A bit lost with all the different Yonex's available

Discussion in 'Racket Recommendation / Comparison' started by Wexed, Dec 13, 2008.

  1. Wexed

    Wexed Regular Member

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    Hello

    First of all I'm new here. Great forum I must say. I've been browsing and reading for a few hours and I've learned a lot. Unfortunately my problem still remains. I'd say I'm an average player, I play 2-6 hrs a week and I've been using an old BK Crown series racket (901 if I remember right) with 21lbs of tension and it I pretty much liked it, until I shattered it when I lost my grip (I split the oval lengthwise over 3 gromits in length) So, while the string is still in place and the tension still seems okay, you can't get any power or precision out of it anymore. I tried a Yonex AT800 with 22lbs of tension and that certainly worked well, but I always had to watchout not to put put too much momentum in my swing or I'd always be long, and the precision wasn't all that either it seemed, it felt like too much trampoline effect, but I don't understand why I didn't get that with my older BK. In any case I did love how easier it was to actually hit the sweet spot and it had a very good feedback, so that's why I'm really only looking for isometric type rackets as a replacement. So my question is what models should I be looking for. All these new superlative technologies have me at a lost! So if you guys can help orient me toward something that might be more fitted with my type of game, I would very much appreciate it! (Type of game is usually powerful, so I need help with my short game)
     
  2. epermana

    epermana Regular Member

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    I recommend Muscle Power 29 or Nanospeed 9000S. All theories aside, those are the two models recreational players like when they test rackets. It might be different elsewhere.
     
  3. Wexed

    Wexed Regular Member

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    I've never tried any rackets in the muscle series, but I don't see why I would want more power. Precision is what I'm lacking, now the NS9000 seems nice indeed. Is there anything else out there that compares to it?
     
  4. epermana

    epermana Regular Member

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    Ultimately, it depends on your budget. MP 29 is not as head heavy compared to its high end counterpart such as MP99 and MP100. Another racket I recommend is Arcsaber 7. The medium flex often gives the "got so much feel" feeling.

    Hope it helps. =)

    In Australia,
    MP29: AU$100
    Arcsaber 7: AU$200
    Nanospeed 9000S: AU$220
     
  5. Karakalkat

    Karakalkat Regular Member

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    Sounds like your old racket was very stiff shaft...check out the Sotx Woven series and the Karakal M-Tec 85 for power and control...Keep testing your friends rackets until you find what you like...dont limit yourself to Yonex:D
     
  6. Wexed

    Wexed Regular Member

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    Hmmm, well I guess the province of Quebec doesn't have too many specialized badminton stores, cause I've never seen any of those two brands you've just named. The most common brands being Yonex, BK, here, then you can find a few places that keep Wilson, Carlton and Head. I've read about the two brands you've just named, I've just never seen them in any stores around here :(
     
  7. Karakalkat

    Karakalkat Regular Member

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    Keep asking questions on BCF as to what people like...The Karakal that I mentioned is what our singles players like the best...it is easy to play with and has fine touch and control....it is not the ultimate smasher but rather a really strong singles racket that plays well also in doubles...
    All quality rackets are very close together in playability and it is just a matter of getting used to them...some have better offensive traits and others are better for defense while others still are a compromise....whatever you buy you will get used to the way it plays...If money is no concern then just go for one and if you dont like it then sell it and get another...this is the most fun way to do it anyway...
     
  8. Wexed

    Wexed Regular Member

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    Thank you Karakalkat (jeeze I have a hard time spelling that name @.@) I'll do just that. I do believe trying as many rackets as I can is the best way to go. You never really know what you're going to prefer until you've tried them all :)
    An analogy to women comes to mind all of sudden, but I'll auto-censor myself at this moment :p
    BTW, to everyone happy holiday from the North :)
     
  9. tony531

    tony531 Regular Member

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    if you want yonex, id go for the arcsaber series
     
  10. noobtron

    noobtron Regular Member

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    I'd say get Nanospeed 9000S. I had friends who went from horrible to OK because of that racket .... Then they became pro...:(

    NS9k is gd for both doubles and singles. unless you have good form and wrist strength you won't benefit from the other high end rackets like AT900p, At700, and plus, those rackets are only good for singles

    So i say NANOSPEED 9000S w000t go go go gogogogogo!!!!!
     
  11. Wexed

    Wexed Regular Member

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    Wah, went to the sporting good store near where I play. Arg what a deception, very little variety in rackets and the guys had crazy jacked up prices! I can't believe 275$ for NS8000 plus the string! After taxes... chaching! 345$ I believe someone's trying to screw me over lol. Gonna have to find a better store!
    There's one thing I don't get in all of this. Like I've stated I don't consider myself to be a good player. I'm average at best... my footwork is horrible lol, but I'm working on it! I have a lot of power in my forehand, no problem there, my backhand however is lacking. I am working on my technique, but I was wondering then if I should go with a head heavy racket with medium shaft stiffness to try and maximize that aspect of my game or opt more for an all-around racket that is mid balanced. I'm asking because I prefer mid-balanced rackets, but curious as to whether it's worth the time and effort to get used to a head balanced racket...
    Thanks for your comments guys.
     
