PREVIEW: Carlton Vapour Trail Tour / Elite

**quezac** · 01-21-2011, 09:26 AM

mattdanielc my advice would definately be try before you buy. The vapour trail elite is geting towards an extreme end of racket specification and may well make your game worse. You say you can play against club level players but I would sugest that the VTE is a bit too extreme for most club players, it certainly would be too much for me. On page 16 of this thread kwun states that the VTE is too stif for him and I'm sure he has a very good technique, and without both good technique and a strong wrist the racket will not work.
Previously I promised to do a review of the VTT from the perspective of a mid-level club player, although I've given it a quick try and so far so good, I still need to test it at full power, but as I'm still having shoulder/arm problems so I'll have to do it another time.

**jin_uk** · 01-23-2011, 12:19 AM

Just bought the Armortec 600 instead - much more forgiving and still head heavy plus lighter. Only £65 before it gets withdrawn completely before all the Voltrics

**Maklike Tier** · 01-24-2011, 04:07 AM

I think the VTT is everything the ArcSaber Z-Slash proported to be, but wasn't. It packs a real punch but has a larger sweetspot, is stiffer so you get good accuracy, and was fast at the front of the net.

Only reason I sold mine is because it didnt really pull at the heart strings and I couldn't really get super excited about the way it looked. That's an awful lot of chrome to deal with!

**quezac** · 01-27-2011, 09:24 AM

When my VTT arrived just before Christmas I waited for the family to go out, took down the tree and replaced it with the racket, fairy lights, tinsel and all!
My opposition are advised to wear sunglasses, I take no responsibility for retinal damage.

**alphapeta** · 01-27-2011, 09:44 AM

I have a Cartlon Vapour Trail Tour for sale! It's a bit chipped but otherwise very stable. With BG80 strings. Yours for £30 inclusive of postage. A bargain no less.
Let me know if anyone wants it/wants to see pictures. Pete

**alphapeta** · 01-28-2011, 04:52 AM

VTT Racket sold—I should have put it in the sales forum though, but this seemed like a better way of reaching my target audience! So apologies site administrators nonetheless! P

**mattdanielc** · 01-31-2011, 03:57 AM

Originally Posted by jin_uk

Just bought the Armortec 600 instead - much more forgiving and still head heavy plus lighter. Only £65 before it gets withdrawn completely before all the Voltrics

Thanks for the tip mate - bought an Armortec 50 for £55

Head heavy and stiff flex - just what I was after! I felt a bit of a traitor leaving Carlton...

**dr_lager** · 04-19-2011, 11:20 PM

Well, I finally bought the VTT - paid £69 shipped for it... but I have to wait to pick it up until I'm next in UK. I also bought a used Fireblade Tour on ebay, so I'm going to try the real comparison! I'm still loving my Powerblade Tour though. I wish it wasn't discontinued, and I also wish I hadn't missed the sale at ibadminton.com when they were selling them at 2 for £60...

**Accordaz** · 05-17-2011, 05:44 PM

Would you recommend VTE for a beginner - intermediate? (just playing with friends)

**gollywog** · 05-18-2011, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Accordaz

Would you recommend VTE for a beginner - intermediate? (just playing with friends)

Most definitely not, far too stiff and demanding

**riuryK** · 05-22-2011, 11:47 AM

Hi there,

I had the chance to get either racket of the new series (VT, Air Rage and Airblade), and I've read (all the post of this thread looking for answers. Yes, all of them.

I specially liked Danstevens' reviews (page 12). I was first decided to buy a VT Tour, but right now I'm not quite sure. Danstevens said in that review that Air Rage S-Lite (the pink-black girly one

) and "Toni the Tiger" VT S-Lite are quite similar, although he mentions the latters feels lighter than the former.

I don't consider myself a hard-hitter, but have a long swing. That's why I don't think a could get out the most of a stiff heavy-head racket. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but with a long swing I think a flex racket can create much more power than a stiff one, right?

Well, just wanted to ask you about these Carlton according to my style of play. Any other similar brand/model are welcome, of course.

Thanks in advance for your tips.

**JukUx** · 05-22-2011, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by riuryK

Hi there,

I had the chance to get either racket of the new series (VT, Air Rage and Airblade), and I've read (all the post of this thread looking for answers. Yes, all of them.

I specially liked Danstevens' reviews (page 12). I was first decided to buy a VT Tour, but right now I'm not quite sure. Danstevens said in that review that Air Rage S-Lite (the pink-black girly one

) and "Toni the Tiger" VT S-Lite are quite similar, although he mentions the latters feels lighter than the former.

I don't consider myself a hard-hitter, but have a long swing. That's why I don't think a could get out the most of a stiff heavy-head racket. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but with a long swing I think a flex racket can create much more power than a stiff one, right?

Well, just wanted to ask you about these Carlton according to my style of play. Any other similar brand/model are welcome, of course.

Thanks in advance for your tips.

I think its more about how FAST you can swing. I'am no expert on this, so i might be wrong. But power depends on your swinging speed. If you swing really fast, then a stiff/x-stiff racket is more you because you can forcefully bend it which generates more power. While, if you swing SLOW a flex racket might be more you because it flex's when you swing it adding more power. A fast swinger wouldn't want to use a flex racket as it'll just overflex and your shot would go everywhere. And a slow swinger wouldn't want an stiff/x-stff racket because there would be on power.

I am not sure what a long swing is, but if you aren't a power hitter, I am going to assume that you don't have a fast swing. So I'd say go for a med flex or stiff head heavy. This depends also on your other aspects of your game which I do not know.

Disclaimer: I am not 100% sure of right i said so don't flame me

**riuryK** · 05-22-2011, 01:50 PM

Thanks a lot for your answer. With long swing I mean, well, my swing is not as compact and (you're right) as fast as other players' swings I see on the court. Let's say I have a wide but slightly slow swing.

Thanks.

**JukUx** · 05-22-2011, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by riuryK

Thanks a lot for your answer. With long swing I mean, well, my swing is not as compact and (you're right) as fast as other players' swings I see on the court. Let's say I have a wide but slightly slow swing.

Thanks.

give mid-flex to stiff head heavy rackets a shot! you might like them

**Accordaz** · 05-22-2011, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by gollywog

Most definitely not, far too stiff and demanding

What about the VTT? Too demanding for a intermediate player too?

**gollywog** · 05-23-2011, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by Accordaz

What about the VTT? Too demanding for a intermediate player too?

No i think an intermediate would be able to handle the VTT no problems. Its actually one of my favourite rackets even though i dont actually own one, played with it before and LOVED it!

**riuryK** · 05-23-2011, 03:54 PM

Hi,

After reading some of the old posts, I'm really confused when some people compare the VTT with the Z-Slash. According to their technical specifications, they're completely different:

VTT: Even balanced, medium shaft, all-round play
ZS: Head-heavy, stiff shaft, attacking play

Are really so similar when in the hand? It shouldn't be so at first sight. I suppose this is a matter of feeling with the racket, of course.

Thanks.