Head - 0 / Yonex - 1

Okay, short story.

Skip to the fourth paragraph if you're easily bored.

I played Badders in my late teens / early 20's for about four years. I ended up in B grade which is probably meaningless universally but I was a reasonably okay player I guess before Uni / Girls / Beer intervened.

Fastforward 18 years and I'm back playing badminton again and I love this sport. I just play socially at the moment because frankly I don't need any more stress or commitment in my life right now, but I'm now at the stage where playing twice a week just isn't enough! I guess you could say "I'm lovin' it".

I've always been a bit of a gearhead, so after playing for 4 weeks or so with borrowed rackets, I decided to be a bit different and get a Head Metallix 8000 Tour, strung with Nanogy 95 at 24lbs. Safe to say it was just a little different than my previous rackets which were Cab21s! I struggled with it but got used to it to the point where I could weild it reasonably well.

I've now been playing twice a week for about 6 months now, playing with every different sort of racket I can get my hands on. I'm constantly amazed at how small differences can make a racket feel very different (One reason I'm slightly critical of Dinks racket reviews, because at his set up compared to a beginners set-up, a racket can feel and perform very, very different.)

Having said that, last week I decided to culminate what I've learned about rackets and with Dinks reviews in mind get my hands on a new racket.

I decided on a Yonex Armourtec 900 Technique. Got it strung at 24lbs with BG80.

Couple of reasons for this. Yonex is seen as the benchmark so they're perhaps a better place to start than some other brands. They also have a very high level of development - it shows they've been making rackets for a long time.
I also felt the 900T suited my style because I play mostly doubles and am not really a big smasher (Although at 95kgs and 193cm I probably should be). I have big hands and use a thick overgrip, so the slight head-heaviness becomes an even balance once I string and grip it up, although I did have to adjust my timing after using the Head M8kT which is almost 15g lighter.

My arm is actually a bit sore today when usually it never is.

One feature of Yonex rackets that is a little unique is their feel. They feel solid, like you can almost feel the shuttle hit the strings and repulse away. They're very 'organic', or at least the AT900T is. Great control compared to the Head M8000T which is much faster, but also 'pingy' and hollow feeling.

Of course, the reason for that as I soon discovered was that my Head wasn't strung at 24lbs like I asked!!

Side-by-side, both rackets strung at the same poundage, the Head is visibly and obviously higher tension! How annoying is that! Is that why it feels pingy and unforgiving?

So now I have a dillemna - Get the Head strung the same as the AT900T and contrast and compare, or dump it and go with the new AT900T as my main squeeze?

As you can tell, after playing last night with the 900T, I reckon it's a hugely better racket then the Head. My accuracy and short game improved exponentially, but like with all 'first loves', there's always going to be the ingering doubt of 'how would it be strung the same as the new one?'.

 

Tension isn't really dropping on the NGY95's. Not convinced I should spend the AUD35 getting a restring.....hrm....decisions decisions.....

 

Yeah, definitely. I just gripped them both so that they're identical (removed original grip, added Karakal PU Super as replacement) and the AT900T is 10g heavier (100 vs 90 exactly). Think I will restring the Head so it's identical and see what happens.

 

Then you'll be surprised to hear a Laksa here costs the equivalent of RM26.