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Badminton Racket First Impressions: Yonex ArcSaber Flash Boost

June 3, 2013, 10:49 am
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This racket grew on me. The longer I looked at it the more I wanted to buy it. And now that I did, I'm glad to say that the Yonex ArcSaber Flash Boost has performed admirably in its first test.

With more of my singles game played using this racket, I was able to get a good feel of what the players on the forum were talking about.

There were mixed reviews on this racket - I had a friend telling me how this racket will seriously screw up our swing and hitting, what with the light weight of the racket and the slightly hollow feel. There were people on the forum who were raving about how wonderful this racket is.

And so now, after a good two-hour session of singles, I'm able to give a little comment on the nicely designed racket.

Dubbed Yonex's lightest racket to date, the Flash Boost comes in at a modest 76g unstrung. The people at the marketing department calls this weight category the F weight.

When you first hold the racket, it indeed felt like you ere holding nothing at all. I am familiar with this sensation however, of Karakal BN60 fame.

First swings with this racket produced quite  satisfactory experience. The shuttle was able to come off nicely from the swing and the shots produced were solid and well-placed.

On to the games, and the feel actually got better. Smashes were nice and steep, requiring next to no energy to pull off. I found myself at ease quite bit throughout the matches.

Light weight rackets usually favour the backhand stroke, but the ArcSaber Flash Boost seemed to come of a little different. I had difficulty pulling off a good backhand clear, and I attribute it to the swing speed of the racket.

Defense was great, however, and I found myself taking a step back from being too anxious. It's a good thing, and the returns were of high calibre.

Another notable problem came through when I wanted to use the racket to block a smash. Often times the weight of the racket doesn't allow you to get decent energy into the hit, resulting in disappointing net hits.

But that won't spoil my mood. The Yonex ArcSaber Flash Boost gives me a good feel so far, and I'm going to try it out against a nice doubles to see how fast I can go with this.

Review eventually.
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Badminton Racket Review: Yonex Armortec 900 Technique

June 26, 2013, 10:11 am
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First impressions here.

This one has been sitting around for quite a bit because there's really too much rackets in my bag to want to bring this out for a test. I've also recently went back to the trusty old Yonex Nanogy 98 and have been putting the Armortec 900 Technique until I can get the strings replaced.

But I decided against it and took the racket out for a swing with its current string. Surprisingly this racket is probably one of the few rackets that can bring out a powerful smash from the NGB99. I had a very good impression of the racket, and didn't have to bring out my spare racket for the day until the grip gave way from too much smashing.

Note. This review is my opinion of the racket from my use. Take this with a pinch of salt since we all play the game differently. I'm here to tell you, in as much accuracy as I can, how my games went with this racket. Comments welcome!

Ok here goes.

Yonex Armortec 900 Technique
Est. Dry Weight: 97g (3U)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Head-Heavy
Stiffness: Stiff
Strings: Yonex Nanogy 99 @ 25lbs

I recommend this racket for doubles play.

Defense
I rate defense above all in the game of badminton, and this racket does not disappoint. It's got a fast swing for a head-heavy racket, and the blocks that come off the racket are pretty good. I was able to take on most of the smashes coming at me, the Yonex Armortec 900 Technique providing enough power behind the lifts and stability off the blocks.

One thing I found really enjoyable with this racket was intercepting flat smashes with a drive defense. Those who play with me regularly will know is one of my favorite moves, and the AT900T really pulls this off well. It may not be as fast as the other lighter rackets I have, which makes blocking at the net a little more cumbersome, but it's fast enough to be lethal if you get yourself a flat enough smash to turn around.

Attack
Head-heavy racket, fast swing speed, the rest is up to your deduction.

Even at 25lbs, the racket was able to pack quite a punch to its smashes from the back court. I had a lot of fun thumping down the smashes and throwing in a few angles here and there.

Even with the overhead smashes the Armortec 900 Technique performs admirably. I could get quite a bit of power into the overheads, even more than my usual amount.

