2016 Babolat X-Feel Blast II PRODUCT SPECS Weight - 88g Flex - Ultra Stiff Length - 675mm Balance point - 305mm (Head Heavy) Recommended Tension - 10-12kg / 22-27lbs Grip Size - 2 PHOTOS to come... RACKET TECHNOLOGY Metriflex Technology - A revolutionary shaft with different levels of flexibility depending on the angle to maximize power while maintaining optimum precision. CarbonSlimPlies - A Thinner and stronger carbon formation used in the shaft for a more dynamic response during play. Thinner Shaft - 6.5mm shaft. Giving less air resistance, helping to increase swing speed for greater power. XP Aerotubing - A new cross-section design of the racket head for improved aerodynamics and a faster swing. AERO+ - Integrated eyelets for more aerodynamism. Oval Head - Small but concentrated sweet spot aiding in more powerful and accurate shots. Superb control. 20 x 21 Stringing Pattern - 8% more spin and -30% less time when stringing a racket as one string per grommet. ON COURT The one I received was factory strung with iFeel 0.70 string (this is standard in UK, it may vary in other countries or the racket may come unstrung). I also used Babolat 1 feather shuttercocks during testing. Please bare this in mind when reading this review. Having used the previous Blast, it was nice to test this one to compare against the 2014 model. First of all the thing you notice straight away is the oval head shape. It is interesting to see Babolat going back to oval head shape when most the other brands seems to have the isometric design on their top rackets. I thought I would struggle to adjust as I have been using mostly isometric shaped rackets for the past few years but I was pleasantly surprised. Granted I mishit hit a few shots but I think this was more to do with adjusting to the racket weight and swing speed as opposed to the head shape. Within minutes I was able to get to a comfortable stage of using the racket. Clears were easy to perform, you definitely notice the head weight whilst swinging the racket. The feel of the strings is nice. Punch and drive clears as easily delivered thanks to the added weight. You may need to adjust the timing if you are used to a even balance or head light racket. It is definitely an improvement over the previous model. Smashing is where this racket really excels in. When you catch the shuttle on the sweetspot, boom, the smash flies off the racket nicely and accurately. I'm not a hard smasher but the sound from the sweet spot is nice. I also believe this is faster in the air as they have changed the aerodynamics with the XP Aerotubing and AERO+. Cross-sectionally the racket seems better suited to fly through the air with minimal air resistance. Also the thinner shaft helps. One thing though that lost a mark is you have to catch the sweetspot and this takes practice. Off centre smashes lack punch. Drops were easy to perform once I adjusted to the weight/speed of the racket and I was able to add slice and reverse slice with no issues. The weight in the racket head makes this possible. Drives were nice and sharp, its slower mid-court compared to the Power/Essential but overall it allowed me to switch positions and deal with drives both on the forehand and backhand. Netplay was okay. Better than the 2014 model but still noticeably slower as expected for a head heavy racket. Moving it around the front takes effort, I felt the racket holding me back. However when I got to the shuttle, the net shots were easy to perform and control. VERDICT Attack 9/10 Defense 7/10 Feel/Control 7/10 Design 8/10 Overall I was happy with this racket. It takes a bit of getting used to due to the oval head shape but the learning curve isn't too arduous. The look of the racket is subtle but nice in my opinion with all the range having the matt black/copper look with the individual accents, in this case the red grommets on the bottom and design in the inner edges. PROS CURRENTLY USING IT (not and exhaustive list and may change without notice) Joachim Fischer-Nielsen Mads Conrad Peterson Beatriz Corrales (Disclaimer: the above review is my opinion, I've tried to remain impartial and have stated any factors like strings and shuttlecocks used, please take this with a pinch of salt and remember we all play differently, the above is intended as a guide only, thanks) Kindest regards, -Ajay- Quote of the Day Don't let idiots ruin your day.
