Panda Power: A Racket That Can Take 40lbs. String Tension!

Discussion in 'Badminton Rackets / Equipment' started by DinkAlot, Apr 22, 2009.

  1. bsmith

    bsmith Regular Member

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    My 200m reel of ZM62 was bought from Stringers World in June of 2011 as seen below. The print on the string itself is Ashaway USA Zymax 62. I was thinking this is 1st generation ZM62 since it is not red, and its definitely not platinum ZM62. Can anyone advise what I most likely have on 1st gen vs. 2nd gen?

    Date: 30/06/2011 Time: 21:01:13
    1 x BASHZ620YR, Ashaway Zymax 62 - 0.62mm (optic yellow) 200m reel

    Because it breaks so easily, I most often string it hybrid with BG66UM for the mains. But sometimes, I string a racket all ZM62. In both cases I string the mains at 29 lbs. and then 10% progress the crosses to 30 lbs. and call it a 30 lb. string job. This has been on a crank machine, still haven't installed my new Wise 2086 yet.

    It doesn't feel ridiculously stiff to me and I can still hit hard with a racket strung either hybrid or all ZM62. It would be good for me to know what ZM62 I have (1st or 2nd gen) because that will affect what I should reorder. Good to know also that Dink still has some 1st gen ZM62. And I think there is also the fabled platinum 1st gen ZM62 still available through Asian sources.
     
  2. DarthHowie

    DarthHowie Regular Member

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    ME!! I have a 200m reel of 1st gen ZM-62... maybe 10 -12 strings jobs left out of the reel. Feels great but durability isn't there.

    Haven't tried the 2nd gen Zymax 62..so don't have a comparison. I primarily use 2nd gen Zymax 65 and 67 after finally using up all my 1st gen 67s.
     
  3. BOUBOS1957

    BOUBOS1957 Regular Member

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    I also have 2 reels left of the 1st generation, and it is true that it is very performant, but not very durable, especially if you go over 23 lbs with it. But the sound of a solid smash is something to hear :eek:, especially with the new Rev's.

    For the added performance, it is a good and unique string, but it get annoying with the frequent breakage.

    I think that the Zymax series in 65mm is the best compromise between performance and durability.
     
  4. demolidor

    demolidor Regular Member

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    Not sure what's so fabled about the platinum (maybe that it's the last one still left of the 1st gen due to not being popular; although I now recall some late comments on it from after the 2nd gen was out already) but I recall the early verdicts on it being the ugly stepchild of the bunch due to being not as crisp (likely due to the dye)

    In any case this is the old vs new packaging (and v1 vs v2; although I just came across @Mark A selling a leftover reel as v1 with the new insert?):

    507_0.jpg zymax62new_reelylw_200.jpg
     
    #6464 demolidor, Mar 14, 2013
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2013
  5. demolidor

    demolidor Regular Member

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    Just browsed through the Zymax thread and came across that for the 62 the platinum does have close to the crispiness of the white. If the yellow is the soft one of the bunch those other two colours must be magnificent :D. Maybe you read taneepaks raving on the platinum but if you have been around here too long you know to take it with a pinch of salt ...
    But if still around it should at least be a gen 1 design yes ...
     
    #6465 demolidor, Mar 14, 2013
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2013
  6. Fidget

    Fidget Regular Member

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    I have old Z62 in white and platinum. I like old Z62 better than new. My tensions are so low that breakage isn't a problem (21-23).
    When I first tried the grey stuff, it didn't seem as crisp as white. But it broke in quite nicely thereafter (a step I never needed with white). Essentially they play the same for me.
     
  7. bsmith

    bsmith Regular Member

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    Thank you for showing those two packages, Demolidor. My reel looks exactly like the one on the right, so maybe I do have gen2 ZM62. But on the other hand, the issue is still clouded because MarkA shows the right hand reel label as gen 1. And as an Ashaway reseller and professional stringer, you would think MarkA would know well how to tell gen 1 and gen 2 ZM62 apart.

