Tantrum 300 review
APACS Tantrum 300, 88-90/G2.
Zymax 70 @ 28/31 lb.
A gratuity from APACS, so the least I can do is review it for them.
Looks – 7/10
Pretty much the same as the T200, but the apple-green is now a more anodyne tan/bronze - would have preferred something less conservative.
Paint quality is largely good, but the decals are a bit tenuous and there are small dents in the silver at the top of the frame.
Frame and Shaft – 9/10
Frame is similar to the T200 but with less pronounced Power Armour grooves. The T200’s frame was very strong, and so is the T300’s; it’s one of the strongest stringers I’ve seen since the Panda Revelation prototype. I just hoped APACS had sorted out the T200 rattle that came with frame hits.
Shaft felt like a mid-high 7, and sure enough it said 7.5-8.0 on the racket. Similar to the NS9900.
Power – 8/10
Very good. Smashes (when I timed them right – more on that later) came down very quickly, but the tight strings left me a small sweet spot. Lifts were almost too good – I was hitting long for the first fifteen minutes, and I’ve had to make a conscious effort to control myself ever since – it reaches the back with the slightest nudge. It clears extremely well on the backhand side (I took it for some games of singles), and this is a mainstay “test” shot for me.
It also drives very well off a short swing, keeping a lot of power, but felt a bit cumbersome when the rally went “Chinese” (sustained and varied drives).
Defense – 7/10
Falls down a bit here because of the extra weight, but I got it under more control as the session went on. Driven defense went away pretty much as fast as the attack that came in, but transitions needed a firm hand. 85-86 grams and it would have behaved itself better.
Based on the above the T300 is a technically a hybrid, but with a definite bias toward attack.
Feel – 9/10
Felt like I was hitting shuttles with my own hand. Has all the connectivity of the T200 but, crucially, none of that tinnyness when a shot came off the frame; a few times I caught 12 o’clock and got a sound that set my teeth on edge, but no vibration. Perfect example of the addressing a flaw.
Stability/Control – 10/10
Like its elder brother, almost brutally stable: the T300 simply cannot be knocked off line. Possibly the least torque I’ve seen since the FZ Ti550.
(This does come at the cost of some aerodynamics, though, which meant I was dumping a lot of smashes in the net until I adjusted to the new timing. Swings and roundabouts.)
Value for Money – 7.5/10
Had I paid the advertised price for the T300 I would have considered it very fair – there are plenty of dearer and weaker rackets from “stronger” brands.
Conclusions
+
Everything good about the T200, and nothing that was bad;
Pretty powerful for the short balance;
Strings very strong and immensely stable;
Excellent feel – sharp and composed;
Good value for money against the likes of Yonex and Li Ning.
-
Could do with being more aerodynamic (but definitely not at the cost of that stability);
A bit too heavy to be a true all-rounder – three or four grams lighter for easier movement;
Looks are a bit boring – needs a “signature” colour like the old T200. (Tan isn’t a colour; it’s what you use when you can’t decide on a colour.)
APACS Tantrum 300, 88-90/G2.
Zymax 70 @ 28/31 lb.
A gratuity from APACS, so the least I can do is review it for them.
Looks – 7/10
Pretty much the same as the T200, but the apple-green is now a more anodyne tan/bronze - would have preferred something less conservative.
Paint quality is largely good, but the decals are a bit tenuous and there are small dents in the silver at the top of the frame.
Frame and Shaft – 9/10
Frame is similar to the T200 but with less pronounced Power Armour grooves. The T200’s frame was very strong, and so is the T300’s; it’s one of the strongest stringers I’ve seen since the Panda Revelation prototype. I just hoped APACS had sorted out the T200 rattle that came with frame hits.
Shaft felt like a mid-high 7, and sure enough it said 7.5-8.0 on the racket. Similar to the NS9900.
Power – 8/10
Very good. Smashes (when I timed them right – more on that later) came down very quickly, but the tight strings left me a small sweet spot. Lifts were almost too good – I was hitting long for the first fifteen minutes, and I’ve had to make a conscious effort to control myself ever since – it reaches the back with the slightest nudge. It clears extremely well on the backhand side (I took it for some games of singles), and this is a mainstay “test” shot for me.
It also drives very well off a short swing, keeping a lot of power, but felt a bit cumbersome when the rally went “Chinese” (sustained and varied drives).
Defense – 7/10
Falls down a bit here because of the extra weight, but I got it under more control as the session went on. Driven defense went away pretty much as fast as the attack that came in, but transitions needed a firm hand. 85-86 grams and it would have behaved itself better.
Based on the above the T300 is a technically a hybrid, but with a definite bias toward attack.
Feel – 9/10
Felt like I was hitting shuttles with my own hand. Has all the connectivity of the T200 but, crucially, none of that tinnyness when a shot came off the frame; a few times I caught 12 o’clock and got a sound that set my teeth on edge, but no vibration. Perfect example of the addressing a flaw.
Stability/Control – 10/10
Like its elder brother, almost brutally stable: the T300 simply cannot be knocked off line. Possibly the least torque I’ve seen since the FZ Ti550.
(This does come at the cost of some aerodynamics, though, which meant I was dumping a lot of smashes in the net until I adjusted to the new timing. Swings and roundabouts.)
Value for Money – 7.5/10
Had I paid the advertised price for the T300 I would have considered it very fair – there are plenty of dearer and weaker rackets from “stronger” brands.
Conclusions
+
Everything good about the T200, and nothing that was bad;
Pretty powerful for the short balance;
Strings very strong and immensely stable;
Excellent feel – sharp and composed;
Good value for money against the likes of Yonex and Li Ning.
-
Could do with being more aerodynamic (but definitely not at the cost of that stability);
A bit too heavy to be a true all-rounder – three or four grams lighter for easier movement;
Looks are a bit boring – needs a “signature” colour like the old T200. (Tan isn’t a colour; it’s what you use when you can’t decide on a colour.)
.
