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review
New Member
Registered: November 2002
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<b>Kelvin</b> from <b>Calgary AB, Canada</b><br><br>
Review:<br><br>
Hi fellow badminton players.
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Many gracious thanks to Kwun for allowing this racquet to be even considered for review!
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I'm going to submit here an indepth review of this racquet from all my play experience with it (roughly 7 years worth with the same racquet... basically since it's introduction...), and the specs as I know, you may correct me if you feel I've erred, in any of my tech spec info, as I do not have the catalogue with the info listing.
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(Please save any questions for the discussion forum!!! and help us not clutter up the reviews section with garbage, thanks!)
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So without further ado... here's my review.
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First off... I want to mention that I was being trained, 'professionally' in Canada, so my skills are probably different from most players.
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Now... the price & price ranges that you would have found back in 93'-94'
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I think it was released back in 1992, in Japan.
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Canadian prices started out at roughly $350. Touted as cream of the crop, in terms of technological advancement, and racquet design & innovation for its time period.
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In US dollars that translates to roughly $200+
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I don't know about Japanese prices, but in Hong Kong you would roughly pay $2000+ HKD.
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I had my relative pick up my first 3 racquets around early 1993.
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Next I assume you want to know the tech specs for this racquet.
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Here are the specs as I know them.
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My racquet specs were rated as 2U-G4. (G4 because it gives me more flexibility in terms of how much grip I can wrap around the handle... 2U, because the weight is slightly heavier infact, I don't believe this racquet was ever offered as a 3U). The weight bias seemed more slightly towards the head, although it's more noticeable in play, than when you're holding it.
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Stiffness was rated as stiff, but I believe by todays standards it would be rated stiffer than the Ti10!!! (I tested the stiffness as I own both these racquets...) Definitely not a racquet for beginners, nor the weak armed/wrist players.
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Lenth of the racquet measures roughly 66.5 cm long from racquet handle to tip.
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(most racquets measure about this length... Yonex's long shaft measures 67.5cm, IBF Laws state that it is not allowed to be longer than 68cm)
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Weight as I've measured it without the strings seems roughly 93grams.
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Not exactly heavy by todays standards... but not exactly a feather weight either. Don't forget this racquet was top of the line nearly a decade ago!
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The head is constructed of ACM Boron Graphite, in a widebody formation.
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It seems to me this was the launch point for the Aerotus series that followed around the same time. I'm not sure about the rest of the frame, but by the looks of it, and the actual price I imagine that the entire racquet was composed of some sort of Boron Graphite composite mix (also because of how amazingly stiff this racquet is).
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Hence the extremely high price for this item!
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Also one characteristic to note, as mentioned in the discussion forum... Boron is stronger than graphite. So technically if applied properly, the material would have made for probably the best possible material to use in racquets. However due to the extrememly high price again, it was a short lived craze. 
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Classic 2piece construction, consisting of your racquet frame, with a wooden handle. Not high tech, but a proven design in all racquets, it seems to be the most reliable, and probably the only solution in 2 piece design.
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Next I want to talk about the widebody frame design, from what I know of the technology.
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Apparently the widebody frame was constructed in order to reduce drag & torque on the racquet head allowing for a smoother swing, and faster headspeed of the racquet. Constructed to be "aerodynamic" in other words. Also one thing Yonex mentioned is that the edge of the widebody frame was supposedly supposed to flex just slightly on contact with the shuttle??? This was supposed to add to the power of the shots, although maybe some of you can help me clarify this issue, as I still cant work out in my mind how that would work exactly.
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Written on the shaft of my remaining racquet it starts off at the T-joint with a Gold YY Yonex logo, heading down 5cm is a little Orange arrow, pointing towards the YY. Next written in Gold lettering again, it says " BORON 200 SP"
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In smaller purple font next to that it says "provides minimum air resistance and maximum restitution"
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To close the caption, they added another orange arrow pointing towards the handle.
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The quality of the paint job of the racquets that I bought from Hong Kong were very well done!!! If I ever had any clashes (very few even during my training...), that was about the only way the paint would even begin to scratch.
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The Canadian versions that I purchased here later (2 of them!)... seemed to have a much shoddier paint job, and it chipped easier. Very strange coming from such a highly regarded racquet manufacturer, but I guess nobody is perfect.
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Durability of the racquet I'd rate this on a scale of 1-10, 1 being poor, 10 being as durable as steel.
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I'd rate the Yonex Boron 200 as an 8. I've broken two of these racquets through intense training of my smashes, and probably due to the fact they were beginning to get old, due to all the rough play I put them through. By rough play I don't mean that I mistreated the racquet in anyway at all, other than it's intended purposes for playing badminton. During my drills I've had a few, what I call 'perfect smashes' where my body, therefore generated the most amount of power & momentum that I was able to muster from my blocky frame. Hitting the shuttle perfectly in the centre of the sweetspot, and thus breaking the strings from the amount of power on the swing, and snap, the racquet head literally burst apart. This happened on two separate occassions, in different years. The other two broke when I lent them out to friends, and they miss handled them, and clashed them together one too many times. Now I just have the one racquet left, which was strung improperly, and it seemed the stringer bent the shaft!!!!!!! which totally pissed me off, so I cut the strings straigtened the racquet, and framed it.
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(I currently train with about 40-75lbs dumb bells on my shoulders, and curl about 125lbs, on both biceps and wrists... I don't smash as hard as I used to because I'm afraid to break the racquet I use.)
