looking to buy a at700 but not sure which one to get 3u or 4u i know the difference is the weight but does it make a difference does the shuttle react different if the racket is swung the same or would it change the way you swing would you get more power because the 3u has more mass
the answer to your question depends on a very important variable: the strength of your arm. Yes, the weight difference make a huge impact on the way the racket performs. i personally play an at700 3u. i find it fitting to my style as i am a very aggressive player. i have tried both 3u and 4u for all the upper end armortec lines and i have to say, the 3u and 4u makes a big difference. we can think about the racket as being a medium for momentum transfer. therefore, if we ignore trajectory and focus entirely on velocity upon impact, the more momentum transfered, the faster the bird will travel. For the 4u, it is lighter (less mass) which gives it less momentum therefore requires a faster swing to get the bird going at the same velocity as the 3u racket; however, if you cannot swing the racket at an acceptable pace, the heavier weight of the 3u racket will also give less momentum. so therefore, if we add in the trajectory of your bird, it means that you will have to time it differently to get the same angle to achieve the same shot. this will result in the shuttle "reacting differently" this brings us back to the strength of the arm. we assume one swings the racket at full speed at over head shots. this means, if you are switching from a light racket to a heavy racket, you will have a slower swing and vice versa. neither of these are good if you cannot contact the bird at the right position. so, we cannot determine what is "better" since this is such a subjective term. all we can give you is the physics behind it. you will have to try out the rackets for yourself.
So if all things being equal ie strength of my arm is a constant, contact point with the shuttle being the same, the racket head of the 4u would be faster upon contact with the shuttle, but what is better faster head upon contact or more mass upon contact to create a better more powerful smash or clear. i think this is what i'm trying to figure out. And yes i think i can understand the technical stuff thanks
Simple physics. F = ma. That is, force = mass x acceleration. To get the same force with a lighter racquet (ie less mass) you have to be able to produce more acceleration. But that's just from a force point of view. There are other variables you have to consider, stuff like in a long match, will you be able to continue wielding a heavier racquet, style of play etc etc
Simply put, the heavier, 3U can produce more power with a slower swing, and the 4U can produce the same amount of power with a faster swing. You're getting an AT700 ? It's a powerful beast.. it's there for smashing. I recommend you to get the 3U, because it is simply more powerful overall. Just put more effort in producing a fast swing, and you'll end up producing devastating smashes. The 3U version is also more durable; and the 4U is known to have durability problems.
