Black Knight Rackets / Equipment

[ckaSVEN]

Hi, I have just joined a club in my city and was wondering what Black Knight Racket / Equipment in general is good.

All I have right now is a HL racket that I bought at my local sports dealer for about $30-35 and a fake Yonex racket that I bought from eBay [I didn't know it was fake prior to buying it :(]

Here is the list of what they have -



Effective January 1, 2009 BLACK KNIGHT BADMINTON RACQUETS


Pages 18 & 19 N/S=Not Shown Dealer MSRP
BA103 Starter Durable Steel head and steel shaft racquet $6.00 $9.95
BA150 Sceptre Durable for institutional or novice. Aluminum w steel shaft $8.00 $14.95
BA1979 1979 N/SVery popular institutional racquet. Aluminum w steel shaft $10.00 $17.95
BA180 Beast Super durable. Double grip. Alum head w steel shaft. $11.00 $19.95

N/S
BA729i Impulse 729i 67 cm. Graphite, ECG & Titanium. 88 gms. $42.00 $66.95
BAM40 Magnum XL 68 cm. High Modulus Graphite, C4, Huge sweetspot $72.00 $120.00

Pages 16 & 17 F/O= Frame Only
BA-PCV65 Power Channel V65 Be HMG, Be, C4. 67 cm.Vibra Plate.Ashaway $90.00 $149.95
BA-PCV85 Power Channel V85 Be Same materials at 68 cm. Vibra Plate F/O $96.00 $159.95

Page 14 & 15 All have EOS Stabilizers.
BAC2CI C2C Ice Extreme & High Modulus Graphite, C4 67 cm, 87 gms F/O $90.00 $149.95
BAC2CS Shadow Extreme Modulus Graphite, C4 & Stablizers 67 cm, 84 gms $102.00 $169.95
BAC2CN C2C Nano Fire Extreme Modulus Graphite, C4 67 cm, 87 gms F/O $114.00 $189.95

Pages 12 & 13 All Frame Only, except Photon XL is strung with Ashaway Power Gut 66.
BAFEA Feather XL XM Graphite, Carbon SL, C4. 68 cm, 75 gms. $120.00 $199.95
BAGHO Ghost XM Graphite, Carbon SL, C4, Power Channel. 67 cm, 75 gms $126.00 $209.95
BAPHO Photon XM Graphite, Carbon SL, C4, PC, VibraPlate 67 cm, 75 gms $138.00 $229.95
BAPHOXL Photon XL Same construction as Photon above, but 68 cm, 75 gms $144.00 $239.95
BAVKRYXL Krypton XL Nano Carbon, XM Graphite 68cm, 82 gms $160.00 $259.95


GRIPS

Page 20 & 21
078 Comp. Grip PU stitched grip with spiral rib and vents. 1 per pack $2.00 $3.95
080 Super Grip Replacement. Flat wrap cushion with adhesive. 2 per pack $4.00 $7.95
080B Bulk Pack 080Super Grip in 6 great colors, 24 grips in a bulk display box. $34.00/box $3.95 ea
082 TUF Grip Medium Rib for replacement or overgrip. 2 per pack $2.50 $4.95
083 TUF Original Ribbed grip as found on BK racquets. Adhesive. 2 per pack $4.00 $7.95
084 TUF Original Same as 083 in a 1 per package $2.50 $4.95
085 .75 Ultra Grip Tacky, non-adhesive overgrip, 2 per pack. $2.50 $4.95
087 RAD Wrap Thin tacky overgrip. 3 per package in various colors. $3.95 $6.95
088 RAD Grip New extra tacky replacement. Multi colored cushion grip. $2.95 $5.95


ASHAWAY STRING


A21 Ashaway Rally 21 Economical durable 21ga Badminton String. 10m set $2.50. 200m Reel $39.00
A10455 Ashaway MicroPower XL Plays better than Yonex. Orange. 10m set $3.00. 200m Reel $48.00
A10422 Ashaway MicroLegend XL .73mm For the advanced player 10m set $4.50 200m Reel $75.00
A10484 Ashaway PowerGut 65 70 mm Power Filament Technology.10m set $3.00. 200m Reel $48.00

I want to get a light, very durable / strong racket since I am pretty short and small compared to others. But I have no equipment buying experience. The badminton club leader told me to buy the HL racket to start off. And now since there is a discount with the Black Knight equipment above, I think it would be a good deal for me.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the Black Knight Photon or recommend any other set ups posted above? Also, I have no experience with grips and stringing . So which ones should I get if I bought one of the rackets above? Since it only says only the only racket that comes strung is the Photon XL [which I am not interested in at all since it is longer and heavier]. Who would I ask to string / grip my racket? Do you think Sports Authority or Dick Sports people would do it or what? Thank you!

[Sketchy]

It sounds like you're probably a relative beginner (no offense intended).

That being the case, you'd probably do well to steer clear of the superlight series (feather-krypton), as you'll probably struggle to generate power with them. Plus, I don't think you should be spending that kind of money yet.

I also wouldn't recommend any of the first 5 rackets on your list, to anyone - you shouldn't even be considering anything with a steel shaft, unless you play your badminton on the beach.

Personally, I use a C2C NanoFire. It's an excellent racket, but not suitable for a beginner because of the cost and light weight (the info you provide is wrong - it's only 80g).

The Magnum is possibly your best bet - it's got a very large head area, so it should be very forgiving. Still seems kind of expensive for an almost entry level racket though.

[what07]

From my experience with BK racquets the SL series [feather, ghost, Photon, Photon XL] are the lightest you can get from BK. Durable wise my friend said there really nice and hold up. I like the Photon XL because of that extra reach and power I get. Personally the weight difference isn't between the XL and regular isn't alot. The Feather is smaller head size but really light. Maybe not as stiff tho. Ghost is in the middle. I think the tension is 24lbs max. I would say get the Photon then if you don't want the extra length and just want a sorta stiff but really light racquet.

[ckaSVEN]

It sounds like you're probably a relative beginner (no offense intended).

That being the case, you'd probably do well to steer clear of the superlight series (feather-krypton), as you'll probably struggle to generate power with them. Plus, I don't think you should be spending that kind of money yet.

I also wouldn't recommend any of the first 5 rackets on your list, to anyone - you shouldn't even be considering anything with a steel shaft, unless you play your badminton on the beach.

