimpressed. It felt numb and powerless but that could have been the string and tension.

if the 16 is made out of something special it might perform good...also remember that the 16 is $300 everywhere...Selling it for 190usd is a lot more apropriate..

and a dink is a dropshot, also known as a 'sissy-smash';)

dinking is just a sissy-hit? I thought it was just a regular drop-shot...my bad

hmm, pitty about the 16, maybe someone is crazy to wnat to buy one, so maybe I'll get a chance to hit one..I'm not ordering it out of my own, that's for sure...

did you ever hit the STB-9080? I was reading through a brochure of sotx and saw it. lemme drum up the specs:
STB-9080
100%carbon+woven
90gram
295+-5mm
<35lbs
675mm
8,0-8,5

the 100%woven really tickeled my fancy....but unfortunatly it costs more than a 13....I don't know if it's worth a try...

yes yes, of course all these ratings are subjective, most things are anyways. but bear in mind though, even a subjective rating is useful as a comparison between racquets, as long as it's done without bias.

so, a dink is a sissy shot eh? i'm assuming then that a dink can be a weak smash, clear, drive, etc etc .... as long as it's not hit with enough power to make it a decent shot?

I'll leave the 'dinking' for Dan to explain. I thoguht it was just doing drop-shots...

The bias is exactly the problem...I like heavy-hitters with good feel/feedback...

as an example: just being me, attacking biased for heavy-hitters.
Racket: Power, Control/Feedback/feel, Manoeuvrability/defense
Woven 11: 10, 8, 6,5
woven 12: 7, 9, 9

if I was biased for light headlight/even balanced rackets my rating could've been
11: 8, 7, 4
12: 7, 10, 10

so, off course I'm biased, but I did the best I could...:o

I'll leave the 'dinking' for Dan to explain. I thoguht it was just doing drop-shots...

Nope, "dink" originated from the sound a beginner-beginner makes when he/she hits the shuttle.

Then I misunderstood...darn...

my dad's not a dinker..most of the time...:o

Then I misunderstood...darn...

my dad's not a dinker..most of the time...:o

The term has evolved a bit, when you say were "dinking" can that mean you were hitting lightly, and/or not attacking, just keeping the shuttle in play.

:o then he is....

with the new scoring he's got this new thing: lead 20-16 and try to go to 30-29...
so far we got up to 25-23 (won) and 26-24 (lost)....nice partner eh?:p

but then, I've only once had 30-29 (won) in a mx-doubles. brilliant (I Know OT-jerby)

anybody try the woven 2/4? any comments? (relatively to my review?)

After reading through a lot of Dinkalot's reviews, I finally decided to buy a Woven 9 three months ago. I am now an official Sotx convert. :D The beauty with Sotx is that they weigh all rackets so I asked the shop to give me the heaviest Woven 9 they got and with the longest balance point. My Woven 9 weighs 86 g but I forgot the balance point. It is head heavy, though not in the league of AT700 or MP100. All I can say is, I love this racket's power. It's currently strung with BG68Ti at 29x30 lbs and my smashes are way way faster. Control is also very good. I have a 4U AT800 Off with BG68Ti at 27x29 lbs. and it beats Yonex hands down.

My rating is P:9 C:10 M:8. As I agree with your assessments of AT700 and NS8k, I wonder... ;)

I have to be honest...

if you rate the power of the w9 as 9..then you've never tried a 3u/2u sotx like a woven 7/10/11 wich are (imho) more powerfull....
but then my woven 9 was 83grams or something.

I think I'm going to play with it a bit more...see what happens...

I'm not casting any doubts on your review. I think it was well written and you tried to be as objective as possible. I have to admit that I haven't had the opportunity to try out other Sotx models extensively. As I have a 2U MP100 that is just gathering dust somewhere, I don't think I will ever go out and buy a >90 g racket again. Hehe. I was able to test though the Woven 7 and Woven 11 about 2 years ago. It was just a series of smashes and clears to see what they were capable of. Yes, the Woven 7 and 11 are definitely more powerful than the 9, esp. 11, but I find that I smash better with the Woven 9 (86 g and balance point at 295 mm - I found the sticker :D ). And as I'm primarily a doubles player, which pays more emphasis on speed and maneuverability than a singles game, I just decided to forego some power (and arm and shoulder pain :p ) for the two. My next target (maybe December this year) is Woven 12.

ahh I see

IMHO: go for the 13...But that's me...

Maybe I'll just buy both. Haha.

well, in the matchup 9 vs 12 vs 13

12 is the lightest and easiest to move (mine was 85grams and 290mm) it feels lighter than my 9 (balancepoint and the 5mm extra length of the 9 kicking in)

and 13 vs 12: the 13 is head-heavier, heavier (89grams) and stiffer. To me: I got more feel, and more power. but slightly less manoeuvrability on the defence.

but these two weeks are my 'off-weeks' (forced) so my next baddy-time is wednesday :( but I'll give the 9 a go..

But that's the best idea:p..Just buy them all ;) I just hope they dont cost $200 were you live...

Hmm...Sotxsports.de lists the Woven 12 as 5 mm longer (680 vs 675 mm) than Woven 9. And I will specify to the shop to give me an 86-88 g racket with minimum balance point at 295 mm. I hope they have lots of stock. Hehe.

And, unfortunately, yes, the last time I inquired, Woven 12 or 13 costs at least USD200 here. I bought the Woven 9 for USD120.

After reading through a lot of Dinkalot's reviews, I finally decided to buy a Woven 9 three months ago. I am now an official Sotx convert. :D The beauty with Sotx is that they weigh all rackets so I asked the shop to give me the heaviest Woven 9 they got and with the longest balance point. My Woven 9 weighs 86 g but I forgot the balance point. It is head heavy, though not in the league of AT700 or MP100. All I can say is, I love this racket's power. It's currently strung with BG68Ti at 29x30 lbs and my smashes are way way faster. Control is also very good. I have a 4U AT800 Off with BG68Ti at 27x29 lbs. and it beats Yonex hands down.

My rating is P:9 C:10 M:8. As I agree with your assessments of AT700 and NS8k, I wonder... ;)

i found w9 more repulsive than at700 when i bend it w/ hand, at700 seems to go lumb and ben, where else w9 feels better
but then again, at700 is a flexier racket... if w9 can be more endloaded it would be better...

Hmm...Sotxsports.de lists the Woven 12 as 5 mm longer (680 vs 675 mm) than Woven 9. And I will specify to the shop to give me an 86-88 g racket with minimum balance point at 295 mm. I hope they have lots of stock. Hehe.

And, unfortunately, yes, the last time I inquired, Woven 12 or 13 costs at least USD200 here. I bought the Woven 9 for USD120.

*bzzzzt* wrong:p... sotxsports.de has a typo with the w-12.

sotxsports.com lists the correct size (670mm) wich I can confirm (as I have on in my hands wich is 671mm.

the 12 is the shortest of the 9/10/11/12/13, sorry...

it's withint the 86-88grams weight list though (13 is a little heavier (89+-2..so minimum is 87) but so is the 9 (max=86) and the 12 (86+-2)

as for the balance...I don't really think it matters...The difference in weight/bp are probably because of density-differences in the wooden handle (wood is versatile..no grip weighs the same)
And I firmly believe the weight of the wooden grip has no effects on the balance point (let's not go there in this thread)
there's a sorta-sticker on the back of the of the grip (with the Sotx-O) if you remove it you get a ~2mm 'more head-heavy' racket wich you don't notice...

Just 'assume' that whatever BP your woven 12 has/will have, it'll never feel head-heavier than the 9...

An interesting note might be that I/and also my dad didn't have any problems adjustign to the lenght of a racket.
I never felt like 'hmz this is short'. The results were more apparant: the woven 12 was/is the most manouevrable and the 10/11 the hardest to move...and respectively the 12 was the least powerfull, and the 11 most powerfull, 10 a second place (weight issue)

Changing from 670mm to 680mm was a three-hit miracle, and no problem to do...

also: $200 is way to much for a 12/13...I'd say for the 12 $140 and for the 13 $160 are better prices...maybe for you ordering at www.puppysports.com or www.bbesports.com is cheaper...but warranty's might be complicated (but I hope you don't have to deal with that...)

as a minor note.
The 11 is now my to-go racket. It does everything I expect in a racket.

wich, btw is, a good feel on hitting, it makes me fele confident. and power really is immens. It might be the way my mucles work, but the 2U weight is not hampering me in the defence/net game, but is definatly aiding in smashing/clearing and (surprisinly) drives (my drives aren't arm swings)

after a night of doubles play (with sufficient smashing I migth add) my arm doesn't feel sore. though after some wrist practises it does burn a bit.

as a minor note.
The 11 is now my to-go racket. It does everything I expect in a racket.

