Need recommendation for a heavy yonex racket

Zohar

Zohar

Regular Member
Lost my Astrox 77 (probably forgot it on the bus); I waited long enough due to the new grommet pattern, but it doesn't seem like it's going to be remedied soon, and my nanoray 10 replacement was too weak today; so I have to get a new one.

These are my options, and they are all around the same price:

https://www.playerssports.co.nz/rackets/products/category/661/badminton-pro

I'm looking for something with power: heavy (3U), heavy head, and preferably flexible. I thought about Astrox 77, 88D, 99.

I can't get proper info from yonex site; it's mostly BS that I don't buy:

http://www.yonex.com/sports/badminton/products/badminton/racquets/astrox-series/astrox-77/

http://www.yonex.com/sports/badminton/products/badminton/racquets/astrox-series/astrox-88-d/

http://www.yonex.com/sports/badminton/products/badminton/racquets/astrox-series/astrox-99/

For example, they used to indicate the balance of the racket and if it's heavy head. There used to be a racket matrix diagram that broadly compared the rackets.

Someone told me today that there's actually a difference in the balance between the 77 blue and yellow?(?)

Also, while it's stiff, I remember that I liked the z force ii (felt nice and powerful):

http://www.yonex.com/sports/badminton/products/badminton/racquets/voltric-series/voltric-z-force-2/

I also remembered that it was a 2017 racket, its price was dropping, and it was going off the market. This doesn't seem the case.

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Bottom line, I'm looking for a ("very") heavy racket, geared towards power. Any quick recommendations? For example, I read on some post that people found the 99 too heavy and have been returning it; would it be perfect for me?
 
Some people might feel 3U head heavy is light enough for them & 4U is just to light. But everyone physical build is different so even if someone here say or even use AX99 3U for double is fast enough, i doubt it will fit you right on the spot. For this you need to find & feel it yourself.

As you might look for Yonex brand & head heavy, Astrox is today head heavy range.
88D & 99 is definitely stiff tho not very extra stiff like ZF, so that might not what you are looking for, but who knows... Just try it if you can borrow friend racket, maybe its not to stiff for you & you might like it.
 
I'm looking for a very heavy racket for singles. Which of the rackets I listed do you think is the most powerful? From what I read, my impression so far is that I should go with ax99 3u; is it really heavy head (what's up grammatically with the "head heavy"?)? I don't see any official description on this.

(What am I supposed to make of "Overwhelm the opposition with the fast and powerful ASTROX. For players who demand a steep angled and devastating smash, taking the point to their opponent.")

If I had an option to try the rackets, then I wouldn't have needed to ask. So far, I tried a couple of times the zf2, and I owned ax77.

I'm not sure what to make of the "very stiff" of the zf2. It sounds more control than power, but I remember that it was a powerful racket.
 
Zohar said:
I'm looking for a very heavy racket for singles. Which of the rackets I listed do you think is the most powerful? From what I read, my impression so far is that I should go with ax99 3u; is it really heavy head (what's up grammatically with the "head heavy"?)? I don't see any official description on this.

(What am I supposed to make of "Overwhelm the opposition with the fast and powerful ASTROX. For players who demand a steep angled and devastating smash, taking the point to their opponent.")

If I had an option to try the rackets, then I wouldn't have needed to ask. So far, I tried a couple of times the zf2, and I owned ax77.

I'm not sure what to make of the "very stiff" of the zf2. It sounds more control than power, but I remember that it was a powerful racket.
Click to expand...
Very stiff meaning if you don't have ample technique, swing speed and strenght you won't flex the shaft and get unleash the potential power but if you can you'll get a lot of power. For ZFII control will also be there because it's a more stable shaft and solid frame so it will be more predictable and accurate if you can wield it.

Also look into 2u weight class rackets if you want something really heavy. But 3u is perfectly weighted for most players who require a powerful racket.
 
Although it sounds interesting, I don't seem to have 2u in my store, but yeah, 3u should be enough.

Control: my technique is probably not good enough, and my control is lacking. For example, I'm playing with a 16lbs string (power, no control).
 
Well, im happen to be hammer racket lovers. Use 3U head heavy racket, currently TK770 99gr, 300+BP (302 or 306 i forgot) with current setup VBS66N 27lbs & AC102 + original grip.
Once i try friend 88D. Tho its 4U its still good but if only its 3U, it would be more satisfying in term of power. But again its me & my feel. What you feel might be different to you.
Never had chance with 99 so cant tell any of it.

But if you love raw power, i think Voltric series is what best fit for power. Astrox is kinda like machinegun that rain the opponent with fast rapid shot while Voltric is a rocket launcher that destroy opponent with 1 big bang shot. So if you could find the old stock VT series like VT LDF or VT80Etn, maybe you would like it.
 
