I got pics of these two really gorgeous looking rackets. These are brand new Carltons that are being released this year.

Carlton Vapour Trail Tour
Carlton Vapour Trail Elite

Special Features

Bio-axial Dynamics - Analysis of the overhead badminton swing highlights 2 distinct aerodynamic directions evident during the swing phase. The new Bio-Axial Dynamics frame develops more efficient aerodynamics. Over 80% of players stated the new Bi-Axial frame profile delivers increased swing speed.

Pro V12 Grommets - Positioned at 3 and 9 o clock postions, these specialised grommets have been softened to allow greater string movement thereby increasing power across the hitting zone.

Stabilisor Topcap - By introducing 4 convex channels into the top cap, stiffness of the top cap is increased allowing for greater shot accuracy and control.

Optimetric Headshape - By combining the larger sweet spot size and the increased air speed and control within the same head shape, the new Optimetric head geometry delivers both power, airspeed and control in one frame.

Japanese HM Carbon - Sourced for Japan, Japanese Hi Modulus Carbon is the highest specification carbon available on the market ensuring your Carbon frame will outperform all other construction materials for frame response and stability.

Direct Fibre Transfer - Utilising a carbon inner core and PU outer costing, a direct carbon link is estabilished between shaft and handle enhancing power transfer and sensory feedback resulting from shuttle impact.

Ultra-Lite Cap - Using a matrix structure, Carlton has re-engineered the end cap to reduce its weight by 28% contributing to overall enhanced playability.

Xtreme Tension Frame - Precision engineering and the utilisation of the finest construction materials ensures your Carlton frame can accommodate 11% higher string tensions compared with competitior frames.

Hand Crafted

Wow,they've got to be some of the nicest looking carltons i have ever seen, I've never been a big fan of carlton, but now i really want to try these out.

Kwun, how come your photos of racquets always make them look like the sexiest things ever!? Your photography is amazing.

Kwun, how come your photos of racquets always make them look like the sexiest things ever!? Your photography is amazing.
Totally agree, he can make anything look amazing :D

hey Kwun. Are they regular length or long length, and do they have carlton's oversize headshape they use for most of their rackets??

the design of these two new Carlton are indeed excellent. i was quite impressed when i first saw them.

the design are quite a departure from the Yonex-esque design. they are metallic color with black accent with clean and sharp lines and patterns.

will post more pics and info as i get them.

Nice design.......especially the silver one :D

any info on the specs? ^^

nice banner with the picture kwun

that looks really awesome

Okay, so now I'm paying attention :D

https://www.newitts.com/images/products/800x800/it034424.jpg

Not cool - now I am drooling over another racket :/
do you know if i'ts head heavy?

Scoured the web, can't find specs anywhere. Local distro here has no info.

Ah, some more info here. Gee they're good looking rackets.

http://users.telenet.be/speedysport/Carlton.htm

So beautiful. So shiny. I like shiny. It's the type of racket I wouldn't want to clash with anyone.

Vapour Trail Elite
Weight: 89
Stiff
Kopzwaar
Advice sale price € 180
Our price € 144

Vapour Trail Tour
Weight: 84 grams
Medium stiffly
Medium balance
Advice sale price € 160
Our price € 128

Vapour Trail S-Lite
Weight: 85 grams
flexible
Balance handle
Advice sale price € 140
Our price € 112

Vapour Trail FX-TI
Weight: 85 grams
medium
Balance handle
Advice sale price € 100
Our price € 80

Vapour Trail Elite
Weight: 89
Stiff
Kopzwaar
this is good spec for me........ :D

wow long time haven saw Carlton racquet , the design is quite cool... is it avilable in Malaysia ??

I already had a try with the tour (silver), it really was way too light if you ask me... It didn't feel stable....
but with 3 grams heavier, stiffer and headheavy, the 'elite' sounds a lot better :p

by the way... "handcrafted"? yeah sure...

mmm bronze/golden.. nice.

kwun, is the paint quality good? (ie. relative to yonex)

the Tour is indeed light. but damn what a great racket to look at. my personal preference is still heavier racket. 90g +/- is the best range for me.

i haven't received the racket yet. those are the official photos from Carlton that you see all over the web. i will have better photos when i have the rackets on hand.

wow long time haven saw Carlton racquet , the design is quite cool... is it avilable in Malaysia ??

It's funny how some brands just become prevalent in certain countries, and others don't. Carlton and Yonex have been the prevalent rackets down here for the past 30 years (ignoring Epsilon), yet it's only just now we're starting to see people with other brands.

One thing I do like about the Carltons is the commitment to making the frame more aerodynamic. That's one thing I can actually see as making a noticable difference to how fast the racket moves through the air when you swing it. Albeit only during smashes and overhead shots.

Anyway, I've emailled all the AU distros as well as that place in Belgium to see what they have. A friend of mine is coached by someone who is sponsored by Carlton so I might hassle her next time I see her, too.

if anyone have any questions about the new rackets or any question regarding Carlton in general, you can post them here or PM me. i will try to relay them to the Carlton ppl.

More pretty pictures please! :D

i also got some pics of the Air Rage S-Lite. kinda interesting color scheme.

is that by any chance a "female" racquet like the arc 9?

Probably. Coz you know, women are that dumb that they need everything coated in pink to figure out if they're supposed to buy it. :rolleyes:

Which is of course why everything I own is blue. Coz you know....I'm a boy.

Probably. Coz you know, women are that dumb that they need everything coated in pink to figure out if they're supposed to buy it. :rolleyes:

Which is of course why everything I own is blue. Coz you know....I'm a boy.

Even though Blue was originally a woman's color, and pink was a man's color. go figure.

if anyone have any questions about the new rackets or any question regarding Carlton in general, you can post them here or PM me. i will try to relay them to the Carlton ppl.


Kwun,
All images are nice.
Do you know the official web link for carlton. I Want to look different models in web, like yonex web site. Al

@kwun
Are this Carlton new series sell at Asia region? Or just Europe like Fireblade....I dont like their (Carlton) marketing strategy, even Powerblade 9909 still cant be found in Indonesia :mad: And Fireblade Elite only in my dream since the price + shipping from Europe to Indonesia will empty my wallet very deep :crying:
Tell them my concern @kwun, send the best Carlton range to Indonesia distributor. Why Carlton not following Victor, SOTX, APACS, Li-Ning (coming soon) challange YY domination in Indonesia....So far only Powerblade 9902 and Airblade 33, 35, 37 the highest series Carlton in my country :o

looks like they're trying to match yonex on price as well, those are some expensive racquets!

perhaps i mislead you...what i'm trying to say is that if this design is availblen in Malaysia.....cos i don't see many Carlton racquets lately in KL.....

looks like they're trying to match yonex on price as well, those are some expensive racquets!

Everything is expensive in Europe. They won't be that much if they ever make it to SE Asia. The EU's 17.5% VAT tends to make prices look a little high for the rest of us.

I can see why many Euro brands don't bother too much with SE Asian sales. You're going up against some big SE Asian companies that have a lot of pull, and distribution in some parts of Asia must be a complete nightmare.

By concentrating on Europe, they have a customer base that pays top dollar, distribution channels that are solid and reliable, lower issues with fakes and price wars etc.

How many of you guys in Indonesia or Malaysia would play with a Babolat/Wilson/Carlton over a Yonex at the same price?

More pretty pictures!

http://www.sportfack.se/multimedia/archive/00307/Carlton_s_307013e.jpeg

Air Rage S-Lite looks nice.

yea...anymore picts ??