Drives with this racket are enjoyable as well, though not as brutal as those you get from the Voltrics. Taking aim at the body and whipping in a good one seems easy enough to want to do over and over.

Another thing I noticed, and I'm giving the strings quite a bit of the credit here, are the excellent level drop shots that I can get off this racket. The Yonex Armortec 900 Technique is able to take shuttles late enough and still keep it close enough to the net for a threatening soft shot.

I seldom write that much about a racket's attack, but the AT900T's really made it enjoyable to take the offensive with.

Control
This is one more for the strings since I think the NBG99 are really good for control (they're marketed that way to begin with - extra braided to get that extra grip on the shuttle).

Quite a number if higher-skill shots I performed today were pulled off without much punishment from the opponent. The weight transfer in the racket felt just right, whether I was going for the cross-court drop shot off a good serve return or if I was a little late in getting to that flat lift and I wanted to give a drop shot down the channel.

Lifts to the back court were done without a glitch, and the excellent defense from this racket made me feel confident that I could take on most smashes and drops.

Even with the long clears, there isn't much drag from the racket when performing an overhead, and that allows you to take to the next position quickly.

Good stuff.

Looks
White has always been a popular color with shuttlers, and the Yonex Armortec 900 Technique is no less classier. Alternating bands of white and grey line the base of the head frame, leading to the T-Joint where the boxy font of the Armortec series comes in.

The 3 and 9 o'clock for the head frame adds to the color with signature red and black, rounding up at the top with the customary "technique" typography right at the top against a silver-grey coat.


Yonex Armortec 900 Technique
Defense: 9
Attack: 9
Control: 9
Looks: 8
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New Hotness: Victor Meteor Jung Jae Sung

June 28, 2013, 10:55 am
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Yet another limited edition racket in my collection :)

Took a bite at an opportunity that arose from the BC Forums and got this one at a reasonable price. Thanks to the kind soul (come to think of it I never got your name) who passed this beauty on, and all the best for your driving lessons!

First Impressions and Review soon (I hope).

Source: http://www.yumo.ca

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To all the readers

June 30, 2013, 10:44 am
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I'd like to start this post by thanking all the readers who have come to give my blog a view. I started this blog wanting to share my passion for the sport and the many sorts of equipment and strategies out there.

From the start till now, I've purchased and traded a lot of rackets (the current number I've got stashed in my room stands at 53), and I do hope that I get to review all of them one day.

I thank all who take time to read my writing, all who have asked me questions, all who have given feedback, and for those who have said words of encouragement.

We've crossed 280,000 views, and I've never really expected to so many people come to the site. As we move onwards to explore the wonderful game I'd bed,I think please feel free to let me know if there's anything you'd like to see on this site.

Here's to more fun times! Arthur, out.
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Badminton Racket First Impressions: Victor Meteor X Jung Jae Sung and Li-Ning Woods N80

July 1, 2013, 9:28 am
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I recently got my hands on these two rackets and took them out on a test in this evening's game of singles. While the MX X JJS only had a one-game run, the N80 stood out more and had the opportunity to be tested further. I'll write for both of them anyway, since I've got quite a good experience from the two rackets.

Victor Meteor X JJS

From what little time I had on the court with this (about one game actually), I can probably only say that this racket can smash! When you first hold the racket it didn't feel as head-heavy as you think it is. Even on the swing you're probably looking at an even-balance racket at most. 

But all that chances once the shuttle hits the stringbed. The Meteor X JJS produces a relatively fast swing, which translate to a really satisfying crack at the shuttle when you get behind it. It made me want to smash even more. And I did, though I did notice that the shuttles came off harder than faster. 

Defense seemed to suffer a little, but that one will have to be tested more. On hindsight, the Victor Meteor X Jung Jae Sung felt a little like a Li-Ning Woods N90.

Li-Ning Woods N80

First off, I want to just say that this racket looks like a dream. Gold and silver mixed in just right to form a very elegant piece of art. 

The Li-Ning N80 swings heck of a lot faster than the Meteor JJS. The sword-like design cuts through the air with a very satisfying swish. Add that to the slightly flexible shaft and you've got yourself a pretty good weapon.

