Is my Yonex Armortec 800 Offensive broken?

**DinkAlot** · 02-22-2006, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by cooler

sportchek and sport experts are sport chain stores here...if ur unlucky, u get inflicted with some kind of kiss of death diseased string job like in this case

Remind me to bring my stringing machine if I ever visit the Great White North to play Bad.

**Pete LSD** · 02-22-2006, 05:45 PM

No need! I will torture your racquet with my machine

.

Originally Posted by DinkAlot

Remind me to bring my stringing machine if I ever visit the Great White North to play Bad.

**DinkAlot** · 02-22-2006, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by Pete LSD

No need! I will torture your racquet with my machine

.

My rackets can take your string jobs of 30x33lbs.

but I cannot...

...at least I never tried 30x33...maybe I should just for fun.

Back on topic: I hope DaMaster gets a replacement/refund and I sincerely hope the stringer does a better job.

**forrestyung** · 02-22-2006, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by Pete LSD

No need! I will torture your racquet with my machine

.

I always think you are located in HK.

**Pete LSD** · 02-22-2006, 09:32 PM

I probably forgot to update my profile

. . . but I do appear in HK from time to time

.

Originally Posted by forrestyung

I always think you are located in HK.

**taneepak** · 02-22-2006, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by daMaster

I recently purchased an Armortec 800 Offensive off of ebay. In another thread I posted pictures to confirm it's authenticity. It has all the signs of being authentic, and if it is a fake, it is a damn good fake. I compared it to a real Yonex MusclePower 99 and all of the characteristics are similar (fonts, shape, size, grommets, etc.). That being said, I am certain that the Armortec I have is authentic.

I got it strung with Ashaway MicroLegend XL @ 22 lbs at a local sports store (Sports Experts). The strings broke after a 10 minute warm-up and I realized it was because one of the top of my grommets was broken so it ripped the string. I took it back to Sports Experts and they re-strung it again for free, with again, Ashaway MicroLegend XL @ 22 lbs. Again tonight the strings broke, but lasted 4 games this time around. I am really frustrated! I really enjoy the racket while the strings last; clears are effortless, my smashes have improved, etc.

I never clashed the racket with anyone, and the strings broke both times on a smash, and it wasn't a mis-hit. This time when the strings broke, it looks like the top apex of my racket is broken. However, the top is still very strong and nothing seems to be broken by the feel of it. I can't bend or fold the racket as it is still solid at that point. Does it look like the racket is forever broken? Can someone please have a look and let me know if I should try to get this racket re-strung? I definitely will not be getting it strung again at Sports Experts!!!

This is a typical example of a poor stringer, using a suspension system stringing machine, overstretching the two posts at the 12 and 6 o'clock. In a suspension system the two top and throat posts must not be stretched too much. The racquet frame should be mounted in such a way that it is held down firmly but no stretching. A good test is to try to remove the mounted racquet on a suspension system, and if it comes off easily then it is too lose but if doesn't come off even with some effort then you have overstretched it. It may surprise you that leaving the mounted frame slightly tight is safer than having it very tight. This is especially so if you string to 33lbs or above. Also the two top and throat posts are silicone padded, and you shouldn't add additional pads. In fact adding pads at the posts may be even dangerous at very high tensions because there is too much 'give' (similar to mounting the frame too loose) at both ends when stringing the middle main strings at 30lbs+.

**jeepu** · 02-23-2006, 02:51 AM

Dear daMaster,

What a coincident, I broke my newly restrung Armortec-800(of) today too. Honestly it is quite heart-breaking to break a pricey racquet like that, cosidering its only 3-4 months old, bought it from HK and hand-carried it back to Vancouver like a precious baby.

This happened when I was playing game with friends at Cleartwo tonight, after it's 1st restrung from Clearone. The rim cracked at 2:00 and 10:00 position, tristed, cramped as if I just smashed it at a concrete wall.

This is the 1st restringing of the racquet, putting BG65-Ti at 24 lbs to it. This racquet surely is designed to hold this amount of tension without any problem. I'm not sure if I've just missed anything.

Maybe it's a good idea for me to stay away from those pricey new racquets for a while, since I really cannot affort another one yet. That AT800 costed me $1140 HKD (about $170 CAD), where the same thing sells at $250-300 CAD in Vancouver. I'll go back to my oldest Ti-7, which happens to survive the longest time. After this incident, I finally started to realize, that no matter how much technology advanced, how much science has been applied to racquet manufacturing, and how much people trying to push the limit of physic further, sometimes those older classic racquets are simply the best. As recommended by some expert players, perhaps the old-school Carbonex series is the best line of product ever; or, if you are a truely good player, racquet should no longer be a concern to you anymore.

This is totally a big lesson for me

**s239rt** · 02-23-2006, 06:46 AM

could jeepu's exp seems a BAD string job to all you exp stringers out there? Or would it be coincident that it was damaged before the string job(tiny crack was developing before it was strung). Just curious...... thx.

**daMaster** · 02-23-2006, 11:13 AM

So now Sports Experts is telling me they will replace the racket, but Yonex needs to see the racket first to confirm that it is not a fake. Yonex says there are a lot of Armortec 800 counterfeits out there, but mine doesn't have any signs of being a fake, and if it is a fake then it's the best fake I've seen ever.