Where's my finder's fee? :p

what have you found? :P

*editted some of my worst spelling...

bookmark this thread for future reference ........ thanks for the info.

where I can find the info for the SOTX D-series ?

both www.sotxsports.de (http://www.sotxsports.de) and www.sotxsports.com (http://www.sotxsports.com) look like didn't have it.

where I can find the info for the SOTX D-series ?

both www.sotxsports.de (http://www.sotxsports.de) and www.sotxsports.com (http://www.sotxsports.com) look like didn't have it.
Yeah, they are running behind on their own models....If you want the specs. I'll go check. I only have some stinky pictures, DinkAlot made soem nice photo's of the d600, and twobeer of the 900...I'll do some homework

Specs
Weight, BalancePoint, Length, stiffness

D-300:87+-3, 289+-5, 670, 8,5-9
D-500:86+-3, 293+-5, 670, 8,5-9
D-600:89+-3, 295+-5, 680, 8.0-8,5
D-900:87+-2, 295+-4, 675, 8.8-9.2

I hope the pics work. but there's pretty bad...
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/374/1020d300qv7.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1020d300qv7.jpg)
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/4409/1020d500rn2.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1020d500rn2.jpg)
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2286/1020d600hb1.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1020d600hb1.jpg)
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/89/1020d900ab5.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1020d900ab5.jpg)
Sidenote: I might've mixed up the 300-500...I dunno...

Thanks for the info ........ from the specs, I may get the D-600.

Specs
Weight, BalancePoint, Length, stiffness
D-300:87+-3, 289+-5, 670, 8,5-9
D-500:86+-3, 293+-5, 670, 8,5-9
D-600:89+-3, 295+-5, 680, 8.0-8,5
D-900:87+-2, 295+-4, 675, 8.8-9.2

I hope the pics work. but there's pretty bad...
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/374/1020d300qv7.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1020d300qv7.jpg)
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/4409/1020d500rn2.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1020d500rn2.jpg)
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2286/1020d600hb1.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1020d600hb1.jpg)
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/89/1020d900ab5.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1020d900ab5.jpg)
Sidenote: I might've mixed up the 300-500...I dunno...

this might be completly unwanted, and beating a dead horse:

But today I had hit a woven 6 (strung with bg65 at 24lbs)
it's a short (665mm) light (~82gram) headlight (bp=285mm) and medium stiff racket...
and frankly enough, and completly against my own taste: I like it...

I'd say
Power: 5 (bad...)
Control/feel/touch: 9-10 (even with the 'dead' bg65 it's very sensitive and responsive)
Manouvrability/defense: 10+

It's literally the fastest racket i've ever tried...ns8k is not even close..
the shorter length took some gettign used to, but man what a fast piece of carbon....
the weird thing was this racket doesn't smash nearly as hard as my woven 11 (wich is a league on it's own;)) but the amazing speed of this racket makes up for it...

If I where a mix-lady I'd know wich racket to get;)

EDIT/Sidenote 1: the 6 felt just as solid as any other 2U racket...strangely enough...

EDIT/Sidenote 2: I also hit the 9 some more...and I must say it takes some getting used to, but i'm still not so impressed. it's just bland compared to the other less comprimising rackets

You are not beating a dead horse at all - my interest in SOTX is very much piqued, and love learning more about the choices out there. All we need now is easier access to these rackets!

wow...where did you dig this up? ;)

well, anyhow...I'll be editing it later: next in line for trying out: D600, D900, LG200 and the Jedi-077! (wich might come in in two weeks)

I'm also busy testing out "all" sotx strings, so stay tuned for more Sotx:p

(when I say all: I mean the ti-65, BS-963, BR68, CF64/66/70. not the ti-65B, wich wasn't available, and no thick stuff, like ti-73+ and BR75...)
I think I'm the first on the forums to mentioned sotx's 2006-strings...CF64/66/70 are respectively 0.65, 0.68 and 0.70mm thick...and all made out of " *forward* super complex fibre" and "PU elasticity fibre"

That's why I resurfaced it - to inspire you to write more reviews. ;)

Quick question though - Have you found any online retailers that sell the D series? Woven is not a big problem with puppysports and bbeshop.

I believe ibuysports.com might get soem in stock shortly...

otherwise....www.sotxsports.nl (http://www.sotxsports.nl)

Edit:
I don't know if this counts as advertising...

Nah, you just answered my question and I appreciate that.

Kudos again for putting all the reviews in one place. Everyone is quick to tell you to search older threads, but since there are so many top of the line models from SOTX with slight variations it's useful to see them compared head to head by one person.

Though it is claimed to be a German company, Chinese ppl can easily find it a Chinese company indeed.(Maybe registered in germany lol , Chinese bussinessmen love this trick) Anyway, I won't buy a made-in-China racket for $2000 RMB.

Nah, you just answered my question and I appreciate that.

Kudos again for putting all the reviews in one place. Everyone is quick to tell you to search older threads, but since there are so many top of the line models from SOTX with slight variations it's useful to see them compared head to head by one person.
well, someone else you might've seen in other sotx-threads is DinkAlot, he tried almost every racket sotx has made...he can also help out a lot, he helped me at least :P

But I must honestly say, making this review was very fun for me (the testing, typing and the replies) but you have to remember the bias in my 'report'..

for example: I wasn't too optimistic about the woven 6/9/12 about power. and loved the woven 10/11/13 for it, but that's because of my taste for heavier rackets (or headheavier..)
if an other man made this review he wouldn't have stressed power that much, and more said "the woevn 10/11/13 were sluggish in defence" or something...

so the guidance is adaquete, but keep the subjectivity in mind:o :D

Though it is claimed to be a German company, Chinese ppl can easily find it a Chinese company indeed.(Maybe registered in germany lol , Chinese bussinessmen love this trick) Anyway, I won't buy a made-in-China racket for $2000 RMB.
err, I have to agree the egrmany-thing is a tad weird, I barely understand it...

but what's with the made-in-china thing? you doubt the quality? or did I misinterpret it?

They have much less cost than any other country and sell the racket for more than Yonex...,etc. I don't think it's any bit effective investment.

if you mean the woven 13/16 it's really an exception. they're the "top of the line" and are indeed very expensive (even for the agents!) so it might as well be due to material costs (UMHG rackets have become more expensive, from what I hear, if I believe from Taneepak, but don't hold me for it..)

but I still don't get where you're heading for, but I'm just a Sotx-fanboy...

PS: I don't play a $300 racket, my woven 11 costs about as much as an armortex-500...but personally the quality feels better (paintfinish, ie) and plays better;) :o

EDIT: I'm by no means trying to shove sotx down everybody's neck, but I'm eager to hear any critisim for Sotx, as it could help our shop, or even help sotx ;)

They have much less cost than any other country and sell the racket for more than Yonex...,etc. I don't think it's any bit effective investment.

SOTX rackets are priced below Yonex generally speaking, where is your figure come from?

SOTX rackets are priced below Yonex generally speaking, where is your figure come from?
that's the weird part..yonex racket range from 50 to 200 euro's, while sotx coudl range from 30 to 300.
if you believe their own "market price" ratings the ns9X costs 200 euro's...and the sotx woven 16 costs 300...

generally, a Ns9X would be 140-155 and the woven 16 is 170 or something...
so prices are always difficult to discuss, as they vary a lot...

well, anyhow...I'll be editing it later: next in line for trying out: D600, D900, LG200 and the Jedi-077! (wich might come in in two weeks)


Sorry for bumping up an old thread but did you get a chance to try out the above rackets?

I also noticed that you provided ratings for the Woven 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13... but no 8? If you got the chance to try it and/or the D500, what would your P,C,M ratings be?

Currently deciding between the Woven 8, 9 and D500 myself and can't seem to make up my mind... ><

ohh sure, here we go:
I haven't played with the Woven 8 a lot, same for the jed-077, but the D500 is now my main weapon :)

I'll summurize again:
Racket, Power, Control, manoeuvrabilit, Notes

Woven 5A 7, 7, 9.5. Stiffer, more stable, more solid that the w6. slightly less but still amazing in defence

Woven 6 5, 7, 10. Amazing light, though doesn't feel good smashing, to much for my taste

Woven 7 9, 8, 6 heavy, good flex, good attacking racket, not too extreme

Woven 7i 9.5, 8.5 , 7 newer and stiffer, feels more manoeuvrable, slight better power, btu a guestimation

Woven 8 8, 8, 8 I my idea it's the perfect allrounder (maybe slightly defense-based) nothign more, nothing less

Woven 9 7, 7, 9 fast, attacking, for doubles

Woven 10 9.5, 7.5, 6 skip...to long ago though a 7 for defence is overrated I think

Woven 11 10, 8, 5 gotta love the power, but too slow for my taste (especially in doubles)

Woven 12 8, 9, 8 feels better than the w8..but the specs are a longshot for me...

