At the moment I am using an Arcsaber 8DX which I like a lot, especially the control it gives me. The more I played with it, the more I liked it. However clears and smashes take a lot of effort so I am looking for a racket like the 8DX but with a bit more power. So for I tried the Arcsaber 10 which I like as well but not so much as the 8DX. Before I bought the 8DX I used a Z-slash, yes it is powerfull but I have the feeling the shuttle never goes exactly where I want it to go. (you would probably say it's an user error, but with the 8DX I never have that feeling. If it's out or in the net it is sadly really my mistake) Recently I tried a VT-80 but I did not like it at all. I am a club-level player playing 2 times a week, more defensive than offensive, we mostly play with plastic shuttles. (Mavis 300 ) The racket I am looking for probably does not exist, but maybe you can give me some ideas. Thanks a lot, Joost
I have both...I recently strung my Arc-Z from 24lbs to 27lbs and it was day n night difference as the stiffer stringbed compensates for the lack of control from the flex shaft...hope this helps...
Owh by the way, I just saw u play with plastics...maybe the idea that i have just said above is not very good then
This suggests you need more head weight but you also say you're a defensive player, so the two are sort of conflicting. Since you prefer the Arc 8DX to the Arc 10, I think you should try an extra-stiff racket with more head weight if you want more power. Unfortuntely, this leaves only the AT700 and AT900P if you're sticking with Yonex, but at least they're cheap these days! Non-Yonex... Victor SW35 or MX80 you should definitely try.
Vassago, I have ArcSaber 8DX too and felt the same on how you describe control vs (smash and clear). What I did is i reduce my tension to 22 lbs (BG66) and it definitely help but not totally. 6 months back I acquired BraveSword 10 and felt I the power side and did not lose any control (my BS 10 is strung with VS850 ) Hope it helps.
You may also want to consider the Ultra2 or Ultra Pro from Panda Power. They are head-heavy, in the 3U-4U weight range, and very stiff, and pack a mean punch. Besides, you can string them up to 35 lbs (although I suspect you might not want to go over 26) and cost less than the top brands. Worth a look.
I believe there are a few users over there... you could PM Mark A over in the UK, he's the PP dealer in your part of the world and I know he ships to many places in EU.
As Mark A mentioned, needing more meat in the head and being defensive player is kind of contradicting. If you go head heavier it would be either VT60 or AT900P, lighter then it would be ARC009DX. Or maybe you just need an overall heavier racket like a 2u NS9900 AT900P is much more accurate (and heavier head) than VT60 but VT60 is much more forgiving since it has a bigger sweetspot and a medium shaft but only available in 4u though. Other rackets that share the same attributes to Arc8DX is the Li-ning N50-ii or maybe the victor BS11.
Indeed I am, and I do (but I refrain from promoting PP stuff on the forums - there's already a thread for them, after all).
Hello, I would recommend as a replacement for your Arc 8dx the Victor BS 10. It's available in Germany for a very good price. 99€ include shipping to the Netherlands. Contact me for details. Cheers
You could also try the Forza Titanium 550 or 555 (S or VS), they are at cool prices in The Netherlands. I considered playing in tournaments with the 8DX, as I was coming from AT700/AT900P, and never went back to it when I started to play the 550/555 VS. Stringed at 23 lbs with Li-Ning NS95, the VS is a lethal machine. Precision AND power.
Thanks a lot to everyone for the usefull replies I got. I was able to get a nice deal on a BS 10 so I ordered that one, I will post my findings here as soon as I have played with it. (In 2 weeks probably because of new year)