  12. OSFcross

    OSFcross Regular Member

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    If it were me, I'd just buy a relatively cheap racket then spend the rest of my money on training sessions. Head-heaviness and shaft stiffness are things that you'd only appreciate once you gain a decent amount of skill. Some people here kick major ass with just a mere MP22.
     
    #12 OSFcross, Dec 16, 2008
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2008
  13. Wexed

    Wexed Regular Member

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    OSF, I appreciate the opinion, but if you could answer my question it would very much be appreciated. The question was whether or not I should take the time to get used to a head heavy racket or not. I wasn't asking if I could get my b*tt handed to me by a pro player with a wooden racket. I, unfortunately, already know that (exagerating here, but you get the drift). The other thing being that the cheap rackets aren't that cheap either cause it seems that store is intent on reaming everyone's a@@ well the difference between rackets would really only cover one or two hours of coaching.
    The reason I was thinking head heavy on a medium stiffness shaft was to try and maximize the flexion of the racket and see if that could get me a bit more power. Plus medium stiffness rackets also tend to be in the mid-ranged price rackets. So ...
     
  14. Oldhand

    Oldhand Moderator

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    You need to ask yourself: "Why Yonex?"

    Check out the threads that have the latest Yonex prices in Malaysia and Singapore. Add to it normal international shipping charges.

    If you must pay anything more than this total, don't buy Yonex.
    After all, you are playing the same game over there.
    There's no reason to pay more than what others do.

    Any brand of racquet is good enough to beat anyone.
    The important thing is that it must feel right to YOU :)
     
  15. derekcai

    derekcai Regular Member

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    I dont see why you would not want more power, it is never enough :p
     
  16. Wexed

    Wexed Regular Member

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    Here's the situation Oldhand and thank you for your comments :)
    Canadian national sport is hockey, we've got different brands and stores all over the place! Badminton not so much, unfortunately. I think a lot of people see it as effeminate or something. If they're going to play a racket sport it's going to be tennis, even though you can only play it outside 4 months a year. So the two big names we carry here are Yonex and BK. This morning I found a site selling SOTC so I'm looking for reviews to see if their reputation is good. I'm not hooked on Yonex, I've only played a dozen games with an AT800def. Too much unnecessary power if you ask me, placing your smash will do a lot more for points than brute strength :) But it does have a great feel and I found it very responsive and it gave a good feedback to my arm.

    In any case, no I'm not stuck on Yonex. I'm open to all suggestions, but I won't buy a racket that I can't try first hand, so I'm somewhat limited in my brand options :( IMO a racket is only as good as the player, and if you don't like the feeling of your racket then you aren't going to play comfortably and the quality of your game is going to suffer. I mean frankly, badminton is a unique sport, but basic sports principals still apply to it ^^ so yeah I like to try products before I buy them, as I'm sure everyone else does :)

    BK and Yonex are the two big brands we have here. I haven't seen or heard too many people going about saying BK was "all that" so I don't know, but the prices are pretty similar. I'd even go as far as to venture that BK is sometimes more expensive than Yonex in some stores, so that's why I was opting for that brand. Also, like I've stated in another thread, I refuse to buy clones so that's out of the question :mad:

    So in the end right now my preference is for light, mid balanced rackets, but since I'm not a pro and I certainly don't believe I've tried everything there is to try I'm open to suggestions that I can try :)
    By the way Oldhand I'm not too keen on buying from Asia since I don't know if I'm going to get handed a fake or not, but if you know a few recommendable stores then I would definitely look it up.
    Thanks again :)

    To Derekcai

    Power isn't everything in the game. Look at the top players, it doesn't matter how much power they use, in the end it's positioning and strategy that wins the point, whether it be a misjudgment or an unforced error. Practically every smash gets returned, the only reason you put that much energy in it is too limit the amount of control the returning player has, that way you gain an advantage over him. Now at one point all that power becomes useless if you can't control it or you sacrifice the control you had for it. I can clear without any problems I can smash hard enough to have people much better than me say that my smash is a scary thing so I don't believe that I'm going to gain anything at the moment from increasing my power. And frankly my aim is not to pop holes is watermelons and break wooden planks with my shuttlecock :) I know control is mostly gained from practicing, but you can improve it if your comfortable with your racket and you get good feedback from it with the right tension and string of course :)
    In any case that's my opinion, you are entitled to your own and we may debate away ^^
     
  17. Oldhand

    Oldhand Moderator

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    You got it wrong :)

    I was using Asia just as a point of reference.
    What I said is that it makes little sense to pay more in Canada than what you would need to pay to get it from elsewhere.