SGB: With new ownership and new ideas, has there been any significant change in the core product line up?
MS: The racket range has been completely overhauled with a new structure that better focuses on consumer requirements for power, control or a combination of both. We've developed a number of new technologies that are brand new to the market ensuring the 2009 frames outperform anything else on the market. For example we have developed a frame with Biaxial Dynamics which focuses on frame profile and a new head shape named Optimetric head geometry. We have also developed a new type of handle constructed from carbon, replacing wooden handles which continue to be used by our competitors. Finally we have engineered grommets that provide more power, named Pro V12 Grommets, and a new end cap which is about 28 per cent lighter than the previous version. To summarise, compared to the competition we've enhanced the playability of our premium range through the use of cutting edge technology solutions. Where we had two or three technologies, we're now at a point where we have eight or nine delivering enhanced performance and consumer value for money. The 2009 range is a huge step forward for the brand, and an exciting step forward as well.

Cool, carbon handles.

http://www.newitts.com/images/products/800x800/it034425.jpghttp://www.newitts.com/images/products/800x800/it034428.jpghttp://www.newitts.com/images/products/800x800/it034426.jpghttp://www.newitts.com/images/products/800x800/it034427.jpg





First week in June is when they'll be available, according to some UK websites.

which model is this ???

I have to say that this racket is beautiful;)
can i ask untill when will this racket pic be on the most top of Bc Forum page?;):p

Anyone know that Vapour Trail Elite and Tour will be available in Singapore? When? How much it cost?

venkatesh is salivating over these beauties

nice to see some good new rackets, and to me it seemed obvious to replace the wooden handle... guess it must be expensive

Okay, so speedysport.be will have the rackets end of Aug / early Sept.

Shitty deal though. They want the money upfront and will only ship via DHL, but couldn't tell me how much it would be.

Vapour Trail Elite is 144EUR/286SPD/184USD.

I reckon shipping could be as much as 50 Euro.

:eek:

Go for newitts.com - should be quite a bit cheaper.

Yeah, any experience with them? Newitts will probably have them sooner, too.

What a beau. I love the Air-rage's color schematics.

Newitts say July. I guess these Vapour Trail are for the European market only, like the Fireblades and Aeroblades. I need to get my hand on the Elite, it looks nice and heavy.

I saw Dunlop 4D racquets in Bangkok and the specs are pretty similar to Vapour Trail except that it doesn't have the Optimetric head. It also says Hand Made like the Carlton.

All racquets are handmade. Hardly a selling point, no sure why they bother. Could be handmade by a blind Chinese lepper colony for all we know.

Most Taiwanese and Chinese rackets are 'hand molded'. i.e. stuff the carbonfibre and T-jounts + extras into the mold. And then hand painted. Is that what they call hand crafted? Not sure about Yonex though, but I guess it would probably be the same.

can explain "hand moled ' ??

can explain "hand moled ' ??


well, it is just placing the carbonfibre sheets, roll, whatever you can find inside the racket into a metal cast with the proper racket shape. Heat it up and apply high pressure, i.e. autoclave. I don't know whether this is the correct description or not, somebody has to correct me.

That's roughly right.

Seems like they're made in three pieces usually - head, shaft, and T-Joint. You can see that pretty clearly in the photos of the Air-Rage (which FYI looks very different to the one on newitts.com).

But anyway, that's a whole other topic. :)

Okay, so speedysports.be is a no-go. They want a minimum order of €500/AUD887/USD690. As for why, I have no idea.

At this rate I'll probably wait until the local distro has them in stock.

Kwun, what's the deal from your end mate? Whats the ETA in the US?

can anyone tell me the racket price in RM??i am going to buy it in Malaysia......

oic..........:)thx

can anyone tell me the racket price in RM??i am going to buy it in Malaysia......

Who in Malaysia has them in stock?

Yay, they're now available. Who will be first to get one? ;)

well need to know the prices 1'st before making further action..:)

Just ordered the vapour trail s-lite on Newitts.com
My bank account may never forgive me... £80.

But I couldn't resist, head light and flexible. Ideal for a defensive doubles player.

Will try and post a review of it in a few days. Keep in mind I'm not a badminton ace!

Carlton Vapour Trail S Lite
GBP80.40/SGD187/USD129/AUD162
Carlton Vapour Trail Tour
93.81/219/152/189
Carlton Vapour Trail Elite
107.20/250/175/216
Carlton Vapour Trail FX Ti
53.60/125/86/108
Carlton Air Rage FX Ti
53.60/125/86/108
Carlton Vapour Trail ST
67.00/203/140/175

what about the pricein MYR

what about the pricein MYR

You could use a currency conversion site to give you a rough idea.

what about the pricein MYR

:)

You could use a currency conversion site to give you a rough idea.

http://www.xe.com/ucc/

:p

thx...but i think the price will be a bit higher than the amount shown on that conversion..

any review coming soon? I'm very interested in any comments about the vapour trail tour (silver) or the air rage ST (blue)

Kwun is letting the side down. Clearly his contract states that he must put up a Carlton header and thread, and let us do the rest. Heck, where's our commission? I feel kinda dirty AND ripped off. ;)

Carlton Vapour Trail S Lite
GBP80.40/SGD187/USD129/AUD162
Carlton Vapour Trail Tour
93.81/219/152/189
Carlton Vapour Trail Elite
107.20/250/175/216
Carlton Vapour Trail FX Ti
53.60/125/86/108
Carlton Air Rage FX Ti
53.60/125/86/108
Carlton Vapour Trail ST
67.00/203/140/175

hi EasyTiger, d u know how they're worth nowadays?
sorry for belated inquiry...just new membering


ton of thanx:)

The rackets only just came out, so price is still the same and probably will be for a while. These prices are the cheapest anyone has found (I think). Welcome to the forum.

I'm hoping Kwun is having so much fun playing with them, as they're amazing that he's forgotten all about this thread :)

My vapour trail superlite should arrive soon, was posted yesterday from Newitts. Then I shall play with it extensively and post a mini review. The joy of having finished uni finals! I have 3 weeks of uninterrupted badminton time.

My vapour trail superlite should arrive soon, was posted yesterday from Newitts. Then I shall play with it extensively and post a mini review. The joy of having finished uni finals! I have 3 weeks of uninterrupted badminton time.

alrite then...really look forward to yr reviewing:)

Actually just wud like to get a new one (that can topple the hegemony of YY in my mind...fyuuh pls help:crying:!!) :D

Let's say once CVT Elite compared to YY NS9900...wht wud u all say ?
Yr input hugely contributes:)

ps: FYI, im a double player n am strongly eager in offensive playmode


Thx

The VT Elite is head heavy and stiff, so it's probably closer to the ArmourTecs in theory.

The VT Elite is head heavy and stiff, so it's probably closer to the ArmourTecs in theory.

that's what im sorry about, the stiffness...since my typical is offnsv, id rather hesitate to pick the stiff one...1 thing i know that flexibilty enhances the power of smash, rite?...albeit it's heavier on head/frame.
what about NS9900 ?? any of u hv had a try on it? (i cant read Japanese when taking deeper look at its YY Jpn website):(

that's what im sorry about, the stiffness...since my typical is offnsv, id rather hesitate to pick the stiff one...1 thing i know that flexibilty enhances the power of smash, rite?