Personally, I use a C2C NanoFire. It's an excellent racket, but not suitable for a beginner because of the cost and light weight (the info you provide is wrong - it's only 80g).

The Magnum is possibly your best bet - it's got a very large head area, so it should be very forgiving. Still seems kind of expensive for an almost entry level racket though.
No offense taken. I am a beginner and that's why I don't really have any experience with buying rackets or any of that stuff.

I just copied and pasted what was in the word document the club leader said so I'm not sure really sure what weighs whats.

Do you think any of these two rackets would be good too then?

Blacknight is giving BA729 Impulse $18 for us.
Power Channel 65 is for $70.

The Impulse was in the first 5 like you said above. Also, when do you think I should go and look at more expensive and lighter rackets ie the Photon or any other rackets?

[ckaSVEN]

From my experience with BK racquets the SL series [feather, ghost, Photon, Photon XL] are the lightest you can get from BK. Durable wise my friend said there really nice and hold up. I like the Photon XL because of that extra reach and power I get. Personally the weight difference isn't between the XL and regular isn't alot. The Feather is smaller head size but really light. Maybe not as stiff tho. Ghost is in the middle. I think the tension is 24lbs max. I would say get the Photon then if you don't want the extra length and just want a sorta stiff but really light racquet.
Would you still recommend me getting the Photon even though I'm starting out trying to play around with more of the experience players? Also, what grip and string would you suggest too?

I mean I've played in my high school class which is totally different and doesn't really count since it has the plastic rackets and plastic shuttlecocks. But then I've been playing my city's badminton club for about 2 months now and they meet once every week. My friends and I want to start checking out other clubs in our state since another one usually gets 20-30 players and we want to broaden our experiences.

[what07]

Well if your a beginner I don't think those racquets would be any better. Since they are so light it's really hard to generate power. If you can't swing accurately or strong enough it feels like your holding a ruler trying to hit a tiny ball. Sure the high end racquets are impressive only if you could use them. Maybe the Power Channel V65 which is decent. C2C Ice a really nice racquet but you may not need tat yet. String tension it says 18 to 24 on both so I say just string at 20lbs. Grip I dunno I'll let someone else handle tat.

[ckaSVEN]

Thanks for both of your guys' input. Do you think the price for the club is good? They seem to be cheaper than prices I found on eBay and Google in general for the rackets you both recommend and even the Photon. Do you think I should buy one of the more beginner rackets you guys have recommended and maybe even the Photon to just keep in storage until I become more experienced? eBay and other online sites have the Photon for about $200 whereas the dealer price listed above is $138, and then even the discount for the group is $18, etc. So do you think I should go ahead and buy stuff right now since they are cheaper or is it not worth it?

[Fidget]

If you are truly a beginner, then I think you could do well with the Impulse and save some moola. It's not a high end racket, but it's not terrible.

If money is no object, then you shouldn't think that you are "unfit" for a Photon or Nanofire. I don't think they are difficult racquets-- unless you string at too high a tension.

If possible, you should try before you buy.

Good luck.:)

[Sketchy]

They're definitely good deals. Maybe you could buy one, sell it to some sucker on ebay, and buy a decent, but affordable racket with the profits :D

I probably wouldn't buy a high-end model to "grow into", as you might well find you prefer a completely different kind of racket once you've developed more of a playing style. If it turns out that you love to blast your opponents off the court with powerful smashes, then the Photon is not going to be the racket to help you do that.

To be honest, I'd just never heard of the "Impulse 729i". Having looked on the BK website, it seems to be a very entry-level model, which may even have been discontinued.

The other thing, is that although those are great prices on Black Knight rackets, Black Knight are not a cheap brand over there. I don't know what's available where you live, but here at least, a budget of $90 (£63) gives you a *lot* of choice.

I don't really have an opinion on grips, as I never seem to need to change them anyway. Maybe if you have really sweaty palms it makes a difference, I don't know.

[ckaSVEN]

If you are truly a beginner, then I think you could do well with the Impulse and save some moola. It's not a high end racket, but it's not terrible.

If money is no object, then you shouldn't think that you are "unfit" for a Photon or Nanofire. I don't think they are difficult racquets-- unless you string at too high a tension.

If possible, you should try before you buy.

Good luck.:)
I don't think I can find someone around where I live that would let me try it or know of any stores that have some of these high end rackets.

I can afford the Photon and Nanofire, but I'm just wondering if it is worth me buying now and actually using it since the other members said I should stick with the Impulse or any of the first 5 on the list above.

I'm considering buying the Impulse and also the Photon but just keep the Photon in my closet or something until I get better since the other people said I probably wouldn't be able to use all of the features of the Photon at this stage. I think the discounted prices are very good and do not want to pass them up since buying just the Photon alone and Impulse would save me $80+ through this club.

But I still have no idea what grip and string to get for the Photon.


GRIPS

Page 20 & 21
078 Comp. Grip PU stitched grip with spiral rib and vents. 1 per pack $2.00 $3.95
Yellow, red, blue stitching
080 Super Grip Replacement. Flat wrap cushion with adhesive. 2 per pack $4.00 $7.95
Black, neon yellow, green
080B Bulk Pack 080Super Grip in 6 great colors, 24 grips in a bulk display box. $34.00/box $3.95 ea
082 TUF Grip Medium Rib for replacement or overgrip. 2 per pack $2.50 $4.95
083 TUF Original Ribbed grip as found on BK racquets. Adhesive. 2 per pack $4.00 $7.95
084 TUF Original Same as 083 in a 1 per package $2.50 $4.95
085 .75 Ultra Grip Tacky, non-adhesive overgrip, 2 per pack. $2.50 $4.95
087 RAD Wrap Thin tacky overgrip. 3 per package in various colors. $3.95 $6.95
088 RAD Grip New extra tacky replacement. Multi colored cushion grip. $2.95 $5.95




ASHAWAY STRING


A21 Ashaway Rally 21 Economical durable 21ga Badminton String. 10m set $2.50. 200m Reel $39.00
A10455 Ashaway MicroPower XL Plays better than Yonex. Orange. 10m set $3.00. 200m Reel $48.00
A10422 Ashaway MicroLegend XL .73mm For the advanced player 10m set $4.50 200m Reel $75.00
A10484 Ashaway PowerGut 65 70 mm Power Filament Technology.10m set $3.00. 200m Reel $48.00


I tried searching some of the grips. The competition grip looks sort of good but I'm not sure. And then does anyone have any experience with the Super Grip or Rad grips? I saw the TUF Grip online and I don't think I like the huge thick bumps on it. I couldn't find any pictures of the Super Grip on a racket, but I am hoping that it is just a smooth grip like the one that is on my HL racket just because of the name.

