Of badminton things

So my Li-Ning shoes turned out to be too hard for my toes. On a previous occasion, a tight change in direction resulted in a busted toe. The nail literally got jammed up the cuticle...

And since that day the shoe has been in cold storage, my feet too afraid to get jabbed all over again. It took me almost 3 weeks to recover from the toe, and now 2 months later the toenail has a semblance of normality.

Then I came across Thorlos socks. They're thick and they're touted as the best cushioning for your feet. I thought about the pair of pretty yellow shoes back home and decided to give the $30 socks a try.

Not too shabby! I'm now able to move around the court with ease thanks to the Thorlos socks. They're ultra padded and super comfortable; makes the hard interior of the Li-Ning shoe almost feel like a pillow.

To sum it all up, I'm happy with the socks. For those who are interested, they're available at World of Sports chains around the island (Singapore), and the ones I've got are the tennis mini-crews.

Just a word of caution, the socks are kinda thick. I would estimate a half size increase in the foot with socks on. Made my feet feel a little cramped initially, but it got better with a few washes.

https://www.thorlo.com/

Visited my stringer today and he showed me a crate of these new top-of-the-line strings from Toalson.

There are four strings with different types of characteristics, as you can see from the picture. They're made in Japan, and from what I can feel after trying out three of them, they're pretty decent.

What catches me is the really cool colors they come in. Not all captured here, but they're awesome as far as I can tell.

Never thought to place them in order...
Left to Right: BL-6700, BL-6800, BL-6500, BL-8000

BL-6500 (Playability, 0.65mm)

My new racket is strung with this one, and from the first few strokes it feels good. The control was decent, but what stood out was the awesome hitting sound. Crisp and sharp, like I had tape on my strings.

http://www.toalson.co.jp/JPN/badminton/top.html

BL-6700 (Repulsion, 0.67mm)

The stringer had his Carlton Kinesis strung with this one at 26lbs. I didn't quite like the feel of this string - the shuttle seemed to come off the string bed very quickly, not fast enough for me to feel the shot. Would think that players who like Yonex BG66 Ultimax might find this a familiar feeling.

http://www.toalson.co.jp/JPN/badminton/top.html

BL-6800 (Technique, 0.68mm)

Seems to have a higher thread count than the others but I didn't get to try this string out. I tend to be wary of strings that tout technique or extreme control, given the Yonex NBG99 and its lack of repulsion.

http://www.toalson.co.jp/JPN/badminton/top.html

BL-8000 (Repulsion and High Hitting Sound, 0.80mm)

I have my RSL M10 Heat 700 strung with this, and all I can say that it's powerful. The strings smash like none I've ever felt, but that comes with a large drawback - I can't very well aim with it. The shots, while like rockets, felt very loose and hitting the lines are almost impossible for me.

From taobao.com

Thanks all for participating in the voting process!

Looks like the Li-Ning N90-III is very much in demand for the moment. I hear you, and I've been taking special attention to use the racket in my games.

For now it's seen about 5 games of singles, and the results have been quite good.

The first few swings with the racket has been rather pleasant, with the shuttle moving to the back courts and around the corners easily enough. The smashes were nice and sharp, with the racket head coming down really swiftly and without any feel of drag.

Honestly, the Li-Ning N90-III resembles the N80 quite a fair bit. In comparison, the head frame, flexibility and weight distribution are almost identical (at least to me).

And even after a few games of singles, I still couldn't tell the two apart. Maybe it's because I've not really had a lot of time with the N80 either. Shame on me for racket neglect.

While the N90-III is capable of a few powerful shots, the accuracy drops a whole lot when you miss the sweet spot. You'll get a very hard and sharp feedback sound when you do, so you'll certainly know.

Forehand clears seem to miss the mark a little bit; I wasn't able to get the shuttle as far as I wanted it to a couple of times. Backhands also lacked the accuracy that I've grown to love in the Victor Bravesword 10.

Defense-wise, the racket performs pretty well. The fact that it's not as heavy as the previous N90s is probably the reason.

I'm using the Pro-Kennex 63 Flex for this racket, and the tension seemed to have dropped a fair bit since I've started hitting. I'm going to give it a change to see if it helps.

Stay tuned for the review!

First impressions here.

Once again, thanks to all who voted in the poll earlier. We've got the most number of people asking for a review of the Li-Ning N90-III, so I've taken a little longer than usual to make sure I knew what I wanted to write before getting down to it.

So when we last left off, the strings were a little wonky and I couldn't get a lot of feel from them. I've gotten the strings changed to the more playable Toalson BL-6500 (check out the new series of Toalson strings here), and hit the courts.

This here's probably the smartest looking of the new N-III series. Red and white and shiny all over. Apart from the looks, the racket boosts a pretty good feel, with attacks coming through sharp and true a large portion of the time.

It's also not as stiff as the N90, or as head heavy as the N90-II, which put it pretty sweetly for those who are trying to find a good balance between defense and attack.

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

With that said, let's go.

