Hi everyone. I'm new here, hope that you can help me understand something. I started playing earlier this year (have played tennis and squash before) and would call myself an intermediate player, play 3 times a week with a variety of reasonable club players, mostly doubles. I bought myself a Yonex Arcsaber lite (even balance, medium flex) and it seemed OK, but I soon decided that it has very 'soft' strings and was giving no power at all. I bought a Carlton Aerosonic Boom (even, medium) and got on well with that, head moved quickly but had reasonable power: much, much better in many ways than the ASL, and I never wanted to use that Yonex one again; it now felt dead and had no 'feel' or control or accuracy about it compared to the Carlton. Then some over enthusiastic partner smashed into me and broke the Carlton's frame, and I can't get another as they've stopped making them. :-( I borrowed a friend's Dunlop AP8300 Graviton (head light, flexible): wow, super light feel, flicky, fast head, super accurate, manoeuvrable and can put down enough power for me. Different to the Carlton, sure: but lovely. Only I can't buy one as they're no longer made! So I bought a Yonex Nanoray 10f (head light, flexible): and aren't any more impressed with that than the ASL. Feels dead, not accurate at all, better power but no 'feel', not 'flicky' nor precise like the head light Dunlop. Horrid, really. So I bought a Yonex Voltric Lite (head heavy, flexible). It's oddly similar in feel to the Dunlop (though head heavy!), reasonably accurate (ish) and good power, reasonably fast head movement; but I'm still not totally happy with it, and I'm getting badminton elbow easily. Best racket of the Yonex bunch, but that's not really saying a great deal... Having spent hours trying and swapping around all 5 rackets, the conclusion is that the Dunlop and the Voltric and the Carlton are the fastest heads to 'swish' around and actually 'follow through' when you do an overhead or high shot whereas the other 2 just stop dead in the air; like they are just lifeless. The Dunlop sails through really easily, then the Carlton, then the Voltric, in that order. A friend did and found exactly the same. All of these are 4U rackets (and I have checked on scales). All are brand new. All should be 20lb strings. Have tried with and without overgrip: no real changes to how I feel. OK, so none of these are super expensive rackets - but I can't keep throwing money at things without understanding what's going on. Nowhere to try rackets, very difficult to buy anything except online (Sports Direct is only shop, extremely limited options). Can't easily borrow rackets (people just don't like to lend, sadly.) So can anyone explain what's going on (except that I seem to hate Yonex?) There isn't any logic in head balance, for instance and they're not feeling like they're conforming to how different types of racket are described (e.g. the head heavy is easier and faster to move around than the even or head light... Unless it's a non-Yonex HL or even one!) All the Yonex ones have good reviews - but I'm finding them just a waste of money! Many thanks for any insights (sorry for the length).
I think the issue is that Yonex rackets that you have tried have been very low range rackets whereas the other rackets will have more technology and be better quality. Yonex cost more than most other rackets. I suggest buying an apacs virtuoso performance 4u or if you can afford a Victor Bravesword 12 4u or similar. It seems you like a flexible shaft so stay away from stiff rackets.
You need to cut why strings that come with badminton racquets and restring. The stock strings are the most awful strings at very low tensions. Try restringing any of your racquets with BG80 at 22lbs.
Do NOT buy low range Yonex rackets. They specialize in high-end rackets only... If you want low range look into Apacs, Oliver, Gosen etc. These companies actually have playable rackets
There is no free thing. Even a sponsored player is not actually get a free racket. We all pay for it. The high price is sum up from production fee (material, worker, machine, etc), advertise, sponsorship, & ofcourse profit. If you look for cheap affordable racket, better stay away from the big brand. Apacs, Hiqua, Fleet, Flypower for example have a good range of racket with better tech compare to low end big brand range. Can be said you get high end/mid end racket with 50% cheaper than the big brand.