I found the N80 quick on the defense but more importantly, wonderful in control. It seemed to be able to put out the shots that I wanted, easily and without my wrist taking too much trouble. Straight drives down the side tramlines were effortless, as were wrist smashes that could cover both sides of the court. 

The racket feels good to hold, and is really quite an experience to play with.

From the get-go it seems like the MX JJS will be more suited for doubles, while the N80 will be a really good singles racket.

Looking forward to reviewing them both. 




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Badminton Shoe Review: Yonex SHB-01 Limited

July 16, 2013, 7:51 am
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My second pair of Yonex badminton shoes! And aren't these a beauty.. Couldn't resist the purple and green combo. 

When you can't play a very good game of badminton, at least you can make them look at your shoes in envy!

Note: This review is my opinion of the shoe from using it in my games. Take this with a pinch of salt since we all play the game differently. I'm here to tell you, in as much accuracy as I can, how the shoe feels and if it added to the game. Comments welcome!

Comfort
The SHB-01 is meant to wrap around your entire foot - top and bottom - so as to achieve a non-slip feel as you move around the court. The tight hold it has probably means it's not really suitable for those with broad feet. 

For those whom it serves, it will serve well. The shoes offer very good comfort as they hold firmly. Apart from the feet getting really warm over time (it's not got a lot of ventilation like the Mizunos), the Yonex SHB-01 really did offer a lot of comfort.

One thing I did feel, however, was the tongue cutting into my ankle as I ran around. This was rectified by making sure you pull it right up when you wear em. Prolonged use will also soften it up. 

Stability / Grip
The soles of the shoe look like they're of some mid / low end range. No more of the complex sole mechanics that came with my previous SHB-101LTD. This one's more of a two-piece, no nonsense make. Not that it doesn't get the job done, but you get the feel that Yonex was probably pulling your leg about the previous one. 

Those who are used to a broader shoe (I'm talking to the Li-Ning users out there), watch your step with these narrower tips. 

One the court
I constantly find myself looking down at the shoe to see how nice they were. Other than that I don't feel any need to worry about my footing.

The Yonex SHB-01 Limited gives a very good grip, with excellent stability and a nice firm hold on your foot. Non-slip, fast-paced.





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New record-breaking racket from Yonex?

July 21, 2013, 8:43 pm
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New hotness: Victor Thruster K8000

July 26, 2013, 8:36 am
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It's nice to get my hands on a new racket. It's even nicer to get to know a fellow enthusiast in the process.

Thanks for the nice conversation Calvin! I'll give this a swing tomorrow and hope your ankle gets better!




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First Impressions: Victor Thruster K8000

July 27, 2013, 7:44 pm
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So I took the new toy out for a spin and here's how it felt. I had mix of singles and doubles games lasting about 3 hours in total.

Right off you can feel that it's got that natural weight that will save you a lot of energy when playing, especially singles. It's a little whippy than the other Victor rackets (which can be stiff as heck), and you really can see that from the very long clears that I can get from my backhand strokes.

I didn't get a chance to restring my racket after procurement, so the feel's a bit off when I try the more intricate shots like the net drops and the drives. Smashes came off ok, the catapult system from the TK8000 working like a charm.

The Thruster K8000 didn't feel sluggish in defense, in fact it weighs a little less than what my impression of a 3U racket would be. This made the shots a little easier to pull off, and I found myself sticking to the racket for my singles game that day.

Overall the Victor Thruster K8000 performed well. I got it restrung at the end of the day and will await the next session so I can test it out for a proper review.


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New hotness: Li-Ning TurboCharging N9 Fu Hai Feng

August 3, 2013, 2:17 am
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Went shoe shopping and ended up with a new racket from Li-Ning's latest series. Branded as Fu Ha Feng's racket, the N9 comes with a rather flexible shaft and a heavy head. Comes paired with Cai Yun's N7 counterpart.

Looks awesome too.

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Badminton Racket First Impressions: Li-Ning 3D Break-Free 80 Speed

August 5, 2013, 9:31 am
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The first time I tried this racket I couldn't get a good feel as I was playing in a really big hall and the shuttle speed really put me off the game.

