I know every racquet has it's strengths and weaknesses, increase in head heavy/power means loss of control/all balanced racquet...but exactly how much loss of control do you feel? Is it a slower/harder time to bring the racquet around for defenses or what? I understand there's a loss in each respective side but I'm not sure as to what extent exactly as I'm about to buy a new racquet and wanted to decide on one.
It's a bit simplistic to characterise rackets as "control rackets for defensive players" or "power rackets for offensive players". This is good marketing, but misleading. For a start, a player with a good smash but weaker defence might choose a "defensive" racket to help cover up his weakness! Apart from budget rackets, almost all modern rackets are light and (roughly) evenly balanced. A real head-heavy club has no place in modern badminton. So when we talk about "head-heavy", "balanced", and "head-light", we're discussing small differences. If my racket is lighter or less head-heavy than yours, then I will need to swing my arm faster than you in order to make the same power smash. But it will also be easier for me to generate that extra racket head speed. So a lighter/head-light racket must be swung faster, but it's also easier to make it go fast. Which method is more efficient? It really depends on the player. If you can swing your arm very fast, then maybe a lighter/balanced racket will be better. On the other hand, you might be able to make a forceful but slower swing; perhaps a heavier racket would suit you. Your technique will also develop around the racket you choose, so that players will tend to stick with the same styles of rackets. I'm used to light/balanced rackets, and consequently my timing is all wrong for a heavier/head-heavy smash. If you develop your technique to fit a heavier/head-heavy racket, then your smash will probably gain a very slight edge. The players with the biggest smashes tend to use such rackets (but not always. Some of the big-hitters use lighter rackets). For defence, it's a little more clear-cut. A light, balanced racket is clearly better for defence: your movements will be slightly quicker, and you'll find it easier to get power from a short swing. But again, it's a small, small difference. These rackets also help any other quick reaction shots with a short hitting action, such as half-court drives. Singles specialists will tend to choose heavier/head-heavy rackets, favouring the potential small edge in power. Many doubles situations, where a lighter racket might help, just don't occur often in singles: half-court drives, for example. Again, this is a general pattern with many exceptions. If you prefer a "doubles racket" for singles, then use it! I play singles with a 4U AT-800de -- the quintessential "doubles-only" racket. Among top-quality (non-budget) rackets, the difference in playing characteristics is small. It's fruitless trying to find the "best" racket. There's no such thing. Simply find one that feels good to you. If you're buying a budget (or "semi-budget") racket, however, you should be careful to avoid the excessively heavy/head-heavy models (the "clubs"). Also, you should avoid changing rackets too often, especially changing between different styles of racket. Moving back and forth between balanced and head-heavy will upset your timing.
Yes, this is absolutely fundamental to making a good choice. It's not always easy, but it really is the only effective way of knowing which rackets you will like most. Racket shops that allow you to demo rackets are gold-dust.
Agree. Also, need to set your expectation to be reasonable, as the real key factor is the player but not the racket. If under the expectation of "if I spend $200, I can be the champ" or the other extreme of "i don't want to spend more than $20, but the racket should be durable, light, powerful, doing all the trick by itself before I can even think" then you will never find anything.
