Confused on choosing a racket

Discussion in 'Racket Recommendation / Comparison' started by Famia, Jul 20, 2009.

  1. Famia

    Famia New Member

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    Well I've read everything in the choosing badminton equipment section ( http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21851 ) and after trying a few rackets out I'm a bit confused.

    I consider myself a beginner as I'm just playing for fun and not playing for that long (just once a week at most for a little over a year) and I decided it's time to buy myself a good racket (instead of borrowing) since all my friends already bought 1.

    I read about the tension and how I should buy a lower one for a beginner, but when I tried their rackets, the 24lbs (most of my friends choose higher ones so it's around 24-26) one just keeps on bouncing the shuttle and it just doesn't want to go down, or where I think I wanted it to go. It keeps going up when I wanted it to go down, not once was I able to make it go down, the harder I hit with a downward motion the higher and farther it goes.

    One of my friends bought a new one and made it 28lbs, and when I tried that, the shuttle surprisingly goes to where I wanted to (Not exactly where I envision it but close enough; down when I wanted it down near or down far.) Bottom line I feel that the racket as a whole was perfect and it improved my game a bit. Can't really say much since I just tried it for a few rounds.

    I don't have basic training/drills on the game, I just play and try to hit the shuttle, move around and such. So I'm a bit confused on what the guide said and what I experienced. I'm big and I always try to hit hard so it might be that.

    Should I get a 20lbs one like the recommendation and then practice on it; learning to play the right way, or the problem is on how I play? or get the 28lbs one and get better on my hard hits? or is it because of something in the racket or some other thing people can tell me?

    The 28lbs racket I tried was a Carlton Aerospeed (I think, that's whats written in the bag) the 24lbs one was a Prince (Don't know the model, and it's bought with the default string unchanged), a 25lbs Prince Oversize (I think it's oversize or overflex or over whatever) and lastly a Yonex (Don't know model) For all of this I don't know about the specific model. The only thing I can tell you is that the price is around $50usd for all of them except the Carlton on which is around $100usd. I just converted these since I don't live in the US so it might not match the price being sold online or retail.
     
  2. BoyGenius

    BoyGenius Regular Member

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    Hi Famia, perhaps you can share how much budget are you looking at, so BC members here may be able to give you some suggestions
     
  3. Famia

    Famia New Member

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    I'm looking at around $50usd give or take. Budget is flexible but I do find it hard to justify spending $100 on what I look at as a casual game.

    What got me curious however is why the recommendation for a beginner is completely the opposite to my experience.

    Edit: or to put it another way, what's so special/different about that aerospeed racket that I play significantly better using it than the other 3?

    Since this is choosing a racket board. I'll go ahead and put how I play or how I think I play. Most of these are feedback by some players I asked that is already playing the game and what I read here and there.

    1.) I'm an offensive player. I like to go ahead and smash it when I got the opportunity rather than trying to force my opponent to make a mistake. Drops near the net is not my style, or atleast I can't seem to control my strength enough to do a light hit for a drop instead it always fly far.
    2.) I'm looking at a stiffer racket, and is head heavy. I think I narrowed my problem down to my friend's racket being a flex type and me trying to hit the racket as hard and as fast as possible as opposed to flicking it lightly. From what I've read flex racket + powerful hit is not a good thing.
    3.) I'm also looking at stringing around 28lbs of tension. So maybe a racket that can handle up to 30+lbs of tension so that I don't wear the racket too quickly by stringing to the max. Based on #2, I'm not sure if this is the right way since if #2 is right, a stiff racket with 22lbs or lower might actually work.

    Sorry if my posts are evry wordy, I try to give as much info as possible and force of habit.

    Thanks.
     
    #3 Famia, Jul 21, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2009
  4. Jing09

    Jing09 Regular Member

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    Maybe you can wield a 28lb tensioned racket because you are a very strong lady :] or you have a fast swing speed.
     
  5. silentheart

    silentheart Regular Member

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    1) Welcome to BCBF.
    2) I assuming you are borrowing different racquets from your friends with different tension as you go up. Since you feel the Carlton Aerospeed give you the best angle, here is my guess.
    a) Since you are a beginner, your swing speed is slower and late. A stiffer string bed (higher tension) will cause the shuttle to leave the racquet earlier. Hence the shuttle is going up on angle.
    b) Carlton Aerospeed is a very light racquet. It actually increase your swing speed. So you are contacting shuttle at higher speed and further forward. That gets the shuttle down and feel more powerful.

    That is why most of the time we recommend you try out the racquet first before you buy. Also a lighter racquet with lower tension for beginner to generate speed and faster recover time. Just get the Carlton Aerospeed if you feel the best from that racquet and give you best shots. Afterall, it is the winning shot that count.

    Good luck on your search
     
  6. Jing09

    Jing09 Regular Member

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    By the way, you may not be able to get a racket that can be strung to 28lbs on a $50 budget.

    Most high end rackets have a recommended string tension of 25lbs. Lower end rackets are probably around 22lbs.

    I think if you string past the recommended tension and the racket breaks because of it, you will void the warrenty.

    Just keep that in mind haha

    Oh and I think if you really want to improve your game aside from a new racket, you should learn to play the proper way. You will benefit from it in the long run because you can only get so far with an improper form.

     
  7. Famia

    Famia New Member

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    Thanks for the replies.

    @Jing: Yea, I try to hit as fast and as hard as possible. I guess it's due to how I think it works previously; which is the racket is like a board the harder you swing, the harder it is returned and not as a sling shot that recoils and uses momentum. Now I know better.

