Well I thought about buying a brand new racket but I can't seem to pick if I want an Apacs or a Li Ning racket. So I wanted to ask the professionals on what badminton racket is better in durability, longtivity, and overall what is better. And I would appreciate if anyone would give me a specific racket. I'm an intermidiate player, I like to play singles, and I like lightweight but not to lightweight badminton rackets. Sent from my CPH2349 using Tapatalk
Based on brand, both are fine in term of durability. But to suggest specific racket is a hard one. Everyone had different feel, preference, & physical attribute. What i like is not always what others like & what others like probably i might like it to. Better yet, tell us what your racket now & what you like & hate about it. What you want to improve with your next racket & what you willingly to sacrifice to achieve what you want. Also last, whats your budget?
The racket I currently use now is the Astrox 27i lite or had use, since I recently broke it when I was training for my upcoming tournament which is next week or Nov 26. It was my only racket and had lasted me quite a while for 6 months until the frame broke. I liked it alot as It was nice for smashing, defending, and was the perfect weight for me. The only thing I hated about it was that it gets chipped and scratched very easily, a simple accidental drop on the ground can make the biggest paint chip. So with no racket for my tournament I was thinking of buying a new one. I had done my research in the different brands of badminton rackets and I also asked my different seniors on what they recommend for me, most said Apacs and Li Ning. (I am no expert in badminton equipments) I am a pretty good player for my age (14) I hit pretty hard, I can defend well, I'm fast and I can jump, I can say I'm above average in terms of skill. I win in a ton of tournaments and I'm a varsity in my school. And finally for my budget, anything will do, I will be willing to pay any price for a suitable racket. As long as I get to play the sport that I love I will sacrafice my time, my grades and my money. Sent from my CPH2349 using Tapatalk
Brand wise, lining is great. Never i heard or see any lining sinking grommet or broken frame. But Yonex & Victor always had dark history for sinking grommet or broken frame even up till today. Astrox 27i Lt. High flex, HH, 5U. Low end model always had short lifecyle which is why its hard to find replacement of their next gen model. High end model had better lifecycle where its model always had next gen tho not always equal but not far to different from the old one. Also high end model, mostly start of mid stiff to extra stiff. So i guest its hard to suggest any model that you might like. But as you had friend & senior, why not you borrow some of their racket to have a test & see if you like it or not. Thats the safest bet i guest rather than any of us here suggest a model that we think might suit you. But regardless if you insist on it, from my experience tasting friend racket which quite good & easy to use (but not sure if its still available) Lining Turbo Charging 80 (last year mode) Victor Thruster K Hammer (i think there is new color released this year) Adidas Kalkul A5 (Adidas is over, but maybe there some leftover around you) For something closer to 27i Spec, probably Lining Windstorm series (never try it on court but just dry swing it at the store).
If money is no issue, you get outstanding quality from Li-Ning when you buy an expensive one. The cheaper ones also chip a the cap when you remove grips. IMO the question is not possible to answer in general. If I would spend more than 100€ per racket I wouldn't stick with Apacs. For your specific case, I would suggest to buy two more budget friendly ones than one highend. If racket or string break during a tournament you can't continue or need to borrow a racket if you just have one. Broken rackets are not regular, but can happen. How much money do you want to spend? I recommend to visit a shop and do some dry swings (should be in your country easier than in mine) and decide on your guts.