**s239rt** · 02-23-2006, 03:39 PM

Is a good sign(start) at least! If yours is totally real, then should be okie... I mean don't try to give me BS about how fake racquet is much easier to break and stuff(at least seem like the sports experts might be hinting such a possibility), to my experience, Yonex's original isn't THAT long lasting either. Good luck.

**davidcheng** · 02-23-2006, 06:11 PM

don't blame stringer because yonex's racket is not good enough and can't support high tension. so for me, i don't like yonex's racket that's waste money and bad service. change brand! victor, mmoa, proace and rsl.

**daMaster** · 02-23-2006, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by davidcheng

don't blame stringer because yonex's racket is not good enough and can't support high tension. so for me, i don't like yonex's racket that's waste money and bad service. change brand! victor, mmoa, proace and rsl.

davidcheng, my Yonex Isometric 75 MF Light has lasted me 2 years and has been re-strung twice already. I don't think Yonex is the problem, but more likely the stringer in this case. A Yonex Armortec 800 Offensive is not a weak or cheap racket unless abused by bad stringing.

**LazyBuddy** · 02-23-2006, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by davidcheng

don't blame stringer because yonex's racket is not good enough and can't support high tension.

Most breakage are due to mis-usage (i.e. clash, bump, etc), mis-storage (i.e. high/low temperature), and bad string job. Remember, the pros are using yonex which could hold up to 30+lb with intensive rallies...

Very few (but of course, not none) are due to actual manufacture defects.

**LongReach** · 02-24-2006, 01:14 AM

Ohhh that makes me mad!

Dodgy stringers......I once had a racket break like that from a dodgey stringer who did not admit fault!......I was only 13 and my parents blamed me saying I hit my racket on the ground.......when it was not my fault

.

Longreach is now a very angry and resentfull man when it comes to bad stringers!

If only The Arms of Longreach were Long enough to reach Canada.........I would ring his neck till his eyes go like this

and make him cry

so next time they will be more carefull with someones pride and joy and take the neccesary precautions.

**neo_Rabbit** · 02-24-2006, 02:03 AM

Originally Posted by davidcheng

don't blame stringer because yonex's racket is not good enough and can't support high tension. so for me, i don't like yonex's racket that's waste money and bad service. change brand! victor, mmoa, proace and rsl.

1/ I don't think daMaster's tension of 22lbs can be classified as high tension. and even IF they can't, the tension that a racket can take isn't a good indicator of its performance. not everyone has to play at 30lbs, and of course each person has their own perferences on their rackets, even if they know the racket will not live long. it's not excatly fair to say that all yonex's rackets are not "good enough", does it mean yonex users are all using rackets that are under par?

2/ If you don't think yonex rackets are worth its price, then don't buy it. Each racket has its feel, and some people like that feel, so they think it's worth it.

3/ how can you justify that other brands are "good enough" and can support high tension? if it breaks then are the rackets not good enough as well?

Sorry that i had 2 point all that out... jus felt that davidcheng's post wasn't fair on yonex's rackets

**Linus** · 02-24-2006, 02:22 AM

This thread actually brings out a valid point - that besides production/material fault from factory and unfrotunate crashes during the play - stringing (or rather poor stringing) is a major cause of broken rackets.

But being purely a player such as myself (and I believe many others) have no or limited knowledge of stringing technic. Very often we have to leave this entirely in the hand of the stringer. And as far as I know in this part of the world, there is no certified stringer (i.e. the stringer has passed a specific competence test) or authorised stringer (i.e. they are authorise to string by a specific brand) from any badminton brand. I only know such thing exist for tennis, e.g. Wilson.

The badminton owner will either have to try by error or rely of reputation. Neitehr of this is foolproof.

As the equipment is getting more sophiscated and therefore more expensive, the stringing, which is an important factor in badminton playing, does not seem to catch up fast enough to offer the racket owners a peace of mind whenever the rackets are sent for re-string. (with the excetion to the few BC members who do this themselves!

)

I just wonder if there is anything the general badminton playing public can do about this?

**Slacker** · 02-24-2006, 02:32 AM

Originally Posted by Linus

This thread actually brings out a valid point - that besides production/material fault from factory and unfrotunate crashes during the play - stringing (or rather poor stringing) is a major cause of broken rackets.

But being purely a player such as myself (and I believe many others) have no or limited knowledge of stringing technic. Very often we have to leave this entirely in the hand of the stringer. And as far as I know in this part of the world, there is no certified stringer (i.e. the stringer has passed a specific competence test) or authorised stringer (i.e. they are authorise to string by a specific brand) from any badminton brand. I only know such thing exist for tennis, e.g. Wilson.

The badminton owner will either have to try by error or rely of reputation. Neitehr of this is foolproof.

As the equipment is getting more sophiscated and therefore more expensive, the stringing, which is an important factor in badminton playing, does not seem to catch up fast enough to offer the racket owners a peace of mind whenever the rackets are sent for re-string. (with the excetion to the few BC members who do this themselves!

)

I just wonder if there is anything the general badminton playing public can do about this?

Hmm linus...but i tink the Classic Sports boss Mr Soh (tpy safra) did have some stringing certificates but dun tink its from yonex. I seen them pasted there since the many times i been to the shop but always cannot remember the exact words and certs...maybe somebody who got took note can clarify.

I myself is also not very sure.