Racket Recommendation - Summer2008

Hey BC members!

I am currently using the SOTX 4A, which is a pretty good racket. It has good stiffness and power-wise it's satisfying. However, I'm looking for a racket wich suites my style better. My heart goes to Yonex, as I'm a huge fan (I know... I'm being stupid to follow it ).
However SOTX is good too, I prefer recommendations on Yonex. Reason is: Jerby is going to let me test out some SOTX rackets which I thought suitable (Woven 7(i), Woven 11, etc.) But I can test these myself.

I've been playing badminton for 1 year now. You may say that's short, but somehow I made it up within a few weeks to get in the first Junior team of the club. I even managed to get some trainings at Duinwijck (one of the best clubs in Holland), and could easily cope with the pressure and high performance standards of their #1 and 2 Junior teams. I never had any training before I began, but the footwork and all other strokes just happened to be there (probably watched too much downloaded BC video matches -Thanks Aerotus, Mike and many others -) Trainer said I was born to play badminton, only never realised it.

I have enough power, am pretty fast, and stamina is optimal. Regular visitor of the sportschool (weights, staminatraining, cycling). Also cycle 16km each day to school and back. So my personal condition is very good. Clearing from baseline to baseline is effortless. Smashing power is definitely there, and even backhand clears go straight down to the baseline when standing mid/backcourt. Drops are sometimes difficult with the 4A, especially in awkward positions like at the baseline. I know that when using a balanced racket, it isn't a problem. Although my strokes are there, I still need to refine them.

I have played with the Nanospeed 9000 S and X before, and they didn't meet my requirements. Just a bit too headlight, althought the stiffness was ok. A tiny bit too stiff, but otherwise very good. Also tried and bought the Nanospeed 7700 which was a complete fiasco. Much too flexible and feeling was a bit soft.


1. How often do you play, how serious are you?
I play 3 times a week, sessions of 2 - 3 hours. This will become 4 times shortly.
2. What style of player are you?
I play singles 95% of the time. Prefer to have good control and feel of the racket. I drop, clear, drive and smash continuesly. Kind of allround. I do love a racket which would have average/better manoueverability around the court. Excessive head heaviness would make defence suffer. I regularly play the net.
3. Do you care much about durability or is it all about performance?
I would definitely like to have an average durable racket. I heard and read rumours that Yonex isn't as durable as SOTX. I can only hope for the best. However, I would like a racket which can easily take tensions up to around 28lbs. Performance must NOT suffer. So best combo would be durability and performance
4. How much money do you want to spend?
Enough to get the racket which suites me Not much limitations. I'm going to China this summer, and I'm not worrying about my badminton-savings of the last 3 years.

At the moment, I have some rackets in mind which could be suitable, although I still doubt on the Armortec 900P. Here goes:

AT-900P (maybe too head heavy?)
AT-900T (heard good reviews. head heavy, however defence doesn't suffer and speed is good)
MP-99 (definitely one of my top choices in this list! Very stiff and even/tiny bit headheavy balanced)
ARC-10 (heard quite different reviews, so not sure yet)
Ti-10 (Not sure about this one... as there are different generations, so I'm not sure)


I hope you guys can help me,
Thanks,

Feng

 

I didn't consider any Nanospeed rackets, as those which I tried didn't suite me. I also tried the NS7000 a short time ago. It was brilliant on the defence, but the power was somehow weak. Also tried the NS6000 which also didn't suit me. The racket seemed very short, weirdly enough. Feeling was much shorter than the Woven 4A, although they are of the same length (I checked). The NS6000 also didn't give me the power I wanted, and felt soft. Kind of powerless. Maybe that's why some people call it a girls racket.

Only racket I haven't tested out yet is the NS8000... and I think I'll give the NS9000 a new test. It's been a long time since I held that racket during a game, and I've changed a lot, especially power-wise.

So I'm sure the majority of the Nanospeed Series won't suit me.