Li-Ning Break-Free N90-III
Est. Dry Weight: 96g (3U)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Slightly head heavy
Stiffness: Slightly stiff
Strings: Toalson BL-6500 @ 25lbs

I recommend this racket for singles play.

Defense
In my review for the N90 and N90-II I made a comment about how easy it was to send the shuttle to the back of the court with something that stiff and head heavy. Well, with the N90-III, I didn't' find myself punching the shuttle as far, and as a result turned to the much preferred drive defense style that I'm more familar with.

And the Li-Ning N90-III does this with ease. Whether it's a soft block across the net or a quick flick to the other side, I was able to pull this move off without much difficulty.

The decreased weight probably made it work, aided by the popular Break-Free (or Sword, if anyone's a Victor fan) head frame design that's a wonder to swing around.

Speed and reflexes were up with this in my hand, and my singles game with this were pretty much comfortable knowing that I could take most attacks and survive.

There's also the element of control, that makes me almost tempts my opponents to go for the tight net shot. More on that to come.

Attack
Being lighter and less stiff and less head heavy than its predecessors does not bode well for the N90-III when it comes down to offense, but the racket performs admirably by having a quick, sharp swing that allows you to take the shuttle down at amazing angles.

Once again I'll have to mention the sword frame. The Break-Free design practically cuts down on drag and puts the head down at a quicker pace, allowing for a really comfortable contact point. This gives me a lot more room for imagination in my shots - (slightly lesser) power smash, the wrist snap, fast drops, you name it.

Drives with this are pretty much stunted though. Unlike the heavyweights, the 96g (thereabouts anyhoo) Li-Ning N90-III doesn't carry much weight transfer to give you that satisfying explosion when you throw your arm out for a drive shot.

Control
Here's where it gets interesting. I give a good control rating to any racket that makes me feel comfortable and allows me to make any shot that comes to mind. From trick shots to acute changes in direction, the N90-III is one comfortable racket.

It gives me the feeling that I can place the shuttle into any box you place in the court (and I don't even have to try that many times either). The accuracy that the racket gives is unbelievable. When you get a good hit in you really can get that WOW feel.

Backhands were well-executed, forehands were close to perfect. The net shots that I could perform were so close to the net it isn't funny.

One of my worst shots is the cross-court tight net shot. Really horrible. Like shooting flies with a bazooka.

That didn't seem to be much of a problem with the N90-III though. Awesome control.

Looks
For those who have seen Alucard, the Li-Ning N90-III comes in the exact color tone. Freaking awesome, impossibly cool, indescribably desirably. One look is all you need to part ways with your money.

For those who didn't see the anime, here's a picture.

Li-Ning Break-Free N90-III

"Faultlessly perfect control"

Defense: 9

Attack: 8

Control: 10

Looks: 10

First impressions here.

So we're up to the second on the readers' choice - the Yonex ArcSaber 11 Taufik Hidayat Limited Edition. This one has been the in racket case for quite some time, and I have to thank the readers once again for actively voting to get me off my ass and writing a few reviews.

Taking off from the first impressions (link above), we're left with a well-recovered wrist and a trip to the courts with the ArcSaber 11 TH.

Initial swings were ok, the racket felt good, the weight was ok for an even-balanced racket, and I had no complaints for the shots that came off the racket.

So the games came, and it's pretty much what you'd expect from an ArcSaber - quick, powerful, versatile, accurate.

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

With that said, let's go!

Yonex ArcSaber 11 Taufik Hidayat Limited Edition
Est. Dry Weight: 97g (3U)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Even
Stiffness: Stiff
Strings: Yonex Nanogy 98 @ 27lbs

I recommend this racket for both singles and doubles play.

Defense
This is probably the first thing that caught my attention. The AS11TH performs remarkably on the defensive, able to turn smashes into really quick drives across the other side of the court at the turn of your wrist. It's not too shabby when it comes to the blocks either.

The even-balanced ArcSaber 11 TH allows me to be quite creative in defense, and with the added speed bonus I can even mix a few trick shots when my brain gets to it. Double motions, no problem. High lift to net block, no problem. Smash to cross court drive, let's get some!

Attack
Here's where it gets interesting. I've never been able to get a decent smash off something even-balanced - there just isn't much weight in the head to get that thump.

The Yonex ArcSaber 11 TH denies this to a certain extent. The racket is able to generate a very decent attack. Jump smashes are a pleasure to execute, and I find myself much too happy to give the shuttle a good swat.

It gives off a good sound to boot too! The sonic metal that Yonex boasts might actually have something to do with it. The racket does give a sharper tone when you hit. Add this to the quick swing from the lack of weight, and the stiffness of the shaft, and you've got quite the attack.

It's not confined to the hard hitters either. The AS11TH gave me the more delightful drops shots tonight. The shuttle somehow resists moving towards the service line, drifting short and plunging quickly to the other side of the court with just a slight touch of the racket.

Control
Not too shabby, but not quite the level of control that the N90-III gave me though. I found some of my shots drifting too far of the sides of the courts a little off target.

