Some advice on racket choice

Discussion in 'Racket Recommendation / Comparison' started by Cloudx, Dec 4, 2014.

  1. Cloudx

    Cloudx Regular Member

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    Hi guys, just would want to gather some advice on racket choice for me. I'll be getting myself a christmas present :D

    If you want a racquet:
    1. How often do you play, how serious are you?
    Twice a week, consider myself sort of serious.

    2. What style of player are you? (Aggressive smasher, net player ...)
    Offensive player, do a lot of smashing coz my net & drop are not at par yet. Play mostly double game and occasionally singles too.

    3. Do you care much about durability or is it all about performance?
    Not really an important issue.

    4. How much money do you want to spend?
    $100+-

    Ok guys, I've shortlisted a few rackets which I think suits me.
    ArcSaber 11, VT Z Force, VT 80, MX90

    What do you think of my list? Or can you guys recommend something better?
    Currently I'm using a 6U racket by Apacs, would want to go up to a heavier racket 4U range.
     
  2. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    Skill level?
     
  3. Cloudx

    Cloudx Regular Member

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    Intermediate level
     
  4. nilavu

    nilavu Regular Member

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    All your preferred racquets are in 200$ range..
     
  5. Cloudx

    Cloudx Regular Member

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    Ops.. make it $200 range then.
     
  6. ucantseeme

    ucantseeme Regular Member

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    Arcsaber11: Not available as 4U. Maybe its a huge jump coming from a 6U one to a 3U.
    VT80 & VTZF: come in 4U but are very head heavy.
    MX90: come in 4U, too.

    IMO you must count in that you will need alot of time to get used to one of your prefered rackets. it's 10 to 15 g difference which will effect your swing speed and defence alot. You will suffer for a some weeks until you get used to it. I think you will get more power and can clear and smash with less efforts, but your defence will suffer alot. If this don't disturbs you, the MX90 4U should be a great choice to compensate your slower defence.
     
  7. Cloudx

    Cloudx Regular Member

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    Thanks, I haven't got the chance to swing Arc11 & MX90, kinda hard to find in my area. But i tried VT80 before in 3U, when i swing both of this I do feel the heavy head-ness of it but as a 3U racket i feel it's not that heavy. Which is why i list in Arc11.

    Anyway will try to test out Arc11 & MX90 first :)
     
  8. |_Footwork_|

    |_Footwork_| Regular Member

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    Arc11 is very user friendly imho. Very good allround racket.
    VT80 is a different beast, I wouldn't recommend to a intermediate (whatever that means) player.
     
  9. leongwaipak

    leongwaipak Regular Member

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    If you want to save money, I'd suggest the Z Force 1.
    It's the second lightest in your list, after Arc11 and still a very good racquet imho.

    VT80 and MX90 quite heavy and hard to use for intermediate levels.
    But if you want to improve your power, keep using a heavy racquet..

    If money is not an issue get a 4U z force 2 standard or LCW edition. ;)

    Have you considered Nanoray range or even the Arcsaber flash boost versions?
     
  10. Cloudx

    Cloudx Regular Member

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    I plan to get a heavier racket because I feel when i use my 6U racket I can't really generate any power from it, it's very easy to maneuver but when I smash it feels very weak.

    Nanoray range is more head light balance racket?
     
  11. leongwaipak

    leongwaipak Regular Member

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    yes nanoray is a head light racquet series..
    the nanoray 900 is the top of the range and is around 200 usd.
    nanoray 700-750 are still quite good and worth a try.
    i wouldn't recommend the nanoray z speed as it's hard to get used to.

    Anything will be heavier than a 6u racquet you had before.
    I gave away my apacs featherweight 200 because it was too light and I couldn't smash or clear properly with it.
     
  12. ucantseeme

    ucantseeme Regular Member

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    You wrote nonsense. The ZF1 comes as 4U and VT80 and MX90, too. Why the heck should be ZF1 be the lightest and VT80 and MX90 quite heavy? Why the heck should be an Arc11 (3U)!!! be the second lightest?:confused: The ZF2 LCW was never produced as 4U. I'm sorry but to recommend somebody a ZF1 and say that VT80 (less head heavy, less stiff) MX90 (less head heavy, slightly less stiff) is more difficult to use is absolute ********.
    OP should stay away from the ArcSaber Fast break if he prefer tensions over 24 lbs.
     
