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

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

  1. Smithy88

    Smithy88 Regular Member

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    Just received mine through the post this morning and could not be happier. If feels amazing, gripped it how i like with Karakal PU Super under Yonex 102EX. Done it slightly thinner than normal. Had it strung with VS850 at 28lb and its really added some weight to the head. Unstrung it was 293, strung with original grip 302 and now with my grips its now 290 and 82.5g unstrung, with the strings and grip 92g :D:D! Probably the lightest racket with strings and grip i have held.

    Can really feel the weight in the head that i love, feels so much like my Carlton Fireblade Elite though the big difference being the weight and how it moves. Just a few indoor swings and backhands and it cuts through the air seemlessly. Once i get to play with it i will do my review of one of the lightest head heavy T2s.

    But just on the racket I LOVE THE PAINT JOB. I asked mark to use Black VS850 and this racket looks like a beast with black strings. The pics on the website don't do it justice to what it looks like in the flesh.

    Have to also thank Mark and Dink for their advice and service in finding the specs i required and delivery of the racket :D
     
  2. Smithy88

    Smithy88 Regular Member

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    If he ever played badminton this would be his racket


    attachment.jpg
     
    #2382 Smithy88, Jul 8, 2010
    Last edited: Jul 8, 2010
  3. barca96

    barca96 Regular Member

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    post a pic up if its not too much to ask :)
    would love to see your weapon
     
  4. maa2003

    maa2003 Regular Member

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    just buy boss, and you will not ask more ... :D
     
  5. justbecos

    justbecos Regular Member

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    First Impression T2 84.9g bp 289

    Hi all

    I just got my T2 from Mark A on Thursday and thought I would give my first impressions.

    First off I would like to say what a pleasure it was to deal with Mark, quick and easy with no hassle, which is all you can ask for. Only problems was he sold all his black VS850 string before I got back to him with my request. Damn you smithy88! oh well my own fault for going away for the weekend.

    Just I bit about me and my standard of play. I've been back playing badminton for just 4 months after many years out (15+). The club I play at is of a reasonable standard (for the UK) the best players there are just below county standard and the 1st teams for MD WD and XD are all in the 1st division of the county league. Presently I have the shots to compete with the 1 team players, not as good but not far off (apart from my back hand is a bit weak) but my movement is not as good, my choice of shot is not always correct and my consistency can be poor, I give to many points away with unforced errors. But I can still see improvement week to week which is good. My strengths are my smash which are strong as away one in the club if sometimes not as accurate, overhead clears and lift I seem to be able to get good depth on constantly without going long. My biggest weaknesses, backhand must try and sort that out it will start to hold be back soon, my tactical awareness what shots to play and where to go on court ect and movement.

    So you know the racket I either own(ed) or played regularly with recently are Victor BS11 (present main racket) yonex AT600 and MP88 (both my sisters) also Carlton aerogear 1000fx (oh yes a real blast from the past)

    Spec weight 84.9 bp 289 string Victor VS850 (requested 85g and 288 less than 0.5% out on both so no complaints there)

    First look, damn this is a good looking racket even better than the pics. Hmm I have a Denise the menace like t-shirt I might have to get it out for went I play on monday as Smithy88 suggested.

    On closer inspection there were a couple of very minor flaws in the paint work but nothing you could complain about. One reason I think for this is the design is very clean and uncluttered compared with many rackets so are easier to see though that is a strong part of makes this such a good looking racket.

    Overall compared with my yonex and victor rackets I have had this is equal or better finish than the Victor and just under the yonex but better looking then both.:)

    Physically the racket is not a stiff as I thought it would be but that is just my preconceptions of what stiff is, not necessarily a bad thing. The racket is between the BS11 and AT600 in stiffness but a bit closer the BS11

    So far I have played with the racket for 2 hour. The first thing I noticed was how easy the racket was to use and that I did not need to change my timing from my BS11. It generally takes me quite a long time to warm up and get my arm and wrist moving fluidly so normally I would start with overhead clears going only 2/3 length as I refuse force power into the clears when my arm is still stiff, but straight off clears were just short of a length without effort.

    When It came to a game I again found the racket forgiving with easy power. The racket feels to have a large sweetspot (the head size noticeably slightly larger than my BS11) and though the racket will let you know if your slightly off the sweetspot it doesn't punish you for it, with the bird still flying straight and true but with slightly less speed.

    The thing that impressed me most was the easy of power of overhead shots and lifts though my hardest smashs were no faster or better than with my BS11 but I could hit to say 80% to 85% of that a lot more often with less effort. My control and accuracy was not so good but I am not surprised about this and don't think it is the fault of the racket as such its just me taking I am still getting used to how far the shuttle travels compared the effot put into the shot.

    Net shots and drops I need more time with the racket to really tell.

    Defense wise it felt good I was getting a lot back and more importantly being able to choose want to do with the bird either lift, block, straight or cross court. This though is another quite inconstant area of my game so wil need to be looked at over time to see if this was just a good day for me just me improving or if the racket has helped.

    Overall I am a bit of McDonalds commercial at the moment, I'm Loving it! :p

    Thanks again Mark

    opps that's was a bit long for first impressions
     
  6. adonis

    adonis Regular Member

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    Have you seen that many eye candies before?

    I've been so busy sorting, stringing, packing and posting.

    Do email me at pandapoweraus@gmail.com if you are interested :)
     

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  7. barca96

    barca96 Regular Member

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    oh my..... that looks sexy!
    do you have red strings?
     
