Alright, guys and gals - buckle up! I'm currently looking to buy a new racquet. I prefer headlight racquets, my previous racquet being a Yonex NS 5000. I've tried headheavy racquets, and have even owned a few, like an AT 300, but have never really liked them. I love to play at the net, drop, lift and hit clears and drives when I'm forced to play closer to the baseline. Thus, I feel that a manouverable headlight racquet is a must for me. So, with the intention of buying a new headlight racquet, I've read tens of racquet descriptions from numerous badminton shops across the internet - and have found myself to be completely confused with the data I've come across. I'll give you an example: how can it read in badmintonalley.com that the Wilson K-Pro racquet is 7 points head-heavy (with "8" being the most head-heavy), but at the same time has a balance point of 28 centimetres (it actually says 28 in the shaft, I've looked it up)? Isn't a balance point of 28 centimetres an indication of a racquet being headlight, not head-heavy? Is there any possibility for a racquet that is 670 millimetres in length to be head-heavy with the balance point of 28 centimetres? The same site also claims the new K-Brave racquet (which has a balance point of 27,5 centimetres written on the shaft) to be "balanced" (5) instead of headlight (4). Is it possible for a racquet with a bp of 27,5 to be anything but headlight? The same site also claims the NS 6000 to be "even balanced/slightly head-heavy" (6), when the same racquet is claimed by Yonex to be just about the most headlight racquet in their selection. How can this be? To make matters worse, it seems that many sites that sell badminton goods copy their racquet specs directly from badmintonalley.com instead of calculating - and possibly correcting - the specs themselves. Do sites like badmintonalley actually measure the exact balance points of the racquets they are selling, or do they just play with the racquets and write down how they thought the racquet "felt like"? Who is at fault, the racquet manufacturers for printing incorrect data on their products or the vendors for pulling specs out of their hats? Or is there something I've missed? Secondly, doesn't the length of the racquet play a big part when assessing its balance point? If, for example, racquets A and B both have a numerical balance point of 29 centimetres, but racquet A is 675 millimetres in length whereas racquet B's length is only 665 millimetres, doesn't it then follow that racquet A's balance point is further from the head (or closer to the butt), thus making it more headlight compared to racquet B? It would be greatly appreciated if somebody in BC could take the time to shed some light on this matter! Thanks!
Don't pay too much attention to what it says on store websites like badmintonalley.com - they often get their facts wrong. The figures published by the manufacturer should be much more reliable. If you're in any doubt, just talk to the seller before you buy, and get them to double-check. Length does play a part, but perhaps not in the way you think. Taking your example - the actual percentages (balance point * 100 / length) are 41.8% and 41.5%, so clearly there's very little difference there. More importantly though, the longer racket will actually take more effort to swing, because it acts as a (longer) lever, effectively multiplying the weight of the racket head. You need to stop thinking in terms of "balance points" and start thinking about "swing-weights" (a combination of weight, balance, length etc). Having said that, you shouldn't get too bogged down in numbers at all. They're good for helping you narrow down your search a bit, but they can only tell you so much about a racket - they are no substitute for actually holding a racket in your hands and giving it a swing.
Thanks a lot for the swift and informative reply, Sketchy! I guess I had been focusing on the balance point -figure a bit too obsessively. It was also good to know that the length of the racquet does not play as big a role as I had previously thought. It's still odd, though, that sites like badmintonalley can sometimes get their racquet specs so screwed up. I was wondering if there are any sites you guys could recommend for more reliable racquet specs? huangxl, what you said made me think of another thing. A local Victor salesperson claimed yesterday that adding weight to the butt-end of the racquet does nothing to improve the playability of the racquet, other than making it heavier and thus more tiring for the arm. He claimed that the added weight, be it an extra overgrip, lead tape, etc., would not make the racquet more manouverable by changing its bp, but only rendering the racquet heavier and slower. If it's so, then why do some people add weight to the butt of their racquets? Do they only prefer the feel of a heavier racquet? To cap things off, are there perhaps some racquet models you would recommend for a tall person looking for a very manouverable racquet with a medium flexible to a slightly stiff shaft? The brand makes absolutely no difference to me, neither does the price. I've heard positive things about ArcSaber 7 and Victor Power Waves 33 Control. The K-Brave should also be a good contender, at least spec-wise. Do you guys have any experience on these racquets? Are there possibly other models you could recommend? Again, I thank you most kindly!
The Victor salesman is correct. As Sketchy said, it's better to think in terms of swing weight (angular momentum and intertia) rather than just balance point. Adding weight to the butt end will change the BP and make the racquet more "head-light" but it won't make it any easier to swing because it won't change the angular moment of intertia one bit. The racquet will be heavier but it won't make the racquet noticably more tiring or slower because you're not swinging the extra weight - which is where 95% of your effort goes. Why people add weight to the butt end (other than overgrips) I don't know As for racquet recommendations, my preference is at the head-heavy end of the spectrum - my tools of choice are Yonex AT700 & AT900P, so can't really help there.
Well the APACS Super Light is listed as head heavy, but because it weighs a measly 70 grams, it's still unbelievably maneuverable and excellent on defense, and due to the head heaviness, it doesn't sacrifice a whole lot on the offensive side. Karakal also carries a few light weight racquets as well, and APACS has a Lethal Light and Tantrum Light coming out soon as super light entries into their excellent Lethal and Tantrum lines.