No, lots of flexibilty increases the power of a weak smash, and decreases the power from a harder smash..
(just as loose strings makes weak or off-center smashes harder, and strong sweetspot-smashes slower)

...albeit it's heavier on head/frame.
what about NS9900 ?? any of u hv had a try on it? (i cant read Japanese when taking deeper look at its YY Jpn website):(
NS9900 is stiff...
/Twobeer

can i buy it anywhere else, i don't have a credit card just paypal. I can't buy it in holland. does somebody have a solution?

www.speedysport.be has them. If you stand on your roof, you should be able to see their shop ;)

thanks easytiger

My vapour trail superlite arrived in the post this morning so here is a quick initial impression.

The first thing I noticed was the length of the handle, it's very long! 25mm longer than my airblade superlite and 20mm longer than SOTX woven 7. I would measure it but have lost all my rulers... Over 150mm though. It feels solid. More so than a wooden handle although this may be caused by the thinner grip.

As a result of the very long handle the racket shaft is short. This is made to look shorter by the long top cap.

As for "optimetric" head shape, it seems quite a lot like an oval to me... Albeit one that is ever so slightly wider at the top and the sides. This is not a complaint, there aren't enough ovals on the market today and I personally prefer them.

The paint job is fine, I'm not one to judge this though, I prefer function over looks in a racket, quite orange with plenty of words over the frame. If anything it looks a bit "busy" with the racket specs written on the shaft and marketing spiel written all over the place.

One minor point of irritation was the plastic cover on the handle. On it were the words, to optimise performance restring only with Carlton xelerate x67 string and use Carlton aerogear grips (that's roughly the words used). While the xelerate strings may have been developed on these rackets (?) that doesn't mean others won't work. Same for grips.

For a carlton string they actually look ok, a bit loosely strung though (no surprise there, it's factory strung, I was curious about the new Carlton strings). The ink used for the carlton logo is far to thick however and as with previous Carltons will probably affect playability. Why not use Yonex style light spray on paint rather than wall emulsion!

Pro v-12 grommetes simply means clear slightly rubberised grommets at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions (6 on each side). Will see how they affect things later.

I am playing later today so will post initial playing impressions either this evening or tomorrow.

Which is why nobody uses factory strings.

Which is why nobody uses factory strings.

Hey! I used factory strings before!:D

*cough*loser*cough*

;)


Hey! I used factory strings before!:D

Dear KWUN,

How lovely are they? Where I can buy it? Do you know where the Carlton made from?

Thanks for your prompt reply.

TULIP

I got pics of these two really gorgeous looking rackets. These are brand new Carltons that are being released this year.

Carlton Vapour Trail Tour
Carlton Vapour Trail Elite

Special Features

Bio-axial Dynamics - Analysis of the overhead badminton swing highlights 2 distinct aerodynamic directions evident during the swing phase. The new Bio-Axial Dynamics frame develops more efficient aerodynamics. Over 80% of players stated the new Bi-Axial frame profile delivers increased swing speed.

Pro V12 Grommets - Positioned at 3 and 9 o clock postions, these specialised grommets have been softened to allow greater string movement thereby increasing power across the hitting zone.

Stabilisor Topcap - By introducing 4 convex channels into the top cap, stiffness of the top cap is increased allowing for greater shot accuracy and control.

Optimetric Headshape - By combining the larger sweet spot size and the increased air speed and control within the same head shape, the new Optimetric head geometry delivers both power, airspeed and control in one frame.

Japanese HM Carbon - Sourced for Japan, Japanese Hi Modulus Carbon is the highest specification carbon available on the market ensuring your Carbon frame will outperform all other construction materials for frame response and stability.

Direct Fibre Transfer - Utilising a carbon inner core and PU outer costing, a direct carbon link is estabilished between shaft and handle enhancing power transfer and sensory feedback resulting from shuttle impact.

Ultra-Lite Cap - Using a matrix structure, Carlton has re-engineered the end cap to reduce its weight by 28% contributing to overall enhanced playability.

Xtreme Tension Frame - Precision engineering and the utilisation of the finest construction materials ensures your Carlton frame can accommodate 11% higher string tensions compared with competitior frames.

Hand Crafted

Does optimetric head seems smaller than isometric to you??

what so special about isometric ??

Optimetric seems to be about the same maximum width as isometric but then tapers to a slightly narrower frame at the tip of the rackets. Isometric increases the size of the sweet spot supposedly. This means off centre shots still have power. I personally can't feel much difference, maybe because when I miss the shuttle it comes off the frame... All of nothing!

hmmm interested. how much in american dollars. which you recommend? I would overall balanced racquet great for smashes and defense also. thanks

See those numbers 12345, right next to where it says 'Page 5 of 5'?

See those numbers 12345, right next to where it says 'Page 5 of 5'?
why are we posting seeming gibberish?

sorry to sound so insulting. i am just wondering, who are you talking to?

I'm replying to the poster previous, just like I am now.

The dude asked for the specs, so I showed him. It's amazing what you can find when you have a look ON THE OTHER PAGES OF A THREAD.

hey easytiger speedysports doesn't have them till august

Ah well, newitts looks like the best bet. They have them now.

whens the banner being removed? it looked nice at first but now its getting quite boring lol

Dunno. You'll have to ask Kwun what it says in his contract ;)

according to Carlton, the Vapour Trail will only be available in Europe and America. it maybe available in Asia in the future, but for the time being it won't be.

Asia will continue to have different product lines than other parts of the world.

sorry for the bad news. i will post a review once i finish testing them...

oh man.....this is a piss off...

I am starting to wonder that they are different companies. Maybe someone bought the right of Carlton in Asia. Carlton Europe is definitely run by the Sports Direct Plc.

That's possible.

Anyway, so what if it's just available in Europe/UK. Just buy it there! Heck, the rest of the world buys their other brands mail order from SE Asia....you'll just be doing the opposite.

Welcome to our world!

I am starting to wonder that they are different companies. Maybe someone bought the right of Carlton in Asia. Carlton Europe is definitely run by the Sports Direct Plc.

something like that. the Carlton rights in Asia was licensed out to another party. that's why they have different lines.

^
now i'm really upset :( First Fireblade and now Vapour too.......i'm so jealous :crying:

something like that. the Carlton rights in Asia was licensed out to another party. that's why they have different lines.

Isnt it only fair that we non-asians sometimes get special treatment as well.. Usually the rule is the opposite.. all goodies are available first and often exlusive in Asia :-)

/Twobeeer

according to Carlton, the Vapour Trail will only be available in Europe and America. it maybe available in Asia in the future, but for the time being it won't be.



by 'America', do you mean the United States? now I"m getting excited. I'm falling in love with the Vapour Trail Tour. Even balanced... medium flex... Silver.... Silver.... did I mention silver?

by 'America', do you mean the United States? now I"m getting excited. I'm falling in love with the Vapour Trail Tour. Even balanced... medium flex... Silver.... Silver.... did I mention silver?

I thought all vapor trails are head heavy?

Page one, post #15, Einstein.

Hrm....should I get an VT Elite or a AT900T as my next acquisition.

Hrm....

I thought all vapor trails are head heavy?

The vapour trail series follow the line of Powerblade/Aeroblade/Fireblade series, Elite, Tour and Lite.

Elite = Head Heavy, single, attacking racket
Tour = Even balanced
Lite = Head light, especially good for doubles and female players

Page one, post #15, Einstein.

Hrm....should I get an VT Elite or a AT900T as my next acquisition.

Hrm....

VT elite FTW!

plus, you will look so much cooler, because everyone will have an at-900T

Carlton is probably more popular here than Yonex, but yeah, you make a good point.