2016 Babolat X-Feel Power II PRODUCT SPECS Weight - 86g Flex - Very Stiff Length - 675mm Balance point - 295mm (Even Balance) Recommended Tension - 10-12kg / 22-27lbs Grip Size - 2 PHOTOS to come... RACKET TECHNOLOGY Metriflex Technology - A revolutionary shaft with different levels of flexibility depending on the angle to maximize power while maintaining optimum precision. CarbonSlimPlies - A Thinner and stronger carbon formation used in the shaft for a more dynamic response during play. Thinner Shaft - 6.5mm shaft. Giving less air resistance, helping to increase swing speed for greater power. XP Aerotubing - A new cross-section design of the racket head for improved aerodynamics and a faster swing. AERO+ - Integrated eyelets for more aerodynamism. Oval Head - Small but concentrated sweet spot aiding in more powerful and accurate shots. Superb control. 20 x 21 Stringing Pattern - 8% more spin and -30% less time when stringing a racket as one string per grommet. ON COURT The one I received was factory strung with iFeel 0.70 string (this is standard in UK, it may vary in other countries or the racket may come unstrung). I also used Babolat 1 feather shuttercocks during testing. Please bare this in mind when reading this review. The 2014 Power was one of the main rackets so naturally I wanted to see how this compared. I was happy as this has improved on the previous model and Clears were very easy to perform and the rackets even balance coupled with the fast swing speed give it the edge.. Punch and drive clears are relatively straight forward baring in mind on above. The racket flies through the air with ease and it felt like I had been playing with it for years. Something about this racket just works well. Smashing is excellent. I'm not a hard smasher but the sound from the sweet spot is nice and the racket suits my game nicely. I also believe this is faster in the air as they have changed the aerodynamics with the XP Aerotubing and AERO+. Cross-sectionally the racket seems better suited to fly through the air with minimal air resistance. Also the thinner shaft helps. It would suit someone who loves their smashing and for the attacking minded player who is aggressive on the court. Drops were easy to perform. The even balance once again aids this and it felt that you had good control over different types of drop shots. Drives were crisp, it's very fast and allowed me to switch positions and deal with drives both on the forehand and backhand with ease. Netplay was decent too. This racket doesn't feel as slow as the blast and is on par with the essential. Obviously the Lite is better but only by a small margin. VERDICT Attack 10/10 Defense 8/10 Feel/Control 8/10 Design 8/10 The best racket for the attacking player in my opinion. It takes a bit of getting used to due to the oval head shape but the learning curve isn't too arduous. The look of the racket is subtle but nice in my opinion with all the range having the matt black/copper look with the individual accents, in this case the white grommets on the bottom and white/silver design in the inner edges. A cool looking racket. PROS CURRENTLY USING IT (not and exhaustive list and may change without notice) Jacco Arends Sashina Vignes-Waran. (Disclaimer: the above review is my opinion, I've tried to remain impartial and have stated any factors like strings and shuttlecocks used, please take this with a pinch of salt and remember we all play differently, the above is intended as a guide only, thanks) Kindest regards, -Ajay- Quote of the Day Don't let idiots ruin your day.
2016 Babolat X-Feel Essential II PRODUCT SPECS Weight - 84g Flex - Stiff Length - 675mm Balance point - 295mm (Even Balance) Recommended Tension - 10-12kg / 22-27lbs Grip Size - 2 PHOTOS to come... RACKET TECHNOLOGY Metriflex Technology - A revolutionary shaft with different levels of flexibility depending on the angle to maximize power while maintaining optimum precision. CarbonSlimPlies - A Thinner and stronger carbon formation used in the shaft for a more dynamic response during play. Thinner Shaft - 6.5mm shaft. Giving less air resistance, helping to increase swing speed for greater power. XP Aerotubing - A new cross-section design of the racket head for improved aerodynamics and a faster swing. AERO+ - Integrated eyelets for more aerodynamism. Oval Head - Small but concentrated sweet spot aiding in more powerful and accurate shots. Superb control. 20 x 21 Stringing Pattern - 8% more spin and -30% less time when stringing a racket as one string per grommet. ON COURT The one I received was factory strung with iFeel 0.70 string (this is standard in UK, it may vary in other countries or the racket may come unstrung). I also used Babolat 1 feather shuttercocks during testing. Please bare this in mind when reading this review. The easiest racket in the range to get used to using and does everything well. Clears were straight forward and accurate. The stiff shaft feels more 'flexy' to me and hence I feel it is suitable for a wide range of players. Punch and drive clears are relatively straight forward too. Smashing is decent. I'm not a hard smasher but the sound from the sweet spot is nice performs what is required. I also believe this is faster in the air as they have changed the aerodynamics with the XP Aerotubing and AERO+. Cross-sectionally the racket seems better suited to fly through the air with minimal air resistance. Also the thinner shaft helps. If you want a racket suitable for a more