Old AT700 vs new AT700

I've been playing with the old style AT700 4U G5 for several years now and since it's been increasingly hard to source the old model, I decided to take the plunge and go with the newer model.

It doesn't help that resellers are bumping up the prices of the older model for profiteerings sake.

So I bought two new AT700's (4U G5) to compare with my oldies and here's my findings apart from the obvious difference is colour and decals. It's worth noting that I had all my racquets restrung by the same stringer with my old fave the BG80 at 27lbs. The new strings were tested with a digital soundmeter and the pitch of each racquet was within 0.5% of each other. The tests were done over 6 sessions of between 3 and 4 hours.

Old AT700 VS New AT700:
1) They are both the same overall weight (give or take 0.5grammes)
2) The new AT700 is more head heavy. This is not only obvious when you hold and play with the racquet, but also the balance point of the racquet is different. I find it is consistently 2mm - 3mm closer to the head on the newer AT700.
3) Grip size is the same
4) The newer model feels slightly more solid at the head, but this may be due to the racquets being newer and my older ones being being more frail as they've all been strung at 27lbs - 30lbs and had the life beaten out of them for at least 7 years
5) Although more head heavy, the new AT700 still doesn't feel like the overall heavier 3U AT800. (which I find impossible to play with)
6) The smash feels heavier although until I improve my timing it will be less easily controlled than with the old AT700. All of the people I've played against have commented that my smash is much faster. They say my smash goes right through them in comparison to the old AT700 and they find it hard to get a racquet on it.
7) My smash defence reaction is fractionally slower due to the heavier headed feel, but it's a case of getting used to playing the shot fractionally earlier.

Overall, I'm really pleased with it.

The challenge for me will be to get stronger and improve my timing with the newer racquet to get the best out of it.

 

I did some more basic tests yesterday at my club.

In doing the under-arm shuttle speed test from the back line of the court, I hit the same shuttle with each of my racquets. A friend put a marker down where the shuttle struck the floor each time.

20 shots were played with each racquet and I alternated between the old and new versions each time.

On my first attempt with the new AT700, 16/20 shots struck went further than best shot with the old AT700. The distance wasn't great the increase in range varied from 2inches - 9inches.

Bearing in mind I play with fairly tight strings I was quite impressed.

It looks as if the new AT700 suits my technique better in so much that it allows me to generate more power with the same effort.

A couple of people in my club find both my AT700's impossible to play with as they are used to the more modern very head light racquets from Yonex. It doesn't mean that they can't get used to it if they played with it for long enough though.

At the end of the day, racquet choice is very personal and the best racquet for each person is obviously down to their own unique technique. In my case, I've found a racquet that improves upon my game with the old AT700.

It just happens to be the new AT700.