:D

Here’s my review of the vapour trail superlite, just thought some people may want an opinion on it.

Sorry for the 1 week lateness, I forgot it would need restringing. Used bg80 at 24lbs. I’m a defensive doubles player who does enjoy singles. I usually use head light rackets so am used to them.

Summary
Material high modulus carbon, novel “optimetric” head shape. Not quite as large surface area as isometric but not far off. Very similar to wide body oval. Amazingly head light, it’s like swinging air. The “bi-axial dynamics” does make a difference in my opinion. The racket could be swung very fast and made a very aggressive sound through the air.
Flexibility
This racket is flexible, as in very flexible, if you always hit hard, have a fast compact swing action stay away! On the other hand if you play doubles need a fast whippy racket it may be for you, just don’t expect rallies to end quickly, definitely a case of placement over power.
Head balance
Head light, one of the most headlight rackets I’ve tried which does help with the flex a little.
Performance
As long as the technique is there then clears, drops etc should be fine. If you have a poor technique then clears will be weak. This racket excels in control and deception. Vibrations weren’t a problem for me but I use head light rackets all the time for singles and doubles. Shots felt very stable compared to other headlight rackets. Attacking at the net is amazing and so are net shots. Drives were reasonable but the flex did remove some of their power.
Conclusion
This is probably not a racket for a large majority of people on this forum who seem to love head heavy stiff rackets. I really like this racket and am now using it as my go to racket, every time I play with it, it gets better. It really is for doubles players or those who like to get every shot back and turn any situation into attack.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Here’s my review of the vapour trail superlite, just thought some people may want an opinion on it.

Sorry for the 1 week lateness, I forgot it would need restringing. Used bg80 at 24lbs. I’m a defensive doubles player who does enjoy singles. I usually use head light rackets so am used to them.

Summary
Material high modulus carbon, novel “optimetric” head shape. Not quite as large surface area as isometric but not far off. Very similar to wide body oval. Amazingly head light, it’s like swinging air. The “bi-axial dynamics” does make a difference in my opinion. The racket could be swung very fast and made a very aggressive sound through the air.
Flexibility
This racket is flexible, as in very flexible, if you always hit hard, have a fast compact swing action stay away! On the other hand if you play doubles need a fast whippy racket it may be for you, just don’t expect rallies to end quickly, definitely a case of placement over power.
Head balance
Head light, one of the most headlight rackets I’ve tried which does help with the flex a little.
Performance
As long as the technique is there then clears, drops etc should be fine. If you have a poor technique then clears will be weak. This racket excels in control and deception. Vibrations weren’t a problem for me but I use head light rackets all the time for singles and doubles. Shots felt very stable compared to other headlight rackets. Attacking at the net is amazing and so are net shots. Drives were reasonable but the flex did remove some of their power.
Conclusion
This is probably not a racket for a large majority of people on this forum who seem to love head heavy stiff rackets. I really like this racket and am now using it as my go to racket, every time I play with it, it gets better. It really is for doubles players or those who like to get every shot back and turn any situation into attack.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

thanks dude. this kinda just set my heart out for the Elite/ tour

i have played with the Elite and Tour.

firstly, they are very very shiny. the Elite shimmers in metallic gold color. it will be noticeable from miles away. the Tour is slightly better though still very shiny metallic silver.

the Elite feels more solid than the Tour. even though the Elite is head heavy and the Tour is even balanced, both have similar swing weight as the Tour is almost 1cm longer than the Elite. both are quite manuverable.

both samples i received from Carlton were prestrung. they were prestrung with the new Exelerate string. however, unfortunately they were strung at really low tension, probably in the region of 18lbs.

as a result, the feel of the racket was totally inaccurate. i will have them restrung and test them again later on in the week.

i have played with the Elite and Tour.

firstly, they are very very shiny. the Elite shimmers in metallic gold color. it will be noticeable from miles away. the Tour is slightly better though still very shiny metallic silver.

the Elite feels more solid than the Tour. even though the Elite is head heavy and the Tour is even balanced, both have similar swing weight as the Tour is almost 1cm longer than the Elite. both are quite manuverable.

both samples i received from Carlton were prestrung. they were prestrung with the new Exelerate string. however, unfortunately they were strung at really low tension, probably in the region of 18lbs.

as a result, the feel of the racket was totally inaccurate. i will have them restrung and test them again later on in the week.

Ooooooh! Shiny. I like shiny!!!! Keep us posted once you've strung it with a more suitable tension. Thanks.

Vapour Trail Tour (strung with Yonex Nanogy 95 Gold strings @ 23lbs)

I’d never have previously considered a Carlton racket using generally Karkal's and Yonex in the past. But I saw this new range displayed at the All England Championships earlier in the year and decided to give one a go. For the record I'm not a pro but am a good club player.

My initial reaction (aside from wow that's shiny!) was that the racket is exceedingly well balanced and feels very light. It's got a longer handle than I've been used to with my previous Yonex's which took a little getting used to. It was also slightly stiffer than I was expecting.

Net shots - absolutely fantastic! This is far from the strongest point of my game but found myself feeling utterly confident around the net such was the control that I’m getting with the VT and playing some lovely tight net shots.

Clears and smashes – took a little while to get used to the timing on these. The racket seems to move through the air very fast so I often found myself hitting high up the head and not quite finding the sweet spot. Additionally it's about an inch longer than my previous racket. However after a couple of hours play I began to tune in to it and it can hit some very satisfying smashes when you connect. And again that speed through the air means your taking the shuttle nice and early.

Defence – like the net shots the VT tour really excels here. The combination of lightening speed and great control had me pulling off some outrageous smash returns.

In summary I’m very, very pleased with the Tour. If the rest of the range are as good then Carlton are certainly on to a winner :)

PM

Cool, thanks for the review. Did you get it from Newitts?

I got it from CentralSports in the end. Bit more expensive (£109), but got the grip and restring thrown in for free. And amazingly quick service too. :)

PM

Yeah, that deal sounds better than Newitts when you factor in you can have whatever strings you like. Good to hear that they're quick, too.

Hey, does anyone know what the difference is between the Air Rage and the Vapour Trail lines?

Actually Central Sports is a massively good deal. The more you order the bigger the discount, plus overseas orders are VAT free which is a double sweetener!

i restrung the Elite with bg80 @ 23x25.5 with 10% pre-strung on my WISE.

went for training + some games today.

i think Carlton has a winner here.

the balance of the racket while is rated head heavy, it is a standard length 670mm racket. as a result, the actual swing weight is not particularly heavy. in fact, the balance is excellent, enough mass in the racket to be heavy, but not particular long to make it too heavy.

the power is absolutely awesome. the racket head is very stable and has enough mass to gain a lot of momentum, the shaft is lively enough to give back all the power that you put into it. it does not generate any extra power, but if you hit hard enough, it will put every pound that you give it and concentrate it into the shuttlecock. so put as much as you have and you will be rewarded. some rackets no matter how much effort you give, it will take all of it away, not the VT Elite. smashing with this racket actually make smashing fun. in fact, i wonder why they don't call it the Power Trail instead. maybe they think it has so much of it, all there is left is a trail of vapourized feather?

for touch shots like block, push and net, the racket do have decent feedback, it doesn't attempt to damp out all feel yet do not vibrate unnecessarily. the racket head is very stable so no deflection at all.

defense and drives is also great due to the excellent balance, it seems to get the best of the 3U weight, stable and maneuverable.

as for the liveliness of the racket, it is not the best but very good.

overall, the Vapour Trail Elite is definitely a winner to me. suitable for the more powerful player.