    @Silentheart: Yep I always borrow a racket from friends, so I use whatever is available at the time. You might be right, it might be by chance that I got a hold of that racket and the extra speed it gives complements/matches my swing timing that gave the illusion that I have better control.

    I did a quick search on the specs of the aerospeed and for the most versions it's medium stiff and weighs 85-89g. My friend got lucky and bought it for 50% off ($100 down to $50) I'll see if they are still on sale, if not I'll go find a racket with similar stiffness.

    @jing: Thanks for the heads-up on the recommended tension. Will help incase the clerk tries to force a quick dirty sell.

    Another question, how does re-stringing work? Do I need to buy new strings or can they just reuse the old string? Was thinking of starting at 20-22lbs see what happens and go higher if it doesn't suite me.
     
  8. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    I agree.

    There's many factors may impact the overall "feeling", such as balance, overall weight, stiffness, string type/tension, grip size, etc. With slower swing speed, the negative side of high tension did not really show up yet, which is the shock to your joints. However, once you have better swing speed, then the shock might be a bit too much to the joints.

    Also, many ppl "claim" their rackets to be ultra high tension, but actually it's not. This is usually due to stringer's machine setup (i.e. crank) and/or calibration. Many times, ppl "forced" me to strung beyond 26+lb, as they "got used to it", and after i explain and give them a try of my "only 23, 24lbs" racket, they were very surprised about how much more stiffer it is. :rolleyes:

    Personally, I think any well made all graphite racket (which should easily be found within $40-70) range can satisfied the causal playing usage.
     
  9. Jing09

    Jing09 Regular Member

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    When you go to the shop to restring, you will normally have to buy new strings from them unless you provide your own. They will ask you what what type of strings you want and also the color if they have any. Then they will ask you what tension you want it to be strung at.

    From what I have read, there are stringing tehniques that allow you to reuse your strings, but normally the end results are unsatisfying to the player.

     
  10. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    In western world, the string material cost is much cheaper when compare to the labor cost. I hardly heard anyone even bother with "re-used" strings. It will only means the next time it will break even faster, and you end up paying more and more often.
     
  11. BoyGenius

    BoyGenius Regular Member

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    You may also want to look at Apacs rackets; they are fairly good and most of the range are within you $50 budget
     
  12. surge

    surge Regular Member

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    a racket is an extension of your hand to the shuttle. thus, when you are swinging the racket, you must feel comfortable with it. ask the shop to let you try head heavy, balanced and head light racket. make a few swings and feel which you are most comfortable with. get the most comfortable one.

    about tension and strings, choose a tension of 24lbs or 25lbs (regarding tension, its how you hit, doesnt mean beginner must use low tension) you can always try a different tension when you restring. about strings, some strings are more bouncy than others, again, you can try them later when you restring.

    once you get yourself a better racket, play with it until you can actually tell why you like of dislike the racket then you can start thinking if you wanna change racket. if you can't tell the difference, it doesnt matter anyway.

    most of the badminton players has more than a few rackets, so have a few different rackets cos they enjoy using different rackets at different times. some like me, are plain boring and have 3 same rackets in the bag. as backups if string breaks.:D

    conclusion, get a racket you like( even the colour scheme) and enjoy the game. rackets is just part of the thrill in badminton...compulsive buying and testing for some, but game is still the main dish
     
  13. NV650NV

    NV650NV Regular Member

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    Though at higher tensions the string will break more often, and you will have to restring often, than if you had strung it at lower tensions.

    Also, give APACS a try, Apacs EdgeSaber 9 a ladies racket. Though i don’t own the EdgeSaber 9 i do own a few apacs rackets (nanofusion 608pro ect), and they can easily take 28 lbs.
    Have a look on ebay $48 inc shipping.
    If you don’t like that racket there are lots more to choose from in their range.
     
    #13 NV650NV, Jul 24, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2009
  14. Famia

    Famia New Member

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    Thanks for all the replies, they are very helpful. Advice from other threads in this site as well.

    To put a close to this thread, I've gone and bought a Prince Oversize Blue (on sale for $70).

    Strung it at 23lbs. I like the feel and I'll just see how it goes on the court.

    I liked the Armortec300 more but the store that has it was overpricing it so I skipped them and

    there seems to be no store in my area that has AT300, they got 500, 700 and 900 but they are

    outside my budget. There was another racket I liked but I'm not sure on the brand if it's good or

    not and is a bit expensive anyway. The racket is Aerogear from Dunlop.

    As expected, the drone behind the counter knows next to nothing on rackets. They keep giving me

    the high end ones when I said I was looking for a good beginner balanced racket; keeps telling me

    the racket is flex when the shaft state the racket as stiff, etc. Well enough rant =).

    Thanks all.
     
  15. canti

    canti Regular Member

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    good choice on the prince. They are great rackets for newer players still you get to a more advanced lvl
     
  16. Famia

    Famia New Member

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    Sorry on the messed up format. I copy pasted the reply to notepad when my net hanged up and when I pasted back I did not realized the format was messed.

    I can't find any APACS rackets around here, there is this other brand called RSL though.

    Double posted since the edit button seemed to be gone now.
     
  17. surge

    surge Regular Member

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    RSL makes good rackets for the price( a high end rsl cos about US60 in malaysia). seriously, high end rackets make a difference in advance skills when player to player are highly skilled and equipment makes a difference.

    at most beginner levels, the weakness is mostly poor execution of strokes than equipment. it takes a while before your skills would out perform the technical aspects of rackets like rsl, apacs etc before you truely would NEED a high end racket. of cos, most have high end racket cos we WANT them. :p
     

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