Woven 13 8, 10, 9 I stick with my ratings...this thing is first rate...and expensive

D500 7, 9, 8.5 slightly headheavier than the w8, shorter than the w9 (headheavyness is roughly equal) and my current favorite (it's just my
soulmate ;))

D600 9.5, 9, 7 too long for my taste (doubles suffer) but the power is great, and I'm just a sucker for than D-series feel..

D900 8.5, 9, 8 allrounded but somewhat headheavy (comparing to D500/woven 8) gotta love than flex

Jed-077 9, 6, 7 . stiff, attacking, but the feeling is different..it felt a bit off (bg66 cured it though ;))

LG-200 6, 8, 9 light, but headheavy, surpirsing power and performance ( especially for just 30 euros) for it's weight, actually not a bad racket (just too light for me)

LG-300 6.5, 8, 8.5 felt slightly heavier than the LG200, better power, but still no beast, again, a surprisingly nice racket..

coming up:
D300, w6i, w7i (update), w11i, CP5k, CP6k, CP7k

or at least...I hope ;)

Sorry for bumping up an old thread but did you get a chance to try out the above rackets?

I also noticed that you provided ratings for the Woven 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13... but no 8? If you got the chance to try it and/or the D500, what would your P,C,M ratings be?

Currently deciding between the Woven 8, 9 and D500 myself and can't seem to make up my mind... ><

I have a Woven-8 and D500, and both are great all-arounders. The only real diff between the two is the balance, W8 = even, D500 = slightly head heavy. I prefer the D500 because it's slightly more powerful without taking anything away on defense.

Come by RichmondPro on Tuesday from 6-8PM if you'd like to try them out.

so how does the ti-10 compare to the woven 7?

Good revew as before. Just following the NGP's foot steps to benifit and enlight us...
Thanks Master Jerby

Thanks Steven,

Though I must honestly admit I'm not too good at rating rackets...my memory isn't good enough ;)

especially the power ratings between the w7/7i/10/11 and d600 is pussy-footing...because the difference isn't huge, and up to the player...

Xcloud: never played a ti10, but from what I hear the w7 is slightly lighter (than the 2U) and a bit more even balanced (there's less weight in the head) and also flexier

thanks for all the reviews gentlemen. Quick question: im looking for a replacement for my at700 which just broke and want to try a sotx racket as they seem more durable and can be cheaper too. at the moment, the D600 looks like a decent replacement, any comments? my friends has a woven 7 but its a little too stiff my me to use well and i dont like the feeling on impact. its a little wobbly and i can feel a little too much vibration. I love the flexability and massive head heaviness of the at700 as well as its manoverablity and just general, but i really dont want to fork out cash for a racket that could break again soon.any suggestions? or do i just have to buy another...

the w7 too stiff? but wobbly?

that's toally different form what I think of it, but that's me... for 3U at700's I'd say the D600/w11 come close, and the cp6K would be the closest (but then, I'ts more expensive that the at700)

For something like the 4U at700, I've got some feedback that the D900 comes close (it's flexier than the w7 btw)

thanks a million jerby.
i know the W7 is meant to be a good solid racket, but i was just annoyed at the vibrations and stuff.
Objectivly, its probably nothing compared to other rackets, but i guess i was unused to it, as my AT was very smooth and vibrationless all the time. perhaps my friends woven is just a dud. who can say:)
anyway, thanks for the suggestions. ill try one and let you know how accurate you really are. cheers.:)

my friends has a woven 7 but its a little too stiff my me to use well and i dont like the feeling on impact. its a little wobbly and i can feel a little too much vibration.

Hmmmmm, doesn't sound like a Woven 7 to me. The Woven series rackets are one the Top 3 most stable rackets I've tried, noticeably more stable than the AT series.

perhaps it was the strings, who knows. next time i see him, ill try it again for longer and maybe ill adjust properly. in the meantime, i think ill pick up a d600 and woven11. A bit of retail therapy after losing my at700:)

Hey, thanks for the great review. But i was wondering of you guys can help me out.

I used to play with a Ti 8 long 2U 3G until it broke and switched to a Ti swing power SR 4U 4.5G. not a very new arsenal of racquets i must add cuz i stopped playing for 3 years and just recently got back into the game.

I was hoping to get another power house racquet similar to the Ti 8 which is unfortunate, but discontinued. I was thinking of a Woven 7 and looking at the reviews on badmintoncentral and even dinkalot's review list and this thread, i'm starting to feel more confident about this decision. but to top it off before i purchase anything, would you guys happen to know the balance of a Ti 8 and the Woven 7? also, just an idea, the difference of stiffness from the Ti 8 and the Woven 7? please feel free to tell me i'm just way off with my comparision. haha. i just really want to get the sometimes like a Ti 8 back.

And after reading everyone stringing their Woven's at 24lbs + i'm also wondering what the best tension for Woven 7 is...or maybe an average. usually i strung my Ti 8 at 22, 23 lbs...but is woven racquets capable of taking more tension or something? i fear if i string my Ti swing power or any yonex racquet above 24 lbs, the head would implode. haha.

thanks.

First off, balance and weight can be very different with Yonex rackets. If you have a 2U racket, it could be 90g-95g. This makes a big difference. So without knowing the exact weight and balance point of your Ti8, it's hard to say. SOTX rackets come with the exact weight and BP on the handle so you know.

Stiffness: don't recall on the Ti8 as it was a while back but the Woven 7 is stiff. Not extra stiff but I would say a solid "stiff" and should be on par with the Ti8, if not a bit stiffer.

Tension: the best tension? There is no best tension. I regularly string my 7s at 27-29lbs. PeteLSD does at 31-32lbs. The best tension is whatever tension you feel most comfortable with. The racket is warrantied up to 30lbs.



i purchase anything, would you guys happen to know the balance of a Ti 8 and the Woven 7? also, just an idea, the difference of stiffness from the Ti 8 and the Woven 7? please feel free to tell me i'm just way off with my comparision. haha. i just really want to get the sometimes like a Ti 8 back.

And after reading everyone stringing their Woven's at 24lbs + i'm also wondering what the best tension for Woven 7 is...or maybe an average. usually i strung my Ti 8 at 22, 23 lbs...but is woven racquets capable of taking more tension or something? i fear if i string my Ti swing power or any yonex racquet above 24 lbs, the head would implode. haha.

thanks.

today the crack in my at700 finally split open and the frame buckled. my friend gave me his woven 7 to use until my order arrived.
the vibration was definitely more pronounced on the W7 , as before, but this time, after about 10 minutes , i forgot about it, and realized it was much more useful at the net to have this sensitivity, as it gave a nicer feel.
It took a while to adjust to the feel of power shots, The At700 is just seems to depend totally on its head balance for power, as it was easily flexed i thought, but once i started to swing the W7 fast enough, i felt the shaft flex , and man was it cool!! Loud, stinging whippy smashs that were faster and sharper than the at700. same with clears, just lovely whippy snappy shots. Its just a case of swinging faster to flex it. sooo much better i thought. and its durable as hell. couple of clanks off the frame and its perfect looking.
the only thing, is that im not generating enough speed to flex it while holding at the bottom of the handle, so i need to grip up at the top of the grip . but im sure if i inch down more and more each time i play, ill get the hang of it eventually.
so, to jerby and dink i say,
i apologise for ever doubting you. i still think the at700 is more stable in the swing, but the W7 is muuch better for everything.
I wish i ordered one, instead of the d600 and woven 11. but if there the same quality as this...

"quality wise" (as far as it can be measured) the D600 and w11 are definatly the same. Both of them are just longer and stiffer (though some say the lonegr shaft makes it easier to flex, making it only slightly stiffer)
if you can flex them, the d600 and w11 hit bombshells

hey herry, i still haven't gotten used to the w11, i don't think i'm able to flex it properly and i find it's too long for my liking. what's a good alternative (in the sotx range) for a 675mm racquet which is slightly less stiff than the w11?

hey herry, i still haven't gotten used to the w11, i don't think i'm able to flex it properly and i find it's too long for my liking. what's a good alternative (in the sotx range) for a 675mm racquet which is slightly less stiff than the w11?


