I broke my Apacs Nano 900 the other day. After a few months of enduring frame shots and clashes, the frame finally broke. So now I'm looking for another one. 1. How often do you play, how serious are you? School team, almost every day 2. What style of player are you? More defensive than offensive. My smashes with my Apacs Nano 900 weren't that great. 3. Do you care much about durability or is it all about performance? I want a durable racket, because I still hit the frame sometimes. But I still want a good racket 4. How much money do you want to spend? I chose Apacs because I only want one of their rackets that cost about 40-60 bucks. Also, if you can't recommend a racket, just tell me what I should be looking for in terms of stiffness, headlight or headheavy, and how much to string at. My Nano 900 was strung at 23 pounds, but I think I want to lower it to like 20 or 21. My smashes are just decent enough that I can put away the easy shots, but not good enough to win me many points from the rear court. Some of the rackets I had in mind were the Apacs Nano 9900 or any of the Apacs Lethal rackets. Also interested in the Visible Hollow rackets from Apacs. But I don't really know anything about these rackets, so if someone could tell me if they're right for me, it would be greatly appreciated
the Lethals are head heavy and stiff, not really suitable for defensive style. you can try the Visible Hollow and Tantrum. both are slightly head heavy. they're heavier than the Nano 900 Power so they will generate more power. i think you should get an even-balanced racket, mid stiff. train more to improve your accuracy and technique. you will find that your smash will be more powerful with improved accuracy and better technique.
Between the Nano 9900 and the Edgesaber Z Slayer, which would be better for me? http://www.badmintonbay.com/product_info.php?cPath=28_42_48&products_id=154 http://www.badmintonbay.com/product_info.php?cPath=28_42_49&products_id=214 I looked at the specs. Both seem to be pretty much the same except for the materials they're made out of and their balance. What's the difference between 285 +/- 3mm and 285 +/- 5mm
u should know those are copy rackets right? see http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?45209-DinkALot-s-Racket-Review
basically they're pretty similar except the Z Slayer which might have a smaller sweetspot due to the smaller frame i'm not sure if the headlight and head heavy is very obvious. since they have similar BP. swing feel should be different although same BP. you sound really anti-clones. is there any wrong in using a clone with high quality like apacs?
I don't think you can go wrong with Tantrum 200/300 - it's a great all-rounder, and has a very solid and stiff frame.
Since you can't get a decent smash with Nano 900 you should look for more flexible and/or more headheavy. Both options you provided seem to fit the bill: same balance, more flexible ... Alternatively, read this first: http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?40187-Shaft-stiffness-flexibility-explained Difference between +/- 3 & 5mm should be that for +/-3 you can get anything between 282-288mm and for 5 obviously 280-290mm ...
I think I'm going to get the Z-Slayer then. Before I do though, has anyone here played with it before? I want to hear some personal reviews.
i have an apacs Z-slayer , i will say it is SLIGHTLY head heavy, but with a karakal grip, it becomes almost even balanced, the swing is noticeably faster than usual racquets,and smaller sweet spot too, but when you hit it right, it is pretty rewarding. but if you're playing everyday, i suggest u get something in a higher range to keep for a long time,find out your playing style as for me im getting an AT250 in a few days
Do try out some stiff rackets before concluding you need a flexy one - personally, flexible/mid-stiff rackets just didn't cut it for me in terms of power with the exception of Zelm Trixon 8. On the Z-slayer... if somebody's looking to replace a Z-slayer with an AT250, I'm not sure if it's a great racket. Do up your budget if you can, especially since you're a school player and will be playing for a long time.
You play with plastics? I think the nano9900 is fine. To be honest it seems the major difference between most of the $30-$50 apacs rackets is the paint job. probably just as important or even more important is the string. If you must buy from that site then use the stern 9 @ 22-24 lbs. Optimally for plastic i would use a string .68 - .70 thick and start out at 23lbs unless you already know your tension. I would recommend you try one of the following strings, since i don't know much about apacs strings. Zymax 70 BG70 pro BG65 ti Ashway micro power NBG 95 BG80 (i like this string but not for plastic some people seem to be fine tho)
Did you already buy a racquet? if you did what kind did you get? I am a Yonex and Apacs fan. Well shifting more towards apacs now. I have yonex MP99, NS9000 and MP21(my 1st racquet) I have apacs Lethal 70(head heavy,CRAZY POWER), Tantrum 300(the best racquet I ever had), Edgesaber 10,z-slayer(stay away from them I am having hard time myself-but my sister likes the z-slayer though), NP9000(lovely racquet but need arm/wrist power to make power)! For Apacs if you are defensive and your smashes are not the greatest I suggest you try these things(my sister is my mixed double partner and her smashes are improving now) 1st- get a racquet like tantrum 200/300 OR get NanoPro 9000(light but atleast you wont hurt your shoulder) 2nd- put on apacs PU grip(they are THE BEST) 3rd- put BG80 string with 22lb( I get a feeling you are using too much tension) Let me know how you are doing? Cheerz J
*BG80 string with 22lb For the past month i've been using BG66 Maxima at 26X28 and the performance has been execptional compared to BG80 @ 23 - 25 lbs that i've used before. For comparison same stroke can clear 3 feet longer baseline to baseline.
Yes BG 66 is an excellent string with massive high repulsion. But i realized that the durability of that string isn't as durable and KYM917 he mentioned that he doesnt want to spend too much. So I assumed he wouldnt want to get it restrung over and over again but yes BG66 is an excellent suggestion!