Everything that came off the Li-Ning 3D Break-Free 80 Speed seemed to lack the power and sharpness that came with it's higher-end counterpart.

But I finally got a chance to put it to a proper test today on the singles court, and I can say that I'm rather impressed with the results.

Like the N80, the 3D Break-Free 80 Speed swings fast and true. The speed I could get off the racket is alarming, and it helped boost the shot strength significantly. However, I do want to note that the clears coming off this racket sometimes seem a little short, and that opens you up to the heavier attacks from the opponent's mid-court.

This is not much of a problem though, what with the increased defense capabilities of the racket.

Having such a fast swing speed also meant that defense gets a natural boost. I can remember a few times when I could throw off the opponent with a well-timed swing following some wicked reflex.

Somehow, I move faster when yielding lighter rackets, and the 80 Speed does weigh in a little less than the N80, so I found moving around the court with the silver racket an ease.

As expected from a lighter racket, the smashes didn't seem powerful enough, thought targeting isn't a problem. I was able to place the shots well enough to get decent second attacks, but the hard hitters were returned without much of a hassle from the opponent.

Comparing that to the N80, it's a world of difference.

Overall I did enjoy the session with the Li-Ning 3D Break-Free 80 Speed. I had another racket with me, but I ended up using this more because I wanted to see where this could take me.

Review soon.
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Badminton Racket First Impressions: Li-Ning TurboCharging N9 Fu Hai Feng

August 6, 2013, 8:51 am
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So this was the other racket that I brought to the singles session last night. And here is my first impressions on this.

The Li-Ning N9 is a slick racket, with black and gold adorning the entire racket from the head down the shaft, fading to an elegant white at the cone.

At first handling the racket felt very heavy, characteristic of the Fu Hai Feng playing style of hard shuttle smashing. The head wasn't very mobile when I tried to juggle the shuttle around, and initial thoughts of a slow defending come to me.

Flashback to when I first started with the Yonex Armortec 900 Power, and all the useless attempts at defense with its ridiculously heavy head.

But then again it's been a few years, and I think the racket makers have learnt a little lesson with head heavy rackets.

The Li-Ning TurboCharging N9 Fu Hai Feng comes with a unique head shape, the top half resembling the sword shape that allows you to cut through the air with ease, the bottom half reversing to an armored frame that resembles the Yonex Voltric series, adding to the weight and stability for the downswing and resultant destructive aftermath.

This gives rise to a potentially powerful racket, and it shows by the lack of effort needed from one to sent the shuttle to the back of the court. From high forehand clears to the backhand straights, the racket does the shots with ease.

The natural downward momentum of the N9 also makes quick drop shots an ease to execute. A small swing is all you need to start the strong, and the pressure applied at the gripping point gives you the length and sharpness you'll need for that deceptive shot.

What didn't come across was the powerful smash. Since it was singles and my playing style really isn't the heavy hitting sort, I can't say much about the racket's power.

However, the Li-Ning N9 does have a natural whip to it, owing to the slightly flexible shaft, and this brings back memories of the Yonex Voltric 70 and it's powerful smashes.

I'll have to take this to doubles tomorrow to find out :)

Review soon.


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Badminton Racket Review: Li-Ning TurboCharging N9 Fu Hai Feng

August 13, 2013, 9:25 am
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First impressions here.

What first struck me was the design of the racket (what else, right?), and also the amount of flex that Li-Ning gave to it. They're a fan of stiff rackets, but this one came across with a medium flex feel, which made me feel good.

About time they made head heavy rackets with a slightly flexible shaft.

The results were notably good, with the N9 performing well in many areas of the court. If you're looking for a slightly flexible N90 without the overly head-heavy distribution of the N90-II, this one might be a choice for you.

The N9 also comes with a rather innovative head shape. It's sword shaped on the top half, but cuts inwards to form a armored shaft ala the Nanoray 700RP. This gives it a very unique feel - it brings the head weight distribution slightly lower towards the t-joint, makes the swings a little faster, but delivers the punch because of the heavier and more stable t-joint area.