What grip / string would you recommend from the list? Sorry for all the questions. I really appreciate everyone's help and input.

[Fidget]

Please accept the advice of a rank amateur...:o

....at this level just start with the grip that comes with the racket. Only if you hate the factory grip (or if you have a great scheme to sell the rackets later) should you bother changing or covering it with an extra grip.

The string may be another matter. It is such a personal thing. If you have no strong opinion, then buy the first one. Or get Yonex BG-65 at your local sports store.
If you have the urge to use the other more expensive strings, then check out the plentiful reviews and opinions in other threads....it'll make your head spin!:)

[what07]

BG-65 is just fine for you. Other strings would just complicate the process of playing badminton for you rite now. First thing first get your hands on a decent racquet for your playing level.

[ckaSVEN]

@ Fidget and what07
Would local sports stores such as Dicks Sporting Goods or Sports Authority have the Yonex BG-65? And also, would they string it for me or do I have to go somewhere else for professional stringing?

As for the grip, I will stick with the one it comes with like you said unless it really bothers me. When people want to change grips, do they cover the old one or do they try to unpeel the previous one? Is it easy also, because what if some of it doesn't come off and then doesn't that mess up your next grip since it'll be bumpy in random places?

[Fidget]

@ Fidget and what07
Would local sports stores such as Dicks Sporting Goods or Sports Authority have the Yonex BG-65? And also, would they string it for me or do I have to go somewhere else for professional stringing?

If you are in a city that has at least two sports stores, then one of them should carry BG-65 and be able to string for you.


As for the grip, I will stick with the one it comes with like you said unless it really bothers me. When people want to change grips, do they cover the old one or do they try to unpeel the previous one? Is it easy also, because what if some of it doesn't come off and then doesn't that mess up your next grip since it'll be bumpy in random places?
You either use replacement or overgrip.
And learning how to do it is not hard....in fact it is one of the simplest most rewarding skills in badminton;)

[Sketchy]

When people want to change grips, do they cover the old one or do they try to unpeel the previous one? Is it easy also, because what if some of it doesn't come off and then doesn't that mess up your next grip since it'll be bumpy in random places?

It depends on how thick a grip you want. It's pretty common for people to leave the original grip, and put a thin "overgrip" on top of it. If you're lucky, the stringer will replace the overgrip free of charge, when you get your racket restrung.
If not, never mind - it's very easy. The glue stays tacky for a little while, so even if you mess it up first time you can always take it off and start over.

And yeah, I'd be amazed if you can't get hold of BG65 / BG65Ti.

[Sketchy]

A related question then:

At the moment, the Ghost PC costs $58 (£39.99 - damn, the £'s gone downhill) here in the UK - obviously a considerable saving on the $209 rrp. The NanoFire is actually £10 more. They are genuine rackets, bought from Black Knight's UK website.

Does this mean I (and everyone else in the UK) should be stocking up now?

[ckaSVEN]

Thanks again for everyone's help! I'm still trying to think what would be best to do / buy right now.

Sorry I'm no help since I don't know any of the prices and stuff, Sketchy.

[ckaSVEN]

And yeah, I'd be amazed if you can't get hold of BG65 / BG65Ti.


If you are in a city that has at least two sports stores, then one of them should carry BG-65 and be able to string for you.

I called 3 sport stores [Dick's Sporting Goods, Big 5 Sporting Goods, and Sports Authority] and none of them have any badminton string in general. I think it's partly because badminton definitely isn't really big in Colorado as it is in other places like California and Asian countries, etc. 1 place even said that all they have is tennis rackets strings and that he could try that but it would be too high of quality and it'd be more expensive. Does that mean in the future when I want to buy a high-end quality I would have to stick with ordering the string online at the same place if they sell it and asking them to string it for me? And if my string breaks I would have to ship it somewhere out of this state to string it for me?

Can people get their rackets professionally painted? Or is that something that isn't really heard of?

I was first interested in the Photon because of the color scheme and how light it is, and then after searching for reviews of it online I thought it was pretty good.

For example, someone's review of the Photon in 2006 here http://www.badmintonforum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=29454
In the first post he says,


Additional Comments - This is by far the best racquet I have ever used (even though I haven't used that many, to tell you the truth). But this would definitely be my racquet of choice if I were ever to buy a badminton racquet. (Unfortunately, it costs over $200CD.) I am a little sad that I probably won't be using that racquet for a long, long time unless I participate at another sponsored event, but I'm glad that I did get to use it at all. It's simply an extraordinary badminton racquet.

But then after I asked if anyone recommends the Photon and still plays with it, these 2 replies are posted -

Hmm...as you can see, my last post goes back a few years ago. I currently OWN the photon as well as other yonex rackets. All I can say is that Photon actually isn't as good as I thought it was back then. It can't stand high tensions(for the strings) and it lacks power. Its a great racket for wrist shots and defense. I don't like it.


its not bad but i always grab my at900t first haha its not as powerful

So now I'm thinking that the Photon isn't really that good and maybe I should just get the Impulse 729i as a beginner racket and then once I get better and play with it for a couple months, hopefully save up for a good Yonex racket, since a lot of really experienced people seem to have a lot of these? How does that sound? Do you guys think that's reasonable?

[Danstevens]

Can people get their rackets professionally painted? Or is that something that isn't really heard of?



You probably could do it with the right paint and stuff but I've never actually seen anybody do it.

[ckaSVEN]

You probably could do it with the right paint and stuff but I've never actually seen anybody do it.
Ah I probably won't do that then since I'd rather have it look professional looking. What's your input on the Photon since I saw your post in the other thread about racket recommendation since you talked about the Black Knight lightweight series.

[Fidget]

Re: stringing-- too bad that there are no stringers in the sports shops there. Your best bet is to ask other badminton players what they do for stringing. Usually somewhere, not too far away, there is a Larry or Frank who works at the mill, but strings on the side.