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To finish up this lengthy review, I guess I should talk about the play of this racquet, also my previous specs on the racquet itself, because even if you have the racquet, I have different settings eg. grips, string tension... so play will definitely defer from your opinions.
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For a G4 sized handle I always, ALWAYS wrap two grips around the handle... I choose Yonex grip, AC 440 I believe... it wears out faster than most, but I clean my hands thoroughly so I'm not worried about wear.
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I strung my racquets generally at 19x21lbs all the way to 22x24lbs. (one for each racquet, and 2 were strung at 19x21 for more power, bringing racquet grand total to 5!)
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At 19lbs the racquet served me the best. During the pre isometric/titanium era... this racquet sliced through the air so cleanly, it was literally as smooth as a baby's butt.
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Smashes literally exploded off my BG 65 strings. (BG 65 offer good durability, and good price/performance)
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At 19lbs, the string combination, along with the racquet stiffness offered unparalleled control, both in normal powershots, and your delicate drop shots.
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Net play I must add, was extremely good!!! Due to the racquet head being more aerodynamic than the much loved Carbonex series (also one of my favorites, but not as much as the Boron 200), I was able to maneuver the racquet extremely quickly around the net, and on defensive situations. Very quick.
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You could literally take a second to plan out your shot at the net, and angle it very carefully as you pleased. That is how fast, and well controlled this racquet is. Just like a point and squirt water gun, it'll make the shuttle go where you want it to go.
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In singles play it served me very well again. Extremely tight control, and an insane amount of power for clears, and smashes ( I don't recommend people smash all the time in singles unless you've got lungs of steel and can stand up to the torture).
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In practice, straight smashes were lazer sharp, and precise. I used this fact to hone my skills, and my accuracy. To this day of the people I've played they still regard me as probably one of the most accurate shot makers they've encountered, hitting the lines spot on, in both singles and doubles.
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I noticed one impressive thing with my clears using this racquet that I haven't seen in most other Yonex racquets, except for the Carbonex series.
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There is a noticeable amount of explosive power from the frame, it could be my technique but it does not explain the lack of this explosive pop when I use other racquet models, or maybe I just cant see it, but with the Boron I honestly believe that there was more Oomph! in my shots.
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Back to my drills, and game play now... in doubles, the drives I could produce with this racquet to me were remarkable! I've rarely seen myself perform this well with any racquet, and I could generate so much power on both forehand, and even the tough backhand drive! Heck even my backhand smashes seemed to have life in them!
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In another note, there was this distinctive sound that the racquet seemed to make, that others don't make. I'm sure all of you know about the loud popping sounds that todays frames make, however the Boron 200 seemed to make more of a loud thud, similar to thunder. That's only my perception when playing with this though, so don't take my word for it. If you can find them still try it for yourself.
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Anyways, if I've missed anything in this review please leave feedback & comments in the DISCUSSION FORUM, and not in this product review section please!
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Thank you for reading this review of my most favorite racquet.
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Happy smashing!!!
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review
New Member
Registered: November 2002
Posts: 0
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Review Date:
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 0
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<b>YY Fan</b> from <b>HK, China</b><br><br>
Review:<br><br>
Dear all,
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Yonex Boron 200 has been discontinued for over 10 years. When it was first introduced in the market in 1993, it was very expensive, it was over HK$1,000. Though I haven't tried a Boron 200, I admire its paintjob much.
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Winex imitates Yonex products, Winex Boron 200 is an example. However, Winex Boron 200 is completely a different racket from Yonex Boron 200, though they are more or less the same in appearance ( as Winex always copies Yonex products).
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Winex Boron 200's material is softer than that of original Yonex Boron 200. Winex Boron 200's shaft is very flexible, besides, it is lighter. Hand feeling is also quite different.
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However, for those badminton fans, if you want to take a look of Yonex Boron 200, you can just seek a Winex Boron 200 as their appearance are the same.
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YY Fan
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review
New Member
Registered: November 2002
Posts: 0
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Review Date:
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 0
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<b>Glen</b> from <b>Victoria, Canada</b><br><br>
Review:<br><br>
I was fortunate enough to have both the aerotus 110 and the boron 200. In fact I had two of each but eventually they all broke from use. No clashes but just rather the stress of my smashes. Overall, they were good for alot of games and I was not disappointed with their durability. Although both racquets might be the same physically, they were very different from each other in other respects other than the paint jobs. While I hit very hard with both racquets, I found the Boron 200 to be the stiffer of the two racquets. In fact to this day, I truely believe it would still be the stiffest racquet ever made by Yonex. I found the aerotus 110 easier to use while the Boron demanded total attention and rewarded you accordingly with sheer firepower as I found both racquets were really accurate but in terms of the short game, I have to admit that they were both slow.
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review
New Member
Registered: November 2002
Posts: 0
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Review Date:
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 0
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<b>Quacker</b> from <b>Japan</b><br><br>
Review:<br><br>
Difficult to add anything to Kelvin's monster review!
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I'd give mine a 10 for durability. I only owned 1 and it survived a whole lot.
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I only bought it to stop myself from buying racquets. I got it for ~75 dollars half price from a sports shop that was closing down. It did stop me buying racquets. It was "the business".
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The racquet is very stiff indeed, and weighty (though it was light when I bought it!), and it's able to deliver the horsepower in a controlled manner.
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Definately my favorite racquet among the ones I've owned and tried.
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Its only weakness was its manoeverability.
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...and for me it was a good looker!
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