Yonex Armotec 600 * Flex: Medium Stiff * Head: Square/Isometric * Weight: 80-84gm(4U-) * B.Pt: 7 (Head Heavy Balance)
Carlton Airblade 33 : BP 310mm, Weight 78 gram, Medium Stiff Apacs Nano Superlight : BP 325mm, Weight 76 gram, Medium
I second the Apacs Nano Superlight, with that balance coupled with its low static weight, it should be an absolute beast in doubles. I'd probably go for something stiffer and heavier for singles though. The high end models in the Yonex Armortec series are available in 4U (80-84.9g). The AT600 was suggested above but other options you would have from Yonex are the AT700, AT900 Technique and AT900 Power. The Armortec 700 is the most head heavy of the Armortec series and relatively stiff. I would disagree with Yonex about its stiffness though as they call it extra stiff but I think it feels flexier than other extra stiff rackets. The Armortec 900 Technique is less head heavy than the AT900P and AT700 but still moderately head heavy. If you opted for the 4U model, it would be excellent at the net and still reasonably powerful. Again, the AT900T would be a great doubles racket but IMO, less effective in singles. The Armortec 900 Power falls somewhere between the AT700 and AT900T in terms of head-heaviness.
dan: i didn't know the AT700 and AT900T/P came in 4U. sorry for my inexperience, but can you explain to me why would AT900T be less effective in singles?
There's no need to be sorry for inexperience, everyone has to start somewhere and the question you asked was a good one. Before I answer the question though, I'd just like to point out that although according to Yonex, all the high end Armortecs are available in 4U, they are considerably harder to find than the equivalent models in 3U so perhaps it isn't surprising you didn't know they came in 4U. Generally, singles players prefer heavier rackets than doubles players. I suppose this is because in doubles, there is a greater need for a player to be effective at the net (I'm not saying using a light racket makes you effective at the net, just that it can help) and for people to be able to play quick drives. In singles, these traits are needed less and so, singles players will generally go for heavier rackets than doubles players. I'm not saying that you definitely shouldn't play with a 4U or lighter racket in singles, I just think that for most people, a 3U racket (or for some advanced players a 2U racket) would perhaps help your game more than something lighter. Of course, if you take a really head heavy 4U racket like the AT700 4U, some of the drawbacks of using lighter rackets are reduced. Bare in mind though that defence with these head heavy 4U rackets is not likely to be as good as it would be with an even balanced rackets. I suppose what I should have said really is not that 4U rackets are less effective in singles than heavier models but that they are less effective than heavier models for most people.
In Singapore and maybe most of South Asia, Armortecs are predominantly 4U. I still remember back in year 2000-2002, all Yonex racquets available in Singapore are the heavier variant i.e MP100 in 2U, Ti10 in 2U and if you wanted 3U version, you had to go to Bangkok to get it. Now that the lighter versions are available in Singapore, you have players looking for the heavier version !
thanks for the explanation, dan i'm gonna collect my AT600 in a couple hours hehe I can't wait. I hope I won't be disappointed when I play with it tomorrow night. I'm hoping it will help enhance my playing (singles and doubles), coz currently I'm using a really old and heavy racket...Yonex Titanium Pro 60!
can someone please transform this specs into words? i really no have idea with the numbers here.. Prince TT Pirate Headsize: 55 sq in/355 sq cm [iso? , oval?] String Pattern: 22 x 23 [max tension?] Weight: 83g unstrung Balance: 28.8cm [head heavy? , head balance? , head light?] Shaft Stiffness: 8.2 [stiff? , mid stiff? , extra stiff?]
The racket's head has an area of 55 square inches (equivalent to 355cm^2) which I imagine is pretty standard amongst badminton rackets. The string pattern of the racket is 22 x 23, this means it has 22 main strings (the ones which are vertical) and 23 cross strings which are horizontal). Weight should be pretty self explanatory - 83g without any strings. 288mm is generally in the range called "even balance". As for the shaft stiffness, I think that is medium.
Wilson K Lite is around 80g and it's head heavy. It came factory strung and it felt alright. It packs more into smashes.
Have a Trinity from Panda that is only 82g and I believe the bp is 293 so yes head heavy and a very light racket, combo works well.
Hmm, fair enough. I think Karakal do a few different balance points on their racquets. The one I've used feels mid-balanced but then again there's not all that much weight in the racquet to give you a feeling of head-heaviness either way. I guess the notion of a head-heavy oval shape is unfamiliar to me.