Hey, does anyone know what the difference is between the Air Rage and the Vapour Trail lines?

The basic difference is Vapour Trail is a control/power racket with the optimetric headshape/bi-axial dynamics and Air Rage is the power racket with the isometric headshape / aero slim frame profile.

So...I couldn't wait until the Tours came back in stock, so I bought a AT900T to try out while I wait! :D

My first Yonex in 18 years. Should be interesting. Hurry up and get here, Sunday!

Okay, time for some of you VT owners to post up some pix.

anyone interested in buying the elite on central sports with me to get the bonus price discount?

Try get them to return emails. I've been waiting nearly two weeks. :mad:

Hey Kwun, anyone reputable and who knows how to use email in the US who has them?

The Poms are pissing me off.

Thinking about whether I should get the Elite or the Tour.

I already have the Firebalde Elite, so I may actually want to try the Tour since I play more and more doubles these days.

Alrighty, so I called up centralsports.co.uk and got some guy on the other end of the phone that seemed to not be aware that it says on their website (or anything else for that matter):

"We are currently only processing online orders for delivery to the UK & Channel Islands but we do deliver internationally so please call or email for a quote."

Which I thought was funny because I've emailled them 4 times in the past 13 days asking for a quote.The guy was completely clueless, so I just went online and placed an order anyway, with shipping to my Aunty in the UK. He said that wasn't possible because the Mail-To and Bill-To addresses have to be the same, but their online card processing system didn't seem to care about that.

So, If it all works out, in a couple of weeks I will have scored a couple of Vapour Trail Tours with BG80 and Karakal PU grips for AUD190/USD155/SGD223 a pop.....and if not I'll probably spend the next year of my life getting my money back!

Watch this space....

according to Carlton, the Vapour Trail will only be available in Europe and America. it maybe available in Asia in the future, but for the time being it won't be.

Asia will continue to have different product lines than other parts of the world.

sorry for the bad news. i will post a review once i finish testing them...

Does you know when they will be available in America?

So, If it all works out, in a couple of weeks I will have scored a couple of Vapour Trail Tours with BG80 and Karakal PU grips for AUD190/USD155/SGD223 a pop.....and if not I'll probably spend the next year of my life getting my money back!

Watch this space....

well, i wish you good luck with that. you got a pretty good deal on it i believe, considering that the Fireblade Elite retails for about $199 here where i live.

48hrs......no confirmation email. I'd be surprised if my order even gets processed.

5 days now.....nuthin'

Okay, we have an email!

So, be warned - CentralSports CANNOT process credit cards not from the UK, so if you live outside the UK, the only way to order from them is to get a relative or friend who does live in the UK to send them to you.

So I cancelled my order...

....and bought two VT Tours from a powerseller on eBay instead! :D

Price is a smidge higher, but they will ship globally via DHL, and hey, at least you can actually buy from them!

I'll report back again once they arrive. Quoted time is 4 days....

*drools* its pink

Hi

I'm really curious as to how this racket feels. I've always been a Yonex fan and bought many top of the range YY rackets. But recently I bought Carlton Fireblade Elite (oval head) and fell in love with it instantly. It feels so light and powerful yet controllable I've abandoned my Arc 10, NS9900, Cab 21s and bought 3 Fireblade Elites.

Now this optimetric head shape seems to me like an in between isometric and oval head shape. Isometrics have a 33% bigger sweetspot whilst in my opinion oval head shapes have much less drag and a smaller BUT more powerful sweetspot. Does this mean that the optimetric headshape represent the best of both shapes?

If anyone has this racket please can you post your review??

Many thanks

Wai

There's reviews on the previous pages

Vapour Trail Tour (strung with Yonex Nanogy 95 Gold strings @ 23lbs)

I’d never have previously considered a Carlton racket using generally Karkal's and Yonex in the past. But I saw this new range displayed at the All England Championships earlier in the year and decided to give one a go. For the record I'm not a pro but am a good club player.

My initial reaction (aside from wow that's shiny!) was that the racket is exceedingly well balanced and feels very light. It's got a longer handle than I've been used to with my previous Yonex's which took a little getting used to. It was also slightly stiffer than I was expecting.

Net shots - absolutely fantastic! This is far from the strongest point of my game but found myself feeling utterly confident around the net such was the control that I’m getting with the VT and playing some lovely tight net shots.

Clears and smashes – took a little while to get used to the timing on these. The racket seems to move through the air very fast so I often found myself hitting high up the head and not quite finding the sweet spot. Additionally it's about an inch longer than my previous racket. However after a couple of hours play I began to tune in to it and it can hit some very satisfying smashes when you connect. And again that speed through the air means your taking the shuttle nice and early.

Defence – like the net shots the VT tour really excels here. The combination of lightening speed and great control had me pulling off some outrageous smash returns.

In summary I’m very, very pleased with the Tour. If the rest of the range are as good then Carlton are certainly on to a winner :)

PM

Thanks for the comprehensive review. I have the Carlton Fireblade Elite (oval head) would you know how the Vapour Trail Tour compares against the Elite?

Thanks

wai

FFS, there's comparos on the previous pages.

FFS, there's comparos on the previous pages.

What does FFS mean?
Hope it doesn't mean what I think it does.

I would like to know how the VT Tour felt like in comparison to the Fireblade Elite, NOT the VP Elite, unless I've missed something, I don't it's on previous pages.

If you genuinely want to help you can kindly direct me to the page if not, you need not get yourself irrate and be disrespectful, it'll only reflect badly on yourself.

Respect is earned, and ah well, you need to be more accurate in your product descriptions. :D "would you know how the Vapour Trail Tour compares against the Elite?" can be easily 'misinterpreted'. There is a VT Elite too you know. Be more succinct.

I'd recommend you look at the VT Elite specs back on page 2 I think, and see how that compares to the FB Elite. Good place to start eh?

Respect is earned, and ah well, you need to be more accurate in your product descriptions. :D "would you know how the Vapour Trail Tour compares against the Elite?" can be easily 'misinterpreted'. There is a VT Elite too you know. Be more succinct.

I'd recommend you look at the VT Elite specs back on page 2 I think, and see how that compares to the FB Elite. Good place to start eh?

If you read my previous post properly you'll see that I did state I have the Fireblade Elite, hence why would I want to compare a racket which I didn't say I have (ie VT Elite) with the VT Tour? I think you just need to switch your dimmer switch up a bit from dark (ie no clue) to dim, then you might've got it.

Also, why you recommending me to compare VT Elite with FB Elite? I don't care about the VT Elite. I've read on the specs of the VT Elite and its nothing like the FB Elite in any case, so it's pointless. A good place to start is on your head, get it checked out for any remote chance of the capacity to show logical reasoning.

You know you really are more than you're worth.

"why would I want to compare a racket which I didn't say I have....with the VT Tour?"

You're asking me to exhibit logic? You were not clear which "Elite" you wanted to compare, and now you're trying to tell me that people only want comparisons between a racket they own and one they don't? Like people never ask for comparisons between two rackets both of which they don't own?