Re: rackets-- There is nothing wrong with the Photon. There is nothing wrong with any of the high-end rackets you read about in these forums. There is only a matter of taste.
If money is no object, why not get the Photon (since you fancy it) and enjoy.
If money is even a slight concern, why not get the Impulse and enjoy.
Experience is the thing to acquire at this point.:):):)

[ckaSVEN]

Re: stringing-- too bad that there are no stringers in the sports shops there. Your best bet is to ask other badminton players what they do for stringing. Usually somewhere, not too far away, there is a Larry or Frank who works at the mill, but strings on the side.


Re: rackets-- There is nothing wrong with the Photon. There is nothing wrong with any of the high-end rackets you read about in these forums. There is only a matter of taste.
If money is no object, why not get the Photon (since you fancy it) and enjoy.
If money is even a slight concern, why not get the Impulse and enjoy.
Experience is the thing to acquire at this point.:):):)

How much on average would you stringing costs? Since I don't want to get ripped off if I do end up getting the Photon or any other racket that doesn't come pre-strung.

Thanks for your input and message! I was thinking that since I am more on the beginning side I would be able to adapt to the racket that I get, just like how you said players get their technique and power from years of training, etc.

[ckaSVEN]

Last week at the club I go to, someone left their Black Knight Power Channel 67 because someone else hit it against their racket [I think] and it cracked. Pictures below -
http://i40.tinypic.com/htu2if.jpg
http://i40.tinypic.com/2n7fsjs.jpg
http://i39.tinypic.com/29gn47p.jpg
http://i39.tinypic.com/24n1k0i.jpg
http://i43.tinypic.com/212hd3r.jpg

The crack on the racket was actually pretty bad. It made the racket definitely not straight at all and sort of into a V shape. I was thinking of hammering it straight, but before I could go looking for the hammer I was just messing with it and just by using my hands it snapped back straight. So now I am wondering if this racket is usable or not. I tried hitting it against my wrist a couple times to see if it would snap again but it didn't.

If it is still usable I might just consider playing with that for now instead of buying the Impulse or Photon. But then again, all these people have said it is best to have a back up/ back up rackets incase yours break.

[Sketchy]

Errr, I'd say that racket's done for.
The strings must have lost a lot of tension, and the string will snap where it rubs on the sharp edge. Plus there's just no way it can feel right to play with. I think the only thing holding it together is the tension in the strings.

re: Stringing - If there really isn't anyone local, maybe you can find a mail-order stringer. I have to do that because I live in a fairly remote conrer of the UK, so there's no real choice. Last time I used the local stringer, my racket came back all warped out of shape.

Fidget summed up the racket situation pretty well.

[ckaSVEN]

Errr, I'd say that racket's done for.
The strings must have lost a lot of tension, and the string will snap where it rubs on the sharp edge. Plus there's just no way it can feel right to play with. I think the only thing holding it together is the tension in the strings.

re: Stringing - If there really isn't anyone local, maybe you can find a mail-order stringer. I have to do that because I live in a fairly remote conrer of the UK, so there's no real choice. Last time I used the local stringer, my racket came back all warped out of shape.

Fidget summed up the racket situation pretty well.
I've never played with the racket before so I wouldn't know how it feels. Actually I haven't played with anyone else's rackets before in my club so I think tomorrow I will ask if I could see everyone to give me more of a few on everything, especially if I want to get the Photon or not.

I'm hoping that it will be a good investment if I do get it because since I am a girl, I am very short and small compared to everyone else in the club. So I can't see myself being a smasher like them because they've smashed it at me many times and I don't think I'll ever be able to hit half as fast ever.

Most of what I've learned about the Photon on here is that it used to be very powerful in 2002, but now with all the racket choices today it doesn't really compare and it's hard to generate lots of power because of the light weight. But it is still very good for control. If I start off with a light racket then hopefully I will adapt to it and get my control technique down.

Also, a lot of people are saying that $140-150+ for getting the Photon at this stage of me playing might be too much. But I hope to join a club in college and continue playing. Therefore, I hope that all of the money I spend now on rackets and everything will be put to good use and that I will still be using everything I buy now in the future [if they don't break that is...:(]

How did you find the mail-order stringer? Did you Google it? And how much does it usually cost to string / mail? Cause don't you have to go to the Post Office and put it in a box or something since the shape of the racket is pretty long?

[Sketchy]

I'm hoping that it will be a good investment if I do get it because since I am a girl, I am very short and small compared to everyone else in the club. So I can't see myself being a smasher like them because they've smashed it at me many times and I don't think I'll ever be able to hit half as fast ever.
...
How did you find the mail-order stringer? Did you Google it? And how much does it usually cost to string / mail? Cause don't you have to go to the Post Office and put it in a box or something since the shape of the racket is pretty long?

:) I assumed you were a guy, probably of Swedish descent. The clubs I've played in, women have been pretty heavily outnumbered, so they end up playing mostly mixed doubles. In that case, it's not so important for the woman to be powerful anyway - speed and control are more useful. A superlight racket like the Photon would help with that...

I found the stringer I used on google. It's just like you said - put your racket/cheque/details in a box (make your own if you don't have one), and take it to the post office. A couple of days later it arrives back on your doorstep, ready to use. I don't know the cost of mailing stuff in the states, but it's probably not particularly cheap - it is very quick and convenient though.
Like Fidget says, it's definitely worth asking around to see where everyone else goes - they must get their rackets restrung somewhere.

[ckaSVEN]

:) I assumed you were a guy, probably of Swedish descent. The clubs I've played in, women have been pretty heavily outnumbered, so they end up playing mostly mixed doubles. In that case, it's not so important for the woman to be powerful anyway - speed and control are more useful. A superlight racket like the Photon would help with that...

I found the stringer I used on google. It's just like you said - put your racket/cheque/details in a box (make your own if you don't have one), and take it to the post office. A couple of days later it arrives back on your doorstep, ready to use. I don't know the cost of mailing stuff in the states, but it's probably not particularly cheap - it is very quick and convenient though.
Like Fidget says, it's definitely worth asking around to see where everyone else goes - they must get their rackets restrung somewhere.
Ha yeah I didn't know what my name on here should be and I thought that Sven was such a cool name. I didn't know that it was so popular though. The only Sven I met was from badminton in Nov. Thanks, I think I might go for it now.

How would I make my own box? Alright, thanks a ton. Tomorrow I will still try other people's rackets and ask them where they get their rackets restrung.

