I need some help and advice...I'm from the UK and am 43, and have been playing regularly since school. I play to a club level and although I hadn't played for a few years, I started back again last year & as well as getting back into shape, fitness & losing almost 2 stone in weight, I've also found that my game is improving. However, my problem is that I still play with a Carlton Airblade 2000 and despite it's 'oldness' I am still loathe to part with it, but I'm beginning to wonder if I should invest in a new racket despite my affection for my old racket?I play both doubles & singles, but the chap I usually play against at singles uses either a Voltric or a Z-slash...In an attempt to try and catchup, 3-4 months ago I opted for a complete change in strings & tension (yonex BG65 at 23 lbs), I then stripped the grip down completely & now use only a Nano 60 overgrip. Although this has change the balance point & feel if the racket, it now plays better than ever. I suppose I'm a wristy player, love to smash & hit drop shots.....but, I need to improve & wonder whether a new racket would give me back my edge?As I'm a Carlton man, and because I prefer balanced or head light rackets, I've been considering the Razor v1.3, the Vapour Tour Trail...and also the gorgeous looking Kinesis.Would a newer racket help give me a little 'extra'?Thanks for any advice....
Next time you play, swap racquets with your friends. Don't look at the brands/ models (blind test). Have a few warm up hits & note the brand, model, string, tension & overgrip of those that feel better than your Carlton. Old or new, what matters most is what feels right for you. A new racquet can give mental edge which is useful, but so does a familiar racquet - that "hello, old friend" feeling. It all depends on your psyche. Don't forget the adjustment period which can take a while if the 2 are quite different - from oval to square head shape for example.
A racket might improve your game, but coaching and practice WILL improve your game. I suggest trying a few rackets out from your friends and then decide if you love the 'improvement' or not.
Due to financial constraints, and also because of my age, coaching may have been good 20 years ago, but not something I can do.My main dilemma is whether newer rackets are so fundamentally better than older rackets. The chap I play mainly at singles uses a Z-slash, and considering I use a 12 year old racket, the games are very close, often decided by two points...Therefore, are new rackets any better than old ones?
I am still using rackets from 20+ years ago but you will to get the endorsement of other forum members as to whether I am good enough It's a dilemma whether to change. I thought about it but in the end have decided not to. I have a few of the old ones still and they don't break! I do change strings and keep to a tension on the high side. Coaching is one way to improve and I understand the financial constraints. I don't believe you are too old to learn - that is something in the mind. Otherwise, why do we see people go for Master courses, PhD, MBA or learn new hobbies above 40 years old. One way to improve is to practice shots with a feeder and swop with each other. Play only games near the end of the session. Grab 30 to 40 old shuttles. One person high serves, the other smashes down the line, repeat three sets for one side of the court and then the other side of the court. Another one would be feeder throws a shuttle in the forecourt and you play a lift to a corner of the court, repeats three sets, repeat for diagonal lifts and straight lifts. If you want to get some running in, then do two shuttles in a row in different parts of the court. Many people don't have the discipline to practice like that but: a) it improves your shot making, and b) you practice that shot many times. In the course of a match, you may only play that particular shot 8 times and half of those will go out. In summary, play more and practice more. Change racquets? Highly doubtful
I used to be an engineer, hence I always believe that in everything don't just take what ppl r saying but tried it out yourself. When you have the chance go grab some top end racquets MX80, VT80, Panda PrecisionPro, RKEP Pro9000, MX-JJS the list goes on......i sincerely believe that modern technology has helped to improve the racquet performace, and that few points of difference could hv been compensated by a good racquet. Good luck and enjoy the game !
I used to change racquets a lot. Since I am more old school, I used to use Yonex blacken, carbonex 8, carbonex 20, carbonex 8DX, prokennex 858, prokennex 787, Isometric 800, Isometric Slim 10, carbonex 22, carbonex 9 and back to carbonex 20. Though I believe a person may have a preference, for modern racquets, do you win more points because the racquet is different or because you practiced more with one particular racquet that you already feel comfortable with? The OP stated with new strings, new tension, different size grip, his racquet is even better than before. That's like a whole new racquet. If the OP lost another 2 stone in weight (approx 13kg), I can almost be assured that he will move much faster, be in position earlier and hit a better shot using the same racquet. In past, moving from wooden racquets to metal racquet made a big change. Same from metal racquets to graphite racquets. But from then on? Graphite to boron or mesh etc. Very doubtful. Mid price range to high end racquets - again, very doubtful. I suspect the difference is so small, you would need a very large sample size to prove a difference.
I wish I could trial some rackets, but the only local shop I'm aware that does this only has yonex....I've tried a friends Voltric, and I could feel the difference in how it sliced through the air when smashing...but it felt slower for other shots/returns. I assume this is due to it being head heavy?
I believe even LCW changes back from VT-ZF to VT80, he still able to retain his No.1 title. Joke aside, even until today, a lot of player still prefer Cab21 or TI-10.
Tennistown.de allows you to test rackets (though you'll have to pay for shipping). Or if you go to a tournament, hopefully there should be a retailer present (that might let you test rackets).
It doesn't have to be a NEW racquet, it just have to be the "RIGHT" racquet for you ! For me, after having tested nearly all the new and modern Yonex, Victor and Li-Ning in the market, I still ended up buying a "28-years OLD design and technology", Yonex CARBONEX 20sp last month or so ....
Correct.... It is not necessary that newer racket is better than so called "old racket". If i have the money and resources, i would be more than happy to play with Yonex Old AT700, Ti.10 2nd gen and those iso slim series rather than playing with just released rackets.
Without Cab20 there will be no benchmark & there's no racket in the middle of Yonex chart Mine's calling me. Will use her this weekend