    Concerning referring to Platinum gen 1 ZM62 as "fabled", yes, I was basing that on the "ravings" of taneepak. I have only been around this site for a couple of years, but I have read many of taneepak's posts from many years back. And while he is a somewhat controversial guy, he strikes me as quite knowledgeable on badminton. I feel like I have learned a lot from him.
     
  8. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

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    That was sold to Canada... I'll have to find that thread and close it!

    I tried my vernier on it and got 0.58-0.59 on the slack, so it was definitely Mk1, but I'd never seen it with the new insert either.
     
  9. DinkAlot

    DinkAlot dcbadminton
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    You cannot tell by the packaging, necessarily. All Dink's Gen 1 has new packaging.
     
  10. bsmith

    bsmith Regular Member

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    Ok, I have learned a couple of things from Mark's post. First, is that gen 1 and gen 2 are more correctly referred to as Mk1 and Mk2. Second, and I have to infer this, is that Mk1 ZM62 typically does not measure 0.62 mm in diameter, but rather something less such as 0.58 to 0.59mm.

    With that in mind, I grabbed a cheap electronic caliper and measured the diameter of my ZM62 string in slack condition right off the spool. And lo and behold, the measurement was 0.63mm which means it is probably a true 0.62mm since my cheap caliper isn't super accurate.

    I definitely have the new style packaging and my string diameter measures 0.62mm or above so maybe I really do have gen 2 or rather Mk2 ZM62. Now it makes me wonder what Mk1 ZM62 is like. Hmmm, maybe when my Revelation is shipped from Dink, I will order some Mk1 ZM62 to go along with it.
     
  11. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    Interesting about the diameter measurements ... I've also seen the new zm string (proto or gen 1 zm62?) from zymax, labelled zm58. Yep that's what it says on the reel insert. ;)

    My stringer asked me if I would like to try it, but seeing as I already have trouble with busting gen 2 zm62 at more than 23 lbs, I politely and unreservedly declined. :p
     
  12. Borbor

    Borbor Regular Member

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    I swear visor if I hadnt tried the mk2 before you and I just go by your posts, I'd think these mk2 were made of glass :D.
     
  13. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    You tell me if it doesn't look like glass. :p :D

    [​IMG]
     
  14. demolidor

    demolidor Regular Member

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    Still from this batch? :D:cool: (I mean it would make sense there was still some mk1 left at the time of the repackaging)

    [​IMG]
     
  15. bsmith

    bsmith Regular Member

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    0.58mm or 0.62mm Diameter?

    There has been confusion on whether 0.58mm diameter string was used on just early prototypes of Mk1 ZM62 or whether Mk1 ZM62 was officially released and shipped frequently with a nominal 0.58mm diameter.

    But independent of that question, for those of us who might want to buy some of your last remaining gen 1 Mk1 ZM62 string, would it be supplied as nominal 0.58mm or 0.62mm diameter?
     
  16. Kazoo

    Kazoo Regular Member

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    I have some questions regarding the Revelation:

    1. In relation to other rackets, is the Revelation head heavy, balanced or light headed?
    2. How does the flex or stiffness of the shaft compare with other rackets?
    3. Can the stiffness of the Revelation be changed when ordering? Say from 7.8~8.0 to 8.2~8.5?
    4. When changing the balance point, how is the weight distributed while manufacturing?
     
  17. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    1. depending on the bp and wt you choose
    2. i'd say btwn mx70 and mx60, more toward arc10 than vt80
    3. no
    4. simply due to variations in manufacturing around a target wt and bp
     
  18. amleto

    amleto Regular Member

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    I think it came up that sometimes weight is added inside the handle to bring them into the target range. IIRC this is an standard industry practice, but I think it is very disingenuous
     
  19. j4ckie

    j4ckie Regular Member

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    I think Dink has stated he doesn't do that, which is why there's no constant BP (as is often the case with other manufacturers who have a target BP but a more flexible weight range). Certainly wouldn't make too much sense because even though there's a target range there are lots of off-specs available (and the high BPs are usually selling better anyway).
     
  20. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    After all that's been discussed in the head wt thread, and you still refer to wt and bp separately?! ;)
     

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