First of all, thanks for sharing your experience! Just wondering about the i-SLASH and the Nanoray 400; do you mean they have new designs or something, since they're not actually new models? I definitely thought of Lin Dan when I saw ZF2LD since that's how they usually name the special editions - with the product code followed by the player initials. ARC11TH, VT80PG, and now ZF2LD. But I wonder what FLN means... I always figured FL stood for 'for ladies', given the design and that the suitability ratings on the Japanese Yonex site ranks it as very suitable for intermediate and advanced ladies but not suitable at all for men at any level (most other racquets are suitable for both genders in varying degrees). Not sure what N could possibly mean if that's the case though. I guess FL could also have something to do with Toughlex though, since they seem to focus on it in the descriptions both on the Japanese and the international site. "Voltric 70tune" is a complete mystery to me. Unless it's actually VT70TUNE and TUNE are initials for a doubles pair or something, but I can't think of anyone.
FL stands for Feather Light (written on the racket) and N probably stands for New colour as with the F1 shoes (F1N) ... Also I think the I-Slash had not been released in Japan yet, remember seeing some news about it at the same time as NR900 was presented. Or maybe just a new colour (looks the same)? http://www.yonex.co.jp/news/2014/05/1405081800.html
The listing has both colourways for now hence the confusion (thought it might be flip side), so it is just a new colour for I-Slash as well ... Maybe the N will stand for something else then ...
as someone asked the officer, D: How much percentage of failures during QC? O: The percentage of failures is below 0.05%~
haha. you've got me!! unfortunately, no. the rackets that being QC were just before the started to stamp the code on the shaft and cone. after all the rackets passed, then went to code for regional distribution...
Most of these model are just redesign maybe, as we were not allowed touch the unfinished products... voltric 70tune, the font is small 'tune', not TUNE. it is really complete mystery what's behind it.. ZF2LD stand for LTD maybe? Since the raw material is a completely sealed box and labeled with ZF2..but still in mystery.. N is a neo? because i didn't see on shaft, but on the rackets code..
That sounds like a great trip, fiq_axis. You were very fortunate. Thank you so much for the report. Well written without revealing any 'dangerous' trade secrets. Most questions have been already asked by other BC'ers. But there is one left that no one asked: Did you get any free samples from the rice cracker factory?
Just a bit of correction, PBSI is not an official marketing agent/distributor. They are Indonesian national badminton federation who are doing "so-called" endorsement of Yonex products distributed by Sunrise. Hence, you can see PBSI logo printed on SP coded rackets (I haven't found it on other codes so far) and they have been doing this for about two decades.
Great report, fliq_axis! It took too long for someone to get some this much access. I wish there was more access to these companies, but I guess in time there will be more reports and documentaries. BWF's online videos about the year's highlights and interviews is a good start though. Owning a VTZF2 myself, that 'LD' definitely intrigued me. Maybe it could be VTZF2LCW and VTZF2LD Highly unlikely. But it's funny, I can't help but imagine the conversation LD and LCW might have had at that doubles exhibition, where LD had a good look at the VTZF2 in LCW's hand. Liked it so much that he wanted one for himself.
Thanks, fiq_axis for your interesting report! I wish we cold have known "from the horse's mouth" what the GS sticker on the JP-coded racquets signified. On the mysterious VTZF2LD coded racquet, I don't suppose they'd be wanting to introduce a Liew Daren special.
In what way? It's a consumer safety standard seal of approval iirc (dug it up before) http://www.sg-mark.org/english_1.html On one hand it symbolizes quality to the consumer and on the other hand it qualifies the product for compensation from a general fund when a consumer is injured by a product bearing the mark . I thought it makes a plausible explanation for the low recommended max tensions on Yonex rackets; it is probably to pass the SG mark tests ... To be sure, we would have to check out one of the new Mizuno's with high max tensions for a SG mark (or they are just more sturdy and still manage to qualify).