This would a lot more welcome if they were to win the BWF World Championships, but this is a good racket that's worth shouting about so here goes.

Note. This review is my opinion of the racket for my use. Take this with a pinch of salt since I don't play the game as well as most of you out there. I'm here to tell you, in as much accuracy as I can, how my games went with this racket. Comments welcome!

Ok here goes.

Li-Ning TurboCharging N9 Fu Hai Feng
Est. Dry Weight: 89g (3U)
Grip Size: S2
Balance: Head Heavy
Stiffness: Medium
Strings: Yonex Nanogy 98 @ 25lbs

I recommend this racket for heavy smashers (it's made for use by Fu Hai Feng, people).

Defense
Anyone who's ever used a head heavy racket and compared it to a head light one would tell you how it usually swings slower. This slower swing speed is compensated with a heavier block towards the back court.

Remember what I said about the unique head shape of the N9? This comes into play when I try to explain why this racket isn't as slow as I had initially thought it would be.

The Li-Ning TurboCharging N9 Fu Hai Feng feels like an even balanced racket on the defense. This is largely due to the weight distribution closer to the t-joint instead of being at the very top.

The racket suffers less from the slower swing than its head heavier counterparts, but has enough mass at the t-joint to deliver a good lift to the back if needed.

From lifts to blocks and drives, the N9 performs admirably in the games that I've given it. The medium flex might take a little more power from the hard blocks, but overall I was pretty impressed with how fast it responded.

Attack
"TurboCharging" and "Fu Hai Feng" sounds like this racket has steroids imbued into its graphite. The sadistic thing is that it actually feels like it does.

Attacking strokes with this racket feels true and powerful. The heavier t-joint gives you a very good accuracy on the smashes and the drives, and this is always a nice gift to someone who doesn't rely much on attacking like myself.

I've always been a fan of flexibility in the shaft when it comes to giving that long big swing to smash it home. It was made the Yonex Voltric 70 a winner, and it is what makes the Li-Ning N9 such a potent attacking racket.

Very powerful attacks.

Control
Here's when it sounds a little too good to be true. The Li-Ning TurboCharging N9 Fu Hai Feng actually gives you a pretty decent aim, given its propensity to put its users into overdrive berserk mode.

I give kudos to the solid t-joint (I have got to figure out what they call this head frame shape...).

Ok I just checked the racket and it's called the Dynamic-Optimum Frame.

So kudos to the solid Dynamic-Optimum Frame, which grants this racket the accuracy without losing out much on the power. Rackets that feature variations of this technology (i.e. Yonex Voltric series, Nanoray 700RP) tend to also be devastating in both attack and accuracy, and the N9 doesn't come across as any much different.

When I take a shot, I tell myself where I want the shuttle to go, move to the shuttle, swing, and see how it turns out.

The N9 gave me very few surprises. Nice.

Looks
Black and gold adorns the entire racket, making this a very majestic beast. Li-Ning rackets have progressively improve in design (seriously, has anyone seen the first generation N50?), and this is a tremendous effort in making badminton look sexy.


Li-Ning TurboCharging N9 Fu Hai Feng
Defense: 8
Attack: 10
Control: 9
Looks: 10


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New Strings: Pro-Kennex Pro Flex 63

August 18, 2013, 6:24 am
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Saw these while I was at the stringer's today, and got a pair to try because they come in really cool carbon colors.

Got one strung at 27lbs and one at 27lbs. As with the rest of the Pro-Kennex strings, this one offers very good repulsion, and at first try the one strung at 27lbs seemed to offer a bit more control (the shuttle doesn't freely fly off from the string bed when I juggle it).

Problem with this string is that the 0.63mm thickness might make it a little less durable than most.

Will the feel and power from this string overcome the downside of less durability? More to come.
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Badminton Racket First Impressions: Yonex ArcSaber 2 Tour

August 19, 2013, 10:37 am
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This turned out to be quite a lucky find. I was rummaging through the box of on-offer rackets that the stringer has and chanced upon this "Made in Japan" ArcSaber.

