2003 Yonex rackets measurements

**cooler** · 11-30-2003, 08:01 PM

It is accepted fact that many players and fanatics have debated endlessly on various technical specification of badminton rackets without any definitive conclusion because many arguments were based on personal and subjective evaluation. To resolve these questions on racket performance and specification, detailed measurements of each racket and version are needed so that a consistent comparison can be made.

This is a series of presentation of such technical data of badminton rackets. Every effort is made to focus and compare one parameter at a time while keeping other variable constant. In my possession is a line up of all (well, from mp24 and up) 2003 yonex badminton rackets in brand new condition. All rackets are strung with bg65 string. No overgrip and in G4 grip size (with some exception as noted). I did not take measurement on unstrung rackets because they won't reflect REAL LIFE performance.

For the first comparison - racket stiffness. This is a total stiffness test, shaft + frame. Therefore, it is a real life comparison. I had referenced all the racket stiffness to cab20M. Since i do not have the original 2UG4 cab 20 with me, i chose cab20M because i believe yonex had kept the legacy and performance of the original cab 20 in their cab 20M with only difference of having Muscle power grooves. I figured that we all tend to agree that the cab 20 is perceived as a balance racket and most of us had used and come to know how a cab 20 feel. The term relative stiffness here means how much more a racket stiffer than the cab20M. For example, the mp99 is 5.07% more stiffer than the cab20M.

One big surprise from the test result is that the AT700 isn't extra stiff nor stiff, more like medium stiff. Another surprise is the mp33 is just as (slightly more) stiff as a mp100. Well, i'll let you guys/gals make your own judgement yourself. I think the test result presented below is self explanatory.

DISCLAIMER: Yonex did not supervise nor designed the test. Yonex is not be liable for any damages result from the use or misuse, directly or indirectly, of the data presented here. Ditto for badmintonforum members. The data presented in badmintonforum is original. Badmintonforum cannot guarantee of accuracy of data that may appear elsewhere.

***kwun*** · 11-30-2003, 08:22 PM

cooler, you do own a cab22, no? that's is generally known to be a stiff racket, i wonder if you can take one more measurement and include that in the data.

excellent data, first class stuff!

**JChen99** · 11-30-2003, 08:40 PM

cooler, was this done on only one racket of each model? or several rackets/model?

**freeheeler** · 11-30-2003, 08:47 PM

come by the weights of your rackets?

Looking at the stores, they differ a lot

http://www.badmintonalley.com/racket...onex-at700.php

http://www.tennisnuts.co.uk/ishop/677/shopscr1538.html

Just curious

Martin

***kwun*** · 11-30-2003, 08:51 PM

becareful with the weight. cooler listed that his AT700 is a 3U version. while i believe in the US and UK, they only have 4U version and thus explains the weight difference.

but it would be interesting to know what type of scale cooler used to measure the weight. as he shows two significant digits so the scale is precise enough to measure up to the nearest 0.05g?

also, according to cooler's claim. the weight is with string so it will certainly differ than those claimed by other like Yonex who specifies unstrung weight.

**cappy75** · 11-30-2003, 09:00 PM

Hey Cooler,

How did you measure stiffness on those racquets?

**cooler** · 11-30-2003, 09:28 PM

Originally posted by JChen99
cooler, was this done on only one racket of each model? or several rackets/model?

yes, the above data are for one individual racket, not mean average of several rackets. Besides, how many rackets per model per test is enough? The weight data presented as secondary data, it has no influence of stiffness performance.

The weight range of U,2U,3U,4U, etc (5 g increment) specified by yonex doesn't mean their rackets have loose tolerance, the range of weight of each weight bracket is more or less controlled by the grip size. A 3UG3 WILL WEIGH MORE THAN A 3UG4 of the same model because a G3 handle has more wood than a G4.

More your information, i personally have been using a 3UG3 MP99 for a 10-11 months. It weighs 93.9 g (with bg80 string though, my guess is that it would weight ~ 94 g if strung with bg65). From the table presented with a 3UG4 MP99, this one weight 93.00 g, a difference of 0.9 g (or ~1 g if bg65 was used) per grip size increment it seem. Since there is 4 grip size per weight (U) catergory, it does comes pretty close to the 5 g spread tolerance as specificed by yonex for each weight bracket. I have observed that last few years yonex racket weight consistency had improved year after year. The weight range within each U is mostly to cover difference of grip size.

Case in point. I have in possession TWO mp33
.........shaft......... cone.........estimated date of acquired from yonex warehouse.... weight with bg-65
MP33 4499759 210832CD September-03.....92.45 g
MP33 4214428 310132CD June-03............92.55 g

so u see, the range variation of 0.1% isn't that bad at all. It is small enough to be explained by the difference of wood source (ie, which part of tree trunk that wood came from)