[Sketchy]

Apparently two USPS Priority Mail boxes taped end-to-end work really well. Failing that, any other two thick cardboard boxes will do fine. Just make sure to stuff with newspaper or bubblewrap or something to protect the racket, and clearly mark it as "FRAGILE".
Of course, if your new racket is going to be shipped to you, you just re-use the box it comes in.
Good luck :)

[ckaSVEN]

Apparently two USPS Priority Mail boxes taped end-to-end work really well. Failing that, any other two thick cardboard boxes will do fine. Just make sure to stuff with newspaper or bubblewrap or something to protect the racket, and clearly mark it as "FRAGILE".
Of course, if your new racket is going to be shipped to you, you just re-use the box it comes in.
Good luck :)

If I use the box it comes in I need to tape over or try to take off the previous shipping stickers and stuff, right? And would it be ok if I wrote "FRAGILE" with sharpies or should I just go buy the stickers/tape that says that instead? Thanks, I'll keep the two USPS Priority Mail boxes in mind too.

On the first page people recommended getting the Yonex BG-65 stringing. But if I do that I would have to order it from a separate place online, and then once I get my racket and string I would have to mail it out to one of those mail-order stringers. So would it be better for me to go through all of that hassle or just order one of the Black Knight strings and ask them to string it for me. Do you think they would do that? Or would I have to pay extra? Here are there string options.


ASHAWAY STRING


A21 Ashaway Rally 21 Economical durable 21ga Badminton String. 10m set $2.50. 200m Reel $39.00
A10455 Ashaway MicroPower XL Plays better than Yonex. Orange. 10m set $3.00. 200m Reel $48.00
A10422 Ashaway MicroLegend XL .73mm For the advanced player 10m set $4.50 200m Reel $75.00
A10484 Ashaway PowerGut 65 70 mm Power Filament Technology.10m set $3.00. 200m Reel $48.00


And if you do recommend me just getting one their ashaway strings, should I just get the 10m set or 200m Reel? Cause if you guys really do recommend me getting the Yonex BG-65 then maybe I could just get a 10m set [would that be enough for stringing the Photon XL once?] and then when it breaks, I could just find a mail-order stringer and ask them to string it with the Yonex BG-65. Sorry did that make sense?

[Sketchy]

If you can get the racket pre-strung before they ship it to you, then definitely do that. It'll save you some hassle, and really I don't think you need to worry too much about the strings anyway.

I think BG65 were recommended because they're a durable, good-value string, that's generally very easy to get hold of.
Dinkalot rates all those Ashaway strings as "Good" or "Excellent" though, so there's no reason why you couldn't go with them instead: http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38509
10m is enough for 1 restring, and I wouldn't bother with a reel.

Chances are, anyone offering a stringing service will be able to provide a range of strings for you to choose from, and at good prices - they make their money off the labor charge.

And yes, tape over or remove the original stickers from the racket box. Just write "fragile" in really big writing with a marker pen. Contact the stringer before sending your racket, to sort out payment and any other details.

[ckaSVEN]

If you can get the racket pre-strung before they ship it to you, then definitely do that. It'll save you some hassle, and really I don't think you need to worry too much about the strings anyway.

I think BG65 were recommended because they're a durable, good-value string, that's generally very easy to get hold of.
Dinkalot rates all those Ashaway strings as "Good" or "Excellent" though, so there's no reason why you couldn't go with them instead: http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38509
10m is enough for 1 restring, and I wouldn't bother with a reel.

Chances are, anyone offering a stringing service will be able to provide a range of strings for you to choose from, and at good prices - they make their money off the labor charge.

And yes, tape over or remove the original stickers from the racket box. Just write "fragile" in really big writing with a marker pen. Contact the stringer before sending your racket, to sort out payment and any other details.
Alright thanks. Would you recommend me getting any of the XL strings or no? The Ashaway MicroPower XL had the most Excellents out of all of the other strings in the list. Should I go with that or do a different one?

Thanks again for helping me with all of these questions.

[Sketchy]

From what Dinkalot says, the MicroPower XL would be the one to go for. The only slight reservation I'd have is that they're orange, and the Photon is yellow - I'm not sure how good it would look, and appearance is obviously important to you. MicroLegend would be my second choice.

Sorry for throwing yet another option into the mix, but how about fluorescent yellow strings? I don't know what strings are available in what colors where you are, but I use yellow BG80 on my NanoFire and I think it looks sweet :)

[ckaSVEN]

From what Dinkalot says, the MicroPower XL would be the one to go for. The only slight reservation I'd have is that they're orange, and the Photon is yellow - I'm not sure how good it would look, and appearance is obviously important to you. MicroLegend would be my second choice.

Sorry for throwing yet another option into the mix, but how about fluorescent yellow strings? I don't know what strings are available in what colors where you are, but I use yellow BG80 on my NanoFire and I think it looks sweet :)
Whoa cool racket! Yeah, I was going to ask if they had any other colors cause orange would look weird.

I think fluorescent yellow would look really nice with the black and pop. Would Yonex BG80 on my Photon XL be bad?

Also, the club leader sent me 2 sites that had a list of stringers on it. Here is the information I gathered

about 30-45 mins from my house - drop off and pick up 2 days later - has Yonex BG65 White string only = $28
about 1 hour from my house - drop off and pick up in 24 hours - has no badminton string, must bring own = $18 for labor

Those were the only 2 people/places that are both

MRT = Master Racquet Technician: (http://www.racquettech.com/top/cert_description.html) Annually tested and certified in racquet technology, customization, stringing, and all racquet service techniques.
CS = Certified Stringer (http://www.racquettech.com/top/cert_description.html): Tested and certified in racquet service techniques

So do you recommend me buying one of the strings from Black Knight in the list and asking them to string it for me, or go to one of the two places mentioned above? Keep in mind for the second option, I would have to buy string from online or find some place to get it at.

[Sketchy]

If you're not picky, and you can get BK to send you the racket, then that's obviously easiest. You could ask about the PowerGut too - it normally comes in a choice of green or orange.

If you want the yellow strings, then go with the second of the other two guys.
For $5 you can get Yellow BG65, which should be perfect.
Here's the link: http://www.badmintonalley.com/Yonex_BG_65_String_p/string-yonex-bg-65.htm

[Sketchy]

...or here: http://www.mybadmintonstore.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=25_29_52_90&products_id=66

Black BG65 might look pretty cool too?

[ckaSVEN]

If you're not picky, and you can get BK to send you the racket, then that's obviously easiest. You could ask about the PowerGut too - it normally comes in a choice of green or orange.

