Anyway, enough of the bollocks, here's a review after 6 weeks of playing with a VT Tour. I'm gunna fess up and say I was hard on this racket. When I bought a Yonex AT900T earlier in the year, it literally transformed my game, so I expected the VTT to do the same. When it didn't do so as radically as the AT900T, I was bummed so I shelved it for a week and grumbled a lot. A lot of that came from the fact that a) It's very shiny, so it must be awesome, and b) It took a lot of effort just to get one. The bar was impossibly high even before the first hit. So this week, in a compassionate mood I decided to drag it out again and give it a fair shot. The reason for this was simple. A week ago I was playing socially and at the end of the night, I dragged the VTT out to play a game of singles against a guy who's probably a little bit better than me. After about what seemed like 30 seconds I was down 0-6 and he was smashing me all over the court like I was a hack. Don't get me wrong - I am a hack - but absolutely nothing was working for me and at this rate, It'd be 0-21 and walking off the court with my tail in between my legs. So to counter this, I did something drastic - I forgot about the racket. That's all. I stopped thinking about "Is this racket better than the Yonex? Was that drop shot as good? Do these strings need replacing?" and just played. And my opponent stopped the game at 15-11, panting like a dog. So, I guess if you've bothered reading this far you're thinking "Where's the frikken review already!?!" so I better get a move-on. In essence, I really like the VTT. I don't know if it's that different to other medium balance racket out there, but once you get the hang of it it's a nice, quick and speedy racket. It feels a little different to similar Yonex (ARC10, NS9000) rackets, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is. It's not better or worse, just different. I actually think it's faster around the court than a NS9900. The stock strings are let down by the ridiculous ink (or more aptly, paint) that Carlton use to apply their logo. It literally glues the strings together making the string bed mildly unpredictable - you can actually feel when you hit the paint and when you don't. I'm looking forward to restringing this racket because I think it will come alive even more, improve the feel, and with a bit of tension, improve the smashes which are a little bit down compared to other similar rackets. I think the Optimetric head will work better with better strings too. All-in-all, I think this racket is well worth your money. It's easily on par with any Yonex you may care to bring it up against, and if you can stand everyone asking you what that incredibly shiny weapon is you were just playing with - and you replace the strings - I think very quickly it will become your 'go-to' racket.
Easy Tiger, are you still playing with the stock string? Sometimes when you restring your racket, it will feel complete different. I had my Fireblade Elite with the stock string, it felt absolutely rubbish and I started to think it was crap. But then when I restrung it at 26lb, it now feels very different. But I must say I still prefer my Ti10 for power, the Elite is just too stiff of a racket. But I do want to try the VP Tour, as Robertson is using it now.
VP elite is one of the worst racket i ever used, i bought it brand new n jus used it 2 times, its up for sale if any1s interested...
Just had this Carlton Vapour Trail Tour from UK Rackets http://www.ukrackets.com/shop/n and it was only £99 plus the £5 shipping. The Racket arrived the next day thats if you order before 12 Noon. First thing I notice with this racket That it is so light and Its one of the lightest rackets i've had and this racket is so shiny that it feel like it has a high *** appeal. I think that the racket is strung to 28lbs. The play with this racket is so easy and easy to control and the forehand and backhand clears are so easy to do the smashes are so powerful and the maneuverability is good aswell. I do believe that this new carlton range is most probably the best and most classy of the whole range. Widely proud to use this racket and telling you to try it
allright..looking for some advice. I've been playing with a megaflex f1ti now for about 4 years or so - and im getting a new racket before i go 2 uni (as a spare or main if its any better). I was going to buy the fireblade elite but they are now sold out at £60. My choices are either: Fireblade tour (classic head) at £60 - vapour trail fxti at £53 or vapour trail ST at £66. I'm just wondering which is the better racket. I play both doubles and singles, but more in favour of singles. Thanks for any replies.
