help choosing racket (flex and balance)

**haplo** · 08-09-2008, 04:19 PM

Hi It has been a while that I posted on this forum.
The reason is clear: I need a new racket.

I have been playing with my AT500 for 4 years now and I need something new.
There are two parameters that are always tricky when I have to choose a racket:
flexability head balance
my current racket is stiff and head heavy (why I don't know,...)

information about me:
I'm a 18 year old decent player (king of my city/good in my province/growing national). I'm quite skinny and have long arms and legs. If I play singles I'm more of a defending oriented player, you won't see me taking lead in a game with an equal leveled player very quickly. Most of the time I wait for him to make an offensive mistake and then make him pay. In doubles I like to play the net (even in mixed

) and take the game to a higher speed.
My armpower is not amazing (decent but not like some body builders,...).
make no mistakes, if my day is a good armday I can produce a strong blow but still...
As I don't buy new rackets often money doesn't matter that much.
(I'm not gonna save 30 euro's on a racket that will be my best friend for the next 5 years)

feelings while playing:
I like a racket with a solid feel, I like to feel that I hit a shuttle, hear it.
heavy rackets greately improve my smashspeed on easy smashes.

Against a strong player my smash isn't strong enough to finish the game, so most of the time I use drops, clears and position to finish him on easy smashes. I love to smash but my main smash from the base just isn't strong enough.

So advice on flex and head balance would be nice.

I have a list of rackets I'm considering so help me in any way you can.

the list:
AT700
AT800 DF/OF
AT900 TE/PO
MP99
MP100
arcsaber 7
arcsaber 10
nanospeed 6000
nanospeed 7000
nanospeed 7700
nanospeed 8000
nanospeed 9000x/s
(add if you want, I prefer yonex as I can get them cheap,...)

so thanx in advance.

**haplo** · 08-09-2008, 04:52 PM

my AT 500 is a 3U/G3 at least I think it is,...
It's as heavy as my 2U isometric, but the grip is thicker.
It always seemed quite a heavy racket, more like a 2U. Maybe it's just me because I don't think the AT500 ships in 2U!?

**phandrew** · 08-09-2008, 05:22 PM

Yonex isn't cheap. Get SOTX or RSL racket instead since it is cheaper and performs the same or better as Yonex. Go with RSL X2 series or SOTX W7 or W11.

**haplo** · 08-09-2008, 05:47 PM

well I have my reasons to stick with yonex:
- I can get them rel. cheap
- I'm used to yonex
- I know the rackets, saw them, played with them so it's easier to make a good choice.
- I like yonex rackets
- price is not that important

As I have just contacted my yonex guy, the list got a little smaller,...
because he couldn't deliver me some rackets at a decent price.

AT700
AT900 TE/PO
arcsaber 7
arcsaber 10
NS 6000
NS 7000
NS 8000
NS 9000 x/s

ty for replying anyways
ps: please don't make my thread a "yonex or not thread"!
ty in advance.

**phandrew** · 08-09-2008, 05:50 PM

How cheap can you get yonex rackets? if it is too cheap too believe then the chances of it being fake are high.

**martin8768** · 08-09-2008, 06:13 PM

new ti 10?
10 char

**haplo** · 08-09-2008, 06:18 PM

Well I will give you an example:
arcsaber 10: 120 euro's
And it's not too cheap, and yes I'm very sure they are real.

The problem with the rackets you proposed are:
- I never heard of them... (srry for me being unknowing)
- I have no idea where I can buy them...
- I have no idea how different they are from yonex rackets, and whether I will like this different.

Maybe if you can give me some solid information about them, and why they would be suitable for my type of play and a place in belgium where I can get them, then maybe I might consider them.

**phandrew** · 08-09-2008, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by haplo

Well I will give you an example:
arcsaber 10: 120 euro's
And it's not too cheap, and yes I'm very sure they are real.

The problem with the rackets you proposed are:
- I never heard of them... (srry for me being unknowing)
- I have no idea where I can buy them...
- I have no idea how different they are from yonex rackets, and whether I will like this different.

Maybe if you can give me some solid information about them, and why they would be suitable for my type of play and a place in belgium where I can get them, then maybe I might consider them.

120euro for ARC10 is a bit expensive. Try searching the forum to get an idea of the performance of each racket.

**haplo** · 08-09-2008, 06:32 PM

@martin where on earth could I find a (real) Ti10?

120 euro's isn't expensive

and you can't compare it with ordering prices online.
He sells it man 2 man and offers lifetime service.

**phandrew** · 08-09-2008, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by haplo

@martin where on earth could I find a (real) Ti10?

120 euro's isn't expensive

and you can't compare it with ordering prices online.
He sells it man 2 man and offers lifetime service.

You can buy the Ti-10 from many places.
Mybadmintonstore, Wingeebadminton, Puppysports and Badmintononlineshop

Out of the 3 Ti-10 versions i would get the old Ti-10

**haplo** · 08-09-2008, 06:57 PM

he also strings the racket so here is a list with possible strings:

yonex BG 65/65T/68/68T/80 nanogy 95
ashaway Microlegend/flex21/rally22/micropower xl/rally 21T
daimond M5/M4

proposing tension would come in handy 2.

I'm using +-22 lbs now.

**Athelete1234** · 08-09-2008, 07:27 PM

Old Ti-10 is like impossible to find nowadays though. The other Ti-10s are both excellent racquets anyways.

**haplo** · 08-09-2008, 09:52 PM

Why would the Ti-10 be the racket for me?
What about the rackets wich are in my list (first one)?
and how about the two parameters (flex/balance) (keeping my playstyle in mind)?
I might consider ordering online,..., as long as they won't send me a fake/broken one,...

**haplo** · 08-10-2008, 06:41 AM

K I searched the forum.
And I think I made a conclusion for the flex and head balance part.
As I'm a defensive player and my rally's tend to be long...

I need a racket wich is easy to move over the field, also because netplay in doubles require high speed movements.
flex: med stiff-stiff
balance: even-light head

or am I wrong???

But as I'm used playing a head heavy racket won't my smashpower go down even further?
I think I'm more of a swinging player (if this helps to answer above question)

**phandrew** · 08-10-2008, 07:20 AM

Just go with AT900T then

**haplo** · 08-10-2008, 07:54 AM

K after searching more information on the forum and based on my flex and balance conclusion in the prev post. I have narrowed down my list of possible rackets to 5;

AT800 DEF
AT 900 TECH
arcsaber 7
arcsaber 10
nanospeed 9000S

so plz post which one out of this small list suits me best and don't forget to mention why.

ty very much in advance

**phandrew** · 08-10-2008, 08:05 AM

How about you read DinkAlot's racket review to get an idea on each racket. If you bought SOTX W8 or W9 they would perform the same as the rackets you are looking at and are also much cheaper.