    I'd still suggest you get yourself a racquet that feels good in your hands.
    It doesn't have to be any particular make or model.
    Simply put, it just has to be something you like :)
     
  18. Karakalkat

    Karakalkat Regular Member

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    Everyone would like to try before you buy....BUT sometimes that is not possible and you end up with what is in your club that you can borrow...You are an individual but you are not unique when it comes to badminton....your physical characteristics will pretty much dictate what racket combination will feel good to you....
    If you like the feel of the At800 def then ask what racket makers are offering a very similar feeling racket to this one....
    My suggestion from what you have said in this post would be different than what I would have suggested from reading your first post....
    There are many shops in Asia selling real quality products and we are generally cheaper than European shops...Just ask for info from BCF players...
    We are distributors for Karakal, YangYang and are now testing Sotx....we have never sold a fake and never will...
    Another thing is that we only distribute after we have play tested the rackets...assuring ourselves that we are selling the best product....If that product falls off in quality or playability we drop it as we are now doing with YangYang...
    Asia shops differ the same as shops in Europe or N. America and it bugs me when people lump us all together....Enough of my complaining....
    Dont be afraid of buying something you have not tried before....When enough players tell you this or that racket plays well then there must be something to what they are saying....You are in an area that is racket brand "challanged" so good luck....
     
  19. Wexed

    Wexed Regular Member

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    I'm not stating I'm different, I'm looking for something specific and I won't settle for less. When I find I will know, that's why I'm asking for everyone's input. I will criticize and have my opinion on suggestions and I expect people to back up their point Karakalkat. Like you're doing. Every time I get a comment I get closer to knowing what I'm looking for and what I can expect :) This is a long learning process. Since last week I've discovered 5 totally new brands of rackets I had no idea existed ^^

    Ok, what would be your new suggestions :)

    True, prices are cheaper, but that shouldn't be the case... atleast not by an excessive margin. Like Oldhand said, I should be paying the price of the racket with the shipping and that's that. As I've noticed this doesn't seem to be the case and the big stores around here are intent on making a big profit margin... So if I can't find an honest reseller around my area I will look elsewhere.

    Finally, it wasn't my intention to generalize and include all asian stores into one big bundle. Unfortunately for you guys EBAY is not exactly helping your cause. Every fake Yonex and whatever seem to originate from China. I know China is not Asia, though it is the biggest land mass. So I'm sorry to have offended you or anyone else for that matter. Fact is though I'm not anymore trusting of the internet shop in British Columbia, or Malaysia, or anywhere else for that matter lol. Swindlers live everywhere, that's why I asked for recommendations :)
    I mean look at fakes nowadays, they're hard to spot from a distance. They're even harder on photos if you aren't a connaisseur, which I am not lol. So again I apologize, and though I criticize I always welcome your input :) Believe me I'll let you know if I'm tired of hearing from someone ^^
    BTW Karakal has some crazy light rackets, how do they perform?

    Ok damn it, that's enough! I'm moving somewhere in Asia! Don't know where yet! Too unfaire lol you guys have all the goodie stores and for cheap! I want in I tell you! I want in!
     
    #19 Wexed, Dec 16, 2008
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2008
  20. Karakalkat

    Karakalkat Regular Member

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    Your problem is that you just dont have the rackets available to test in your area...
    You say you have a strong wrist and if you have the proper technique then you can play with a stiff shaft (good for control and feel)....You talk about feeling your racket and that suggest you have good technique and generally hit the shuttlecock in the sweet spot consistently....all of this suggest a higher level than you allude to....You say you like the AT 800 DE....There are many other rackets that fit in this general class but you will have to take a chance and just go for it....listen to the advice and match it to what racket you already know about and then order it online or be upfront with your local shop and tell him this is what I can buy it for online and can you come close to this price....It is much better to buy locally if possible....warranty return being the main problem...with our Karakal line we have only had 3 rackets replaced in 2 years....I just replaced one racket to a player whose racket broke from a slight clash of rackets and it still cost him 45usd just for the express shipping from Vietnam to him...
    Warranty is something to consider....
    Our Karakal line has 6 months warranty and what constitutes a defect is decided by myself rather than the factory....All factories require the racket to be returned and then they decide if they will warranty it or not...We are the only distributor that I know of who does it on our own....
    So basically it is best to buy locally but if he wont deal with you then buy it online...
    Karakal has the lightest rackets for sure but the 70 gram racket is more of defense only racket....
    I play with the M-Tec 80 Tattoo and for me it is everything a "doubles" racket should be....it is not a singles racket but still has a strong smash when needed to set up a point...you will not overpower people with it but then again most rackets wont overpower a good defensive player...touch is very fine strung at 12 kilo and control is always spot on...I wish you could try it...Since you liked the 800 DE you would like the M-Tec 80 for sure....
    If you take a vacation to Vietnam look me up and I will provide all rackets for testing..
    Barring this vacation, try to visit other clubs to borrow new rackets for testing....
     

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