Carlton Vapour ST Carlton Vapour Trail ST Badminton Racket PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Vapour Trail - engineering to combine both power and control specifications. Combines medium levels of power, control and manoeuvrability - ideal for good club players. BI-AXIAL DYNAMICS A new frame which delivers increased efficiency through a head cross sectional frame profile leading to increased swing speed. OPTIMETRIC HEADSHAPE By combining a larger sweet spot size and increased air speed and control within the same head shape, the new Optimetric head geometry delivers both power, airspeed and control in one frame. JAPANESE HM CARBON CONSTRUCTION Sourced from Japan, Japanese Hi Modulus Carbon is the highest specification carbon available on the market, ensuring your Carlton frame will outperform all other construction materials for frame response and stability. PRO V12 GROMMETS Positioned at 3 and 9 o'clock positions, these specialised grommets have been softened to allow greater string movement thereby increasing power across the hitting zone. robably my best adive is that if you are not to sure about which rackets to get for a range of them you should (If you can) is go to a local sports shop which do sells these and to get a feel and know the weight but the description above should fit most of the others you have said because some of the rackets you have mentioned are farely recent.. Have a look at the Carlton Vapour Trail S-Lite Badminton Racket A light weight racket for great manoeuvrability. At http://www.ukrackets.com/shop/section.php/296/1/carlton-badminton-rackets Thanks Rod
Carlton Vapour Trail ST Badminton Racket can be bought at amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/CARLTON-VAPOUR-TRAIL-BADMINTON-RACKET/dp/B002FACREU
ashaway viper xt 900 I think ashaway has released same viper series. Any one have this racket with u? http://www.ashaway.co.uk/index.php?category=12&page=detail&pid=164&brand=
Ashaway: Viper Weave technology integrates a Meta-Composite into a Viper Skin Weave with Ultra High Modulus Graphite and Nano Carbon. This produces an X-Treme Tension Frame with low torque and virtually no lateral movement on impact, even with miss hits. The X-Treme Tension Frame makes the Viper rackets capable of taking higher string tensions than the market standard, higher string tensions give greater control and less string movement, this further increases shot accuracy. The Viper XT900 has a stiff shaft for increased power for players with quick arm speed. Also added on the XT900 is an 88 hole stringing pattern which gives more stability to the string bed and an integrated Aramid compound into the Viper Skin Weave which adds further strength. Weight : 85gm Balance : 295 mm (Towards Head) Flexibility : Med/Stiff Frame : Ultra Hi Modulus Graphite with Reinforced with Viper Weave and integrated Aramid Recommended Stringing Tension - Main - 22lbs to 26 lbs - Cross - 22lbs to 26 lbs String: MicroPower Good for Power & Control Suitable for Attacking Play Carlton: Bio-axial Dynamics - Analysis of the overhead badminton swing highlights 2 distinct aerodynamic directions evident during the swing phase. The new Bio-Axial Dynamics frame develops more efficient aerodynamics. Over 80% of players stated the new Bi-Axial frame profile delivers increased swing speed. Pro V12 Grommets - Positioned at 3 and 9 o clock postions, these specialised grommets have been softened to allow greater string movement thereby increasing power across the hitting zone. Stabilisor Topcap - By introducing 4 convex channels into the top cap, stiffness of the top cap is increased allowing for greater shot accuracy and control. Optimetric Headshape - By combining the larger sweet spot size and the increased air speed and control within the same head shape, the new Optimetric head geometry delivers both power, airspeed and control in one frame. Japanese HM Carbon - Sourced for Japan, Japanese Hi Modulus Carbon is the highest specification carbon available on the market ensuring your Carbon frame will outperform all other construction materials for frame response and stability. Direct Fibre Transfer - Utilising a carbon inner core and PU outer costing, a direct carbon link is estabilished between shaft and handle enhancing power transfer and sensory feedback resulting from shuttle impact. Ultra-Lite Cap - Using a matrix structure, Carlton has re-engineered the end cap to reduce its weight by 28% contributing to overall enhanced playability. Xtreme Tension Frame - Precision engineering and the utilisation of the finest construction materials ensures your Carlton frame can accommodate 11% higher string tensions compared with competitior frames. Hand Crafted
Okay, I've had some proper court time now on my restrung VT Tour, strung 24/23lbs with Ashaway PG65. I really dig this racket now, and just think that it's a good all-round solid headlight-to-medium balanced racket. It did take some adjusting too after using a bunch of head-heavy rackets because it just swings so fast through the air that I was actually getting to the shuttle too early! I reckon if you want something a bit different and you can handle the blinginess of the mirror finish - and you like the spec - you could do much worse than the VT Tour. It's biggest weakness if you can call it that is that it has no real strengths. This IMHO makes it a good all-round racket that's just as home playing a power game of singles as it is dicing around the court and mixing it up in doubles. Power is more than adequate and it's quick for those reflexy shots, defending at the net and deceptive drops. Now for the meaningless numbers - Feel: 8/10 Control: 8.5/10 Power: 8/10 Defense: 8.5/10 Maneuverability: 9/10 OVERALL: 8.5/10 Oh yeah, there is one thing to look out for. I don't know if it's the optimetric head or what the deal is, but if you catch a shuttle at the very top of the racket (ie: above the 'tradtional' sweetspot), the thing feels like butter and the shuttle just flies off the stringbed. This is sort of 'normal' with most rackets, but it's more pronounced on the VT Tour.Not an issue if you can actually hit properly, but I can't so there ya go.
I tired one of my colleagues' VT Tour, it feels a bit strange to me. On that same day, I also played with the YY AT700, my Fireblade Elite, Powerblade Lite and Ti-10 gII. The VT Tour feels even lighter than my good old battered Powerblade Lite. I was planning to get it, but I actually feel a bit disappointed with it. I am not sure if the VT Elite's head heaviness would be better. I just have this hollow feel when I hit the shuttle. Saying that, the racket is very flashy and stock string comes in a reasonably stiff tension. If anyone is still tempted to get one, I would suggest that you wait till the price drops a little bit later on. For 100quids, I would go for the Cab35 or the ArcZ Slash.
Yeah it is a light racket, but it's not pingy or hollow. The AT700 and Ti10 are very, very different rackets and feel like swinging a brick compared to the VT Tour. The stock strings just don't work either. Could you actually feel when you hit the painted on logo compared to any other part of the racket? It was weird. I was going to sell off my VT until I got it restrung, and now it's totally transformed. The Cab35 and ZS do look great, but if you don't want to tow the YY line, the VT Tour is a viable weapon I reckon. Not that that's gunna stop me giving the ZS a go eventually
By the way, Aerotus = me....... I don't know why I have logged into this very old account..... I would stick with my Fireblade at the moment. It seems to be that, at least the VT Tour, is not my cup of tea. I would hope that somebody here will get the VT Elite soon so that I can compare. I am an old timer, so heavy rackets do not deter me a lot. I have been looking for a 2U Arc10 for a long time, but failed. Probably now I have the excuse of getting a 2U Cab35. But if money allows, I would give the VT Elite a try.
