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

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

  1. guavawang

    guavawang Regular Member

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    wow

    you won't be disappointing, it is worth the wait :p
     
  2. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    ^^Yes..^^

    ..and i've been waiting (and waiting and waiting) to make time & try them out ever since master DinkAlot announced their release..:cool:
     
  3. DinkAlot

    DinkAlot dcbadminton
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    Chris, I do not understand how you have been "waiting (and waiting and waiting)". :p

    1) The rackets were only available about a week ago.

    2) You have multiple ways to get a hold of Panda: e-mail, IM, phone call, friends, meet at a designated time stated here. Panda had no idea you were so eager to try out the rackets. Panda's honored. :eek::cool:

    3) Also, would it not be hard to review the rackets in any detail after one night play testing? :p
     
  4. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    Quick hitz review..

    - Yes, i've been "waiting" for the right time to come and test the rackets..;)
    The waiting was almost unbearable. The hours passed and it felt like weeks. The days passed and it felt like months...:p
    - Yes, i noticed they just came out the last week or so..
    - Yes, i was able to get a hold of your first line of security line. Yes, i was eager to check them out.:cool:
    - Yes, you're partly right.

    Anyway, here is my quick hitz review of Panda Power's 2 newest rackets; the Ultra & the Trinity. And before i start, just want to say thanks to both Dan & Tommy for allowing me to test the rackets.

    So, i came early today, as promised and waited sort of anxiously. Not too long of a wait, master Dan came walking in with his trusty companion, master Tommy. Soon, i was wielding & swatting the shuttles with both rackets.

    I did 2 tests. Both rackets were strung with relatively the same tension, 25-26 lbs. I'll share my initial testing first:

    First up in my tryout was the Ultra. First thing i noticed when i held the racket was its weight. IIRC, the racket version i was wielding was the 87-88g version. The shaft felt relatively stiff. I swung the racket and whacked the bird with relative ease as it packed a good & solid punch, whilst doing some clears, drives, pushes and smashes. The smashes felt good, oh yeah, felt real good. Backhand clears, backhand pushes, backhand drives were also pretty solid. Now comes the maneuvarability test. Surprisingly, i was able to wield it with relative ease. It felt a bit heavy, but i didn't feel much difficulty in trying to defend smashes or drives.
    Overall, the Ultra has a solid feel. Heavy but still wieldable, at least on my hands.

    Now, after chatting with Dan and Tommy, i found out that the Ultra does come with a few other variations (mostly with BP and weight). Personally, a slightly lighter version, say an 86-87g, would be fine with me.

    Next up is the Trinity. Just like what everyone has mentioned before, yes, the Trinity is indeed much more wield friendly, lighter than the Ultra. The shaft felt a bit more flexible than the Ultra. Now comes the test. Unknown to me, the version that i was wielding, IIRC around 85-86g, felt a bit on the head-light side. I tried to do the same clears, drives, pushes and smashes, backhand strokes and felt it wasn't as solid or didn't have the same feeling as the Ultra. On my swings, it seems the racket was heavier. Even the other person who was testing the racket w/me felt the same. I don't know, maybe of the weight of the racket or the BP or the flex of the shaft was the cause. Maneuvarability wise, it felt okay, not much different with the Ultra.

    Here is my 2nd testing:

    After i did my initial testing & unsatisfied with the Trinity, i tested another version of the Trinity. This time i was given a slightly heavier version; and IIRC, i tried the 87-88g version. Wow, what a difference a few extra grams make. I was quite satisfied with the solid feel and punch the heavier Trinity version was providing. It almost felt like the Ultra, which i tried earlier.

    Overall:
    Pretty much the same w/what others had already mentioned. In the 2 testings, i can conclude that the Ultra and Trinity are pretty good and pretty solid rackets. Finish-wise, i definitely prefer the Ultra's color scheme & finish. Weight wise, i think the max i can go with is 88g, and that's for both attacking & defending. Anything higher than that, then i'd probably won't be able to wield it with ease.

    Downside:
    Too bad i was only able to do a semi-stationary testing as I wasn't able to play a game with either racket to see how they respond. I would guess, over the course of a game, the heavier version Ultra or the heavier version Trinity would be a bit more demanding. But if one can handle it, then i'd say go for it.

    One last note, there will be another model coming out soon, the Woven model. Supposedly, it should fall in between the Ultra & the Trinity. Tommy mentioned, maybe i should test that one later and maybe it'll suit me better.
     
    #304 ctjcad, Jul 21, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2009
  5. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    Btw..

    ..yes, as guaranteed by Tommy, the rackets didn't disappoint me.:)

    I'd love to try & use either or both rackets in a real game to see how they fare..:cool:
     
  6. weinsteinium

    weinsteinium Regular Member

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    I played with my Trinity again yesterday and my back was feeling better so I was able to smash at full power. I have to say that I was very impressed. When I was hitting at half-strength I was guessing how hard it would hit at full power and the Trinity surpassed that.