If you want the yellow strings, then go with the second of the other two guys.
For $5 you can get Yellow BG65, which should be perfect.
Here's the link: http://www.badmintonalley.com/Yonex_BG_65_String_p/string-yonex-bg-65.htm

Do you think white and yellow strings would look nice? Maybe I could alternate when they break or something. How many restrings did you say I could get with 10 meters? I think I might want to buy maybe 5-10 of the strings depending on how much they can restring for the future so I don't have to always pay for shipping and handling and everything? Do the strings break often?


Gauge: 0.70mm / 22 gauge
Length: 10 Meter ( 33 Feet )
Color: White
Made in Japan
==================
Staff Rating
Power: 3
Touch: 4
Durability: 4


Oh yeah the staff rating is out of 5 right? Haha thanks again for still helping me Sketchy!

[ckaSVEN]

...or here: http://www.mybadmintonstore.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=25_29_52_90&products_id=66

Black BG65 might look pretty cool too?
Oh sweet! I didn't even see you posted this link too until now. I think black, white, and yellow stringing would look cool. What about you? Maybe dark blue, but it might be a stretch haha. Plus, this is $0.50 cheaper than the 1st site.

Oh yeah, are you sure you string is yellow? It looks more like neon yellow.

[Sketchy]

My BG80 are called "yellow", but yes, they look neon. Yellow is the only color you can buy in the UK though (and Yonex don't use the term "neon", only Ashaway).
The strings you see in the pictures, that look plain yellow are, I think, actually "amber".

You're not a hard-hitter, you won't be stringing at high-tension (I'd suggest maybe 22-23lbs), and BG65 is pretty durable. That basically means you're not going to be breaking many strings. They will gradually lose tension though, so you might want to replace them every few months even if they're not broken.

RE: Color choices:
I reckon black and yellow would both look great. Blue not so much, but hey, it's your racket. How about violet? Purple and yellow are complimentary colors so they'd look really bright next to each other.
You know, it's actually possible to mix colors - you could have all the vertical strings one color, and all the horizontal strings another, if you really wanted to stand out.

Maybe get a matching colored overgrip / replacement grip, while you're at it.

And 10m is enough for a single restring only.

[what07]

Yellow sounds nice. I would love yellow strings even tho it won't compliment each other.

[ckaSVEN]

What about your guys' thoughts on white too? I think I'll order black and yellow, and then maybe white if you guys think it'll look good. Plus the place that strings closest to me only has white. So if white doesn't look good, then I would like to buy more of the black and yellow string online so I won't have to use theirs. After that, I think I'll be set for awhile! :D The club leader said if he ordered everything today that it should all arrive in 3-4 days.

[Sketchy]

Definitely yellow will look best.
Personally, I think there are enough bits of white/silver on the racket that white strings would probably match and look good too. Don't ask me though - I'm not exactly a style guru.
http://www.blackknight.ca/img/produits/PHOTON-grand.jpg
I guess at $4.50 you can't go too far wrong, so why not.

btw: please let me know what you think of the racket when you've had a chance to play with it.

[ckaSVEN]

The only white on this racket is the text I thought, isn't it? I ordered 2 yellow strings and 1 black online for now. When the racket comes, I think I will have it strung with the yellow first :) Once I run out of my strings, I think I might try white stringing from the local store and then order some more yellow and maybe black online. My club leader is going to order everything today after he gets off work I think. He said it will take 3-4 days to ship over here once it's ordered, so hopefully it'll be here by next Tuesday [since that's the only day the club meets] and still give me time to go to the place to get it strung by then.

Yeah, I'll definitely let you know how it feels and what I think of it. Of course, my input won't be that good since I've only played with my local sports store racket and the fake Yonex. Thanks again for everyone's help! I really appreciate it.

[what07]

My friend who has a Photon says yellow or black looks good. I think white would just add 3 types of colors. Usually a racquet would have 2 or 3 colors and the string would just compliment the layout. Adding black strings would make the racquet look really black and with little trims of white. But if you use yellow it would kinda balance out. But who cares about color if you want performence.

[ckaSVEN]

My friend who has a Photon says yellow or black looks good. I think white would just add 3 types of colors. Usually a racquet would have 2 or 3 colors and the string would just compliment the layout. Adding black strings would make the racquet look really black and with little trims of white. But if you use yellow it would kinda balance out. But who cares about color if you want performence.
Did you ask your friend what string he had just cause of this topic? Thanks if you did! Yeah, I was thinking black might look like I'm holding up plain darkness in my hand but good thing I only got 1 string of that. I never really thought about the number of colors, but I have noticed that everything usually just goes well together and meshes [racket colors, string color, grip color]. I think I'll probably stick to just yellow in the future then. And maybe use up the 1 black string I got once or sell/give it to someone. I was worried that the yellow would be regular yellow instead of the neon yellow before Sketchy nicely pointed it out. Once I get my racket, I will definitely post pictures and tell you guys what I think!

[Sketchy]

If you think solid black is too dark, you could try mixing it with yellow, like in this thread: http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51544&highlight=string+colors
Only downside is it'd be a waste of a yellow set if you don't like it :(

[ckaSVEN]

If you think solid black is too dark, you could try mixing it with yellow, like in this thread: http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51544&highlight=string+colors
Only downside is it'd be a waste of a yellow set if you don't like it :(
Does it cost more to mix stringing? I told the club leader to just get me 2 yellow for now and then I can order black and more yellow in the future. I think black and yellow would match the racket too though. Everytime I change up strings I am definitely going to take a picture of it. My club leader has to call BK and see if they have the Photon XL in stock tomorrow and if they do he'll order me it and then the strings from the other site you posted. I hope they have it in.

[Sketchy]

No reason why it should cost more - it doesn't require any special stringing technique or anything.
Plain yellow is probably gonna look best anyway though.

Hope you're in luck getting the racket. Got to say, I'm a little bit jealous ;)

[ckaSVEN]

No reason why it should cost more - it doesn't require any special stringing technique or anything.
Plain yellow is probably gonna look best anyway though.

Hope you're in luck getting the racket. Got to say, I'm a little bit jealous ;)
For some reason their competition only has colored stitching instead of plain black. So I ordered the black competition grip with yellow stitching, hopefully it looks sweet with the rest of the racket and stringing.