Woven 7. :p...:D

Woven 7. :p...:D

Or the Wovern 9 - 675mm, ~same stiffness as W7( I think!), but lighter :D:D:D

well, it's not 675, but the cp6000 is 89grams, 680mm long, headheavy but medium-stiff (8.5-9.0)
Other options might be a D900, or cp7k (which definatly has a lot of flex to it) whom are both 675mm, flexier than the w11 and around 88-90 grams

Jerry, What model are you currently using yourself?

/Twobeer

the CP5k, I really love it...
the stiffness is good, great feel an defense, power is good enough :p (since I've come to terms with myself powerplay will never be my best game ;))

I hope I will get some CPs for test in a few weeks time.. I was told they where out of stock, bút on their way in :)

/Twobeer

hey jerby, what sotx racquet did you use before the CP5000?

i went from a woven7 to woven11 and prefer the woven11. i'm getting some CP5000 and CP3000 in soon to try and see how it goes.

Hey Jerby or Master NGP...
When you have time, you think you can rank some of the SOTX rackets in order of stiffness? Main interested in the Woven, DF and CP lines... The relative stiffness of the W8, D500 and CP6k in particular and an approximation with Yonex rackets if possible.

Hmmmm I wonder which sotx racquet is the most similar to AT900p....

hey jerby, what sotx racquet did you use before the CP5000?

i went from a woven7 to woven11 and prefer the woven11. i'm getting some CP5000 and CP3000 in soon to try and see how it goes.
my racketchoice is, weird, actually...

I went form a w7 to a w11 (more power) then to a d600 (less power) then to a D500 (amazingly enough ~same power) then a cp5k (more power)...

Hey Jerby or Master NGP...
When you have time, you think you can rank some of the SOTX rackets in order of stiffness? Main interested in the Woven, DF and CP lines... The relative stiffness of the W8, D500 and CP6k in particular and an approximation with Yonex rackets if possible.
wew, that's a difficult...mostly because I'm not too much a fan of 'ratings'...
I'd say sotx is pretty acurate with it's ratings, everything 8,0-8,5 is almost just as stiff...everything higher is flexier (8,5-9,0 is flexier, 8,8-9,2 even more, etc etc)

What messes things up is the shaft length, the d500 (8,5-9,0) feels stiffer than other 8,5-9,0 rackets (say, w9) because the shaft is shorter. Likewise, the w7i feels stiffer than the (longer) w11i.

Though it's all just opinions, the more I let people test my stuff (mainly my cp5k) the more diverse opinions I get.

Hmmmm I wonder which sotx racquet is the most similar to AT900p....
well, I'd love it if I could say this just one time:
absolutely none (;):p)
To begin, why aks for something "similar to an at900P"? And not "similar to an at500? or at800off?" with something 'similar' you couldn't possibly expect it not to be similar to those two.
My answer would be 'hype' :o. Do you really want a sotx? Or do you want an at900P?:p:D
Now, if you'd ask for a sotx which is headheavy, stiff/extra stiff, en 3U (or 4U for that matter) you'd come just as close...
Now, why did I say "none"? because I could name you some sotx racket which are like it (w7(i), w11(i), d600, cp5k) but not one would be a match. They all come vaguely close, but all are different at some point...

My advice would be to ask 'racket recommendation' like I said above (statistics) instead of "which racket is most like *insert lastest newest hyped model*"
But that's just me;):D

(Note: I hope I don't come of as a ranting lunatic, It's really not my intention)

I'd say sotx is pretty acurate with it's ratings, everything 8,0-8,5 is almost just as stiff...everything higher is flexier (8,5-9,0 is flexier, 8,8-9,2 even more, etc etc)



dear oh dear. see, i wish i had read this a while back. It made far more sense to me, that the higher the number, the stiffer it was( i was a measure of stiffness, not flexyness!!)
so i assumed, by buying 2 rackets with a stiffness of 8-8.5 id be getting some flexibility:crying:.

So ive only been using the D600 and W11 for a few hours, and they both feel great, the W11 in particular just feels like its about to explode with all the potential in it, but in a fit of madness, i strung them far too tight , so im killing myself trying to flex the racket and stringbed. The d600 is far easier to use, but Doesnt have the same whippy feeling, or maneuverability as the W7. So great clears and lifts, but rubbish smashes. Hopefully ill get the hang of it in a few days. just practice i hope. So far, W7 is still the nicest sotx racket ive tried.

I just got a Woven 7 today. I didn't find it stiff at all. I'm using a Victor Power Waves 11 by the way. But I did notice it was heavier and head heavier. Haven't played with it yet though. I was testing the flexibility by bending shaft with hand

dear oh dear. see, i wish i had read this a while back. It made far more sense to me, that the higher the number, the stiffer it was( i was a measure of stiffness, not flexyness!!)
so i assumed, by buying 2 rackets with a stiffness of 8-8.5 id be getting some flexibility:crying:.

If i remeber correctly the rating is the degree of angle the racket bend
when it is put under a fixed load at the head

So the bigger the number = the bigger the angle = the more flexiable the shaft is

so don't get confuse

I just got a Woven 10i and I'm blown away by it. I've had a woven 8 and a woven 10 before. The 10i is a perfect upgrade to the 10 as it solves all of the small problems it had. While I loved it, it was a little poor in terms of defense and manueverability. The 10i, while still long and powerfull is much more reactive to your commands. I find this especially helps on the backhand side where the 10 felt a little slow and the 10i is crisp as it is lighter.

If your looking for a powerfull, all around raquet I think the 10i is the perfect match. No its not as powerfull as an 11, but it is also not as much of a beast to weild.

D600= racket for life. Technique and swing speed just naturally increase and improve to match the racket, and now when it flexs, its fantastic. Much prefer it to the at700 and I find it easier to net play and defend than the W7. Feels a bit different, as if you have more control during your swing. Great racket. The W11 hasnt even been touched i like this racket so much. Jerby is my new Racket man. All Hail.

the D600 is a very good racket along with my favourite woven 7. at that time those were the only two in my racket bag. but i was practicing my backhand at the backyard and i accidently clashed with the gutter and the D600 cracked :(

The d600 is definitely nice, IMHO it feels more aerodynamic than the wovens...

I recently switched to the CP6k....
I must have some sort of split personality when it comes to demo'ing rackets...

Split personality? I can't wait to try out my new Woven 4A, got it from Dink incidentally. Tried that one yet Jerby? Any possibility to give me one of you biased ratings on the stiffness, power, control, etc.?

:D

4a? nope, haven't tried it...

as for stiffness, I've pretty much given up comparing stiffness, it's just too personal/indescribable.... Heavy/hard too move rackets feel stiffer than lighter aerodynamic rackets, so balance, weight and design determine stiffness as much as the shaft...I just can't put my finger on it.

as for power/control/defense, I'd say it's pretty selfdeducting...
heavier/longer/headheavier rackets have more 'power'...Lighter/shorter/headlighter racket more defense...
Control, well, how do you define control?

IMHO, when making gross generalizations about racket properties (power, control, etc) the specs are usually mroe than enough...

Well, true. The specs do say a lot about a racket. However, in the end it's all about the "feel" for it yourself. :D

i have a d900 and i have read about it in other threads. all i've found is that there are two wires in the frame of all diamond fighters but i am not sure where the wires are positioned and how it affects the racquet. any ideas ?

thanks

The idea is the two wires are fed through the frame (starting roughly at the grey parts on the head at 4/7 O clock and go through the racket head)
The goal was to make a more stable racket, it's end goal is a lot like yonex's gummetal.
Other 'goodies' in the D-series is their diamond-shaped frame, which they (sotx) (sadly enough) hardly brag about...

The d600 is definitely nice, IMHO it feels more aerodynamic than the wovens...

I recently switched to the CP6k....
I must have some sort of split personality when it comes to demo'ing rackets...

CP6k? Didn't you like the CP5k earlier? :p
So how do you like the CP6k so far?

I got the D500 as advised and loving it... Too bad all the grips I need to make the grip size sufficiently big made it too head light (or maybe I just got used to the weight) Trying to figure out ways to decrease the grip weight now.. I'd upgrade to the CP6k if it only wasn't so $$$ ><

buy sotx #4 gripsizes...all our rackets here are #4 (or G3), making it easier :p

I love the cp6k, and yes, I loved the cp5k as well..but due to some freakaccidents while stringing, I'm forced to switch...But I don't regret it...
The cp6k is like an easy-to-handle D600, very fast, very aerodynamic...