Yeah, that's what i mean. A thicker grip make the racket more headlight so don't be too bother by the balance point reading. The stringing also makes a difference in my case. When i strung my arc 10 at 24lbs, it feels so sluggish. But when i up it to 25lbs, i don feel the drag whenever i swing it. I am also puzzled as to why it feel this way too. It seems like arc 10 must be strung at high tension to get the real feel out of it
Thanks a lot, petert1401, signflip4life and huangxl! I used to have an old Wilson Hyper Hammer 80 as a backup racquet; it weighed only 84 grams strung and with an extra overgrip, had a short, stiff shaft and was somewhat head-heavy in balance. I think it was originally intended as a doubles racquet, but I used to play singles with it and really liked the feel of the racquet, even though it certainly wasn't headlight in balance - further proving Sketchy's point. I don't know, maybe I should look into the lighter racquets, such as the APACS Superlight or possibly one of Karakal's lighter models. SOTX might also be an option. The only problem is that there are no local APACS, Karakal or SOTX dealers in my country. I'll look into it, though. Thank you!
Ashaway have the Superlight "79" and "T5" - both under 80g, and available in iso or oval head shape. Black Knight have the "Photon", "Ghost" and "Feather" - all 75g. Kason have the Lepton, Spry, and I think a couple of others too - all under 80g. I don't know whether any of those are available in your country. Maybe you could order from a foreign website though?
Well, there are a lot of karakal and sotx online dealers based in the UK that are not too far from Scandinavia, if I remember high school geography well enough. APACS in the UK does not have the Super Light in stock, but the one in Canada, as well as the one in HK, do have it in stock. APACS UK at http://www.apacs-sports.co.uk/ (there are two apacs in UK actually) has a buy one get one free deal on their website for a nano fusion classic, though its a 3U with a BP of 285, it may be somewhat headlight, never had the chance to swing it before. Though at £39.99, it may be something to consider. I'm chinese, so all sales catch my attention XD One more thing to check out is Kason's Carvel and Legerity series. Weight in at a light ~78g, they're also head light, so I can imagine defense is now only limited by your own reaction speed. Though they might sacrifice too much on the offensive end.
Thanks again, signflip4life and Sketchy! I really appreciate your input. I'll definitely be e-mailing the closest APACS and Karakal dealers and also looking for the BK, Kason, and Ashaway models you guys mentioned. It's a nice surprise that so many racquet manufacturers have superlight racquets in their selection. Thanks a lot, guys! Your work has made mine a whole lot easier.
No problem there ficino, I hope you find the racket that's right for you. Oh and remember, string can play an important part in how things turn out, so trying rackets out that are all strung with the same string at the same tension can help in deciding just which racquet is best for you. Be sure to let us know which one you end up choosing
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the new Yonex Nanospeed 9900. When I use mine, I think it has a great whippy wristy feel that snaps at the bird. if you used to have the ns 5000 and liked it, and prefer head light rackets, this one might just take the cake for you.
It might, but I try to avoid recommending higher priced racquets, especially those breaking the 200USD mark, unless the poster has already delved into that price range, or their skill definitely calls for that kind of racquet. I noticed he listed the k-pro/brave, at300, and ns5k, so I didn't want to mention a 230+ racquet that also might be beyond his ability to fully use, no offense to him, I just don't know how good he is. The only reason I use an MP99 is that I got it for 70 USD, and I certainly love it, but I have no doubt I'm not using it to it's full potential.
No offense taken, believe me Actually, you've made a fair point. The most high-end Yonex racquets tend to be both too expensive and too demanding to my taste. The only high-end YY racquets I've ever played with were the Arc 10 and the NS 8000, both feeling a bit too extreme, especially the NS 8000, probably due to its stiffness. I must say that even the NS 7000 at 2U felt a bit too challenging to me when I gave it a try a couple of months ago - I don't know how I would've liked it at 3U, though. However, such rather high-endish racquets as the Arc 7 and the MP 99 I do quite like; they feel a bit more user-friendly to me, as does the Victor Total Inside Wave 5000, my current racquet of choice. That having been said, I still want to thank you for the recommendation, SilverDJ! If I ever get my hands on a NS 9900, I'll be sure to give it a go
The MP99 i guess is no longer considered an advanced racquet, as I've read its one of the more forgiving racquets, and used primarily as the tool for intermediate to low-level advanced players, or so I've heard. So you ended up with the Total Inside Wave 5000? Is that the racquet you've chosen as your new racquet? How does it play?
I've actually played with the TIW 5000 for a few years now, and I must say I do like the way it plays. I'd say it's very balanced racquet, mainly geared towards control and manouverability, but with a decent amount of power as well. To my mind the TIW 5000 is a solid, versatile racquet that is suitable for both intermediate and slightly advanced players. Should my search for a good, ultralight racquet go horribly wrong, I'll most likely go back to my TIW 5000. Speaking of ultralight racquets, I've decided to give the Karakal M-Tec 70 Gel and either the SOTX LG-500, 600+ or 800 a try. I'll let you know how I like them as soon as I've had the opportunity to try them out.
Sorry bud, MP99 may be a mid range priced racquet. It is a high end Yonex racquet and it is still a very advanced racquet. And no, it is not a very forgiving racquet because of the small frame and long shaft. These made it harder to hit the sweet spot and harder to control. However, in a advanced player's hand. it is a very powerful precision weapon.