  13. leongwaipak

    leongwaipak Regular Member

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    If you have a suggestion on what he should try, then share it.

    if you want to be an obnoxious faceless troll who won't even share your location, then good for you. well trolled.

    in the end, the OP has to try all these racquets and choose one he likes.
    On top of that, variables like type of over grip, string tension, string type will add extra weight to that racquet and change the feel.

    If cloudx is anywhere near KL or Selangor, you should go to AJ Racketmart in Puchong and have a chat with the boss there because they've got a good range of racquets and price ranges available.
     
  14. Cloudx

    Cloudx Regular Member

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    Chill guys, no need to get flares flaring here :)

    I went to AJ this morning and have a try on MX90 3U, VT80 4U, VTZF 3U, BS12 3U & N900 3U

    So far the most heaviest among those are MX90 although it's stated 3U, when i swing it, it feels much more heavier than that.

    VT80 4U also feels quite heavy most probably due to its heavy head-ness.

    Among those choices the one that I feel most comfortable one are N900, I like the respond it gives back when I swing the racket.

    How does this Nanoray 900 fare for double & singles games? Do i need a lot of effort to hit the shuttle from baseline to baseline?
     
  15. ucantseeme

    ucantseeme Regular Member

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    You are coming from a 6U. So I don't think that you will have any trouble to clear with any 3U racket if can clear with a 6U properly. With a 3U you will need less efforts to clear. IMO the NR900 is a great doubles racket and suitable for single, too.
     
  16. leongwaipak

    leongwaipak Regular Member

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    Did AJs have a 4u zf2 for you to try?

    I think a lot more pros use the zf2 like lcw and Lin Dan compared to the Nanoray.
     
  17. mikescully

    mikescully Regular Member

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    We play 2 hours session (round robin tournament, 21 rally point, about 8-10 games) I use VTZF and most of the time after 1.5 hours of playing my arm gets really tired from firing smashes, so if you're doing a 2 hours session and still want to perform good within the whole session of practice game I would suggest either ARC 11 or Nanoray 900 (which is lighter hence less power demanding). I kept my VTZF just for singles session or when I participate in local tournament/ league which is only a few games so I won't get too tired at the end after bombarding from the back (so I can attack all out during the matches), so Nanoray 900 for doubles and long practice session, VTZF for shorter competitive games. Choose racket according to your need, play style and how you wanna roll! ^^
     
  18. leongwaipak

    leongwaipak Regular Member

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    I agree that if you play for two hours with a stiff and heavy racquet (like the zf2) that I will feel the soreness in my wrist and arms. Sore enough that I'd struggle to open a door!. But I can also say that afterwards your body/arm is conditioned better that the next time you play, you won't struggle as much.
    I don't use a training rackets like (110g to 120g) but same theory that if you want to get stronger, use a heavy racquet.
    You will also find that your technique changes slightly as well according to racquet specs, like racquet weight, balance point, stiffness and string tension. So it's a very iterative process that the OP needs to undertake when changing to a new racquet.

    Rackets these days are much lighter than they have been in the past generally especially now that we can get 4u and even 6u racquets that the OP started off with. I did suggest that the OP should consider a nanoray first rather than go from the lightest 6u racquets he was using to the heaviest/stiffest racquet, but it really depends on how much the OP wants to change or adjust his technique along with his new racquet. (and how much he wants to burn a hole in the wallet!) ;)

    I resisted many years before going back to top of the range Yonex racquets like the z speeds and z forces, but I can say that prior to using these stiffer heavier yonex racquets, I was using a not so stiff/head light wilson racquet and I always hurt my elbows when trying to smash hard with a head light/mid flex racquets. These days I don't have as much tennis elbow problems with a heavy/stiff yonex racquets yet I'm still smashing just as hard.
    So compensating with a lighter racquet to try and make it through a longer session is a good option and probably the best recommendation for the OP but not one I'd take personally.
     
  19. leongwaipak

    leongwaipak Regular Member

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    With any light racquets, you will find that they then to have a very high flex and softer shaft because the manufacturers/designers can't use as much materials to strengthen the racquet.
    You may not realise it but at a certain point/swing speed, the harder you try to swing with a soft flex racquet, the worse the result will be.
     
  20. Cloudx

    Cloudx Regular Member

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    Thank you leong for your advices. Most likely I will go for NR900, because it's the one that feels right when i swing it.
     

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