Still, I think my ideal racket would be a 675mm, extra stiff, 300+-5mm CP...The cp6k is closest ;)

Actually what make the CP series so special? They are really expensive among SOTX rackets...

I got the D500 as advised and loving it... Too bad all the grips I need to make the grip size sufficiently big made it too head light (or maybe I just got used to the weight) Trying to figure out ways to decrease the grip weight now.. I'd upgrade to the CP6k if it only wasn't so $$$ ><

I got the same issue with my D500. To make the grip big enough, I have the original grip + replacement grip + super grap. I find the added grips make the racquet feel heavier, but the balance still feels the same since the added weight is at the handle.

About upgrading to the CP, if you want the same characteristics as the D500 check out the CP3000. I have one that is exactly the same balance point at 291mm as my D500, and since it is also the same length, stiffness & weight as the D500, it plays exactly like the D500. The CP6000 is longer at 680mm so it will feel slightly different.

buy sotx #4 gripsizes...all our rackets here are #4 (or G3), making it easier :p

I love the cp6k, and yes, I loved the cp5k as well..but due to some freakaccidents while stringing, I'm forced to switch...But I don't regret it...
The cp6k is like an easy-to-handle D600, very fast, very aerodynamic...

Still, I think my ideal racket would be a 675mm, extra stiff, 300+-5mm CP...The cp6k is closest ;)

Didn't you get those #4 custom ordered? :p
Most places that I see only sell #2s and #3s

Actually what make the CP series so special? They are really expensive among SOTX rackets...
The CP Series has the Wave/Ripple frame that you may have seen in RSL and Victor Rackets (prolly some other brands too). The racket also uses Nano technology and is electroplated for that bling bling effect... I mean.. Paint Durability... :D

I got the same issue with my D500. To make the grip big enough, I have the original grip + replacement grip + super grap. I find the added grips make the racquet feel heavier, but the balance still feels the same since the added weight is at the handle.

About upgrading to the CP, if you want the same characteristics as the D500 check out the CP3000. I have one that is exactly the same balance point at 291mm as my D500, and since it is also the same length, stiffness & weight as the D500, it plays exactly like the D500. The CP6000 is longer at 680mm so it will feel slightly different.
I don't really mind the overall weight... It's still currently my lightest racket (other two being ~110g and ~115g) I really feel the change in balance though which throws off my smashing and clearing.
I was mostly looking for something that has the same flex (8.5-9.0) and is head heavier to compensate for my grips and decided on the CP6k. Didn't really notice the length but I change my grip all the time when I'm in a game newayz so it shouldn't be too big of a problem. Biggest problem now is price... ><

actually, yes...
I'm a seller in Holland, (our site is currently under construction)

sotx HQ normally doesn't stack G3's...so they custom-make them for us..It's a bit of a hassle, but totally worth it...90% of our rackets are G3 ;)

Hi Jerby,

Do you know the difference between Woven 11, Woven 11i and Woven 11a? I have recently purchased a Woven 11i and liked the power of the racket very much.

Niteesh

thanks

i'll look out for the feel of the d900.

but i am still in love with the woven 8. have used the woven 12 but still like the woven 8, its something which i dont get about the woven 12, not stiff enough ?? maybe the strings?? its something which i can't put my finger on.

will see how it goes :) more testing... but it is a good position to be in hahaha

**** i sound like a sotx fan boy ....... nooooooo

p/s jerry updating your website?

i have a d900 and i have read about it in other threads. all i've found is that there are two wires in the frame of all diamond fighters but i am not sure where the wires are positioned and how it affects the racquet. any ideas ?

thanks

Hi All,

the w11 and w11A are the exact same racket, just a different colour...The w11i is a new version, and a lot like the other w11's... Though I thought I'd hear someone say it's stiffer...But nothing big..

Also, yeah, Our website has new software..but I just can't get round to updating it... so busy with baddy :p

I was mostly looking for something that has the same flex (8.5-9.0) and is head heavier to compensate for my grips and decided on the CP6k. Didn't really notice the length but I change my grip all the time when I'm in a game newayz so it shouldn't be too big of a problem. Biggest problem now is price... ><

With SOTX the length appears to also affects how stiff the racquet feels. I've seen this with my W8 vs. the W12. They are both rated as 8.5-9.0 but the W12 is 10mm longer and I find it feels less stiff. The D900 is only 5mm longer than the W8/D500 so maybe the difference might not be noticeable.

i find my w8 stiffer than the w12. maybe that is why i like it more. can't go pass the fact that it costs so much cheaper as well :)

d900 is flexy like the w12.

Hi All,

the w11 and w11A are the exact same racket, just a different colour...The w11i is a new version, and a lot like the other w11's... Though I thought I'd hear someone say it's stiffer...But nothing big..

Also, yeah, Our website has new software..but I just can't get round to updating it... so busy with baddy :p


Thanks Jerby. I guss I like the stiff rackets. I will stick to Woven 11i.

With SOTX the length appears to also affects how stiff the racquet feels. I've seen this with my W8 vs. the W12. They are both rated as 8.5-9.0 but the W12 is 10mm longer and I find it feels less stiff. The D900 is only 5mm longer than the W8/D500 so maybe the difference might not be noticeable.

:confused: I thought the W8 and W12 are the same length?
You seem to have a lot more toys now... Which is your main racket now? Very tempted to drop by some time and try out your CP... and maybe the W12... I can bring my grip modified D500... still tweaking the balance and grip size but currently have it at just under 300mm (vs previous BP of 270mm :D)

@ Jerby: Have you played with the Cab20 Tour/Tour Special before? If so, would you say it's stiffer or flexier than the D500. Was playing with a Tour Special 2UG4 and was getting a lot more power. Dunno if it's the flex or the BP... :(

Hi Tsuiko,

No, never had one in my hands...but just guessing: the cab20 is a 2U...I won't find it too surprising you smash harder ;)

My D500 weighed 108g so don't think weight would be the case... =P

just bought a cp5k. waiting for it in the mail :) will post a review when i receive it.

tried the cp5k for 1 1/2 hours today. initial impression, very light and maneuverable. head light and stiff shaft. easy transitioning between attack and defence. smashing power ...can' really say. its an easy racquet to use. my gf likes it. the feel of the racquet.... can't quite put a finger on it, very quick and dont think its one for the smashers. like what jerry said on his site, its a control racquet with stiff shaft.

sorry if it does not make sense, its a first impression. will update once i play more with it. the problem was, i used the cab30ms for a game during the testing, the cp5k did not feel so good after that. should not have used the cab30...arghghgh..

Woven 16 is a powerful racquet, really heavy and really powerful, smashers will absolutely like it. LOL

My D500 weighed 108g so don't think weight would be the case... =P
(sorry for replying so late)
well, it may be 108 grams, but the added ~20 grams are all in the handle...not much of an addition to your swingweight (How hard your racket is to accelerate in a swing)
Anyway, the d500 is a very nice racket, but don't be surprised you can smash harder with other toys:p

(sorry for replying so late)
well, it may be 108 grams, but the added ~20 grams are all in the handle...not much of an addition to your swingweight (How hard your racket is to accelerate in a swing)
Anyway, the d500 is a very nice racket, but don't be surprised you can smash harder with other toys:p

There's no doubt that there will be harder smashing rackets on the market than my D500.
My real question was how to tell if a racket is too stiff or too flexible for me... but I didn't state that explicitly as it would be going off topic... :p

I just created a new thread instead. If you're interested in taking a peek, you can find it here (http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=747394)

I've been doing some searches on the Sotx stb 9080 but can't seem to find any decent info on it.
Have you tried this racket? If so can you tell me how it compares to the woven 7. And any other opinions about it.
Thanks lots

i'm planning to get one cp7. i'm planning to string it with BG 95 with 24-26lb ... but hey i havn't tried BG 95 yet ...tell me if it is durable or do i need to make any changes?? help me out here ...
well, it's not 675, but the cp6000 is 89grams, 680mm long, headheavy but medium-stiff (8.5-9.0)
Other options might be a D900, or cp7k (which definatly has a lot of flex to it) whom are both 675mm, flexier than the w11 and around 88-90 grams

so, after some testing, I'll stick to the cp6k...
Weight wise, the w10i is perfect, it feels to me as even balanced 3U..Borderline 2U (thats how it feels...)
stiffness, is, well very much extra stiff... It feels stiffer than the w11, w7i, w5A, d600... weird how it's still rated the same..
The feeling is very "woven-like", very solid, very stable..

