i just bought this racket for 69.99 marked down from 119.99 thinking it was a good racket. now i read that the graphite version or the rasmussen is a "cheapo" and should not be bought. Am i in trouble if i bought the graphite version with the tapered white piece connecting the grip to the shaft??? Help!
No you are not in trouble. The graphite version is a perfectly dood racquet, it's just that it doesn't even compare to the real version. So you are not in trouble unless you were expecting a racquet like the real version.
why how good is the real version and what is it made of?? what am i missing and how much is it? i thought this was going to be a good raquet because of the original 120 price
Dood........... although I have not played with Rasmussen's before... I do know this much. It is the skills that makes the player good and not the racquet.... the racquet may provide a slight edge of power/control whatever but if you do not have the skills, then doesn't matter what you use! Also, from what I hear... you probably bought it at one of those big sport stores like sport check and stuff. They always mark original retail price up high and say their stuff is on sale. If you want a good deal .. you should check out some of the stores that carry a wide range of racquets. The non-graphite Rasmussen is (if I'm correct) a high end racquet therefore probably costing around $200 Can.
i know a good raquety doesnt make u a better player i'm working on my footwork and drops a lot, but i just wanted a good quality racquet, and one that smashes well. should i return the racket or what?? just what exactly is so bad about it? i know they mark it up and drop the price. They do that to everything in the store but there are no specialty stores near me. so my choices are limited. i was trying to choose between a rasmussen(graphite) iso 77 vf and an 86 vf( which was cheaper then the 77 for sum reason)
Another thing, the reason for some bad reviews on the racquet is probably theres a lot of advanced players and more experianced players on this forum which have mastered good technique and need a good peice of Equipment to deliver that skill. However, I Think that racquet should be much better then the ones they provide you with at school. In my opinion, some of the low end yonex racquets are only expensive because of the Yonex name..... but if you like it.. then get it
i dont use the school raquets. the raquet i have been using was a Yonex iso 25 which is crap i think rite? I looked at a techno which was i think orange silver and black but heard they were of poor quality. are there n e strong points to my rasmussen?
Yes there is. Like I said, just because it's the graphite version of the Rasmussen, it doesn't mean that it's bad, it's just not comparable to the real version. The real one is flexible at both ends of the shaft and has something to do with eliminating tennis elbow. (at least this is what I heard) But the graphite version is fine. It is light and quite powerful so if you want it go for it man! If not then get the Iso 86 VF. Don't get the Iso 77 VF because it's a replica of the 76 VF which is no longer made and it sucks for power. Trust me, the Iso 76 VF was my first Yonex racquet and I quite liked it at the beginning but now that I have strengthened in my skills, I hate it.
sorry Sorry, but I just noticed that in your other post, "70 dollar good racquet (CAN)" I suggested the Iso 77 VF. Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking to suggest it there and then say it sucks here. Probably because I was thinking of a racquet that is $70 or under.
Hey Robbie, relax! You bought a good racquet at a good price. And I would say you definitely made the right choice -- given the alternatives. I previously owned the "real" Rasmussen ("real" is a bit misguiding here, as it suggests that yours would be less genuine which it is not) and liked it a lot. I have also played with the Rasmussen Graphite version, and my doubles partner swore by it for years. He liked it for its robustness and stiffness, and because it was basic in the best sense -- no bells and whistles, but good. (And in case you're wondering, he did produce some thundering smashes with that racquet.) The main difference to the more expensive Rasmussen lies in the weight and weight distribution. The "real" Rasmussen is a fairly evenly balanced racquet, and it weighs about 89 g. The Graphite is more head heavy and weighs a bit more, about 95 grams (which is comparable to the weight of a 2U Yonex racquet). What difference does this make? Well, in a comparison, you would probably find the Graphite version a little slower in reflex shots (defense in doubles, for instance), and perhaps a little bit more taxing on your arm. On the other hand, if you have decent fore-arm strength and technique, you will probably find that it does pack a little more punch than the "real" version. You could say that the "real" version is more of an all-round racquet, while the Graphite version is more for the offensive player. Another difference is that the "real" Rasmussen has the CFS cap at te top of the handle (Carlton Flex System). Quite frankly, I think this is a load of BS. I've never been able to feel much difference... I even took the cap off my old Aerogear 900 to see how it felt and it felt exactly the same. It's like Titanium in the frame: it's just a marketing gimmick. In fact, I would say that racquets without the CFS handle are most likely more durable! My doubles partner got some shoulder problems (neither of us are teenagers anymore ) and in the end decided to switch to a lighter racquet. But if it hadn't been for that I don't think he ever would have changed, and this is an important point: which model of racquet you have is far less important than actually sticking to what you have and getting used to it. Take it from a former racquet-hopper: you play best what you play most! However, I must say I still find it odd that Carlton produced two models that are almost identical, but differ so much in price and feel. The story I heard was that the Rasmussen Graphite was a budget version of the "real" one, produced exclusively for the Intersport chains here in Europe (there could be a similar deal with SportsChek or others in the US & Canada). It would have been more honest to make them differ more in appearance... Good luck with your playing, and don't lose any more sleep over your racquet. Concentrate on accommodating to it instead. In my experience, it usually takes at least 50 hours of playing before I feel fully at home with a new model, sometimes more...
Maybe you should refer to the more expensive Rasmussen racquet as the "original Rasmussen," rather than the "non-graphite Rasmussen," in order to avoid the implication that the original model is made from some other material. Both Carlton racquets are made from graphite (I suspect the original Rasmussen is made from high modulous graphite), but Carlton chose to designate the cheaper one as the "Rasmussen Graphite." Giving two very different racquets virtually the same name and appearance is about as smart of a business move for Carlton as their continued failure to update their website for more than two years. If memory serves correctly, there is not a single racquet shown on that website anymore that is still in production or regularly available in most parts of the world.
"Am i in trouble if i bought the graphite version with the tapered white piece connecting the grip to the shaft???" Robbie, are you saying that you HAVE got the white tapered piece of plastic on your racquet? In that case it is the original Rasmussen and you got it at a great price as well!
Wrong. The "original" has the CFS cap, a chubby cap made of black plastic and white rubber inserts. The budget version has a white tapered plastic cap, as Robbie says. The budget version came out after the CFS version, so it would be correct to call the CFS version "the original", as Brett suggested.