The club leader said that Black Knight is selling me the racket itself for $125. That's a really good deal, don't you think? Cause in the list of prices on the first page, the dealer price was $144, which is already way lower than other places' prices.

[what07]

Really nice deal. I have to pay 170 for one. xD

[ckaSVEN]

Really nice deal. I have to pay 170 for one. xD
Did you order online or buy it at a store?

[what07]

Well I meant if I wanted one I had to pay like 170 and it's unstrung so about 200 with tax. Really expensive lol.

[ckaSVEN]

Well I meant if I wanted one I had to pay like 170 and it's unstrung so about 200 with tax. Really expensive lol.
Oh lol sorry read that wrong. It's supposed to ship out today and be here in 3-4 days so I might not have enough time to string it before the day the club meets. If not, I'll just post pictures when it's all strung up and let you guys know how it plays the week after.

[ckaSVEN]

I've been reading around and people are saying what pounds they string at like

All strung with BG66 at 26 lbs except BG65 at 24x26 lbs for the cab 9
So what should I tell the person to string the racket at with the BG65 when I get everything?

[Sketchy]

I'd suggest 21lbs, or something like that.
While you're still a beginner, you need a fairly low tension to help with power - especially since you're getting such a light racket. However, as you'll probably be playing upfront in doubles a lot, control is also important, so you don't want to go too low. Somewhere around 19-22lbs seems like it should be a decent compromise.

Discuss it with the stringer beforehand though, as he should be able to advise you.

[ckaSVEN]

I'd suggest 21lbs, or something like that.
While you're still a beginner, you need a fairly low tension to help with power - especially since you're getting such a light racket. However, as you'll probably be playing upfront in doubles a lot, control is also important, so you don't want to go too low. Somewhere around 19-22lbs seems like it should be a decent compromise.

Discuss it with the stringer beforehand though, as he should be able to advise you.
I posted on here last week I thought, but maybe I forgot to submit it and exited the screen. Sorry.

Thanks. My club leader should be getting it in today or tomorrow I think and then I will go get it strung and show you guys!

[ckaSVEN]

My club leader said it should be here at the end of this week instead. I think he probably forgot to order over the weekend or something. So it will probably be at the stringer from anywhere to 1-3 days so I can't post anything until all of that's done which probably won't be until the beginning of next week.

[Sketchy]

I know how you feel.
We've just spent the last two months getting everything ready to start up another new badminton club.
We're all set to start playing next Tuesday, and now I find out we've got to wait another week while the sports hall is being used for school exams :mad:

Oh well, good things come to those who wait, I guess...

[ckaSVEN]

I know how you feel.
We've just spent the last two months getting everything ready to start up another new badminton club.
We're all set to start playing next Tuesday, and now I find out we've got to wait another week while the sports hall is being used for school exams :mad:

Oh well, good things come to those who wait, I guess...
Wow, where have you been playing lately then? Was your old club getting too big, or why'd you decide to start up a new one? How much do you have to pay for play? We have to pay $5 when we go and it's only for an hour or a little after. There's another club in the next city that plays for 2-3 hours and they just have to pay the rec center fee which is somewhere around $5 also. Do you think we're getting ripped off at our place?

[Sketchy]

There are other clubs, but they're all 1.5 hours away minimum - that's the problem with living in the middle of nowhere.
We're going to charge £5 dropin (feathers; 3.5hrs, but only 2 courts for the first hour), or £45 for a 3 month term. That might change once we know how many people are going to show up.

Prices in the UK aren't really comparable anyway - we have to pay about $15 for feathers, and $80/hr for hall rental.
Back in Vancouver I think it was probably about $4 for 2-3 hours dropin at the downtown Community Centres, but that was ages ago.

I doubt you're getting ripped off exactly - clubs aren't normally run at much of a profit. It might be that the club's paying too much for hall rental, shuttles, etc, or maybe they're not taking advantage of all the financial assistance they're entitled to (I have no idea what grants are available to clubs in the US).
If your club is using feathers instead of plastic, that would cost them quite a lot extra.

[pickles8768]

A related question then:

At the moment, the Ghost PC costs $58 (£39.99 - damn, the £'s gone downhill) here in the UK - obviously a considerable saving on the $209 rrp. The NanoFire is actually £10 more. They are genuine rackets, bought from Black Knight's UK website.

Does this mean I (and everyone else in the UK) should be stocking up now?
wow i would stock up ahaha

[ckaSVEN]

There are other clubs, but they're all 1.5 hours away minimum - that's the problem with living in the middle of nowhere.
We're going to charge £5 dropin (feathers; 3.5hrs, but only 2 courts for the first hour), or £45 for a 3 month term. That might change once we know how many people are going to show up.

Prices in the UK aren't really comparable anyway - we have to pay about $15 for feathers, and $80/hr for hall rental.
Back in Vancouver I think it was probably about $4 for 2-3 hours dropin at the downtown Community Centres, but that was ages ago.

I doubt you're getting ripped off exactly - clubs aren't normally run at much of a profit. It might be that the club's paying too much for hall rental, shuttles, etc, or maybe they're not taking advantage of all the financial assistance they're entitled to (I have no idea what grants are available to clubs in the US).
If your club is using feathers instead of plastic, that would cost them quite a lot extra.
Wow, court renting is expensive. They have the tournament feather Hi-Qua shuttle cocks, and always gives us the ones that are played with that night that are still pretty decent. The club is going to start to play 2 days a week now, which is pretty cool. I think it's because I've been inviting friends, and maybe they haven't been able to play as much or something. I'm not really sure, but I really hope to improve.

When you start out, you just focus on the basics, then work up to all those tricks and stuff right? I think that's what it said on here.

[Sketchy]

Maybe it was $80 for the night, I forget - good job I'm not treasurer. It's probably a bit expensive though, just because the school has kind of a monopoly on sports halls around here.

I'm no coach, but...
Definitely start with the basics. I think easily the single most important thing is to be able to get decent length on your overhead clears, using the proper hitting action (incl. "finger-power").
If it was me, I'd have beginners practising nothing but clears until they can consistently get it right to the back of the court. That's pretty much the minimum requirement to be able to have any kind of game. Once you've got the clear down, the other overheads should come pretty easy, since you should be using the exact same action for all of them - just changing the racket head angle and speed at the point of contact.
I think after that, you worry about footwork, serves and other underhand shots, and leave the jump-smashes and trick shots til last.