Apart from the occasional blunder, the AS11TH gives a pretty good feel once I'm in a decent position to play the shots. My more creative choices came off satisfactory, with little to complain about. The weight of the racket felt just right to pull off those higher difficulty attempts at getting a point.

Didn't get much chance to take the net, but the few times that I did didn't leave a bitter taste of regret.

Though there seemed to be a little difficulty taking the cross-court tight netshot, I'm going to attribute it to the lack of skill instead of the lack of weight in the racket to lend to the follow-through.

As for the backhands, I found a little inconsistency in the quality of the shots. Having pinpointed that to my position when I hit the shuttle, there seems to be very little space for error when you decide to turn and take the backhand. But when you do hit the right spot, the shuttle teleports.

Luckily you'll be fast enough to take the attacks that come should you fail to launch a good backhand.

Looks
Classic Taufik grey and black and gold - dignified, classy, powerful. The Yonex ArcSaber 11 Taufik Hidayat Special Edition might appear boring at first, buy you'll grow to like the timeless combination.

Yonex ArcSaber 11 Taufik Hidayat Limited Edition

"Crown Jewel of the ArcSaber Series"

Defense: 10

Attack: 8

Control: 9

Looks: 8

I'm not a fan of the Marvel comic, nor do I like the movies that much. But this is a collectors' item, and you can't deny that the racket looks plenty hot - red and gold all over.

First off, I had thought the Victor TK Iron Man 3 was simply the Thruster K 8000 with a new paint job, but upon first handling, and looking at the stats on the cone, I found that the TKIM3 was even balanced and a lot stiffer than the TK8000.

That made it a lot faster, and suited to my game. Use the racket came naturally. In fact, it seemed like a more powerful Bravesword 10.

It might not be as stiff as the BRS10, but the TKIM3 felt familiar to use, and catching shuttles with the sweet spot became natural to me.

The stiffness of the racket lends to the accuracy that I could achieve, both from attack and defense. It also made my backhands feel right at home.

I must say this racket has made a good impression. From what I thought was another mindless attacking racket, it has turned out to be quite the game maker.

First Iron Man that I've liked, really.

Review to come.

Yet another signature racket from Victor. Don't they ever learn?

The series is mauled with sub-standard finishing and lower quality merchandise, banking on the popularity of their players to sell rackets instead of making something top-notch. That, and the players never really use the rackets... Jung Jae Sung is probably the only player to actively use the racket named after him, and he retired right afterwards!

The latest in the series is pegged to the badminton soldier Lee Hyun Il. If you've ever seen him play you'll know that he executes a style of play less commonly seen in today's power-wins-all rallies.

His footwork is impeccable, his retrieving practiced and faultless. He lacked the power attack, instead choosing to out last his opponent with a creative defense and dependable shot placement.

His weapon of choice, the Victor Bravesword 11. The Bravesword Lee Hyun Il is modelled after the BRS11, with the same stats as indicated on the cone.

But the BRS11 is Made in Taiwan (MIT), while the BRSLHI is Made in China. I felt the difference on handling. It feels slightly hollow, the graphite of a lower quality. When you hit a shuttle the feel wasn't as good as my other MIT racket, the Bravesword 10.

Somehow, it just feels cheap. Like what the Bravesword Lee Yong Dae did for me.

But this is Lee Hyun Il's tribute, and that is enough for me to fall willingly into the sucker category.

Much like the famed badminton player, the racket offers less in terms of attack but compensates it with admirable speed in defense. While the shot quality takes a hit since I couldn't feel the shuttle as well, the accuracy and consistency that I was able to achieve off this racket during the 2-hour session is worth mention.

While I am tempted to give the MIT Bravesword 11 a try to see how it compares, common sense teaches me to live with what I've got and go for more games with the Victor Bravesword Lee Hyun Il, especially when the first outing didn't bomb as much as I thought it would.

Review to come.

First impressions here.

Boy this was a hard one to review! But I'm finally think I've got enough experience with the Li-Ning N55-III to give it a proper one.

I'd like to begin with the rollercoaster account of my time with the racket. Right off the bat it felt great - lighter than the purple one, faster, but still offering the same power and steepness of attack.

The defense was memorable as well, and it all seemed like an easy choice to review.

But then one fine Saturday, on my last run before the review, I found something strange about the racket. I suddenly faced loss in control and considerable loss in shot quality. Clears began to become shorter and smashes were hitting the net.

That prompted me to give the N55-III a little more time to run in.

And about three weeks later, here I am.

Note. This is my view of the racket, written after my personal experience with the racket. The pure nature of a review is to inject a perspective into a situation.

And here is mine.

Li-Ning Air-Stream N55-III
Est. weight: 87g (3U)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Head Heavy
Stiffness: Stiff
Strings: Yonex Nanogy 98 @ 25lbs

Defense
For something so head heavy, the N55-III performs remarkably well in defense. Might have been something to do with the air-stream slots cut into the head frame, but I doubt it can do that much of a difference.