attacking game, I would suggest the Blast or Power. Drops were simple to execute once again I was impressed with how easy this racket handled them. The control and feel of the racket it top notch. A point though, make sure you have good technique as the racket relies on the user on this due to the oval head shape as mentioned before. Drives were solid, it's relatively fast and allowed me to switch positions and deal with drives both on the forehand and backhand with ease. Netplay was excellent too. The racket is very agile around the forecourt and would suit many playing styles. VERDICT Attack 8/10 Defense 9/10 Feel/Control 9/10 Design 7/10 The most versatile racket of the range, it does everything well. It takes a bit of getting used to due to the oval head shape but the learning curve isn't too arduous. The look of the racket is subtle but nice in my opinion with all the range having the matt black/copper look with the individual accents, in this case the blue grommets on the bottom and design in the inner edges. I'm not a fan of blue on black so rate this the worst looking racket but not by much. It's probably a personal opinion in that respects PROS CURRENTLY USING IT (not and exhaustive list and may change without notice) Delphine Lansac (Disclaimer: the above review is my opinion, I've tried to remain impartial and have stated any factors like strings and shuttlecocks used, please take this with a pinch of salt and remember we all play differently, the above is intended as a guide only, thanks) Kindest regards, -Ajay- Quote of the Day
2016 Babolat X-Feel Lite II PRODUCT SPECS Weight - 82g Flex - Medium Stiff Length - 675mm Balance point - 285mm (Head Light) Recommended Tension - 10-12kg / 22-27lbs Grip Size - 2 PHOTOS to come... RACKET TECHNOLOGY Metriflex Technology - A revolutionary shaft with different levels of flexibility depending on the angle to maximize power while maintaining optimum precision. CarbonSlimPlies - A Thinner and stronger carbon formation used in the shaft for a more dynamic response during play. Thinner Shaft - 6.5mm shaft. Giving less air resistance, helping to increase swing speed for greater power. XP Aerotubing - A new cross-section design of the racket head for improved aerodynamics and a faster swing. AERO+ - Integrated eyelets for more aerodynamism. Oval Head - Small but concentrated sweet spot aiding in more powerful and accurate shots. Superb control. 20 x 21 Stringing Pattern - 8% more spin and -30% less time when stringing a racket as one string per grommet. ON COURT The one I received was factory strung with iFeel 0.70 string (this is standard in UK, it may vary in other countries or the racket may come unstrung). I also used Babolat 1 feather shuttercocks during testing. Please bare this in mind when reading this review. Head light rackets are my favourite as they suit my defensive and counter attacking game. I must say I fell in love with this racket from the first shot and feel. Clears were not too much effort as I am naturally used to head light rackets but someone new to them need to have good technique as the racket generates less power than say the Blast and Power. Punch and drive clears are relatively straight forward baring in mind on above. The racket flies through the air with ease and it felt like an extension of my arm, that's how comfortable it was to play with. Smashing is pretty good. I'm not a hard smasher but the sound from the sweet spot is nice and the racket suits my game nicely. I also believe this is faster in the air as they have changed the aerodynamics with the XP Aerotubing and AERO+. Cross-sectionally the racket seems better suited to fly through the air with minimal air resistance. Also the thinner shaft helps. If you want a racket suitable for your attacking game, I would suggest the Blast or Power. Drops were excellent and once again I was impressed with how easy I could perform them. The control and feel of the racket it top notch. A point though, make sure you have good technique as the racket relies on the user on this. Drives were crisp, it's very fast and allowed me to switch positions and deal with drives both on the forehand and backhand with ease. Netplay was where this racket comes into its own. The control is impeccable and the racket is very agile around the forecourt. VERDICT Attack 7/10 Defense 10/10 Feel/Control 9/10 Design 9/10 Overall I love this racket, it is very fast and suits my game to a tee. It takes a bit of getting used to due to the oval head shape but the learning curve isn't too arduous. The look of the racket is subtle but nice in my opinion with all the range having the matt black/copper look with the individual accents, in this case the luminous yellow grommets on the bottom and design in the inner edges. The best looking racket in the range for me. PROS CURRENTLY USING IT (not and exhaustive list and may change without notice) n/a (Disclaimer: the above review is my opinion, I've tried to remain impartial and have stated any factors like strings and shuttlecocks used, please take this with a pinch of salt and remember we all play differently, the above is intended as a guide only, thanks) Kindest regards, -Ajay- Quote of the Day Don't let idiots ruin your day.
Hi Pandaminton, Sorry for the late reply, I forgot to check this thread. I'm using the X-Feel Power II and I love the racket, I have 3 of them. Kindest regards, -Ajay- Quote of the Day When I was a kid my parents moved a lot, but I always found them.