So I got it and put a yellow grip around it to make it pretty. My buddy (who beat me three straight games in singles tonight, kudos!) made a remark that the racket seems a bit light.

And he was proven right when I brought it to the court for testing. The clears weren't coming across during stroking, and the backhands were terrible.

The whole thing just seemed to lack strength.

So the time came for me to take this to the court. Oh how the ArcSaber 2 Tour redeemed itself!

I wasn't able to use much backhand clears (I substituted them with the tight drop shot), but the control that this racket has is amazing.

Anywhere on the court, I could place the shuttle reasonably well. The smashes from this also came off very sharply.

Overall a nice tight racket. I may not recommend a long clearing game with this, but for those players hungry for control this will be a blast.

Of course I'll wait about  6-hours before commiting to a review. We all know how some rackets have a habit of losing their charm after the first impression.

Till soon.


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New Badminton Racket Launch: Yonex Nanoray Z-Speed

August 23, 2013, 9:06 am
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As most of you would have heard by now, Yonex's latest racket has set another world record for fastest badminton hit of 493 km/h. That means at the moment of contact, the shuttle moved at that speed.

We've seen the malaysian men's doubles pair use it in the 2013 BWF World Championship, and here it is, finally unveiled.

Photo: www.yonex.com/nanoray
Slated for release 13 Sept slightly before the Yonex Japan Open, this stunned in deep orange looks set to top the sales chart and give Li-Ning a run for its money.

This one comes with a whole array of new technologies that Yonex claims can increase swing speed by 10%, hence increasing your smash speed.

One of the more interesting techs is the snap back zone, which means they've made the 3 and 9 o'clock of the head frame a little thinner to allow a sudden snapping motion from your smash, translating that into greater force.

I've extracted these from their site to make for easier reading. All images extracted from www.yonex.com/nanoray




The racket comes in 2U and 3U, and can take up to a recommended tension of 28lbs for the 2U and 27lbs for the 3U. That means you probably can string it to the low 30lbs range if you're the tension crazy sort.


They've even got a nice video to tell you about their new achievement. Watch the video and learn about the technologies behind the Yonex Nanoray Z-Speed.


Looking forward to this? More to come.
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New Hotness: Li-Ning N90-III and N55-III

August 24, 2013, 7:57 pm
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Just. Couldn't. Resist.

First impressions soon.
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Badminton Racket First Impressions: Li-Ning Air-Stream N55-III

August 26, 2013, 9:43 am
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Had a swing with the racket this evening at a singles session and decided to write a little about it since I managed to get enough play time to get a good first sense.

First off, this is one pretty racket. Along with the rest of the Li-Ning N-III series rackets, the N55-III comes in two variations - Gold / Purple and Silver / Black.

This one here's the Gold / Purple version.
Now that you're done drooling over the sneak peak, it's down to talking about the performance.

The Li-Ning Air-Stream N55-III comes off as a very head heavy racket. Very. I had a little difficulty getting used to the weight, and for about two to three games in I was still thinking that the racket is too heavy for its own good.

And then the jump smash happened.

What's special about this racket is the Air-Stream technology, where holes are cut into the head frame to allow a higher level of aero-dynamism.


What it does it it manages to pull off a very fast downward stroke very quickly, which means that the shots come down steep and fast. I managed to pull off quite the angle with my jump smashes today. 

Defense-wise it doesn't come off very impressive, what being a monster at the head heavy department and all. I've to test this out in a fast game of doubles before I say anything about this though.

But all in all, the racket surprised me with the steepness and speed of the attacks that it produces. Heavy heads pull off clears quite well so I won't touch on that for now.

More with the review.
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Badminton Racket First Impressions: Li-Ning Air-Stream N55-III (Silver)

September 14, 2013, 8:27 am
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So I got a chance to trade my gold one in for the silver variation, and it turned out pretty well. Loving the gun metal finish more than the purple-gold combination, but also the racket seems lighter and more suitable for my game.