So, due to unknown reasons, the head heavy and heavy racket manages to turn away most attacks that came my way on the courts. I found that the weight accords me that little bonus in power when I block shots.

Smashes were turned in to net drops for clear winners with the Li-Ning Air-Stream N55-III, and it felt good. Defending with this racket feels natural and quick - the ease of positioning the shots remained the truest of the arsenal I possess when yielding this racket.

I've only ever had the chance to do some drive defenses, and those turned out pretty well too.

Attack
On to the sweet stuff. Li-Ning rackets are known for their abusive use to head heavy orientation to obtain the powerful attack, and this isn't an exception.

The head heavy N55-III gives you a very satisfying boom when you hit the shuttle right, probably also again likely due to the air-stream system incorporated into the head frame.

The shuttle speed ain't too shabby either. Many times my shot came back half court, readying itself for another whacking. The combination of low angle and quick acceleration really gives the Li-Ning Air-Stream N55-III an edge in the offensive game.

Whether it's a hard smash to down the lines or a quick snap of the wrist pull off that surprise attack, the racket is a joy to use.

Control
Remember the front when I said the racket had two personalities? Some times it's hot - throwing the opponent across the courts with well-placed angles. Some times it's not - seriously, I cannot explain the frustrations I get with this seemingly wonderful piece of equipment.

So I found out the truth today. This racket drains your arm strength rather quickly. After a few games, I started to lose sight of the sidelines and especially the back court. A short swing seemed to send the shuttle the wrong way.

About four games in (I played six games of singles tonight) I found that my backhands are losing quality and I was getting smashed at as a result.

Shots are thrown off, drops hitting the net, smashes losing power, net shots just not cutting it close enough.

All because this racket makes fatigue build-up a very real thing.

Looks
This racket is gentleman dashing - silver and gold streaks flanked by a black and silver shaft. It gives off a gun metal feel that is oh-so-charming. Must buy.

Li-Ning Air-Stream N55-III

"Awesome while strength last."

Defense: 9

Attack: 9

Control: 7

Looks: 10

First impressions here.

Let's start off with the obvious - this is one sweet looking racket. Red and gold and white all over in a really nice combination. One of those that you have to get after one look.

My first impressions were pretty good. The racket showed a very good defense potential while offering up good options for attacking play. While head-heavy, it swung fast enough to give you a good edge when being attacked.

So after a restring to get the tension and feel right, I went back onto the courts.

That being said, I took it out for a run today in games of singles and doubles. Three hours later I decided that I've had enough experience with it to give a written review.

Note. This is my review of the racket, written after my personal experience with the racket. Enjoy, and comments welcome.

Gosen Roots Aermet Explosion
Est. Weight: 86g (3U)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Slightly Head Heavy
Stiffness: Medium
Strings: Yonex Nanogy 98 @ 25lbs

Defense
Very good. Particularly for the cross court drives and blocks. I found myself whipping the head of the racket rapidly to counter smashes, and it was a thrilling experience. Even shots coming in from short lifts were handled sufficiently well.

Notable were my backhand blocks in the games of singles I played. The Gosen Roots Aermet Explosion was able to guard against most of the attacks given, giving me a lifeline for an attempted escape where other slower rackets might not have.

Having a fast racket but head-heavy racket like this one is quite hard to find, and it sure feels good to know that you'll be quick and creative on the defense while having enough power from the racket to boost the quality of return.

Attack
Medium-flex rackets tend to give a very good thump when you put your arm into it, and the Gosen Roots Aermet Explosion isn't an exception.

The shorter handle adds to the power, what with more shaft to flex and contribute to the catapult effect. Fast smashes with the wrist are surprisingly efficient with this racket, and for tall players like me it gives the opponents a little more to worry about since we can whip the shuttle down from up high without too much of an arm swing.

Drives may be a little weak as a result, since the softer shaft won't allow for fast energy transfer down. I didn't find myself performing a lot of those shots, preferring to counter smashes into defensive drives instead, borrowing from the power of the opponent's attack.

Another problem with the attack for the Roots Explosion was in control.

Control
When you can't aim a powerful smash, you might as well not attack.

It took me quite some time to get used to the range in accuracy of the Gosen Roots Aermet Explosion. The softer shaft seemed to make aiming rather bothersome, each of my shots missing the mark by a rather large variable.

I found myself missing shots aimed at the back corners as well, which can be rather demoralising since they're the shots that are supposed to give your opponent a little bit of trouble.

I shudder to aim down the line with this; must have given my singles opponent at least ten points by missing the side tram lines. Conversely, I was hitting well when I switched to a stiffer shaft racket.

The power in the racket gave me good distance judge, thought the accuracy still had a little wavering. Hitting the back of the courts should be no problem with this racket.

Netplay was also commendable, with the heavy head taking credit for the ease of control at the front.

Looks
Fiery. Red and gold slashes streak the racket's head and shaft, its asymmetrical design a sight to behold.