    I also got a chance to play some singles with it and use my attacking clear a bunch (For me, driving the birdie from my backcourt to my opponent backcourt about 10 feet off the ground with a lot of velocity is one of the most demanding shots and a place where I see the difference in power between racquets) and the power was almost up to my VH1800 (remember that my Trinity is 85.5g and 283mm BP which makes it way lighter and faster than my VH1800 which was more like 88g and 290mm BP).

    For such a light racquet, the power was a little bit shocking. I'm going to up my rating to:

    Weight: 85.5g
    Balance Point: 283mm
    String: Ashaway ZM67
    Tension: 23lbs
    Grip: Karakal PU Super (black)

    Power: 8.5/10
    Manuverability: 9.5/10
    Feel: 9.5/10
     
  7. ormy4

    ormy4 Regular Member

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    So guess it boils down to either ordering another trinity at 86.5 grams and bp of 287 to be make it over 9's across the board or living in the garage having been exiled by your wife. If you can hook up a tv and it is cool in the garage you know what I would do.

    Easiest would be sell it to a friend who will buy it right after the game he tried it in and buy another as wife would never know.:D:):D
     
  8. guavawang

    guavawang Regular Member

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    Excile....

    your fine with that racket for now... stop changing rackets.... :p
     
  9. weinsteinium

    weinsteinium Regular Member

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  10. weinsteinium

    weinsteinium Regular Member

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    I blame DinkALot. I was perfectly happy with my LiXiang X238 until DinkALot started producing his own racquets! :p
     
  11. guavawang

    guavawang Regular Member

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    X238

    the X238 is a great racket, but it just lack the punch the Trinity has.
    That is why we design the Trinity...

    If you think the Trinity is good, just you wait for the Next Evil Stick coming out...call.....Panda on a Stick :confused:.. I am just kidding...HAHAHAHAHAHA :D:D:D
     
  12. Pete LSD

    Pete LSD Regular Member

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    Eh, I am the StickMan (SM) Pete (P) and I am releasing gas :D:eek::p:cool:. SMP will see his new toys today!!!
     
  13. DinkAlot

    DinkAlot dcbadminton
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    Ahhhh, ha! The rackets arrived I take it. :D
     
  14. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    Which one(s) & how many??..

    ..did you get both models & how many?..:p
     
  15. Pete LSD

    Pete LSD Regular Member

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    Initial impression of the new toys is as follows (both are unstrung at this time):

    (1) Ultra - mother of all stiff shaft . . . bar none (mass: 88.7 grams; bp: 292 mm)

    The shaft is noticeably thicker than the Trinity and hence the stiffness.

    The frame is also very thick.

    The whole thing is a meat clever.

    (2) Trinity - what most folks would use (mass: 89.2 grams; bp: 290 mm)

    Not as stiff as the Ultra but still very stiff.

    Overall, the two models' fit and finish seems very good. However, the U grommets better fit against the grommet holes.

    Can't wait to string them up and test them out . . .
     
    #315 Pete LSD, Jul 25, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2009
  16. Pete LSD

    Pete LSD Regular Member

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    The Ultra should be GrandMaster TwoBeer's dream!
     
  17. twobeer

    twobeer Regular Member

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    :cool:
    Muuust resist the dark racket forces :)

    But to be honest i am neither looking for über-durable or a "new" ti-10 :)
    I am looking for max power+control+agility :)

    Twobeer does seldom break shaft frame on racket when wacking shuttles, and most high-end rackets today I've tried (apart from some YY models) have not really had any issues with up to 35lbs string jobs..

    Racket breakage due to string-breakage and clashes are just he order of nature, so I learned to live with the risks :-D

    I have no doubt that the Ultra and Trinity are great rackets, but techonology wise there isn't really something "new" that tickles twobeers buying reflexes :)

    I will follow the progress closely, and are more tempted to take a more detailed dive into future efforts, like models using woven + tapered shaft (tapered frame?!?) etc.

    /T
     
  18. DinkAlot

    DinkAlot dcbadminton
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    The Ultra meets 2 out of your 3 criteria. It's got power and control. Agility is a bit lacking but still pretty darn good. Does the bonus of ultra durable count? :p
     
  19. silentheart

    silentheart Regular Member

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    Just tried the Trinity with 2g each added to 3 and 9 o'clock this morning. WOW, a world of difference. The clear is great and smash is crisp and direction is there. Much easier.
    So yes, Dear Sir DinkALot is right. Pick the heavier Trinity and you will not be disappointed...
    Still I will not trade my Cab30ms with it. Because I am more used to the Cab feeling...
     
  20. guavawang

    guavawang Regular Member

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    trade your cab 30

    your have feel!!! :p hahahahahah..... J/K

    if you say the Trinity is easier, then you SHOULD Switch!!!
    Now, you use less effort to Clear and Smash VS your Cab 30.. Why NOT!!!

    :D:D:D:D:D:D:p:p:p:p:p
     

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