Will the racket you hold today be considered "crappy" in the future?

Discussion in 'Racket Recommendation / Comparison' started by February, Jan 6, 2008.

  1. February

    February Regular Member

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    Do you think that the racket that you currently have will be considered crappy in the future? Crappy as in, something we see in Wal-Mart for $15 today. Some kind of racket you would never want to touch.

    A better question to ask would be:
    I mean, the rackets are improving slowly but do you think there is a limit to how much rackets can improve?

    Can a friendly mod help me make this into a poll? :eek:
     
  2. silentheart

    silentheart Regular Member

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    Cab20 has been in service for more than 20 years. Many player still love it and you can still buy a new one. I will use one if I can keep myself from frame it and not worry about falling in love with it again.
     
  3. Dreamzz

    Dreamzz Regular Member

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    some of them definitely.
    but i agree with SH, some racquets will stand the test of time.
    the cab20, cab21, ti-10 to name a few, i think i would still be proud to use these in 20 year's time.
    but then, with technology, it's difficult to predict what will have to the design/composition of racquets in the future.

    i guess the main thing which may change the racquets we use down the road would be badminton regulations, for instance, if the restrictions on the size/dimensions of a racquet were to change, then we might see our favourite racquets today become obsolete.
     
  4. cappy75

    cappy75 Regular Member

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    Companies such as Yonex will always phase out a line before they relegate them to lower end status. This is because it's cheaper to manufacture new low end racquets (cutting cost with newer material) than maintain older line of products which may cost more over time. It's also easier and cheaper for them to focus on marketing few lines of products than expanding existing ones. Only very few remained... that's why they're the classics.
     
  5. jerby

    jerby Regular Member

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    if you look at the history, since one-piece carbon/graphite rackets, not much has changed...Isometric-head, longer rackets, lighter, uhmg, but all this has been done since 1995 or so...
    the last 10 years have all been touch-ups, marketing and not that much improvements...

    Now strings, that's were the money should be. There're still so many materials untested, so many technologies that can not be implement for badmintonstrings yet..think of Zyex, or monoguts...
    Also newer materials like vectran are not yet implemented by all string-manufacturers yet, afaik only yonex)
    also shuttles and grips still have some improvements left...

    but rackets, I don't know, I doubt the scenario you're describing now....
    (though, off course, I hope to be proven wrong:p)
     
  6. Smichz

    Smichz Regular Member

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    to answer ur question,this is my personal answer..no..no way it's going to be.Haha..
     
  7. westwood_13

    westwood_13 Regular Member

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    Not to mention that rackets manufacturers, like almost all other corporations, utilize the principles of planned and perceived obsolescence.

    So, with reference to planned obsolescence, your racket is not designed to last eighty years. Even eight would be pushing it.

    As to perceived obsolescence, use of 'new technology' and 'new materials' (often not quite as innovative or different as they are tauted) will ensure that even if you could play with your current racket for the next eighty years, you wont want to. It will look ugly, players with newer rackets will judge you poorly, it will be inferior, and that your game will suffer because you have an old racket. None of this is true of course, but it is the dogma of consumerism, and the amount of noobs coming onto this forum asking about new rackets believing that it will make them play better attests to effectiveness of this principle.

    Sheesh I hate consumerism.
     
  8. cryptail

    cryptail Regular Member

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    Many people over here are right. There are some models that resist the timeline. The other rackets, like for instance AT ..., won't stay like that I guess. But you won't be able to buy them for a low price later, because it will still cost a lot to make them. In stead they will stop producing it and sell new ones. (exemple: AT 800 DE/AT)

    Cryptail
     
  9. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

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    these old, heavy, gas guzzling, poor handling cars don't seem crappy now.
    http://motors.search.ebay.com/_Chev...tQQsamsyZ1964QQsaspiZ2QQsatitleZQ2aQQsbrsrtZd

    what's crap to u maybe gold to others
     
  10. NoName1225

    NoName1225 Regular Member

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    i have a fake racket, it's crappy now, and it's not really the "future"
     
  11. JonYKN

    JonYKN Regular Member

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    My dad still plays with his Blacken 8100 from the 80s and honestly im still more than happy to pick it up and play games with it :D
     
  12. Linus

    Linus Regular Member

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    If the racket you hold today is considered crap, it will still be crap in the future.

    If the racket you hold to day is considered good and well received by many, it will become a "classic" in the future.

    The rest will just become obselete and forgotten, as with many others in the development of rackets.
     
  13. syd04

    syd04 Regular Member

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    I still play with my Carbonex 8sp (aluminium frame) occassionally. Anyway, my regular racket is a 10-yr-old Prince Whiplite 800xp. I find that the new rackets' improvements is not significant enough for me to change my old trusty or maybe, my skill level didn't improve thru the years.....:crying:.
     
  14. ERTHK

    ERTHK Regular Member

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    I think it's the last thing you have to worry about in the game of badminton, mate. :eek:
     
  15. Dreamzz

    Dreamzz Regular Member

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    those whiplites are good racquets.
    i still regularly use my 900 and 800xp.
     
  16. Athelete1234

    Athelete1234 Regular Member

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    No way; Cab 20 is 20 years old, but it's still a top rated racquet out there. MP99, Ti10, Cab 20, Cab30MS, and somewhat the AT700 all have a loyal cult following, and these racquets are still top class.
     
  17. teve62

    teve62 Regular Member

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    Though only decent medium player, i still use my Carlton 3.7X all alu and give a good run for their money at those challenging new slick racket holders in the club. Some pressured at the advance those rackets had over my ol tin buddy but, although the feel is very good when i try them, i'm probably too acustomed to change....
     
  18. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    The difference between a $10 racket and a $100 racket is hell vs. heaven. The difference between $100 racket and $200 racket is very minimal, or could be totally reversed base on ppl's preference.
     

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