Gosen Roots Aermet Explosion

"Fast but reckless."

Defense: 9

Attack: 8

Control: 8

Looks: 10

Too much of a good thing makes life's luxuries a chore.

After what seems like forever (4 years actually) of active playing, I think the itch has finally wore down. There's less of a passion to play a good game and I don't find myself eager to head to the courts anymore.

As such, I'm going to take a break from the game for a bit, drastically lessen the number of sessions per month and see if that'll do anything to make me miss the game.

No worries, rackets will still be bought and traded, and reviews will still make it.

I'd like to give a shout out to all the people who visit my humble blog. Having more than 400 thousand views so far is something I did not expect...

I've also got the whole tactics and strategy section to beef up, so this break will give me some time to get them all down.

Keep at this wonderful game guys, and keep those questions coming.

For starters, this is probably the best-looking Gosen racket I've seen. The use of colors and different textures throughout the racket makes for a very dynamic design.

Would also like to give a shoutout to my bro who gave this to me as a Christmas pressie. Much appreciated, and this is one awesome racket!

First thing that came to my attention was the very soft racket frame that was also apparent with the rest of my Roots rackets. At 25lbs tension, the head of the racket seemed to be a little deformed. It was only with 4-knot stringing that I managed to fix it.

Weight-wise it seemed to be a little heavier than the other Gosen rackets that I have - the Roots Aermet Explosion and the Aermet 9500 Power. Stiffness-wise, it's kind of inbetween the two. The Roots Aermet Zeus comes stiffer than the Explosion but less than the 9500 Explosion.

On the courts, the Zeus performed well in attack, though the defensive shots were a little less-than-exciting. I suppose with a little more practice I could get used to something like the Zeus - heavy, slightly head heavy orientation.

And I think the design and color of the racket alone is enough reason to want to bring it out again.

Till soon.

Sounds like they got tired of thinking up cool names for their rackets.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this could be the first time the badminton giant created a racket sequel... From warehouse sales to lousy names, it seems their marketing division is down the dumps.

Kudos on the SunriseClick site though - looks and functions awesome.

Now on to the serious stuff. Shock Force, or so they call it.

The immensely popular Voltric Z-Force brought a whole new level of attacking play to the game with its ultra stiff and ultra head heavy construction. What else has to be improved to make the racket even more powerful?

Perhaps making it a little more user-friendly with a broader head frame? Perhaps softening the shaft? Perhaps by making the grip a little longer? Maybe paint it a little more intimidatingly?

Well, Yonex seems to have gone all Tron on this one. The Z-Force II comes packed with new material, shaft design, grommet retrofitting, and a funky paint job.

I won't go much into the details since the website already has it all. I've collected the important portions for your reading, since the darn website takes so long to load.

All information and images courtesy of Yonex. Visit the official website for the real deal.

First off is the thin and stiff shaft... sounds like a nightmare to me but it all adds up to increased swing speed and power.

This here is some math about the plausible effects of the new material.

This, I'm more interested in. Head frame construction and grommet patterns are proven methods to increase swing speed and power for your shots. The inside grommets look promising, as you will see below.

Check out the grommets, sunk in at the tri-voltage areas to allow less resistance from the strings and the air.

Seriously, where do I sign?

Once again, all material from the Yonex site.

Hey guys, found out some other site's been taking my article wholesale, so be a sport and bookmark the original site - http://everythinggoeshere.blogspot.sg

###

Wow, it's been quite some time since I got down to writing about badminton no? Well, I'm glad to be back.

It's been a nice rest for me, and thanks to all the kind chaps who manage to fit time in to play with a rusty player.

So I got a chance to try out a buddy's Yonex Z-Force II racket. It was 4U, but the power behind its strokes could easily equal that of a 3U. The racket is stiff, the racket is swift, the racket performed very admirably.

Looks aside, the Z-Force II didn't really come across as a nice racket the first time I handled it. It was for stroking, and it felt a little too hollow to give any significant impact to my game, kind of what the ArcSaber Flash Boost felt like.

But give it a few games (I gave it two) and you get a pretty well-rounded racket that's awesome for your game. While light, it gave enough power. While head heavy, it gave enough swiftness. While 4U, it gave enough ummph to cause a little concern on your attacks.

The clears were good, the defense memorable, the attacks.... well, they could be better. Net shots were a breeze though, and having less weight in your hand actually makes it easier for me to pull off the fancier trick and double-motion shots.

As I've said, I didn't get a lot of time with the Yonex Z-Force II, but given the choice, I'd spring for a 3U to see how much more it can deliver. The 4U racket is a good weapon to have on the court, but I'd like to push it a little and say a 3U one might make a significant difference to justify switching from its predecessor.

Review to come? I hope so... (hint to bro, get a 3U)!

photo:www.yonex.com/z/

Hey guys, found out some other site's been taking my article wholesale, so be a sport and bookmark the original site - http://everythinggoeshere.blogspot.sg

###

First impressions here.

