Hi there, I am a new member of Badminton Central and I am looking for some expert advice. I am searching for a new racket and want to spend a mediocre amount of money on it. I have looked at top level rackets (At 800, 700, MP 100, 99) and I think the lesser versions of the rackets might just suit me better. I was looking at the specs of the Yonex line of rackets from another post and discovered that the At500 is 3UG4 at 92.85 grams with a relative stiffness of 4.58%. Comparing that to the specs of the MP-88 which is 4UG4 at 88.00 g and rel. stiff of –3.89%. The other MP racket that could work is the MP-77 (2UG4, 96.75, 5.70%). I have been playing for a couple of years and am looking to take a step forward in my game. I would consider myself an intermediate level player, and if it makes a difference, I am 17 years old. In the past I have had a 90g Wilson racket which I snapped the head; I advanced into a Yonex Isometric 50 which I used for two years and that chipped, somewhat bent, broken stringed racket needs to retire. My main racket that I currently own is an MP-22 and have used it a few times since it was purchased. I do not feel as comfortable with it as I have with previous rackets although it could be because of the lack of experience I have with it. I have upgraded to everything else I need except for a racket. I am planning to increase my training time and ability as much as I can over the next few months. My current level is alright. I tend to have pretty good drop shots well my smashes can be quite weak. My clears aren’t too bad, my drives are good and my net game could use a little improvement. As far as how I play, it is usually 50% singles, 50% doubles. I checked the Yonex selection chart and it looks as though the Arm500 and MP-77 are double/smash players while the MP-88 is more of a doubles/receiver racket. I would like to improve my smashing ability to be more powerful (I am not the strongest guy) and to be able to have soft shots for drops and net play. I am just inquiring your personal opinions on which racket would suit me best or any other rackets that you would recommend? Thank you. If I am getting a new racket, I do need some string to go with it. I have played with BG-65 and don’t mind it – it is the standard of all strings. I have been looking to play some Yonex BG-80 or BG-85 because most higher level players prefer to play with them. The only difference I know between the two is that the BG-80 is 0.68mm with a guage of 22 while the BG-85 is 0.67mm and 22 guage. Which one, if any, would be best for me and does the 1mm really make that much difference? And as far as grips go, I currently use a Yonex Supergrap. I was wondering if anyone has used the new Leather grip made by Yonex and if so, is it really worth the more expensive cost? I thank you all for reading this and helping me out as much as you can. * ShuttleSlicer *
sounds like the MP88 would be best for you since you can generate more power from a weaker swing with it (due to it's high flexibility). as for strings, if you're stringing at lower tensions (<24lbs), which given your skill level you most likely are, then give BG85 a try, it should give you yet again a little more power and also a lot more control. and as a note, the top players that are sponsored by yonex will most often opt to use BG65 moreso than any other string. the thinness of the string is by no means a comprehensive performance indicator either. the best you can do is to try out the string and see if you like it. it's not as big as an investment as a racquet so it shouldn't be too big a deal. as for grip, if you want to spend a little more then go for a karakal overgrip. the yonex supergrap is just fine however and if you don't have problems with it then there's no need to switch. good luck with playing!