Zohar said:
Someone told me today that there's actually a difference in the balance between the 77 blue and yellow?(?)
Click to expand...
This might have been the case in the very first batches. But having tested and weighted 4 of each (4U) in the last year, I can say there's no such difference, at least not in those 8 rackets.
I guess the only Yonex option that is 3U, head heavy and medium flex would be the 77 (although not very hh)
Li-ning may have more options on the flexible side.
 
So, is weighing yourself the rackets and reaching a conclusion is the standard practice to get useful information?

On yonex site,

http://www.yonex.com/sports/badminton/products/badminton/racquets/astrox-series/astrox-77/

I'm going into product details, and I see some BS like:

"YONEX has designed a new octahedron shaped control support cap that reduces air resistance whilst encouraging nimble handling."

They are saying here that the slim, flat green cap in the base of the racket was specifically designed as octagon shape (octahedron is a 3D shape -- yeah, not a description by an engineer for sure) for the following purposes:
1. To reduce air resistance -- are you (frigging) kidding me?? Air resistance by this thin piece at the bottom of your racket??
2. To encourage nimble handling -- okay, if you happen to touch this cap while playing, then I can send you some videos of a monkey holding a racket to teach you how to hold one.

Who buy this BS? Can someone please message yonex and ask them to wake up?! No, seriously. I don't believe a word in their technical descriptions and most of them are just funny. Where can I find some proper technical details?
 
The girl in our store told me that the ax99 is a light head racket. She quoted from their website:

https://www.playerssports.co.nz/rackets/product/12075/yonex-astrox-99-sunshine-orange

"By reducing the amount of carbon in the shaft to make it 60% thinner than a conventional racquet whilst retaining stiffness, YONEX has created a revolutionary _lightweight_ racket with lightening head speed and control."

1. How did their retain stiffness by removing carbon and making it 60% thinner? I believe it's possible, but I'm skeptical that they did it. Any specific details?

It's probably based on yonex description of

"The slimmest racquet ever produced by YONEX vastly reduces air resistance whilst providing maximum feel."

So, one salesman calls the other for details. Just a second, WTF, 60% thinner?
How thinner is it really, and how much air resistance are we talking about here exactly?

2. I know what lightening speed is; what is lightening control?

I'm going to ignore what she said, buy the racket, and hope that it's really heavy head.
 
I was ready to buy, and... my store increased the prices from yesterday by ~$100:

https://www.playerssports.co.nz/rackets/products/category/661/badminton-pro

My Astrox77 that I bought 2 years ago for $220, now costs $280. The z-force2 costs now $320.
I'm telling you, these old rackets are gold, and we should keep them as an investment for years to come.

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Another review:

https://www.quora.com/Which-is-a-be...mediate-player-and-dont-know-which-one-to-buy

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Anyway, can anyone recommend an online store:
- Ships within a reasonable time to NZ.
- Reasonable prices.
 
:Dmost of the time & almost everytime, all this fancy cool looking word is just a marketing gimmic.
But even so, many people still get eat up by its sweet word.
The same as catapult tech on old Victor TK series, said it will increase one power 9%. Ok, so does Yonex 88S that have similar flex point but it said for better control. So power or control?
I guest they can say whatever they want to their product just to tickle our interest.
 
From what I experience with my 88S 3U, unless you're an advanced player or simply have the wrist and arm strength, 88D or 99 3U will be a really heavy racket to wield.

77 3U is most likely to be on the same weight feeling to 88S 3U so it's heavy but I'd say it's still maneuverable
 
Zohar said:
I was ready to buy, and... my store increased the prices from yesterday by ~$100:

https://www.playerssports.co.nz/rackets/products/category/661/badminton-pro

My Astrox77 that I bought 2 years ago for $220, now costs $280. The z-force2 costs now $320.
I'm telling you, these old rackets are gold, and we should keep them as an investment for years to come.

--

Another review:

https://www.quora.com/Which-is-a-be...mediate-player-and-dont-know-which-one-to-buy

--

Anyway, can anyone recommend an online store:
- Ships within a reasonable time to NZ.
- Reasonable prices.
Click to expand...

Have you seen tgsports.co.nz?

With current customs changes that any item from overseas will get charged GST i would suggest check locals first
 
Zohar said:
Control: my technique is probably not good enough, and my control is lacking. For example, I'm playing with a 16lbs string (power, no control).
Click to expand...

At 16lbs I'm not surprised you don't have control! It's really low and I honestly wonder if any strings or even rackets are actually optimised for this kind of tension.
 
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