Hello, I am new to these forums. I recently got a Voltric 3 for myself with Victor VS-850 @ 25lbs Does anyone know if this is a durable enough string for an intermediate player. Well, I am not exactly skilled enough to be an intermediate, somewhere between a hobbyist and intermediate. I have Yonex BG-65 on my MusclePower 22 LTD. Will the new racket be any better than the other one. I am moderately good and a little heavy in overall build so weight of the racket is not much of an issue for me*. *At least I think so. **Additional Info: I'm 6'3 with decent court coverage and mostly the backline player in doubles.
Durability is often (but not always) determined by the string gauge (thickness). Victor VS-850 has a gauge of 0.68mm, which is the same as Yonex's popular BG-80. Furthermore, string durability also depends on many other factors such as if you mishit (not hitting in the sweet spot) often, if you slice many of your shots (slice generally means more friction) and many more. In my experience 0.68mm gauge is neither too thin nor thick, and gives a pleasant feel. However, if durability is a concern, 0.70mm gauge is recommended and the normal "go to" string would be the Yonex BG-65. 25lbs at intermediate level sounds about right, and often the higher the tension, the easier it is for a mishit to cause your strings to snap. Without actually seeing you play, I cannot tell you if the tension or racket is suitable for you. But if i'm assuming correctly that you play badminton casually, equiptment often doesn't matter too much and I'll say that the racket, strings and tension sound fine to me Both Voltric 3 and MP22 are entry-level rackets and is sold at a affordable price point, it'll probably be sufficient for your purposes on court Hope my information is useful somehow, and just so you know i'm not a just a randomer spewing misinformation, I'm a badminton enthusiast who also strings rackets and used to work in a badminton shop.
AH! Thanks a lot for the reply, I really appreciate your input. =D Yes, durability is a major consideration of mine since I am no professional and mishits are a major part of my game. I read somewhere that lesser tension affords a bigger sweet spot? Is that true, will you suggest going for BG-65 @ 22-23 for my future restrings. As for entry level rackets, I don't fancy myself as a good player and I thought that the ones I was initially using were too heavy to counter the ones my opponents usually use. I had unluckily not joined this forum before and went with my gut to get a Head-heavy racket. I have felt more crispiness in my Smashes and Clears from this tension and gutting, does going for lower tension reduce that crispiness? My MP22 has BG-65 @22 lbs. and there is comparable difference between smashes of the two or it is the racket?
Sweet spot is normally determined by the frame itself, but lower tension certainly gives you a larger area that is forgiving towards mishits. Rackets itself are highly personalized, and in my opinion entirely dependent on the player. Personally, i've gone through super head heavy rackets (armortec 900 power) to super headlight rackets (Nanospeed 9000). I liked both, but there is no singular racket that is objectively better than another, and unfortunately a racket cannot "counter" another racket. I've settled with Voltric Z-force which is a head heavy racket, but I chose the 4U weight class, which is quite a bit lighter than the standard 3U. I like these specifications because I reap the benefits of a head heavy racket and not compromise my swing speed. Keep playing with what racket you've got, rackets hardly matter, it's the game play that win you points. As for tension, this too is highly personal and often depends on the strings. I will string my rackets higher tension than usual if i'm using a thick string (e.g. BG-65), but stay at 29lbs~ with my preferred BG-80P. Unfortunately, once again, without actually witnessing you play, I cannot responsibly recommend you an actual tension. All I can say is find what you're happy with and stick with it. Experiment with string thickness, and tension. Only by doing that, you can discover what you like and dislike. If durability is a concern, lowering the tension is recommended, but if you play at 25lbs and the strings last for a reasonable time, why bother lowering to a tension you don't like? Going for lower tensions does mean lower "crispness", but there are more factors than just tension. String gauge also matters too, thinner=crisp, thicker=dull, generally speaking. Lastly, don't hesitate to ask questions, but most definitely get this part clear "the player makes the difference, not the racket, not the string" Invest more time trying to learn game strategy and improve skill, do not dwell in the latest and greatest rackets or strings. Most of this stuff is gimmicky advertising pseudo-science designed to make you compelled to spend $200 on a racket "this racket not only increases your smash by 50%, but it also has wi-fi bluetooth connection, and also allows flight capabilities, RIDE IT LIKE A FLYING BROOM!"
Thanks, I really appreciate you spending time on this query. I'm picking up a few tricks like movement and jump smash and others. Still need to work on my wrist flexibility Thanks again.
the bg65 is a very durable string and very bouncy. on the other hand, the vs850 is very stiff and not very durable at all. completely opposite strings. your muscle power is probably even balance and your voltric 3 is head heavy for sure, and at 3u head heavy, it might be very heavy. with the string and racket combinations, you will get very different results, they are different, one is not better than the other. usually when i try out different strings i use the same rackets. i would usually use my string testing rackets so that their weight, balance, and flex are comparatively similar and the only difference are the strings.