In the end, My cp6k is just easier to use, and the "woven-feel" is just not ideal for me (the 10i is too rigid, my cp6k feels more lively, less stable though)
I give it a thumbs up, 8/10 overall... But it's not for me...

hard to find soptx in the US :(

You can always order through internet (puppysports.com)

or england, belgium, norway, australia or holland.... the sotx empire is expanding ;)
respectively:
www.sotxsports.co.uk, www.nicoclaes.com, www.racket.se, and www.sotxsports.nl

I'm sorry to say, but the australian adress slipped my mind...anybody out here willing to help? :p

I'm sorry to say, but the australian adress slipped my mind...anybody out here willing to help? :p

http://www.sotxsports.com.au/

I just got a used-once W7 from Lap (who managed to get it to the UK within 5 working days). I've strung it to my reqs. and it will be christened tomorrow.

Initial thoughts: feels very light in the hand, but weight seems to come out of nowhere when it's swung - so far so good. Dry smashes indicate better head speed than any of my Yonexes, and the thin frame is surprisingly stable.


Detailed review will follow.

ah darn, I was soo close.. I though it was .au.com :o
I agree, the w7-frame is surprisingly thin for a 2U ;)
just wait till tomorrow :p

http://www.sotxsports.com.au/

I just got a used-once W7 from Lap (who managed to get it to the UK within 5 working days). I've strung it to my reqs. and it will be christened tomorrow.

Initial thoughts: feels very light in the hand, but weight seems to come out of nowhere when it's swung - so far so good. Dry smashes indicate better head speed than any of my Yonexes, and the thin frame is surprisingly stable.


Detailed review will follow.

Dry swings and all are not representative of real world results. Every current racket in the Yonex line swings faster than the Woven 7. You'll see. :p

that's because all the AT's you can find are 4U's :p
at900P, 700, heck even the 800def all swing slower in 3U...
well, the 800def is ~borderline, but slightly heavier I think...

dont think it matters if it swings slower or faster. W7 still hits harder than most of them.

that's because all the AT's you can find are 4U's :p
at900P, 700, heck even the 800def all swing slower in 3U...
well, the 800def is ~borderline, but slightly heavier I think...


Of course all the same rackets in 4U will swing faster than 3U, it's physics.

But I have tried them in 3U. They are still faster than the W7 but Panda does not care about that. :p

dont think it matters if it swings slower or faster. W7 still hits harder than most of them.

Egg-zachary. Well sort of. For Panda, the W7 swings slower but hits hard than all of them. :D

i propose a W7 fan club.
An absolute hero of a racket.

i was wondering, im going to pick up a few more as spares/ in case its ever discontinued. Any point in trying the W7i? Its lighter which would be very handy to make up for its relative weakness in defense/transition but will the extra stiffness be enough to maintain the power? And if so , will it be as easy to tap into that power, or will it demand better technique to utilize?

Has anyone else tried out the Woven 4A? I'm an absolute fan of it! Huge power, and reasonable defence. I haven't weighed it yet, but including the overgrip and strings, it should be something like 94 grams. And I can still defend with it pretty easily. Mine is strung at 27lbs BG80, and gives a deafening bang when hit, magnificent!

Only thing is, I have the feeling this racket misses something, and I can't describe what. That's the reason I'm looking for other rackets. Choices are the Wovem 7 and 11 and the D-600 at the moment. Maybe even try the CP6000. However, I'm hunting :D At the end, I know it'll either be one of these SOTX's I named, or a AT-900T/P, AT-700 or ARC10. I still need to test all of them, but luckily, Jerry lives quite near me, and he agreed to let me have a go with his collection. :)

i propose a W7 fan club.
An absolute hero of a racket.

i was wondering, im going to pick up a few more as spares/ in case its ever discontinued. Any point in trying the W7i? Its lighter which would be very handy to make up for its relative weakness in defense/transition but will the extra stiffness be enough to maintain the power? And if so , will it be as easy to tap into that power, or will it demand better technique to utilize?
Will I never quite get what people mean by "tapping into power" and "utilizing potential" etc:rolleyes:
the w7i is indeed stiffer and lighter... If you like the stiffness and can flex it, it hit's just as hard...
I'll join your club :p

Feng, 27 eh? gone up in tension?:p

The balance of my 7 has drifted down to about 275 thanks to toweling grip, so it will need lead tape at the nose to pull it back to 295 (which is where I like it). By the time I'm done it will probably in the U range:eek:.

Testing in 83 mins and counting...

The balance of my 7 has drifted down to about 275 thanks to toweling grip, so it will need lead tape at the nose to pull it back to 295 (which is where I like it). By the time I'm done it will probably in the U range:eek:.

Testing in 83 mins and counting...

The shorter the balance point the more head heavy it is, you would need to put the lead tape round the handle.

My W7 has a balance point of 28cm from the handle with everything on.

The balance of my 7 has drifted down to about 275 thanks to toweling grip, so it will need lead tape at the nose to pull it back to 295 (which is where I like it). By the time I'm done it will probably in the U range:eek:.

Testing in 83 mins and counting...
yeah...if you ask me...that's not true. Any wait you stick on the handle in negligible...

I have, here with me, two "udnerspec"woven 7's.
Both weigh just 86 grams, and have a balance point of 320mm (that's right, 320mm;))
Now what sotx forgot to do was stick a piece of leadtape in the handle, and put some lacquer on, so naturally, the specifications are "off" (the fram is alright, just the handle isn't)
Now, on first site, both w7's feel the same, and feel quite like I remembered my first sotx (g5 handle...)

One i do the usual treatment, bulge up the buttcap, towelgrip, ML at 27lbs etc....
The other, I first take out the buttcap and stuff 3grams worth of rubber inside, then bulge it up and towelgrip it...

findings? both feel just as headheavy, just as heavy, and yes both are still head heavy (bp are 283 and 291mm)

to me, whatever you slap on the handle is irrelevant :rolleyes:
(que Taneepak for disagreeing, Cooldoob as well if he were still around... Discussion has been done, Whatever physcis you could unleash, I don't feel a thing;):p)

Will I never quite get what people mean by "tapping into power" and "utilizing potential" etc:rolleyes:
the w7i is indeed stiffer and lighter... If you like the stiffness and can flex it, it hit's just as hard...
I'll join your club :p

Feng, 27 eh? gone up in tension?:p

Yeah, some time ago I fell face forward against my bedroom door and the result was that I wanted to try out 27. It felt absolutely magnificent on the 4A! Still, may be looking for a W7, an W11 or a D600. If possible, can I have a try on your CP6000 someday? All those positive reactions and reviews just make my hands itchy :D

sure, but hurry up ;)
http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53804
one is already out :p

looking back, I think the entire review can be redone... but Dinkalot went above and beyond anything I could dream up :p

I don't understand the balance point idea. Is the point measured from the head or the handle? if I want a head heavy racket do I want a 300+ balance point or 299- balance point?

Thanks guys for all the great info. I got convinced to get a SOTX racket switching from a MP29LT.

The balance point is measured from the handle end, so the higher the bp number the head heavier the racquet. I'd say a bp of >295mm will be in head heavy range. If you want really head heavy, go for something >300. You won't feel any diff between 300 & 299 bp.

Jerby, I hope to contact you real soon about testing those rackets out. My friend also needs a new racket, his current Forza just doesn't play well for him, and coincidently, he broke the thing during a tournament a few days ago. So now he hasn't got a racket. I recommended him to try some SOTX', and because he also likes offensive play, I told him to have a look at the W4, W7, W7i, W11 and the D600. It's going to be a birthday present for him from his parents. If I know more, I'll PM you.

Thanks to our Master Jerby, I got the chance to test some offensive SOTX rackets. The Woven 7, 7i and 11i, and the Circle Power 6000. My own racket is a Woven 4A.

W4a:_____ 305mm______92gram
W7:______ 325mm______88gram
W7i:______305mm______92gram
W11i:_____290mm______94gram
CP6000:___307mm______99gram

I found the Woven 7 not to be stiff enough for me. I'd say it has a stiffness which is medium to stiff. I liked the Woven 7i a lot more. It was the second stiffest racket I have ever tried. The number 1 position is held by the Nanospeed 9000-X. It's also a bit lighter than the W7. The control is better and you get much more response from the racket. The defence on the 7i was pretty good aswell. Some people say the 7 is too heavy for it, but I found it was very decent.
The W11i was a beast pur sang. A horrifying beast. It was the most offensive racket I ever played with, but still amazingly fast. This could be because of the frame. I wasn't box shaped, but a bit aero. Defence was still very good. I could return smashes without much effort, and the speed was good. Control and feel were fine. However it was longer than the 7i, it felt similar, but with lots more power. A big brother of the 7i :D
The CP6000 was amazingly light. Mine weighed 99grams, but felt like a 80 grams racket. It had the best control and feel I ever played with. It was extremely fast, too fast tbh. Smashes were a bit off-timed.