I only recently got a chance to watch the All England 2014 finals between Lee Chong Wei and Chen Long. I heard it was a really good match where the world number one came out and outright dominated the Chinese youngster.

Had to admit that it was a little hard to believe, seeing how Chen Long has one of the best impressive winning records against Chong Wei, next to badminton legend Lin Dan. I pegged it down to Chen Long being a little off form.

That was until I finally watched the match.

Lee Chong Wei was playing with a whole new level of confidence, and the shots that he pulled off were none like the ones I'm used to see him playing. There seemed to be a heavy emphasis on the fast drive to the right-hand side of Chen Long; Lee was certainly prepared for the fast straight rally - something that he's not used against his Chinese foes.

And I think it's got something to do with the racket. It's got something to do with the Yonex Voltric Z-Force II.

So I went for a few rounds with the racket, in singles play. And I was right.

Note. This is a review of my experience after using the racket. Take this with a pinch of salt, enjoy the read, and let me know what you think!

Yonex Voltric Z-Force II
Est. Dry Weight: 85g (was listed as 4U)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Head Heavy
Stiffness: Stiff
Strings: Yonex Nanogy 98 @ 28lbs

Defense:
Blazing. I hadn't expected something from the Voltric line to be this fast, but the speed I had on the Z-Force II was shocking. Not only was I able to respond to the smashes coming at me, I found it easier to perform a high lift should I need to.

Drive defense was also remarkable, as proven by our world number 1 against Chen Long. I could actually feel confident taking on the opponent at drives, able to turn from a hard push to a soft block when the occasion calls for it.

But in time you will find out that it's not only the defense that remarkable; the control and offense for the racket really adds to the experience, making the Yonex Voltric Z-Force II one of the best rackets I've ever used.

Control:
If you watch the match between Chen Long and Lee Chong Wei, you'll find that Lee had a very small number of unforced errors. Close to all his shots were spot-on accurate - his lifts were high and long, his clears were so close to the backline that Chen usually decides to hit them instead, his attacks at the tramline were so deadly.

Take a hold at the Z-Force II and you'll know how that feels like. I was able to guide the shuttle to all corners of the court without much difficulty, and it felt so good in my hands. The level of confidence you have knowing that you could set up shots to most any corner of the court is staggering.

And even if it's at the net, the amount of control that you get from the Z-Force II takes your breath away. Each tumble a dance, each slide a crisp cut at the shuttle. Wow.

Attack:
It's a Voltric, so need I say more?

But I shall, because this was probably what amazed me most about the racket. Even a small-armed played like myself could pull off some powerful shots with this.

Once again I digress to the Lee / Chen All England singles final. This game has got to be the best testament for the Voltric Z-Force II.

Take a listen to all of Chong Wei's smashes. Notice how the racket came down with such a perfect, sharp, resounding whip? It was almost like he was breaking the sound barrier with the racket, so powerful yet delicate.

From experience the racket is capable of delivering one heck of a smash. I personally remember a cross court over head smash, which isn't really one of my strong suits. The hit was powerful, with a sound that usually doesn't come from one of my attacks. I was able to follow that up with a cross court finisher ala Peter Gade.

That kind of thing usually doesn't happen. The speed and the power of the shot is crucial, and the Z-Force II gave me that confidence.

And the best thing about it? The attack comes off fast. It is dead accurate. And you can recover fast enough to kill the rally if your opponent manage to block the initial attack.

Tri-Perfecto.

Looks:
It comes in a cool matte black, marked with luminous blue streaks. Very Tron. Not the best of designs, but at least chips and scratches won't be as easily visible.

photo: yonex.com

Yonex Voltric Z-Force II

"Tri-Perfecto."

Defense: 10

Control: 10

Attack: 10

Looks: 7

Hey guys, found out some other site's been taking my article wholesale, so be a sport and bookmark the original site - http://everythinggoeshere.blogspot.sg

###

Here's the review for the Yonex Voltric Z-Force
Here's the review for the Yonex Voltric Z-Force II

I enjoy journeys of discovery, and one of the reasons why I started this blog was so that I could share my experiences with different kinds of badminton equipment with fellow badminton enthusiasts.

Well, having been through the excellent experience that is the Z-Force II, I was convinced by a reader (didn't take much really) to have a go at its predecessor and come up with a comparison.

Well, I had two hours with the Yonex Voltric Z-Force in a singles session yesterday and here's this here's my conclusion.

Since this is my first comparison article, I will attempt a rough structure that will probably guide the future comparison articles.

You are encouraged to read the reviews for the rackets before attempting to read the article, since I would have already given my take on the rackets.

And if you'd like to see two rackets compared, leave a comment after this one and I'll see what I can do.

Disclaimer: This is an article on my experiences after the use and comparison of two rackets. Pinch of salt please, and comments are always welcome. Please don't ask me to weigh them or measure the size of their frames, or for the exact ratio of head weight to handle weight. You catch my drift. Hopefully.

P.S. And please don't ever ask me to compare a Yonex racket to its mainstream equivalent. I'm not really interested in finding out the difference between a red ArcSaber and a White one.

