i'd greatly appreciate anyone's help ... i've been playing badminton for a number of years and have reached a pretty decent standard. so far i've been using a racquet i've had since the dark ages and want to buy a new one. i've read lots of old posts and it seems that AM800OF may be suited to be ... i like to smash, but also like to have a good level of control of the shuttlecock as i'm a keen drop-shotter too. for that reason i'm deliberating whether to invest in a NS8000. is there that much difference in the level of control between the two?? ANY advice much appreciated!! thanks!
Hi Smash happy, I would recommend NS8000 to you but it will take some time to adjust to it. It is not like the other isometric head shape racquet because it has smaller sweetspot hence less forgiving. This is at least to me. Try it out first before you shell out hundreds of dollars to get it. Good luck!
AT800OF is quite head heavy, well NS8k is more even balanced. Therefore, if u can get quite an effective swing out of stiff/head heavy combo, then At800f is a good by. If u r afraid it might tire urself out faster than expected, NS8K or AT800DE might be a better choice. Also be aware NS8k is kinda fragile, if u tend to play a lot of doubles, it's a bit risky. Try to get a demo for local dealer, or borrow from fellow club players. Once u get ur hand on all the rackets, it's going to help u make ur decision.
The NS8000 is very fragile. I saw one break yesterday. A simple smash, it hit the top of the frame and boom it was gone. £120 down the drain. Having said that I have one as well and I feel I can play for hours without getting tired cause the racket is very light and aero-dynamic. I have been playing my brothers MP55 for 1 month before that and didn't gell with it. Cause the smashes require more effort and take more out of you. I would recommend the NS8000 but stick to singles..... or play with experienced doubles players.
Lazy: Perfect post, I could not have said it better, you covered everything. *Two enthusiastic thumbs way up!*
I don't know if it will help much though. The NS-8000 racquet is headlight which means that there are less materials in the head than in the handle. That plus the shaft structure has 15% less material than the conventional racquet. I would recommend the AT-800 OF 4U if you want a light racquet. Although it is head-heavy but it is very light due to the 4U weight specification. If you want something more solid then you can always go with the 3U but based on my trials with both, I think I like the 4U better. It does require good technique in order to exploit its power though.
Yep, the AT-800OF is a "light" racket if you put it on the scale but it does not swing light by any means. It swings like a 3U racket. For me, swing weight is more important than overall weight.
Perhaps you ought to consider AT 800 DE (dont let the name fool you!) or the MP 99. I currently saving up to buy the AT 800 DE. Do a bit of research on this racket. It's definately worth that. While you're at it, check out the Cab 30 MS review by lazy buddy. Keep your options open. Don't buy anything before you know all the alternatives. High end Yonexes are quite expensive afterall.
thanks guys! cheers for all your help! i've done a fair bit of reading on the 'net, checking out the manufacturers websites and trying to read as many reviews as possible. i'm pretty keen to play doubles (as well as singles) so may go for the AT800OF purely for its durability. however, i have had a couple of swings with the NS8000 and it feels amazing ... either way will let you know how i get on!