  8. maa2003

    maa2003 Regular Member

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    hehez .... that's normal boss, especially for this Trinity-2, it is worth for money :)

    people in Malaysia and in Indonesia who would like to buy, please feel free to PM or contact me at : ansarpro@gmail.com
    thanks
     
  9. adonis

    adonis Regular Member

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    no i don't unfortunately. i don't the strings i stock come in term. real pity!
     
  10. Smithy88

    Smithy88 Regular Member

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    Dark red strings would look epic but does anyone make dark red or maroon strings?
     
  11. adonis

    adonis Regular Member

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    the not so common yonex strings do!
     
  12. what07

    what07 Regular Member

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    O I should use my coat hanger to put my racquets up. That's a great idea.
     
  13. AlanY

    AlanY Regular Member

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    second to that, thanks Mark.
     
  14. Smithy88

    Smithy88 Regular Member

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    My T2 Review

    There have been loads but i spose every T2 is slightly different.

    Racket Type : Panda Power Trinity 2
    Specs : 82.5g (Unstrung) BP: 290 (Strung and gripped)
    Strings: VS850
    Tension: 28lb
    Shuttle Used: JinQue AAA, Yang Yang 300B, Yonex Mavis 300 Yellow

    First Impressions:

    Firstly thank you to Dan and Mark. Wonderful recommendation and service, wish everything was as smooth as it was. I was so excited to receive this racket and it didn't let me down. Mark strung it with black VS850 which makes it look like a beast. This is not a wolf in sheeps clothing, this is a wolf with extra wolfs clothing. The paint job is amazing and looks so much better than the previous one. Done a few air swings and my god i have never just done air swings and felt a racket wanting to rip my arm off. I love how the name looks on the shaft, most rackets seem to do too much with the paintwork but less is definitely more. The stringing was brilliant, feels tight as a drum.

    As for the spec, just holding it it felt very very light and i could feel a lot of weight in the head. Very happy with it. Bending the shaft it felt strong and could tell it might be hard to wield.

    Warm Up:

    First few swings i was getting used to the swing speed of it, missing a few but making good contact with most. In comparison to my AT900T this felt better, though the 900 had crappy strings. The T2 though did feel more maneuverable and not as sluggish at the head. I tried out a few smashes and they were a lot better than my usual effort. At 28lb it really does have some power in it, an immense amount. It cleared better than anything i have used, they went right to the back of the court with no trouble. Couldn't wait to start playing.

    Game Time:
    WOWEEEEEEEE!!!! I AM IN LOVE. Ok so firstly power, easily getting more than normal just need to keep working on my technique. It launched off the strings with ease, can't wait to get back out with it again and just work on smashing. Next clearing. Clearing is something i don't do enough of, especially net clears. I always seem to feel i won't make a decent clear and try to dink it over. With this racket i had the confidence to make more and more, and i made them with ease. I even got a couple of lucky ones that seemed to climb over the net and drop the other side. My touch on the other hand didn't suffer but at first wasn't as good as it normally is. This changed as i got used to the maneuverabiliy and speed of the racket, i was making my usual deft touches as well as some i didn't even know i had in me.

    Now for me this is the big part, its so big it has to be bold and big.
    I CAN HIT A BACKHAND.

    Don't ask me how, don't ask me how because believe me i have no idea. I doesn't matter what racket, what string, what tension or what shuttle most of my backhands are crappy and pointless. Tonight was a differnet story, they were coming from every angle and i don't know how. I'm not gonna question it for fear of losing it.

    Conclusion:
    I am in love, this is everything i could want in a racket. I am thinking of getting another that is nearer 85g and higher BP to smash the hell out of a shuttle. This racket really is amazing. Dink you have created a masterpiece. Everyone has their own fave specs and racket but if you like the AT900P or AT900T you will love one at this spec but you will love it more than the Yonex. Seriously if i can hit a very good backhand with this racket then it must be amazing.

    Feel: 8.5/10 (I think it may have been coz of the 28lb strings)
    Control: 9.5/10 (Got more out of this than the AT900T)
    Power: 9/10 (Smashes are definitely faster)
    Defense: 9/10 (Best defensive racket for me)
    Maneuverability: 10/10
    (Most maneuverable i have ever used)

    Not the most comprehensive but thats left to the pro reviewers, this is just my snipped of how much i love it :D
     
  15. huangxl

    huangxl Regular Member

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    Hi dink,

    Just as suggestion/question. Is there any plan to come up with a more defensive minded racket maybe like Arc7 or BS 9 kind of stiffness/flex. I pass around my T2 to some of my frens and I cannot help but notice that some of them prefer a more flexy racket. Since DC rackets are all rather attacking minded, how about releasing a new model that is less stiff? Don't get me wrong, i love my T2. It is perfect for smashing and defending. Just tot maybe it will increase the offering that is now available.
     
  16. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

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    I think the BS09 would be a good choice from which to take inspiration if we ever do a defender - LYD went from an AT800D to that, and the 800D was the archetypal defender's racket:).

    So smithy likes the T2, then... good to know:D.
     
  17. Smithy88

    Smithy88 Regular Member

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    Yer just a bit :D
     
  18. Resistor

    Resistor Regular Member

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    Come on Adonis... Stop trolling in the forum and get the racket out to me :D
     
  19. adonis

    adonis Regular Member

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    lol you are...?

    I am shipping two tomorrow :)
     
  20. huangxl

    huangxl Regular Member

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    Glad you agree with me Mark, as my fren all plunge for the BS09. I tot DC should offer 1 too to increase the offering in the market. Mostly has been on agressive attacking racket
     

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