Basically like what everyone said, for non high-end, avoid Yonex. In fact even if you're getting a high-end racket, since it seems like you're more interested in medium flex, i'd still avoid yonex since their shaft is definitely stiff. I'd look into Li-ning as most of their shaft are more flexible and for me they are very comfortable to use. You'll also have to take into consideration the head shape as usually a sword frame (tapered edge frame) will move faster but you won't get the feeling of the head compared to boxier head shape
Thanks everyone. So it probably is just Yonex, then. Unfortunately, few of those names I recognise at all as being for sale in the UK, online or in the very few shops which we have. It's Yonex, Carlton, Wilson, Babolat, Ashaway and that's about it. Maybe Li Ming, but way out of my budget (doubly so when you can't try them). [ Edit - just looked on Direct Badminton and they do Victor, Apacs, Adidas and some Karakal, too - I'll have a look on there. Any recommendations? (Really can't afford much more than £35-40 on a guess...) ] I have found a restringer reasonably locally, but wonder how much difference that will actually make to the feel of the racket in the hand and in play, as opposed to actually hitting a shuttle with it. It's a problem with feel and how fast the whole racket (shaft and head) can be moved around in the air (just waving it around in the house I can tell that) as much as anything. Strings aren't even coming into this (or are they?).
It's the strings that touch the shuttle so they are incredibly important for the feeling you get when you hit a shuttle - let's call it "feedback" to avoid confusion when talking about how the racket feels when just waving it around - called "feel". The racket and strings combined will give feedback but strings will never change what you "feel" waving it around. Some strings suck all the life out of your game. Yonex factory strings are no exception and probably one of the worst - they can make a good racket feel soft and squishy like a cushion was strapped to the racket. You talked about the control and accuracy elements of your rackets. Bad strings can ruin control and accuracy but also a flimsy racket where the head twists is a bad racket, full-stop, no ifs, no buts, just plain bad. You have probably bought as least 1 already. Some flexible rackets are great but only if they control the twisting. Unfortunately cheaper rackets are not the strongest and can have bad twisting. The cost of a restring should probably be considered as the strings provided in new rackets can be utterly terrible. Especially when you consider the rackets sold in a local sports direct may have been in the store for years - they are not a volume seller of badminton kit. Most reputable online stores will provide a free or cheaper restring so you can rule out the problems with poor strings when buying from Sports Direct. I know of at least 2 people (APACS and Yonex) who do racket demo days in the south west, there may be somebody near you who is a rep for one of the many manufacturers. It's a shame more people won't let you borrow a racket for 5 minutes or even do a few practice swings away from other people - it can help to rule out what you don't like and confirm what you do like. Keep doing some online research and asking questions. Taking a quick look at directdadminton.co.uk...a few APACS rackets such as the Lethal 10, Blend Duo 88, Wave 10 or Foray 68. They are all quite different and offer different pros and cons. But all are within your budget and (in my opinion) not terrible - in fact they are quite good for what they are. There are plenty of other rackets but one to avoid is the Ferocious 22 - I found it twisted too much and accuracy was poor no matter what strings I used. The reason for picking out APACS rackets is that in the UK there are very few manufacturers that sell cheaper rackets yet alone a large range of them. APACS is unique for our market in that all their range are cheaper than the "big names" but are generally as good if not better than the more expensive options.
Apacs are generally good value for money, they sell them at central sports or direct sports. Another option is Adidas spieler range which are also within your budget.
+1 for getting a racket strung with a decent set of strings at a reasonable tension before making any kind of judgment about it. Factory strings ALWAYS suck and bring out the worst in any racket. I wouldn’t say in general the mid-level Yonex rackets are not worth the money per se. I know the Nanoray 10F from a club mate and it’s not a bad racket at all for an ambitious beginner. But again, that’s with good strings on it.
And thanks again. There's a lot to learn here. Too much choice!!! I have started looking around at other makes: didn't realise that they were any good. Direct badminton and other sites look interesting. Ah, more nights on the computer! (Fortunately, all the playing nights are closed for Xmas hols now.) I will definitely look at strings - but having just now been waving them around in the house, it really is something in the design or something in terms of how fast the head moves around and can be flicked (if desperate); how quickly or how well they slice through the air. Huge differences... Aerodynamics, something in the head or shaft construction, taper or slimmer shaft? And that's before strings... PS - Aerosonic strings didn't go on the Carlton Aerosonic rackets, did they? (Be too simple, that...)
