Yonex Duora Z-Strike 2017 !

Bought this racquet due to my love for stiff shafts and smaller sweet spots (they go splat when hit incorrectly, but are incredible when hit just right), and had a session this evening with this racquet (BG80 at 26lb), coming from the Nanospeed 8000 (BG65Ti/BG68Ti). Still getting used to it, but my smashes are much harder with this, not to mention the sound the strings make. It sounds devastating to the opponent.

I do notice more drag on the 'forehand' side compared to the other when swinging about, but don't notice it when playing. I do have a tendency to look down to make sure it's on the correct side before each rally, just in case, which is a little annoying and I tend to spin my racquet.

Ah well, fantastic buy for me IMO, YMMV.
 
I have been using my Duora Z-Strike for the past 4 months. Holding it the same way Yonex specified. I used in mostly in doubles. What I found out is that this is a very good racket, but not perfect for doubles. I just want to point out something that I found personally.

The good:

Precision: Due to the stiff shaft, I could easily control the shuttle with small lower arm and wrist movements. I have the 3UG4 version and I just put a thin layer of overgrip on the wood.

Power: Don't be fooled by the "even balance" stated on the shaft, you could definitely feel its weight on the head. If you have the strength and technique for smash, you won't be disappointed.



The bad:

Not the fastest: It is not the fastest racket in the world. Despite the stiff shaft, the racket just feels in the mid range in terms of speed. Part of it could be the head weight.

Technique requirement: This is not a racket for beginner. You have to at least been able to always hit the sweet spot in order to get the most out of this racket. Otherwise I think more forgiving racket such as Duora 7 or Arc11 would be better options.



The ugly:

Defense against smash in doubles using forehand: When try to return a smash on your forehand side, the ones that are close to your body, you will want to use your wrist to generate enough power so the shuttle could not be easily intercepted. It is not easy with this racket if you don't have a very strong wrist. I found that sometimes I could even hurt my wrist by doing this. The last time I have such feeling with a racket was the 2U Ti10. I think it is to do with the stiff shaft and head weight.

So I would recommend this racket for singles. For doubles, you may want to try it first.
 
Hi all DZS owner, how would you rate the durability of the top continuous grommet aka duora grommet? Mine was damage and think of order a new set of grommet. Thank you.
 

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Hmm... I liked the techs, but the painting seemed horrible at first when I looked it up on the web, but after buying it from shop, I will agree with those who says it looks even sexier then Doura 10 + VZF II combined. It is the style of a gentlemen, who is very aggressive, and plays extremely smart. Also, I don't care about the looks, as long as I get the support and strength of the racket that was guaranteed, I don't rely on rackets, but they can make a huge difference..
 
I have just tested this racket, and I must say I was very impressed. Here is my review:
Good side- I felt like this racket makes a huge difference in backhands, clears, net shots, drives, and control when I compare it with Duora 10 or ZF 2. The backhand clear was so nice, I felt like I was basically using my forehand, it was strong, although the drive was kind of hard because of the Even Balanced thing, I still felt like it was fast and I could push the birdie easily. Control... It's just too good to talk about.

Bad Side- This racket is for singles only, and not a racket that I would recommend to those who likes smashes a lot, I'm crazy about smashes, but with this racket it was extremely hard, the serve felt normal, but didn't have to aim that hard ( good side.) But this racket is slow. Not that slow, but let's say if you are in the back of the court in one corner, and the birdie goes to the opposite corner, you will be there, but if you want to make a clear, it will be hard because your racket will be slower, in other words, when I used ZFII , Arcsaber 11, Duora 10, I felt like I could chose what to do before I hit the birdie, I had time to make wise judgements, but with this racket, you have to play extremely smart, and you will only get to make the correct decision when the strings hit the biride, if you try to do it before, it will probably be hard.

*I'm extremly sorry for bad grammar.*
 
Nah man, when I smash with it, they ask me to smash softer because I put dents in the floor. :D

I do agree that you need to make sure to prepare the stroke a little, but this can be done very quickly I think. I even love it in doubles, it's quick enough, plenty powerfull and mostly: so much control!

Gotta put a little extra power in the double-match lifts from 1cm above the floor, though.
 
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Wow. Maybe thats because I used to smash too much, that with this racket, I can't smash like before cause I didn't get used to it yet. But, this racket is still one of my top favorites.
 
BadmintonPro said:
Wow. Maybe thats because I used to smash too much, that with this racket, I can't smash like before cause I didn't get used to it yet. But, this racket is still one of my top favorites.
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Sweet spot and timing are crucial to this racket. Start slow and build up speed and power.
 
Any reviews for how the DZS plays with Li Ning No.1 or No.5 or NBG99 ?

Also should I go square or +1 or +2 lbs on the cross ?

Thanks!
 
Vellawolf said:
Any reviews for how the DZS plays with Li Ning No.1 or No.5 or NBG99 ?

Also should I go square or +1 or +2 lbs on the cross ?

