I have a Voltric ZForce and an ArcSaber 11. As Visor mentioned above, the AS11 is great for fast rallies at the net. It returns smashes well and deep into the opponent's court. It can generate good smashes, and is very handy at the net as it is even balance and doesn't wear my arms out at all even after 3 hours of play. I am not sure if the Taufik edition is much different than the regular AS11.
[MENTION=120253]bestindigital[/MENTION] would you also agree with visor that the VT70 would be more suitable for a beginner player then? I dont believe the Taufik edition is any different than the regular AS11. What kind of strength defect would i find using an AS11 vs VT70? Because i'm not 100% sure on my playstyle yet, a even-balance may be beneficial as i could go either way with it right? Or am i overthinking this. I just want to make sure i get as good of a start as possible. Thanks!
You're not over-thinking. It's a lot of $ to spend and you better be sure you research it well. Personally, since I am yet to master the "whip-like/explosive" smash technique, and I play more doubles than singles, I prefer to play with either my AS11 or the Li-ning n77ii. The AS11 offers good smashing power if you swing it correctly, allows really fast net rallies - it really overwhelms opponents if your reflexes are quick, and the even balance makes it a better all-rounder. But, if you're more used to a whip-like smashing action, and don't mind head-heaviness (it'll be typically slower at defense and net rallies), then go for the Voltric. The one con with the AS11 - clears and smashes don't feel solid - even though they are good clears and good smashes - the feedback you get is minimal, I think. A girl in my club who plays with a heavier MusclePower 100, loves playing with my ZForce. She's a good friend of mine, so I let her play with my ZForce every time we play. She loves it and gets a lot of good shots and smashes out of it.
A lot of my currently matches are played based on just being generally athletic with decent reaction time, as my technique is mediocre at best. So im thinking if smashing requires that technique, my net rallies may be better. I will look into the AS lineup more now that you mention it.
Suitability aside, AS11 TH version is a very gd buy at 50% off. To some its a collectors item. Even if it doesnt suit urself, the resale value is gd. Since u could get both AS11 TH n VT70 at half price n if $ is not an issue, y not get both... whichever u-weight u r getting, b sure to get G5 for universal sale later on...
I have not yet checked the availability on the AS11 TH, however that is a good point, i was not sure how many of them were produced. I feel that like if it is sold at a general goods store, it was mass produced. However getting both and giving them a try is a good idea if i can get my hands on it. Grip size im not going to be able to be too picky about, because like the U-weight, im fairly certain they will only have one per model.
Last night, I finally got much better with the ZForce. Hit some powerful smashes and clears by using a more whip-like, sudden action. It's easy now. I don't know why it took me 2 weeks to get the hang of it. But then my friend showed up and so I gave her the ZForce and played with my favorite Li-ning n77ii for the rest of the night. It was a fun night of badminton last night - played some good games. Let us know what racket you end up buying.
So i was able to go into the store today, and sadly, it seems that the VT70 is not longer carried and in stock, aside from one which was 300km away. I dont think i plan on making the trip for that. What i did see in the store though was the I-Slash (VTIS). 5U weight, but still head heavy, making it seem like it'd be a pretty good balance between power/speed. Obviously not going to be as strong as a VT70, but a bit better manoeuvrability? There seemed to be some durability issues, and someone recommended not to get "hard" string like the BG80 (which i was planning to use), why is this the case (if it's true).
