Badminton Rackets: The Lead Tape

So I modified my old APACS WREX Punch with a little lead tape to see if I could put some life into the old racket. It's the first racket I got and the sentimental value explains why it's not at the back of some school kid's storeroom.

Initial attempts have it head heavy failed as the 5U racket refuses to give power. The frame feels like it's made out of very little material, each shot resonating down the shaft and onto my arms. The shaft for this one is very stiff, which gave me the idea to modify me a Nanospeed 9900.

Tons of lead tape down at the shaft near the cone, and a little at the t-joint to stabilize it later, the new APACS NS99wannabe is born!

Took it to the courts today and it was fast! The shot still rang off the head frame despite the stabilizing layer I placed at the t-joint, but the head light properties of the racket made it ideal for the doubles game that I was having that night.

Here's what I imagine it to be - a 4U head frame attached to a 3U very stiff shaft. The hits come off a little hollow, and lack the power that comes with a well-made racket, but it still won me a couple of games and the defense is awesome.

No reviews for the APACS NS99wannabe, but I'll be sure to use it a few more times to get me a feel of what lead tape and some experimentation can do to your interest in the game.