Anyway, despite being that you live in a city where you can actually go into a shop and buy the ****in' things and the rest of us don't, I'll do your homework for you. You know, because I'm a caring, generous individual -

Vapour Trail Tour
Weight (unstrung): 84 grams
Flex: Medium stiff
Balance: Medium balance

Vapour Trail Elite
Weight (unstrung): 89 grams
Flex: Stiff
Balance: Head Heavy

FireBlade Elite
Weight (unstrung): 84grams
Balance: Head Heavy
Flex: Extra Stiff
Length: 670mm

So buggered if I know where you get the idea that the VT Elites are "nothing like the FB Elite" because they look on paper to be the same concept - head heavy, stiff singles biased rackets. colekwok on page 7 of this thread suggests the naming regimen of the 'Blades' is continued in the 'Vapour Trails' and this seems the case.

Kwun has played with both the VT Elite and Tour - scroll back a few pages and read what he reckons.

Thinking about whether I should get the Elite or the Tour.

I already have the Firebalde Elite, so I may actually want to try the Tour since I play more and more doubles these days.

This is what I was thinking too since the VT Elite is, in my opinion, a little on the heavy side at 89g. I think lighter rackets are better for faster swing speed albeit that it might differ most to the FB Elite in terms of the Tour's flexibility.

Ah cool, my rackets are here. Looks like they'll be delivered Monday. Sweeeeet.

Okay Carlton lovers, my racquets just arrived! Here's my initial reactions. I won't get to play with them til Wednesday, so these are just visual and first impressions.

Opimetric
Don't be fooled, 'Optimetric' is NOT something inbetween Oval and ISO. It's simply a short-head ISO. What it looks like they've done is moved the sweetspot up the racket, which is pretty clever because it means you'll have more swing leverage and a more usable stringbed, because let's face it, who ever hits the shuttle down near the T-Joint? So what that means to me in theory is that the head area is smaller than ISO, but I think it will have the same amount of usable area. We'll see when I have a hit.

Stock Strings
Strung at about 20-22lbs I reckon. Strings are thin and heavily textured. They'll probably have good feel and adequate power but I'll change them out pretty soon for my stadard BG80 at 24lbs.

Graphics.
If you're shy, this is not the racquet for you. Previous photos were a bit deceptive - this thing is 90% mirror finish silver. In some photos the inner surface of the head looks black, but it's not. The graphics generally are okay. The mostly get lost in reflections anyway so they're not too offensive. Generally I would've liked to have seen more contrast, but overall it looks quality like a top shelf racquet should. Having the inside surface of the head black would make the VAPOUR TRAIL graphics punch which is what they should be doing yet aren't.
It also has all the specs neatly on the shaft which is good.

Build Quality - B+
It's not too bad. The problem with really shiny things is that they pick up every single minute anomaly so if you look really close there are ripples in the finish, but the only way there wouldn't be is if the thing has hand sanded and polished which of course it isn't. All-in-all there's no mistaking it for a top echelon racquet, but it's hiding behind the shine a bit which stops me from giving it top billing.


Pictures and a first impression hit this Wednesday! :thumbsup:

Okay Carlton lovers, my racquets just arrived! Here's my initial reactions. I won't get to play with them til Wednesday, so these are just visual and first impressions.
...
Pictures and a first impression hit this Wednesday! :thumbsup:

Thanks for the initial review Easy Tiger. Will wait for the pictures and the final review. :)

Good stuff Easy Tiger. I'm looking forward to your review of the racket as I'm considering buying a pair too.

FYI I ended up getting them from Wisdens of Hastings, which is a sports shop in the UK. They're on ebay.co.uk and their service is excellent. From the UK to Australia in 5 working days!

The price isn't the cheapest out there, but seriously, they're the only place that can actually sell to overseas customers. Newitts and Central are utter rubbish.

Hi guys, my Vapour Trail Elite Just Arrived !!! :D

It looks AMAZING !!!
I cant wait to testi it out tonight !
I will give a review about it tommorrow :)
I am a county player, so i will try and give an honest (semi-professional) review.

can i know where can i buy this racket in malaysia? vapour trail?;)
looks nice and gorgeous though.

Okay, had a chance to put in two hours on the VT Elite. To sum up, it's a nice feeling and fast racket! Fast to the point that initially I was striking the top of the frame regularly because my timing was out being now used to my Armortec 900T, which feels a little like a battleaxe compared to the VT!

It's a very well balanced racket being very light in the hand and very maneuverable. I'd say it was headlight- in feel. I adapted to playing with it pretty quickly as it seems to have a similar balance and speed to my Head M8kT.

One thing that baffles me though is the stock strings, which at about 22lbs (if that) would be good for beginners, but the ink that Carlton uses for their stencil literally glues the strings together and leaves for a very mixed feeling racket. You can actually tell when you hit the ink (or should I say paint) and it's very disconcerting. Just a tad ironic considering the Carlton marketing spiel on the V12 Grommets is all about the strings being able to move. My fault really for not dumping the stock strings straight away and replacing them with my regulars.

Anyway, difficult to say what I think until I replace the strings. It's really a very well balanced, light and fast racket that would probably suit doubles players and those with more finesse than power because I didn't find it particularly powerful although new strings could transform it.

From an 'establishment' perspective, being even to headlight it's probably more like a Nanospeed or ArcSaber in feel, so if you like those sort of speedy, light in feel rackets (although I didn't find the 9900 as fast as they say it is) then I'd say the VT Tour is well worth looking at.

I'll refrain from saying any more until I've had it restrung, but at this stage "highly promising" would be the keyword.

Hi Easy Tiger,

I am currently using "Carlton Powerblade Titanium"....Its kinda heavy-head thus stiff but the feeling is somewhat better than T1-10....

Can you comment about this racquet?

Sorry, I haven't played with a Powerblade Titanium. The VT Tour is even to slightly headlight and has medium flexibility, so I'm guessing it would feel nothing like the Powerblade. If you're keen to try a VT I'd maybe look at the Elite?

Okay, played with it some more and I'm not sure head-light rackets suit my style. Been playing with my AT900T and I just seem to fit with that racket. Still trying to decide whether I should persist with the VT Tour or not....

no offense guys but have you seen the carlton airblade 33 specs....hahahaha...
weight : 78 grams
maximum

no offense guys but have you seen the carlton airblade 33 specs....hahahaha...
weight : 78 grams
maximum tension : 28lbs
balance : 285-290 mm:p

And you've played with the new rackets from Carlton?

And you've played with the new rackets from Carlton?
nope...not yet...but...uhmm:rolleyes:...i based my judgement from the specs that u gave...wahahaha...but if ever u tried the airblade 33..please correct me if i'm wrong:confused:...'cause i still think that the specs of airblade 33 is better than the new ones...i'll be waiting for your reply..thanks!!:):D:)

78g rackets are for girls.

Interestingly Dunlop (same company as Carlton) have a new series - Aerogel4D Tour and Elite models:

http://item.taobao.com/auction/item_detail-0db2-793197ac30a87358f8385e5165098177.jhtml?cm_cat=5002 3628&pm2=1

http://item.taobao.com/auction/item_detail-0db2-770c6c8523e88d4dd23d71cad0b120d5.jhtml?cm_cat=5002 3628&pm2=2

Yes, I have seen the Dunlop range in Bangkok, it looks similar to the Carlton Vapour trail but doesn't seem to have the Optimetric head.

That's really interesting in the same way as Fiats' relationship to Ferrari is interesting. :D

That's really interesting in the same way as Fiats' relationship to Ferrari is interesting. :D

It is very likely that they are produced in the same factory in China. Dunlop/Carlton Europe are the same company anyway.

Nathan Robertson is sponsored by Carlton so it's very likely he sleeps on a Dunlopilo.

the shirt wore by Nathan Robertson was sponsored by Carlton too?;)
i saw high-tech there.