Well, that's it for now. Dinnertime :p

If you want compare frame-shapes, you've got one of each right there ;)
-the w7(i) is very obviously box-shaped
-the w11i has a very rounded shape (also around the Tjoint)
-the cp6k had a wide body, and is shaped very aerodynamically.

Some more from me...Damn I like my w7's....
I don't get me....I really have no clue what "taste" I have in rackets :p

Jerby, what would you call the W11i then... I mean, the W7 is definitely Box-shaped, and the CP6000 is absolutely Aero-shaped. I don't know... what I do know is, the rounded shape of the W11i makes it pretty fast for such a heavy racket.

yeah, I have no clue... It's a bit in between....it not square, but not exactly the stretched oval like the cp6k...
just "round" suits me fine, I think :p

Fengwei,

Are those racquets' masses unstrung and ungrapped?

Hey Pete,
Sorry for not making it clear in the post above. :(
Those rackets are strung and with one standard layer of grip. Because they were test-rackets, I don't think Sir Jerby would have liked it if I cut through his newly strung strings :D and peeled of the unused standard grips.
If you want the masses and BP's of "stripped" rackets, you'd better ask Jerbs himself.

Feng

how close does the cp6k 's power come to the w7? be honest, even though you have one on sale jerby ;)

Hmm, longing to comment, but as you asked for Sir Jerby's view, I'll shut up :p

W7:______ 325mm______88gram


Holy cow - :eek: is that an off spec W7?? That's practically a super endloaded hammer!:D:D

Holy cow - :eek: is that an off spec W7?? That's practically a super endloaded hammer!:D:D


Don't pay attention to FW, all his rackets seem to be offspec. ;)

I'm joking. I know why...

...the lightest W7 is supposed to be 89.5g with a BP of 295mm.

I bet if FW takes the grip(s) off his racket, he'll notice there's no lead tape on the handle to "balance" the racket.

Just about all SOTX (Woven rackets) have some lead tape on the handle to balanced out. So, 2-4gs of lead tape make the weight 90-92g and the BP will drop into spec.

"Am I right? Or am I right?"
-Winekone

:p

Holy cow - :eek: is that an off spec W7?? That's practically a super endloaded hammer!:D:D

Yea... but you know what, the official specs of the W7 state that it's 675mm, but in reality, it's 670mm. I don't know if any of you W7 users have this too, but mine is.
The 325mm BP is extremely high... you're right. I was shocked aswell when I measured it :eek:. Unbelievable!! It only had the standard SOTX grip on it, and it was strung with some black string (black = can't read the brand and type). Absolutely horrific... 325mm!


EDIT for Dink: Nope, no lead tape, just checked. But why do my/Jerby's rackets not have it then?

Yea... but you know what, the official specs of the W7 state that it's 675mm, but in reality, it's 670mm. I don't know if any of you W7 users have this too, but mine is.

What is Jerry feeding his W7s? Mine are all 675mm.

EDIT for Dink: Nope, no lead tape, just checked. But why do my/Jerby's rackets not have it then?

Maybe Jerry takes them off, I do not know.

I'll be honest with you Dink, but Jerry's entire batch is 670mm. He's already reported it to SOTX, because something this big ain't right...

EDIT: I discovered this :D

I'll be honest with you Dink, but Jerry's entire batch is 670mm. He's already reported it to SOTX, because something this big ain't right...

EDIT: I discovered this :D


Holy cow, that's crazy.

I discovered something funny too, the first batch of D600s said "DIAAMOND FIGHTER" instead of Diamond Fighter. :p

:D Well, that happens most of the time when brands in Asia try to spell Englisjjj.

I'm pretty sad, because Jerby is out of stock of D600's, and I wanted to test one of those :( If I had to choose between 3 SOTX rackets, it would be the CP6000, 7i or 11i, and the D600 (I got a weird feeling the D600 is going to be great)

Well, need to wait for the new batch then. :)

I'm pretty sad, because Jerby is out of stock of D600's, and I wanted to test one of those :( If I had to choose between 3 SOTX rackets, it would be the CP6000, 7i or 11i, and the D600 (I got a weird feeling the D600 is going to be great)

Well, need to wait for the new batch then. :)

The 7i and 11i are not for me. They are extra-stiff but don't feel it when you swing. But yet when you hit certain shots, they are. It's weird. Not my style.

I love my on-spec Woven 7s. :p

I know what you mean, hehe. Still, I like the stiffness. My W4A has become seriously less stiff then when I just got it. It should be 8.0-8.5 right? And the W7 should be 8.5-9.0. Well, my 4A's feel the same as the W7's when it comes to stiffness. So it's just getting too flexy for me.

BTW: You posted somewhere that the W11 will form miniscule cracks just above the cap at the beginning of the shaft: http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=834505#post834505
I'm seeing those cracks on my W4A :( Is this the beginning of something "Dinkish"? They are horizontal! Not in line with the shaft.

BTW(2): It's a bit OT, but when you tried the D600, how stiff was it compared to the W7, W7i and W11i? And also, are the AT-700 and 900P/T stiffer or less stiff than the W7, 7i and 11i? These questions are all for testing and camparison goals, I'm not planning on buying those AT's. I am planning to buy a D600 :D

Holy cow, that's crazy.
I discovered something funny too, the first batch of D600s said "DIAAMOND FIGHTER" instead of Diamond Fighter. :p

Haha - that just sounds like the announcement on fighting video games - "STREEEEEET FIGHTER THREEEEE!!!" :D Maybe they've got Michael Buffer as a consultant.

Back on subject - SOTX's Quality Systems leaves a lot to be desired by the looks of things :o. Hopefully Jerry can get them to sort things out - one sure fire way of that working is to send our Panda barging in to SOTX HQ and wave his large furry arms about!:D:D:D:p

Hopefully Jerry can get them to sort things out - one sure fire way of that working is to send our Panda barging in to SOTX HQ and wave his large furry arms about!:D:D:D:p

Oh yes! That'll definitely help! :D They'll all be scared to death and promise our Holiness Master Panda they'll do better QC.

my d600 feels about as stiff as the w7, but personally, i can whip the w7 back much harder cause the head is nice and head, but the even balance of the d600 means i need to get into a better position and use alot more wrist to really accelerate the head to get a nice smash. W11 is a good bit stiffer though. it is however, a most beautiful racket on net and defense. lovely reach and feeling , as mr.dink once said. He was spot on as usual. Id say its about ... 80% the power of the w7. You can have mine if you want to swap it for a w7 :)

wow, thsi threda just keeps on going :p

yeah, my w7's are 670mm...The handles are too short.... It's a kinda weird :p
anyway, it's reported, the entire batch just wasn't QC'ed.. weird huh?
That's the same batch with the bizar balance point of 325mm...
No Quality Control: no lead tape at the handle, low weight, high balance...
It's just a minor kink in the cable... We want rackets in G3, that means we have to get them made for us (sotx doesn't stock them....yet;)) so, this slipped them, apparantly...

Now, even though all this is...weird... The w7's still swing heavier than the on-spec w7i... So, despite all weird stuff, it still "feels about right" :p

Further: w7 vs cp6k.
It's quite easy, the w7 is more powerfull and more stable (being perfectly honest, it's also the reasons why I switched).
But it is by no means "better". The cp6k is faster, more aerodynamic. The "control" is amazing (it just feels good).
The cp6k is a more allrounded racket, but doesn't hit so hard...for me. I also couldn't adjust to it's oval shape... Yes, that took me 2 months to figure our :p

How are the W-4A and W-4L comparing with W-7?

Seems that W-4A is the only one which has muscle power frame, does this really help?

Well, the W4a is quite stiff in the beginning... at least if I remember correctly. But after a few months it just becomes more flex (or it could be because my muscles have been building and the racket doesn't fit me anymore).

Compared to the W7, I'd say it's lighter and less head heavy, although still head heavy. I love it's 2U weight. The W7 is just too flex for me... I can get quite some power out of it, but the W4A suites me better than the W7.

Hey Jerby, could you tell me how the W10a compares to the W8 and W7? I've had the W8 and W7 before and am looking to buy the W10a as I can get it for a very very good price now for a limited time.

Hey Jerby, could you tell me how the W10a compares to the W8 and W7? I've had the W8 and W7 before and am looking to buy the W10a as I can get it for a very very good price now for a limited time.

It is really a great deal. I know what you said. Don't miss it. I just got a W9A for my double-play yesterday there.