The perks of the previous racket remained - I was able to get a very steep downward stroke, and that added to the variety of shots that I had for my game. Being that much lighter (I reckon about 5g or so) I was also able to turn the racket around faster for the defensive shots.


The smashes also came off quick with the silver version of the Li-Ning Air-Stream N55-III, thanks partly to the Air-Stream system that reduces drag around the racket head. The swings don't come off sounding like they're powerful, but when you contact the shuttle it's another matter.


But what really surprised me today was the amount of power that I had with this racket on the backhand. I managed to put a shuttle out of the court from a backcourt backhand clear. I usually add a little more strength when I do a clear, but with this racket I could feel that I didn't need as much.

Will have to experiment more to find out. For now, the silver version seems to work out better for me.
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Badminton Racket Review: Victor Bravesword 10 (2nd Gen)

September 28, 2013, 11:00 pm
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First impressions here.

So it took awhile for me to get here (what with all the new rackets that I got my hands on). The Victor Bravesword series of rackets have gained quite some fame for themselves with their fast swing speed.

This facination with the Bravesword 10 started when I purchased a replica from Bekia (who have gone on to make their own named rackets) which performed very well. In fact, it's the only racket that I gave full marks for so far. From defense to power and control, there was nothing that I found lacking in the Bekia Bravesword 10 Replica.

The original Victor Bravesword 10 tested out well in singles play, though I soon found it lacking in weight to play for long. I took it out for some doubles action yesterday and it surprised me with its accuracy and speed.

So without further adieu, the review.

Also, starting now I'll try and include a one-line round-up for the racket I'm reviewing, to give an overall impression of what I think the racket is good at for me. This comes at the end with the picture(s).

Note. This review carries my own opinion of the racket from my use. Comments welcome!

Ok here goes.

Victor Bravesword 10 (2nd Gen)
Est. Dry Weight: 88g (3U)
Grip Size: G2
Balance: Even (3/5)
Stiffness: Very Stiff (5/5)
Strings: Yonex Nanogy 98 @ 25lbs

I recommend this racket for doubles play. Too even-balanced for singles to use for long.

Defense
I like defending. It gives you a great sense of satisfaction when you manage to turn your opponent's attack into a mad scramble to an uncovered area of the court.

When the Bravesword 10 was first used in my doubles game yesterday, I found just that. If the attackes from the opponent were too flat, I was able to drive defense it across the other side of the court. Given the stiffness of the racket, I was able to generate quite a bit of power to lend that drive sharply past the front player.

When the shots were too low to drive, the swing speed of the Victor Bravesword 10 came into very good effect. The racket was able to respond to almost all of the smashes thrown at me, with satisfying results. Despite the stiffness I was able to move the racket about and change grips at ease before the shuttle came to me, and that allowed me to vary the defensive shots if need be.

Attack
This is where the even balance of the racket dragged it down. The Bravesword 10 didn't manage to throw off the power smashes that the rest of my rackets could do, even if I gave it my all on the smash. Somehow, the lack of weight in the front didn't allow me to get off as much power as I wanted to.

Which made me favor the front of the court a lot when I played yesterday. Most experiences at the back were the sharp smash downwards or the drive forward before I moved up to close off the front.

It's good, but not really the choice if I were to come up against defense-crazed veterans.

Control
Amazing. So seldom did my shots fly off course with the Victor Bravesword 10, be it defensive drives or attacking smashes. The shuttle just seemed to fly where you want it to, and I give it to the extreme stiffness of the shaft.

Though I did find a little difficulty controlling the tight net shots (not enough weight at the front I guess), the racket came off very well on control.

Looks
Seems the Victor Bravesword series have come to adapt a similar look - primarily grey with the different accents for the various rackets.

The Victor Bravesword 10 comes with black and white accents down the 5 and 7 o'clock of the head frame. The "Sword" decal comes branded in gold, as bright shiny red text adorn the shaft of the racket.



Victor Bravesword 10
"Defensive Drive Powerhouse"
Defense: 10
Attack: 7
Control: 10
Looks: 7



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