78g rackets are for girls.hahaha that's quite a funny statements to me as I'm playing with powerblade 9902 and airblade 33 :)

too bad, i couldn't find europe series around here :(

Anyway, enough of the bollocks, here's a review after 6 weeks of playing with a VT Tour.

I'm gunna fess up and say I was hard on this racket. When I bought a Yonex AT900T earlier in the year, it literally transformed my game, so I expected the VTT to do the same. When it didn't do so as radically as the AT900T, I was bummed so I shelved it for a week and grumbled a lot. A lot of that came from the fact that a) It's very shiny, so it must be awesome, and b) It took a lot of effort just to get one. The bar was impossibly high even before the first hit.

So this week, in a compassionate mood I decided to drag it out again and give it a fair shot.

The reason for this was simple. A week ago I was playing socially and at the end of the night, I dragged the VTT out to play a game of singles against a guy who's probably a little bit better than me. After about what seemed like 30 seconds I was down 0-6 and he was smashing me all over the court like I was a hack.

Don't get me wrong - I am a hack - but absolutely nothing was working for me and at this rate, It'd be 0-21 and walking off the court with my tail in between my legs. So to counter this, I did something drastic -

I forgot about the racket.

That's all. I stopped thinking about "Is this racket better than the Yonex? Was that drop shot as good? Do these strings need replacing?" and just played.

And my opponent stopped the game at 15-11, panting like a dog.

So, I guess if you've bothered reading this far you're thinking "Where's the frikken review already!?!" so I better get a move-on. In essence, I really like the VTT. I don't know if it's that different to other medium balance racket out there, but once you get the hang of it it's a nice, quick and speedy racket. It feels a little different to similar Yonex (ARC10, NS9000) rackets, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is. It's not better or worse, just different. I actually think it's faster around the court than a NS9900.

The stock strings are let down by the ridiculous ink (or more aptly, paint) that Carlton use to apply their logo. It literally glues the strings together making the string bed mildly unpredictable - you can actually feel when you hit the paint and when you don't. I'm looking forward to restringing this racket because I think it will come alive even more, improve the feel, and with a bit of tension, improve the smashes which are a little bit down compared to other similar rackets. I think the Optimetric head will work better with better strings too.

All-in-all, I think this racket is well worth your money. It's easily on par with any Yonex you may care to bring it up against, and if you can stand everyone asking you what that incredibly shiny weapon is you were just playing with - and you replace the strings - I think very quickly it will become your 'go-to' racket.

Anyway, enough of the bollocks, here's a review after 6 weeks of playing with a VT Tour.

I'm gunna fess up and say ............


Easy Tiger, are you still playing with the stock string?

Sometimes when you restring your racket, it will feel complete different.

I had my Fireblade Elite with the stock string, it felt absolutely rubbish and I started to think it was crap. But then when I restrung it at 26lb, it now feels very different. But I must say I still prefer my Ti10 for power, the Elite is just too stiff of a racket.

But I do want to try the VP Tour, as Robertson is using it now.:D

Just waiting for my Ashaway strings to arrive, then I'll restring.

Kewl, strings arrived. Hopefully I'll be able to have a hit Sunday.

VP elite is one of the worst racket i ever used, i bought it brand new n jus used it 2 times, its up for sale if any1s interested...

Send it to Dinky Panda so he can say how cool it is.

VP elite is one of the worst racket i ever used, i bought it brand new n jus used it 2 times, its up for sale if any1s interested...

Are you using it with stock string? Haha, how much are you selling it?:cool:

i havnt change the string on it, i bought it for £130 n i would be happy to sell it for £80

Just had this Carlton Vapour Trail Tour from UK Rackets http://www.ukrackets.com/shop/n (http://www.ukrackets.com/shop/n) and it was only £99 plus the £5 shipping. The Racket arrived the next day thats if you order before 12 Noon. First thing I notice with this racket That it is so light and Its one of the lightest rackets i've had and this racket is so shiny that it feel like it has a high *** appeal. I think that the racket is strung to 28lbs. The play with this racket is so easy and easy to control and the forehand and backhand clears are so easy to do the smashes are so powerful and the maneuverability (http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&ei=TEahSt-OH4bSjAeS_JXCDg&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=maneuverability&spell=1) is good aswell. I do believe that this new carlton range is most probably the best and most classy of the whole range. Widely proud to use this racket and telling you to try it

allright..looking for some advice. I've been playing with a megaflex f1ti now for about 4 years or so - and im getting a new racket before i go 2 uni (as a spare or main if its any better). I was going to buy the fireblade elite but they are now sold out at £60. My choices are either: Fireblade tour (classic head) at £60 - vapour trail fxti at £53 or vapour trail ST at £66. I'm just wondering which is the better racket. I play both doubles and singles, but more in favour of singles. Thanks for any replies.

Carlton Vapour Trail ST Badminton Racket
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Vapour Trail - engineering to combine both power and control specifications.

Combines medium levels of power, control and manoeuvrability - ideal for good club players.

BI-AXIAL DYNAMICS
A new frame which delivers increased efficiency through a head cross sectional frame profile leading to increased swing speed.

OPTIMETRIC HEADSHAPE
By combining a larger sweet spot size and increased air speed and control within the same head shape, the new Optimetric head geometry delivers both power, airspeed and control in one frame.

JAPANESE HM CARBON CONSTRUCTION
Sourced from Japan, Japanese Hi Modulus Carbon is the highest specification carbon available on the market, ensuring your Carlton frame will outperform all other construction materials for frame response and stability.

PRO V12 GROMMETS
Positioned at 3 and 9 o'clock positions, these specialised grommets have been softened to allow greater string movement thereby increasing power across the hitting zone.

:Probably my best adive is that if you are not to sure about which rackets to get for a range of them you should (If you can) is go to a local sports shop which do sells these and to get a feel and know the weight but the description above should fit most of the others you have said because some of the rackets you have mentioned are farely recent..

Have a look at the Carlton Vapour Trail S-Lite Badminton Racket (http://www.ukrackets.com/shop/product.php/8912/carlton-vapour-trail-s-lite-badminton-racket)

A light weight racket for great manoeuvrability. At http://www.ukrackets.com/shop/section.php/296/1/carlton-badminton-rackets

Thanks Rod

guys, where can i buy this racket on the net for international shipping?

Carlton Vapour Trail ST Badminton Racket can be bought at amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/CARLTON-VAPOUR-TRAIL-BADMINTON-RACKET/dp/B002FACREU

I think ashaway has released same viper series. Any one have this racket with u?

http://www.ashaway.co.uk/index.php?category=12&page=detail&pid=164&brand=


file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/cpb/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.pngfile:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/cpb/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png

i think it is made the same factory.

Ashaway:
Viper Weave technology integrates a Meta-Composite into a Viper Skin Weave with Ultra High Modulus Graphite and Nano Carbon. This produces an X-Treme Tension Frame with low torque and virtually no lateral movement on impact, even with miss hits.

The X-Treme Tension Frame makes the Viper rackets capable of taking higher string tensions than the market standard, higher string tensions give greater control and less string movement, this further increases shot accuracy.

The Viper XT900 has a stiff shaft for increased power for players with quick arm speed. Also added on the XT900 is an 88 hole stringing pattern which gives more stability to the string bed and an integrated Aramid compound into the Viper Skin Weave which adds further strength.