It is really a great deal. I know what you said. Don't miss it. I just got a W9A for my double-play yesterday there.

Did you get a chance to try the 9a out yet? Im tempted to buy it too =]

I didn't get a chance to try it yet, but swing it and feel it is quite solider and quicker than my AT500 being used now.

Hey Jerby, could you tell me how the W10a compares to the W8 and W7? I've had the W8 and W7 before and am looking to buy the W10a as I can get it for a very very good price now for a limited time.
oooh...been a year since I touched a w10A....

from my memory it swings about as heavy as a w7. longer and lighter (680mm, 89grams)... feels about the same.
It's stiffer, but the shaft is longer...
same same, but different;)

New series is out, Sotx Superfighter series

Is taht true Jerby? New Sotx Superfigther series? Any info about it yet?

you can find info here
http://www.sotxsports.co.uk/Rackets.htm

:),waiting for Jerry's new review on new Sotx Superfighter series...

they're cheaper than their other rackets... not a nice new top of the line range then :(

Sorry guys, the superfighters are not new....
They're already in the 2007 catalog...
It's a mid-range series like the previous jedi-series. All rackets are 670mm (except the sf202) even balanced, 83-92grams (wow, quite a margin of error...) and slightly flexy (8,8-9,0)

For 2008, sotx will keep on promoting their CP, Diamondfighters, superlights and wovens. I guess the wovens are lasting so long (they're from 2002-2003 or some?) they're not ready to introduce a new serie ;)

Well, they're extremely good, so why bother introducing a new serie :D A good racket can keep on going for a long time ;) (Cab 20 :rolleyes:)

Well, they're extremely good, so why bother introducing a new serie :D A good racket can keep on going for a long time ;) (Cab 20 :rolleyes:)

The Woven Series needs a cosmetic do over. Otherwise, I'm quite happy with it. :p

The Woven Series needs a cosmetic do over. Otherwise, I'm quite happy with it. :p
Agree with you Dan, some Woven rackets are pretty ugly.

Agree with you Dan, some Woven rackets are pretty ugly.


Most. :p Lucky my beloved Woven 7 is passable. :D

I think the new w6i, w11i en w10i look great.... a bit colourfull (the underlying layer of "sotx" scribbling is mesmerizing) but not too bad...
the w7i on the other hand ;)

So they do have some good desingers running around there ;)
the w7, w9A, w11A, D3/5/6/900 look great, the cp's are stunning...

I'm kinda curious what sotx will do with the wovens... It's a weird development...
Even with the new D's and CP's, people still want to buy a w7/8/9, the tried, trusted stuff.
Even with newer versions readily available (the d300 is an exact copy of the w8, but with the newer diamond-shape... yet the w8 is much more popular...) they keep going...

I need to try the D700, spec-wise it's ideal in 91g.

The 4L looks promising too.

I thought the 4L was exactly the same racket as the 4A, apart from the "extraordinary" difference :D in color?

Are there new superlight rackets out for 2008? I saw that the prices of the superlight series had gone up so I wondered whether they are new models.

spec-wise, the w4L is the exact same as the 4A...

Dan, the D700 for you? I doubt it :p In 91grams it might be... But generally, it swings (slightly) lighter than the w10i or w7....but it's 5mm shorter than the w10i ( for you, that's a good thing tough)

Can anyone let me know what is the shaft length of SOTX Woven 7,9,10,11,16? Shaft length is measured from the T-joint (below the racket head) to the cone of the handle section where the shaft enters the handle. See image below.

Previously I used Gosen Aermet 5300 but unfortunately the racket was damaged during restring. Since then I have been using Gosen Aermet 7900 but still prefer the 5300 because I can get more power in smashes & overhead clear shots. However 5300 is no longer available in the market. So now I am searching for an alternative similar to 5300. Gosen racket is long (675mm), similar to SOTX. Gosen shaft is also long (235mm). So if someone can let me know Woven shaft length, that will be very much appreciated. Thank you.

For comparison:

i) Gosen Aermet 5300
Racket length 675mm, Shaft length 235mm, Balance Point 275mm, Rated Weight 2U (90g), Weight including grip (original + one overgrip) 102g

ii) Gosen Aermet 7900
Racket length 675mm, Shaft length 235mm, Balance Point 280mm, Rated Weight 3U (86g+/-2), Weight including grip (original + one overgrip) 98g

iii) Yonex Armotec 900T
Racket length 670mm, Shaft length 210mm, Balance Point 290mm, Rated Weight 3U (85-89g), Weight including grip (original + one overgrip) 100g

Note: Balance Point is measured based on my rackets which has the original grip plus one overgrip.

file:///c:/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg

w7: 21,3cm
w9:21,3cm
w11:21,8cm

While sotx does vary the crossection-form of their racket, their frame-build is pretty standard (per series, the w's, D's and cp's all have basically the same shape).
So expect all 675mm rackets from sotx to have 212-215mm shafts, 670 rackets to have -5m and all 680mm stuff +5mm.

My biggest question would be: why would you want a longer shaft? because it'll flex easier? (why not get a more flexy racket?)

Jerby, thank for the shaft length info.

I am so used to Gosen 5300 (feel, power and etc) and therefore try to find an alternative similar to the 5300 specs. Initially I thought of using more mainstream brand like Yonex (easy to buy a replacement if needed since it is sold everywhere), hence bought a Armotec 900T because of good review in the forum. But after using it, I really don't like it and revert back to Gosen and bought Gosen 7900. But the 7900 is not the same with 5300. I am not sure in my case, easy flex is what I am after. But I certainly feel the different when using 5300. Both the flex of 5300 & 7900 are classified as '6' by Gosen in the scale of 1 (soft) to 4 (medium) to 7 (hard).

Can you recommend any SOTX racket? I am thinking of Woven 7 mainly because it has generally good review and is not as expensive as other model. Since it is not possible to try a racket before buying, it is less costly if I don't like it. I wish that is a way trying a racket before buying it.

Jerby, thank for the shaft length info.

I am so used to Gosen 5300 (feel, power and etc) and therefore try to find an alternative similar to the 5300 specs. Initially I thought of using more mainstream brand like Yonex (easy to buy a replacement if needed since it is sold everywhere), hence bought a Armotec 900T because of good review in the forum. But after using it, I really don't like it and revert back to Gosen and bought Gosen 7900. But the 7900 is not the same with 5300. I am not sure in my case, easy flex is what I am after. But I certainly feel the different when using 5300. Both the flex of 5300 & 7900 are classified as '6' by Gosen in the scale of 1 (soft) to 4 (medium) to 7 (hard).

Can you recommend any SOTX racket? I am thinking of Woven 7 mainly because it has generally good review and is not as expensive as other model. Since it is not possible to try a racket before buying, it is less costly if I don't like it. I wish that is a way trying a racket before buying it.

Why spend money looking for a racket which is the same but a diff make?

Gosen don't produce anymore 5300 and the new range that they have (7900, 6900 and etc) is not the same with 5300. That's why I am looking for alternative replacement to 5300. I racket I am looking for should be long (675mm), has long shaft (~235mm), balance point 275-280mm and weighs around 90g. I notice SOTX rackets are available upto 680mm but I wasn't sure about the shaft length, hence my question to this forum.

Anyone know a SOTX racket or any other brand with the similar specs?

is the gosen 5700 the replacement model of the 5300?

According to the spec, 5700 is less flex than 5300. Based on this, I don't think it is the replacement for 5300. The handle of the 2007 model (5700, 6900, 7900) is very different to the 2006 model (6000, 5300).

I was just reading through this thread and was surprised at you being unable to find a 2006 racquet, so did a search for Gosen 5300 on Google (searching the whole web, not just the UK). About half way down the first page was the following link :-
http://www.bbeshop.com/en/racket_gosen.htm

Looking at their orders section, they deliver abroad :-

http://www.bbeshop.com/en/order.htm

Just to say, I have no affiliation with this shop and don't know how good they are to work with. I just did a quick browse.

Or this Canadian shop which also lists it :-

http://www.tadssports.ca/badminton_racquets.htm

Don't know if they'll sell oversees, but you could email them on the email listed on their 'Contact' page.

The inquirer ceased activity 10 days after the post date..

you can buy sotx rackets from ibuysports or puppysports.

jerby, do you have information for the Sotx Beijing 2008 limited edition racquet?

It's a woven racquet as well. :)

sorry man, but it's been released three days ago....

I don't have one, But I think SGBad will have a review up on his thread in a week or so.
it' snot that heavy, and 670mm long... Looks like a heavier version of the D500 to me :o (But I haven't played with one)