Most UNDER-RATED rackets? Past or/and Present

Discussion in 'Badminton Rackets / Equipment' started by allyjack110, Mar 9, 2011.

  1. allyjack110

    allyjack110 Regular Member

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    There is a lot said on this forum regarding rackets – specifically the ones that are very popular amongst professionals and club players alike. Similarly, there have also been discussions about rackets that people felt were / are over-rated. As such, I thought it would be a novel idea to start a thread that took an opposite approach that named people’s favourite rackets that they consider(ed) excellent, BUT have never been given the praise and recognition that they deserved. Feel free to comment of both past and present.

    My first choice and obvious would be the Yonex Nanospeed 7700 (gold and blue version) with anti-vibration cap. By all accounts it wasn’t much of a commercial success for Yonex. Also, I can’t remember it being well-represented amongst the professionals in the same way the NS 8000 and 9000 were. Shame, as it is one of my favourite rackets of all time. :crying:
     
    #1 allyjack110, Mar 9, 2011
    Last edited: Mar 9, 2011
  2. hunterkillerz

    hunterkillerz Regular Member

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    I had an AT500 which was a very solid racquet for me for about 2-4 years until I outgrew the medium flex shaft in favour of the AT700.
     
  3. allyjack110

    allyjack110 Regular Member

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    I feel the Arc 7 is severly underrated in that it continues to live in the shadow of its bigger brother the Arc 10. I have the Arc 10 and whilst I think it is an awaesome racket I personaly feel the Arc 7 is just as good a performer if not better - and cheaper too.
     
  4. Sketchy

    Sketchy Regular Member

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    NS7700 seems to be fairly popular with (county level) U15 girls - makes me think it might not be suitable for physically stronger players, and that's why it's not more widely used. Same with the Ashaway T5 / T5SQ...
     
  5. demolidor

    demolidor Regular Member

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    Probably I'd agree with that ARC7 there, had been thinking of picking one up now that they're still on sale before the new colour. Also toyed around with getting a NS7700 whilst still available because it just looks so bl00dy good :cool::D
    For collecting purposes obviously ;). Although seeing Ropke swinging around that Arc7 so perfectly ...

    Zwiebler already on that new coloured ARC7 btw.
     
    #5 demolidor, Mar 11, 2011
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2011
  6. allyjack110

    allyjack110 Regular Member

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    The only professional player I can recall using the NS7700 in the past is Polish Mixed Doubles Champion, Nadiezda Kostiuczyk. Lovely. The NS7700 is nice too ;)
     
  7. demolidor

    demolidor Regular Member

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    Haha ... Must've been a while, she's now back on AT600 after a brief fling with the NS3000 ...
    #1 NS7700 user is Eriko Hirose, even now at this very AE and still the original coloured ones eventhough (only) Japan has the facelift model.
    Speaking of rare sightings, I've only seen her and Fabienne Deprez using the AT600 ...

    Also I must say ARC7 isn't that underrated. Has had and still has a fairly wide userbase amongst the pro's even in MD.
     
    #7 demolidor, Mar 11, 2011
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2011
  8. gjoo888

    gjoo888 Regular Member

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    My vote goes to the Victor SW33P, it was introduced long before the SW35 and except for it's slightly more fexible shaft has many of the same attributes as the SW35. I now use the SW35, but the SW33P was I racquet I liked from the very first hit.
     
  9. Rocker

    Rocker Regular Member

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    I think AT700 new color is underrated. People always compare with the old one. But new AT700 is a really good racket
     
  10. Sealman

    Sealman Regular Member

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    Agree with you the NS7700 is under-rated. Its one of my favourite racquets too. The other under-rated yonex racquet imho is AT300 (old color - blue).
     
  11. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    cab20 original. I'm surprised not more people used it.
     
  12. flite

    flite Regular Member

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    I wanted so but where can I find a new piece now??

    During its heyday back in the late 80s and 90s it flooded the whole badminton community in my place. It was the same case with almost all the professional players of that era.

    So how do you define underrated?
     
  13. Sketchy

    Sketchy Regular Member

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    I'd argue that no Yonex racket can be under-rated, (unless there's a very cheap, low-end model that someone feels shouldn't be overlooked), simply because people always have such a high opinion of Yonex rackets in general. None of them are exactly going to be "hidden" gems.

    On the other hand, if there were a brand know for making average/bad rackets, and they also happened to make a very good racket that not many people know about - now *that* would be more interesting...
     
  14. limak

    limak Regular Member

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    My vote is Victor SuperNano 5 and maybe the whole SuperNano series. Victor SN5 is one of the most pleasant racket I have ever played.
     
  15. allyjack110

    allyjack110 Regular Member

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    100% agreed. Here in the UK I believe the 'SuperNano' series was known as the 'ProNano'. I had the Pronano 6. Awesome racket.
     
  16. allyjack110

    allyjack110 Regular Member

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    I also owned a Head Metallix 6000 (2nd Gen) until quite recently before I sold it to a friend who desperately needed a racket. Another very underrated racket. Although I would say 'HEAD' in general, especially their high-end models are quite underrated as a whole. Anthony Clark and Victor Axelson are the only two pro's to my knoledge who use Head rackets.
     
  17. fiish

    fiish Regular Member

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    I'd like to raise one vote for my Karakal MTEC-85. Very nice to use for me, and even though I have newer racquets the Karakal just feels really comfortable. Technology wise it has the same 'new grommet system' as the Arcsabers where there are no shared holes at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock and it has the wave pattern between grommets too. Don't really know what they do though. Anyway it looks and feels like much more expensive Yonex racquets.

    Karakal racquets don't see much coverage on BC, too. :)
     
  18. faidz85

    faidz85 Regular Member

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  19. Koooko

    Koooko Regular Member

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    In my opinion, I would say RSL x3 silver being under rated. With the price and its technology, i think its a should have racquet for everyone.^^.
     
  20. Maklike Tier

    Maklike Tier Regular Member

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    I reckon the RKEP AT800TEC is probably the least known but an absolute gem of a racket.

    It's headlight like a NS9900, but packs a good punch with a longer shaft and short handle, and for some reason it's a very stiff racket but doesn't really play like one. Great repulsion and feel, and I like what the shorter handle and longer shaft brings to the table.

    Insane value for money, too.

    Get one. :)
     

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