Weight : 85gm
Balance : 295 mm (Towards Head)
Flexibility : Med/Stiff

Frame : Ultra Hi Modulus Graphite with Reinforced with Viper Weave and integrated Aramid

Recommended Stringing Tension - Main - 22lbs to 26 lbs
- Cross - 22lbs to 26 lbs
String: MicroPower
Good for Power & Control
Suitable for Attacking Play

Carlton:
Bio-axial Dynamics - Analysis of the overhead badminton swing highlights 2 distinct aerodynamic directions evident during the swing phase. The new Bio-Axial Dynamics frame develops more efficient aerodynamics. Over 80% of players stated the new Bi-Axial frame profile delivers increased swing speed.
Pro V12 Grommets - Positioned at 3 and 9 o clock postions, these specialised grommets have been softened to allow greater string movement thereby increasing power across the hitting zone.
Stabilisor Topcap - By introducing 4 convex channels into the top cap, stiffness of the top cap is increased allowing for greater shot accuracy and control.
Optimetric Headshape - By combining the larger sweet spot size and the increased air speed and control within the same head shape, the new Optimetric head geometry delivers both power, airspeed and control in one frame.
Japanese HM Carbon - Sourced for Japan, Japanese Hi Modulus Carbon is the highest specification carbon available on the market ensuring your Carbon frame will outperform all other construction materials for frame response and stability.
Direct Fibre Transfer - Utilising a carbon inner core and PU outer costing, a direct carbon link is estabilished between shaft and handle enhancing power transfer and sensory feedback resulting from shuttle impact.
Ultra-Lite Cap - Using a matrix structure, Carlton has re-engineered the end cap to reduce its weight by 28% contributing to overall enhanced playability.
Xtreme Tension Frame - Precision engineering and the utilisation of the finest construction materials ensures your Carlton frame can accommodate 11% higher string tensions compared with competitior frames.
Hand Crafted

Okay, I've had some proper court time now on my restrung VT Tour, strung 24/23lbs with Ashaway PG65.

I really dig this racket now, and just think that it's a good all-round solid headlight-to-medium balanced racket. It did take some adjusting too after using a bunch of head-heavy rackets because it just swings so fast through the air that I was actually getting to the shuttle too early!

I reckon if you want something a bit different and you can handle the blinginess of the mirror finish - and you like the spec - you could do much worse than the VT Tour. It's biggest weakness if you can call it that is that it has no real strengths. This IMHO makes it a good all-round racket that's just as home playing a power game of singles as it is dicing around the court and mixing it up in doubles. Power is more than adequate and it's quick for those reflexy shots, defending at the net and deceptive drops.

Now for the meaningless numbers -

Feel: 8/10
Control: 8.5/10
Power: 8/10
Defense: 8.5/10
Maneuverability: 9/10

OVERALL: 8.5/10

Oh yeah, there is one thing to look out for. I don't know if it's the optimetric head or what the deal is, but if you catch a shuttle at the very top of the racket (ie: above the 'tradtional' sweetspot), the thing feels like butter and the shuttle just flies off the stringbed. This is sort of 'normal' with most rackets, but it's more pronounced on the VT Tour.Not an issue if you can actually hit properly, but I can't so there ya go. :D

I tired one of my colleagues' VT Tour, it feels a bit strange to me. On that same day, I also played with the YY AT700, my Fireblade Elite, Powerblade Lite and Ti-10 gII.

The VT Tour feels even lighter than my good old battered Powerblade Lite. I was planning to get it, but I actually feel a bit disappointed with it. I am not sure if the VT Elite's head heaviness would be better. I just have this hollow feel when I hit the shuttle.

Saying that, the racket is very flashy and stock string comes in a reasonably stiff tension. If anyone is still tempted to get one, I would suggest that you wait till the price drops a little bit later on. For 100quids, I would go for the Cab35 or the ArcZ Slash.

Yeah it is a light racket, but it's not pingy or hollow. The AT700 and Ti10 are very, very different rackets and feel like swinging a brick compared to the VT Tour.

The stock strings just don't work either. Could you actually feel when you hit the painted on logo compared to any other part of the racket? It was weird. I was going to sell off my VT until I got it restrung, and now it's totally transformed.

The Cab35 and ZS do look great, but if you don't want to tow the YY line, the VT Tour is a viable weapon I reckon.

Not that that's gunna stop me giving the ZS a go eventually ;)

By the way, Aerotus = me....... :p

I don't know why I have logged into this very old account.....

I would stick with my Fireblade at the moment. It seems to be that, at least the VT Tour, is not my cup of tea. I would hope that somebody here will get the VT Elite soon so that I can compare. I am an old timer, so heavy rackets do not deter me a lot. I have been looking for a 2U Arc10 for a long time, but failed. Probably now I have the excuse of getting a 2U Cab35. But if money allows, I would give the VT Elite a try.

Yeah I wanted to get the Elite initially, but was scared off by the head heaviness. Ironically my next racket was a AT900T, which I could wield just fine, so turns out I wouldn've been just fine with the Elite!

Man the Cab35 is a handsome looking racket. Where's it being sold at the moment?

The VT Elite you can get at Wisdens of Hastings in the UK.

If you think the tour is light, try the vt superlite! That is possibly the only racket I've ever found that is too head light, took a long time to stop me swinging thin air. (About 3 weeks, playing 3 times a week for 2 hours.) Defence is ridiculous though.

I agree they don't play like any existing rackets, which is good, no point in having a new racket that's identical as an existing one, unless you were aiming for that.

The stock strings are no good whatsoever, loose and that paint just ruins everything.

Carlton Rackets are sweet. Top notch and a great status symbol as you travel along the pacific rim where people always only seem to have Yonnex

Anyone have a comparison experience with Arc7 to Z Slash?

I've only had two hours on the ZS so I can't compare as yet, but the Carlton VT Tour is still my current go-to racket (Ashaway PG65 @ 24lbs ;) ). It just does nothing badly.

Anyone have a comparison experience with Arc7 to Z Slash?

opps ignore that. Some how I clicked on the wrong thread and typed the question in there.

This looks so beautiful!

It's a fantastic racket. A bit hard to get, but I got mine through Wisdens of Hastings in the UK - they've got an eBay account (ebay.co.uk) and shipping is very quick and very reasonable.

Im jolliber new member in badminton central im from Balaklava about 45mins drive from Adelaide...just want to know some badminton happenings in Adelaide if any...im a level D player back in the Philippines...

Thanks....

You should continue driving about your inquiry on Places to Play/Local Events! It is just located above this Equipment thread in the Main/Home page. ;)

We should have more reviews on these babies and please send them to Asia :)

where to buy carlton in the philippines?
any store that sells carlton rackets?

Scroll up. You have the internet and a postal address, right

Scroll up. You have the internet and a postal address, right

seems that they abolish carlton products and replace with slazenger

What are you talking about. They're selling every new Carlton model right now.

http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/wisdensofhastings/

What are you talking about. They're selling every new Carlton model right now.

http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/wisdensofhastings/

i mean in our place, they don't sell carlton rackets anymore..

The Carlton website is finally working ;) http://www.carltonsports.com/

The Carlton website is finally working ;) http://www.carltonsports.com/

:eek: WOW! I never thought I would see this day :D:p:cool:;):rolleyes:. How long was it under construction for?

A long long time, definitely 1 1/2 years. Although I'm pretty sure it was longer than that. How does a big company like that take so long to develop a website! Although it is quite snazzy.

Great looking racquets ! The website is also very well designed.

Unfortunately, this new range is not available in Asia.

Internet + credit card + postal address = any racket you want.

Of course if you live in a carboard box things could get tricky.