[ckaSVEN]

Maybe it was $80 for the night, I forget - good job I'm not treasurer. It's probably a bit expensive though, just because the school has kind of a monopoly on sports halls around here.

I'm no coach, but...
Definitely start with the basics. I think easily the single most important thing is to be able to get decent length on your overhead clears, using the proper hitting action (incl. "finger-power").
If it was me, I'd have beginners practising nothing but clears until they can consistently get it right to the back of the court. That's pretty much the minimum requirement to be able to have any kind of game. Once you've got the clear down, the other overheads should come pretty easy, since you should be using the exact same action for all of them - just changing the racket head angle and speed at the point of contact.
I think after that, you worry about footwork, serves and other underhand shots, and leave the jump-smashes and trick shots til last.
Thanks. When I play with the experienced players they always give tips and say what I should do, which helps a lot. But I'll try to focus on what you said. The racket came pre-strung so I will take a picture of it now. The club leader ordered blue Yonex BG65 string instead of yellow, so I will have to order that myself later. How many do you think I should get? It shouldn't break that much if it's brand new, right?

[ckaSVEN]

My club leader ordered the wrong grips and string. So I have to re-order them myself. The grip the racket came with is pretty nice and easy to hang on to. The racket is really light, all of the experienced players said so themselves. The racket came pre-strung with the black and neon green which are the same colors as the racket itself.
http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt359/waveitup/racket.jpg

[Sketchy]

Wow, that's bright! Should get you noticed on court 8)
Blue strings would definitely not look good.

I didn't think the Photon came prestrung. Looking on the BK website, the rackets that are factory strung, come with either Ashaway Rally 21 or MicroPowerXL. I can't tell just by looking at it which yours are, but since it's an expensive racket, you'd hope they used the better strings. If it's the cheaper Rally 21 though, they'll last for ever - they're super-thick, making them incredibly durable, just not very good to play with.

Like I said before, I don't really expect you to break strings anyway. The main reason for restringing will be the gradual loss in tension, and also to experiment with different string tensions until you find what works best for you.

[ckaSVEN]

Wow, that's bright! Should get you noticed on court 8)
Blue strings would definitely not look good.

I didn't think the Photon came prestrung. Looking on the BK website, the rackets that are factory strung, come with either Ashaway Rally 21 or MicroPowerXL. I can't tell just by looking at it which yours are, but since it's an expensive racket, you'd hope they used the better strings. If it's the cheaper Rally 21 though, they'll last for ever - they're super-thick, making them incredibly durable, just not very good to play with.

Like I said before, I don't really expect you to break strings anyway. The main reason for restringing will be the gradual loss in tension, and also to experiment with different string tensions until you find what works best for you.
It's really bright. Here's a picture of it in the dark.
http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt359/waveitup/dark.jpg
It's royal blue too which would look worse than regular blue.

I didn't think he came pre-strung also since the Word document said it didn't. Oh, if that's the case I think I will be better off just switching the strings to the Yonex BG65. Can you tell me if this is legit?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170295619688 It seems to be the cheapest for ordering 2 yellow strings that I can find on eBay.

[Sketchy]

Your guess is as good as mine.
The price is all you've got to go by really. I'm guessing they'd be smart enough to use photos of genuine strings on their site, even if the ones they actually sell are fake.
They've got 100% feedback, but then they've only ever actually sold 9 items.
If it was me, I'd fork out the extra few dollars and buy from a reputable seller, but then maybe I'd be passing up a bargain.
You could always start another thread, asking where people get their strings from, or how to spot fakes.

[ckaSVEN]

Your guess is as good as mine.
The price is all you've got to go by really. I'm guessing they'd be smart enough to use photos of genuine strings on their site, even if the ones they actually sell are fake.
They've got 100% feedback, but then they've only ever actually sold 9 items.
If it was me, I'd fork out the extra few dollars and buy from a reputable seller, but then maybe I'd be passing up a bargain.
You could always start another thread, asking where people get their strings from, or how to spot fakes.
Ok thanks. I will try to check other places and see. When I get the racket strung in yellow, I'll show you.

[ckaSVEN]

My yellow Yonex BG65 string came in today. It says durability soft feeling. Is that a popular one or would it be good? It didn't give me options on the site I ordered from. But on the back it has Repulsion Power, Durarbility, and Hitting Sound as categories with Hard, Medium, and Soft Feeling under Durability. On the back it says soft feeling has extreme durability and reduces string abrasion providing extreme durability. Is it good for playing though? I would rather have better playing string than bad durable ones.

[Sketchy]

BG65 is very durable, but also has a good balance of power and control. If you want nothing but power, the BG66 is best and BG80 also very good, but because they're very thin they will break easily. The "soft feeling" doesn't affect performance - it's just a personal preference, and very hard to describe.

Here's how Yonex classify their strings:
http://www.yonex.com/badminton/string/durability.html
They seem to change it every time they bring out a new string though (BG80 used to be under "Hitting Sound").
Generally speaking, I think string tension has a bigger effect than string type.

Have you played with your racket yet?

[Fidget]

This is the most anticipated racket tryout in history:D

Hope that this racket is everything you wished for.
But most of all, don't lose heart when the racket doesn't win the games for you. Getting better is slow but rewarding. Good luck.

[ckaSVEN]

Sorry for some reason I didn't get an e-mail notification of you two replying. I picked up my racket today with the new stringing and it matches perfectly.
http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt359/waveitup/IMG_0675.jpg
When I brought the racket in last weekend the guy had a book to look at string tension, cause when I asked he didn't really know much since they usually deal with tennis rackets. He said the book said the regular Photon should go for something like 18-22 lbs I think, so we just decided on 20 lbs since it was in the middle. Since I'm new to badminton, I really can't tell if it's strung right or now, or even at the right tension. I won't be able to try out until later this week during practice. The colors are really nice I think!

Thanks, I think it'll take a lot of time for me to get better, But hopefully it'll pay off when I play in the future!

[what07]

BK website also states 18 to 24 lbs for the SL series. IMO at our badminton match last week I saw another person with the same racquet above but he strings at 28lbs. So I guess they could go higher. It's such a beauty to hold.

[ckaSVEN]

Would I need it that high starting out with it? Or should I just play with what I have right now and then change it later on I get new strings?

[what07]

I remember we agreed that a lower tension for beginners is better. 20lbs is fine. When you get better go to 24lbs and higher.