their vt80 is $220 I live pretty far from Markham so I was hoping to just go to the Mississauga one If it comes down to it, I'll just have to order online. Recommend any stores? I know of mybadminstore but I'm just worried there would be extra fees because it's crossing the border. There's also badmintonshoponline and they give you the option of marking the package as a gift so I guess they don't charge duty on it
Most are in the Markham, Scarborough area. Yo's, MJStrings, CanuckBadminton, MaxSports, BrownsSports, Winning Badminton and so on. And yes Lee's in pretty pricey for Yonex. But their prices are taxes in and strung with basic BG65 I believe.
I notice that you're also on Paul's forum and it seems you love the tk8000 mind if I ask your style of play?
Lol that's for a better player or coach to observe and tell me! I would like to say I'm and all-rounder but that would be wishful thinking. I prefer singles though but because of court and club situation, 80-90% of what I play ends up being doubles.
Ah okay, mind if I ask what club you play at? Anyway back to the rackets haha I think I'm gonna narrow it down to VT80, MX60 and the TK8000. Hopefully some more people will provide some input
If you are primarily doubles, the BS12 is supposed to be an amazing racquet as well. Under $200 @ MJStrings.
Yeah I read about the BS12 just now and I'm falling for it. Especially since it's pretty cheap already. Gonna try and find a used one :3
BS9 is supposed to be similar. You could probably score one of those cheap used and then if you really like it you can splurge and buy the BS12.
just about to correct elisha's statement on the stiffness he claimed and then i saw your post,thumbs up bro! and yeah vt80ltd is way stiffer then the tk8000 because its more to repulsion shaft on the vt80ltd.
Lol I can only tell you based on my experience currently owning both. The head on the TK8000 may have more flex due to the grooves for the catapult technology but the shaft is the same stiffness for me.
what about the bs lyd? I can't seem to find any direct comparisons between bs12 and the bs lyd I'm having a hard time finding a bs12 for sale here
same,i had both the tk8000 and vt80 and also vt80 ltd...i have play with the tk8000 strung with nbg98 at 28lbs and the racket felt too flexy for me.no being offensive but...the vt80ltd has a stiffer shaft =)
I've narrowed it down to BS 12 or the BS 15. I think I would go with the 15 because it's stiffer and more head heavy. My wrist isn't that strong I don't think to be able to bend a shaft so I tend to rely more on a full arm swing
How long have you played for? I used to play with Li Ning and swing pretty arm-based. Some coaching and -more importantly- watching hours upon hours of pro badminton have helped immensely with my technique, to the point where I need to work on my arm swing again as I tend to do everything with pronation and fingers Anyhow, I also decided at one point to get a head lighter racket. I chose the Bs10, which was maybe not the best choice (11 or 09 would've been better). But it forced me to concentrate on the quicker parts of the swing, i.e. pronation and fingers, but the first few weeks were hell. It felt like a fly-swatter, no power at all after 17 months of Li Ning only Anyhow. If you can, get your hands on a slightly used Bs09 in good condition (no paint chips means it's in great condition, as even the slightest clashes take the paint off that Sword frame). Then, if you can actually play well with it, you can decide whether you want to get a Bs12, which is basically the same racket - or another Bs09. Going up with your tension is a good thing (in my eyes) - if you're really comfortable with your current tension but want to refine your technique or need more control, you can increase your tension. However I'd only go 1lbs at a time, more might be too much and hurt your joints. If you don't break strings too often, going up 1lbs at a time should give your body enough time to adapt (tighter strings result in more shock/vibration, which stresses certain muscle groups, tendons and joints. If you go slow enough, you'll gradually adapt to higher tensions as the muscles get stronger). Adapting to a new racket is a tough thing anyway, so you should stay with 23lbs for now. Only go higher once you're comfortable with the tension, can do all your shots without problems and have good power from the back. There's few things more amusing than playing against a guy who has such tight strings he can't even clear baseline to baseline without putting his whole body into it
I've been playing for four years but I didn't get a coach until recently Would a bs15 not be a good idea? It's just because it's a cheaper alternative than the 12 from a Canadian store unless I can find bs9 used
Unfortunately, as it's unavailable here in Europe, I have no idea what it's like. I think it has a different head shape though, which might be difficult to adapt to at first.
It's apparently semi isometric. My doubles partner said he thinks I would benefit from a head heavier racket and he thinks the bs15's head shape shouldn't be too much of a problem
I guess you should go with a Mx frame then - no Bs is really head heavy. The frame shape is designed for speed, not mass or stability. Mx60 should be your best bet, or maybe Mx70. The 60, you'll definitely be able to use and get good power out of, while the 70 might just be a bit above your skill level for the time being. Depends on what you want, I guess. For me, the Meteor frame is much more stable and solid in feel than the Bravesword frame. If you're looking for a somewhat head heavy racket, you should look at this range rather than the Braveswords, or maybe even at a Superwave 37 (which is slightly head heavy and of medium flexibility). The TK8000, while perhaps a newer racket, is probably more expensive - although you should ask RKEP Eric first whenever you're looking for Victor products (search for the RKEP shop on ebay, and contact him, he can't put Victor products on ebay for some reason). Even if you have to pay taxes on arrival his prices are very competitive, and the service is top notch. I've heard stringing is quite good as well, but have no personal experience as I'm a stringer myself. In my opinion, you should go head heavy, or go fast - either not a Bravesword, or a Bravesword, in this case. Bravesword frames are only really great if you want and can use a quick, not so head heavy racket. A head heavy Bravesword defeats the purpose of the frame shape, and even though some may have a high balance point, the overall weight should still be low so that they're not as head heavy as, say, a Voltric or Arcsaber with the same balance. To make it short: Mx60/Sw37 for a balanced, affordable racket. TK8000, 4U VT70, N70 for a head heavy racket. Bs09/12 if you want speed. No compromise. As a friend said this weekend - strengthen your strengths. If your smash is your best shot, take a racket to complement that. If you're strong around the net and in quick exchanges, choose a quick racket to bolster that strength. If you have no particular strength or weakness but a well-rounded game, take an all-round racket. You might want to ask your coach and fellow players about that - they're gonna be more honest about it than you could possibly be. And trust me - you want to take a racket that's good for you now instead of choosing one based on what you want to play like. Even though I may want to play like Lin Dan, using the N90 would be a bad choice on my part as it doesn't complement my strengths. I believe I've said enough now - good luck with your decision!