I am in same boat, couple of weeks bought Yonex astrox 7 with default string from Badminton direct for 75£.Somehow i don't feel it is good, no power at all and after 4 sessions string broken ( gutted).. then played with friends dunlop gravitation NX - 8300, it is really really good.. thinking to move Dunlop Graviton XF 83 as NX 8300 not available. Astrox 7 is geven for restringing in decathlon.. i hope restringing will do the difference fingers crossed.
+2 for getting a proper stringing job with a good performance string at a tension around 22lbs. I also disagree on the fact, that the lower end Yonex are so awful. IMO they have a few gems in the lower budget area. Nothing to impress, but playable rackets for a good price. If I demo rackets I hate any racket if the tension is far away from my prefered tension and the string is not a well performing string.
+3 - As much you want to buy a different racket (and you can do what ever you want) you might have a good experience with a restring of you favourite feeling racket. If a restring costs you about £10-15 then why not get 2 rackets restrung for less than the cost of 1 new racket.
Astrox 7 with a decent set of strings is a good racket. Fingers crossed that the guys at Decathlon just remotely know what they are doing.
The Astrox 7 is beside the 9 one of these gems I'm talking bout. I guess if people would stop buying multiple rackets and get a decent job in it, they would change instantly their mind. Maybe this is the reason why so many just praise the YY highends. The frames come empty and get before hand out a serious string job. I remember pretty well back in the days how my Isometric Z came alive when I strung it at 26 with ZM65.
Sometimes it is hard to say. It is all depends on individual. Example me, yonex is my 1st racket to play many years back. And honestly it is hard to get use to it, well of cos it do because newbie in badminton. So it took me almost a year to get used to yonex racket, and to get my hit perfect. But that time i never thought about changing racket or look around for other brand of racket cos im totally dont know anything about racket brand at that time, all i know yonex is a racket lols. But now only yonex suit me better. I have tried many other brand like rsl, fleet, apacs, li ning, wilson, carlton, gosen etc. Still i goin back to yonex. Its like once u go yonex u will always go yonex. ( like once u go black u will always go black lols. Joking )That is my personal experience n opinion. I do have some friends who are like me, only yonex works for them. I just guessing maybe yonex is not the right brand racket for u. U may try other brand. And my another personal opinion is, a head heavy fleet, apacs, gosen other than yonex n li ning, are still not as head heavy as yonex n li ning. Still felt lighter a bit. And those brand stiffness other than yonex and li ning are not as stiff as yonex and li ning. Example u play with medium flex fleet racket, then u change to yonex medium flex racket too, u will able to feel that yonex medium flex actually feels stiffer than the fleet medium. Other than that maybe your string not suit u. Try to change your string tension in same racket 1st. If still not work, change different spec racket. Since u said u played tennis and squash before, i believe u already have a strong arm and wrist. Plus tennis racket is heavier that the heaviest badminton racket around. So playing with head light or head heavy badminton racket should be no problem for u. U just need to get use to it 1st maybe. U need to play more with yonex until u get use to it, it take time for sure. Have u try stiffer and head heavier racket? Like zforce 2? Because tennia and squash racket no flex right? Correct me if im wrong. If yes, try to use stiff and head heavy badminton racket. I've tried arcsaber, carbonex, armotec, nanoray, duora and voltric before. Only astrox series i havent try. I still stick wif my voltric. And i guess lower end and high end may not be an issue to some player. Some player need high end yonex racket to play better and to get the right adjustment, timing and accuracy, but not for me. I play with a high end zforce 2 and and a lower end votric force vtf, i feel my smash much better with voltric force than zforce 2. My control too much better on voltric force. Zforce 2 is extra stiff and voltric force only stiff but both head heavy. Different people different preference. So now u may try much stiff and jead heavy racket see if it works for u.
1st of all, play more games with the same racket 1st. Keep changing will confuse u much. Since u only started play early this year. U should stick to 1 type of racket 1st. It do take quite long time to get use to 1 racket.
I eager to try the lower end astrox 69 and astrox 9 racket. I read few positive review about these 2 racket, but not too details yet. To me lower end racket doesnt mean its bad. Anyone play with astrox 69 and astrox 9 here?
