Hey I am wondering if anybody else play with Wilson and Babolat rackets? If so, why do you play with them, What makes them stand out more than the other brands out there!
There's an old man I know who plays with mid-range Wilsons and he's actually a very good player. I think he was a former professional player. But anyways, from what I've heard, Wilsons have decent mid-range racquets but that's about it..
Brand and model are mostly personal preference. Been looking to try a Wilson but only if I find a very good deal.
i have a Babolat XFeel Essential (Metriflex) and it's a good versatile racket. My ideal racket is a Medium stiff, slightly head heavy/balance 4U racket. So i have tried 4U yonex VT70/VT7, they are both very powerful but just a little slow for fast pace doubles game which i play most of the time. Babolat XFeel Essential is midstiff/stiff , head heavy but not as head heavy as VT70/VT7, dry balance is about 290mm (as printed on the racket itself). Very good power and fast enough for my game.
In that case, you should really try the Yonex Arcsaber 11! Your ideal racquet is the same as mine and I use the Arc11. Almost exact same characteristics as your racquet
I did look into Arcsaber series. But non come as 4U apart from the Arc9FL but it's PINK. Arc11 doesn't come in 4U and from what i read it's very stiff. I am not sure i can handle it. I had a Arc7 last year but i didn't like it. I didn't like the feel that it holds the shuttle then release it (kind of "sticky" feel), i want a bit more direct repulsion. People said Arc11 improves the feel and not "sticky" now but i just can afford to waste that much money on the racket that seems won't fit me even on paper...
Oh yea, forgot about the 4U part. Meh, I don't find it that stiff at all, it feels pretty bendy compared to other yonex racquets. Oh well, if a racquet doesn't suit you, it doesn't suit you
Where did you buy it from? I've gone though dozens of Online Badminton stores and haven't found anybody that carries Babolat. It's like their non-existent in Canada.
i wanted to try that one as well but wan't sure about the power department as it's only 82g. Is it powerful enough for smash?
Yes.... myself and 3 other county players here are all using Wilson BLX 2013 model rackets. I have 3x Recon and my friends have 2-3x Vertex each. We all like the feel of the rackets - they are very strong and you can feel every vibration. The recommended string tensions are either 28-30lb or 30-32lbs (!!!) on every model in the BLX range. The shafts and frame are very stiff considering their rating by Wilson - their top 2014 model has a rating of Medium-Stiff, as do a few of the 2013 model, but these feel as stiff as Yonex Stiff++ rating to me. I don't think you would give one to a beginner I would have to say... The pricing is also pretty attractive (2014 models have gone up a bit) and the build quality and finish is outstanding. Although we do have an agreement with a local sports shop and Wilson where we get heavy discounts.....
i play with wilson BLX vertex and recon. i like shiny things so these two rackets naturally caught my attention. i play with them but i do not think they stand out more than other brands to me, it's just that i enjoy trying out new rackets from different brands. i have observed after going to a few tournaments per year that the BLX Vertex is quite a popular racket. i also have the BLX Force and the KFactor KPower. i bought those two because i do want to try a lightweight head heavy racket and a lightweight head light racket. to sum up, i was just curious and wanted to try out new brands.
What i found special about the brands... babolat has 86+1g, even balance and medium flex spec which i like but price is more expensive than mainstream brands... wilson vertex2 is quite special racket - 2u and 280mm (true head light)...