Here it comes.

First Impressions:
The Yonex Voltric Z-Force rackets traditionally come with super stiff shafts and an unforgiving head heavy weight distribution. This makes them hard to handle and tiring to use for the long run. This would also have contributed to many a badminton player's tennis elbow or sore shoulders.

The Z-Force came across as an unforgiving mentor, one that expects you to perform well but is willing to give you very good results if you manage to subscribe to its philosophy.

In sharp contrast is the Z-Force II. The black wonder is like the same mentor, but ten years down the road. He's seen the world, had his share of tormenting helpless students and has mellowed. This concentration gives him even more power, and he's willing to share.

Defense:
Both rackets offer a good level of defense. I was able to turn and twist and block and lift at will. If I had to choose a winner, I felt that the Z-Force II came off a bit faster and easier to move around. I also had a noticeable increase in defensive shots when I use the Z-Force. This could be due to the fact that I offered more attacking chances.

Attack:
The Z-Force II wins hands down. The Z-Force's attacks not only comes off softer, the chance of mishit was also higher for me. Much times I wasn't able to get as good enough a hit as I would have if I had used the Z-Force II.

One thing that the Z-Force won over its descendant was the power on the drive shots. The Yonex Voltric Z-Force delivered awesome drives.

Control:
While I didn't have much trouble with shot accuracy when using both rackets, the Z-Force II offered more ease when I played with it. I could move faster, clear easier, drop more accurately, net better, the works. The Z-Force II just made executing the hardest shots that little bit easier.

Conclusion:
No contest. There's no reason why you would want to use the Yonex Voltric Z-Force when you can use the later rendition.

The Yonex Voltric Z-Force II offers an all-round improvement in terms of speed, attack and control. It may not be as nice in terms of design, but the user-friendliness of the Z-Force II makes it an obvious decision.

Sell your Z-Force rackets. Go for the upgrade.

Hey guys, found out some other site's been taking my article wholesale, so be a sport and bookmark the original site - http://everythinggoeshere.blogspot.sg

I know I said I wouldn't give this a shot, but the words of a close friend do much to sway our minds.

And so I gave it a shot. And what a resounding bang it gave!

The Yonex Nanoray Z-Speed is touted as the racket what produces the fastest smash. I wrote a pretty extensive article covering some of the technology behind it. Take a read, and if you take away anything, it's that it's fast, and it's a looker.

Marketing aside, the racket really does deliver on it's promise. The speed is amazing (I was using a 3U) both in defense and offense. I've just recently developed a larger swing on my jump smashes, and the technique works like a charm for this racket. You can simply feel the punch coming off the strings.

Accuracy isn't a problem either, what with a small head frame and all. If you hit a proper shot with this racket, it will surely go where you want it to since there's not a lot of leeway to start with.

Backhands are a breeze, as with most headlight rackets, and I was able to pull off some really nice hits.

With I really can't say for now are the net shots. I didn't get much of a chance to use them since I went on the offensive quite a bit. Will attempt once I get another chance with the racket.

For now the impressions are positive. I shall look at ways to procure one for myself.

Review hopefully soon!

Just like to shout out to the guys (and bots) who made this possible.

Looking forward to more reviews and discussions!

Who remembers?

Hey guys, found out some other site's been taking my article wholesale, so be a sport and bookmark the original site - http://everythinggoeshere.blogspot.sg

###

I remember when I was a kid, just starting out in the game, when there would be a tv commercial, and this Prince Y-Head racket would come on. Man I wanted it so much... but it was the thing at the time, and way out of the reach of a 10-year-old.

Fast forward twenty odd years later, the Prince Y-Head makes a comeback with the aptly named Phoenix 1500 Team.

I settled for the "Prince-colored" one. There's a select few who actually know what I'm talking about. The brand had always been characterised by the definitive white, green and black hues.

But away from the looks and on to the usefulness!

On first hit, the racket seems heavy. As heck. The swings are long and weighty, and the recover took quite a hit. You won't be able to move around as much as you used to on court, and switching defense from backhand to forehand was a major problem for me.

It took a bit of getting to - the unconventional-shaped head shifted the sweet spot really high, and I had a lot of difficulty getting the right amount of force in my hits. The net blocks really took a hit - I lost 8 points in a singles match simply trying to put the shuttle at the net.

The racket really starts to shine on shots put over the shoulder. The massive head and large sweet spot makes smashing a breeze. The power seems to flow from the enormous head and onto the bedstring. Boom. Those who are used to rackets with really high sweet spots will love this racket.

Being so darn high up also means that the shots you manage to pull off can potentially be really steep. A well-placed smash with the Prince Phoenix 1500 Team is an awesome feeling.

Now only if I can get used to the whole Y-Head thing.

Review soon.

Hey guys, found out some other site's been taking my article wholesale, so be a sport and bookmark the original site - http://everythinggoeshere.blogspot.sg

###

First impressions here.