Thanks!
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+2 is what I dig currently. It plays fantastic with No.1 BUT i'd probably recommend something like aerobite / 66 / 66um / g tone 5 / 62 fire over it just because DZS is a more tactical and control based rackets from my experience and those strings while offering fantastic repulsion also offer great control with it. I personally didn't find No.1 as good as others in terms of control.
 
swsh said:
+2 is what I dig currently. It plays fantastic with No.1 BUT i'd probably recommend something like aerobite / 66 / 66um / g tone 5 / 62 fire over it just because DZS is a more tactical and control based rackets from my experience and those strings while offering fantastic repulsion also offer great control with it. I personally didn't find No.1 as good as others in terms of control.
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Thanks for the reply. I have to go with the No.1 as I had ordered a couple beforehand. Also I do not play at very high tensions, I prefer 24-26. Do you reckon I should go with 25 x 27, expecting a 1-2 lbs loss in tension immediately after stringing the No.1 or increase that by 1 -2 lbs ?
I had also tested the NBG 99 with DZS and remember having good control, but it was at around 21 lbs though. I can go with the 99 as well.
I use stringster for measuring and it seems quite consistent to me.
 
Hi fellow bcers,

I got a pair of z strikes today, both 3ug5. I hope I made a the right decision because I wanted the 2u weights but might be crazy to bring it to doubles. Anyways I am hoping the stiffness and a good string would make up from it. I am a ex z force 2 user which disliked the z force 2 4u as I found it too light and a voltric 55 user with lots of lead tape. I string about 28-29lbs. However I was wondering whether I should lower the tension as it has a smaller head or go higher to make up for the lighter head. I was thinking about bg80 at 29lbs but it seems to me that aerobite is popular. Do you think its worth a few more bucks for the aerobite, is it more durable?
I hope I made the right choice of 3u instead of 2u and hope to enjoy being in the z strike family.

Have a good day
 
Go for 66 (original) / 66um / 80p + Aerosonic hybrid / G Tone 5 or something like that over Aerobite [SP] imo.

I personally prefer thin strings over slightly thicker strings on my DZS.
 
Hola BCers! I tried my Duora Z Strike for the first time last night, and I'm not going to mince any words, I LOVED IT.
Using a 3UG5 from Yu Hin Sports in HK (does anyone have experience with this store?).
Previous racket (not being retired anytime soon though) is a VT80 PG edition.
DZS - strung at 27x29 BG65Ti: shots are crisp and lovely, and oh so fast. Was blasting drives with so much ease, it seemed like cheating. My drop shots almost seemed to have a bit of pace on them, not sure what it was. but they got lower and to the net faster than I normally expect.
Slices could be a bit erratic at times, but I'm sure that will smooth out with a bit of practice, but the head gave me enough feedback that I wasn't in the dark about why I had an errant shot.
Smashes are a delight - I was getting them right down the lines so often that it felt like the shuttle was laser guided, and there was just so much power on the shot.

I was expecting to need some time to get used to it, but it didn't seem to take all that much adjustment time - this racket must have been made for me =D
 
mackstine said:
Hola BCers! I tried my Duora Z Strike for the first time last night, and I'm not going to mince any words, I LOVED IT.
Using a 3UG5 from Yu Hin Sports in HK (does anyone have experience with this store?).
Previous racket (not being retired anytime soon though) is a VT80 PG edition.
DZS - strung at 27x29 BG65Ti: shots are crisp and lovely, and oh so fast. Was blasting drives with so much ease, it seemed like cheating. My drop shots almost seemed to have a bit of pace on them, not sure what it was. but they got lower and to the net faster than I normally expect.
Slices could be a bit erratic at times, but I'm sure that will smooth out with a bit of practice, but the head gave me enough feedback that I wasn't in the dark about why I had an errant shot.
Smashes are a delight - I was getting them right down the lines so often that it felt like the shuttle was laser guided, and there was just so much power on the shot.

I was expecting to need some time to get used to it, but it didn't seem to take all that much adjustment time - this racket must have been made for me =D
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Well, I'm not surprised with your review of DZS, it has to be that way, doesn't it? Just wait until you are fully used to it and when you hit right on the sweet spot when you smash, delight is not enough to describe it. ;)
 
swsh said:
Go for 66 (original) / 66um / 80p + Aerosonic hybrid / G Tone 5 or something like that over Aerobite [SP] imo.

I personally prefer thin strings over slightly thicker strings on my DZS.
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ok looks like I want to try the 80 p and aerosonic hybird sounds interesting.
 
mackstine said:
Hola BCers! I tried my Duora Z Strike for the first time last night, and I'm not going to mince any words, I LOVED IT.
Using a 3UG5 from Yu Hin Sports in HK (does anyone have experience with this store?).
Previous racket (not being retired anytime soon though) is a VT80 PG edition.
DZS - strung at 27x29 BG65Ti: shots are crisp and lovely, and oh so fast. Was blasting drives with so much ease, it seemed like cheating. My drop shots almost seemed to have a bit of pace on them, not sure what it was. but they got lower and to the net faster than I normally expect.
Slices could be a bit erratic at times, but I'm sure that will smooth out with a bit of practice, but the head gave me enough feedback that I wasn't in the dark about why I had an errant shot.
Smashes are a delight - I was getting them right down the lines so often that it felt like the shuttle was laser guided, and there was just so much power on the shot.

I was expecting to need some time to get used to it, but it didn't seem to take all that much adjustment time - this racket must have been made for me =D
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Sounds pretty good to me, I was even wondering the lack of power coming from a lover of extremely head heavy rackets but considering you use a voltric 80 and it generates decent power, I cannot wait to use it.
 
I think he said in another thread he plays feather during tourneys. Kind of similar to me where I mix Aerosensa and Mavis throughout the week depending on the hitting partner. If he chooses it as his main, he'll be ready for the racket to be used in the tournament :-)
 
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