Well, this is a long time coming hasn't it? I've gotten really busy at work and that practically wipes out my weekday games, so it's taken a lot longer for me to have a good enough idea of how to write this review.

Trust me, I've been meaning to get this out as soon as possible, lest I forget how good the Z-Speed felt. I have to admit though, that the first thought of giving this racket a good try was when Kenichi Tago kicked Chen Long's behind with it during the Thomas Cup.

I've been a fan of the youngster's and it's nice to know that he's still got a kick left in em. Was almost sure his time had come when he met with the losing streak last year.

But anyway, the racket turned out pretty darn well, and I can see how Tago chose this over the Voltric 80, Z-Force, and Z-Force II.

Note. This is a review of my experience after using the racket for a number of sessions. Take the findings with a pinch of salt. I'm not as good as some of you guys out there.

Yonex Nanoray Z-Speed
Est. Dry Weight: 85g (3U)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Head-Light, but feels more even-balanced
Stiffness: Stiff
Strings: Yonex Nanogy 98 @ 28lbs

Defense:
Being touted as the fastest swinging racket out there, it's not surprising that this racket can pretty much block anything that comes its way. I find myself returning some seriously threatening attacks with the racket, and it's amazing.

The nanoray Z-Speed will pretty much react as fast as your eyes can see. Many times I didn't even turn my head and the racket somehow managed to land itself in the path of the shuttle. It's so quick I can't even believe that I got the shot back sometimes.

What's more about the defense is the amount of power and accuracy I manage to get into the returns. Any racket that allows me to do a backhand drive on a stretch pretty much takes the cake. Holding this racket gives me an awesome feeling at the front of the net, and for doubles that's a big plus.

If I were to say anything bad about the defense, which also holds true for the other sections to follow, is that the smaller size of the head frame (which comes with the Yonex 'Z' Series of rackets) will demand a good accuracy to hit home. A smaller sweet spot means harder, more accurate shots, but it also means more practice to be able to pull those off.

Control:
For one of my two-hour singles session, I tried using control sessions, which basically means I reduce my attacking shots to an absolute minimum and only hit the hard one on the kill.

The result was good. The Yonex Nanoray Z-Speed was able to hit all corners of the court without much trouble. I had good control of the situation and didn't have to be moved around a lot despite the amount of attacks my opponent was throwing at me.

Clears were effortless, the fast drop shots from the back were good, backhands were of passing grade (remember I don't play as much as I used to), and tight net shots turned out fine.

I distinctive remember being able to hit the hard flat shot to the back, throwing the opponent into thinking it was out. For a player of my calibre, that took some skills. Having the Z-Speed definitely helped.

Attack:
Pow.

This racket holds the world record for having the fastest smash. Well I'm no Tan Boon Heong, but I can feel the difference in speed of the shuttle coming off the string bed, and I like it.

Two things in particular for attacks when I use this racket. The first being the steepness of the shots that I'm able to pull off. As though being fast wasn't enough, my smashes with the Z-Speed seem to come off at a steeper angle than the other rackets, and it had something to do with the racket being head-light.

I'm also able to execute some really good (and steep) smashes off the wrist. A simple twist and the shuttle goes whipping. Gives you a good feeling that you've got an extra surprise element to your shots.

However, I do feel that the Z-Force II is able to throw off a heavier smash than this one. Not that's it's an issue for me, but for those looking for explosive power in addition to speed, you might want to give the head-heavy series of rackets a try.

Looks:
I have to say it grows on you. And bright orange is a good color to be zipping through the air doesn't it?

Yonex Nanoray Z-Speed

"Speed Demon."

Defense: 10

Control: 10

Attack: 9

Looks: 9

Thorlos Socks: Padding for your feet

New Badminton Strings: Toalson BL-6500, 6700, 6800, 8000

Badminton Racket First Impressions: Li-Ning N90-III

Badminton Racket Review: Li-Ning Break-Free N90-III

Badminton Racket Review: Yonex ArcSaber 11 Taufik Hidayat Limited Edition

Badminton Racket First Impressions: Victor Thruster K Iron Man 3

Badminton Racket First Impressions: Victor Bravesword Lee Hyun Il

Badminton Racket Review: Li-Ning Air-Stream N55-III (Silver)

Badminton Racket Review: Gosen Roots Aermet Explosion

Taking a short break

Badminton Racket First Impressions: Gosen Roots Aermet Zeus

New Badminton Racket: Yonex Voltric Z-Force II

Badminton Racket First Impressions: Yonex Z-Force II

Badminton Racket Review: Yonex Voltric Z-Force II

Badminton Racket Comparison: Yonex Voltric Z-Force (4U) versus Yonex Voltric Z-Force II (4U)

Badminton Racket First Impressions: Yonex Nanoray Z-Speed

1,000,000 views

Badminton Racket New Launch: Prince Phoenix 1500 Team

Badminton Racket First Impressions: Prince Phoenix 1500 Team

Badminton Racket Review: Yonex Nanoray Z-Speed