Can someone with better knowledge of Victor rackets and their pricing shed some light on what makes their limited editions that much more valuable (if any reason at all)?
Much appreciated!
Victor Bravesword Lee Yong Dae
Victor Meteor X London
Badminton Rackets: Special Editions
It it just me, or do the Victor Special Edition rackets seem to cost so much more than the regular ones? The Yonex ones that I've come across - VT80, VTZF, NS9900, Ti10, AS10, and AT700 - have all been but $20 more than their original counterparts.
Can someone with better knowledge of Victor rackets and their pricing shed some light on what makes their limited editions that much more valuable (if any reason at all)?
Much appreciated!
Can someone with better knowledge of Victor rackets and their pricing shed some light on what makes their limited editions that much more valuable (if any reason at all)?
Much appreciated!
End of Production: Yonex Voltric Z-Force Limited
My stringer told me that it's the last batch. After this round there'll be no more limited edtion made for the Voltric Z-Force.
It's back to the green and white variation for those who've not had their chance to try out the powerhouse from Yonex.
You'll be glad to know that they're still one and the same racket, and it's a pretty good one to boot. Here's one last look at the Yonex Voltric Z-Force Limited.
It's back to the green and white variation for those who've not had their chance to try out the powerhouse from Yonex.
You'll be glad to know that they're still one and the same racket, and it's a pretty good one to boot. Here's one last look at the Yonex Voltric Z-Force Limited.
Badminton Racket Wishlist: Yonex Nanoray 700FX
I've always wanted to see how the Yonex headlight series of rackets will perform, and in line with new technologies I'd like to see how much difference this Toughlex thing will make.
But it's a Yonex and it will come with a hefty price tag.
As we Singaporeans say, "see how la."
Update:
I got me the 700RP instead...
The picture here is rather deceptive; the 700FX does not come in white - it's a dull grey of sorts and it's not a good color for me... The brown-orange-gold of the 700RP strikes a better image.
Offensive Badminton Strategies: Taking the Net
Welcome to another lesson in badminton strategies.
It's been awhile since I've gotten to writing these, so I thought I'd take some time to refresh my tactics and strategies myself. You'll never be at a disadvantage if you've got knowledge, and besides the game is so much better when both sides are battling with mind as well as technique.
I've read some of the stuff on the internet, tried them out and added my little touch to it for your perusal. I've even added in names to make them easier to remember!
This is the sixth and final part of the Badminton Strategies segment. After this we'll move on to the higher level stuff: Tactics.
If you read the overview you'll understand that I term Offensive Strategies as the point-scoring elements of your game. They consist of faster moves and may sometimes demand more concentration and accuracy than the defensive ones we've talked about earlier. You're also opening yourself up to counter attacks, so you might really want to use these as a calculated risk.
The payload is a spectacular smash finish to win the point.
The second offensive strategy I'll touch on is crucial in the game of singles, and is a common one employed by masterful shuttler Taufik Hidayat - Taking the Net.
If you feel like you've got the touch (well, at least better than your opponent anyway), you'll want to move your base position slightly forward to capture the front court area. Doing this will allow you to demand lifts from the opponent whenever you want to.
When executing tight net shots, there are two main methods - spin and drops.
The spinning net shot is when you brush the shuttle with an opposite force of its decent into your racket, making the return shot spin, reducing speed drastically and making it hard for the opponent to give a good return. A well-executed spinning net shot will tumble and turn, recovering well below the tape and forcing a lift from the opponent.
You will want to use the spinning net shot when your opponent is considerably ready to receive your shots. If he's standing at the base position, ready to split step and pounce on a loose shot, make him wait and stretch with a tight spinning net shot. The tumble and receive below the tape will eliminate the advantage he has by being ready in base position.
The other kind of net shot you'll want to practice is the drop net shot. These are hit with an upward sweeping motion so that the shot produced causes the shuttle to arch high upwards and drop vertically down with speed. These may not be as sexy as their spinning counterparts, but used well, the drop net shot can be very tight and close to the net. It's also hard for the opponent to judge how far the shuttle will arch before dropping vertically down.
The drop net shot is used when your opponent has quite some ground to cover, usually when he committed to a offensive shot from the back court. The relatively faster shuttle of the drop net shot as compared to the spinning one plays very nicely to this situation, allowing you to turn your defense into a chance for a short lift and smash finish.
For the strategy to work, you'll have to demonstrate that you're ready to pounce on any loose net shot that he's willing to execute. Stay upfront with your racket up, and watch the shuttle like a hawk. Once he's had a taste of your net kill, he'll stray away from the net and move his base backwards.
And when that happens, he's left with fewer attacking options and opens himself to the drop net shot.
If he comes to the front, he faces a net kill following a tight net shot. If he plays long, he'll have trouble following the attacks because of your drop net shot.
Limit his options, win the game.
Coming up next, Badminton Tactics.
It's been awhile since I've gotten to writing these, so I thought I'd take some time to refresh my tactics and strategies myself. You'll never be at a disadvantage if you've got knowledge, and besides the game is so much better when both sides are battling with mind as well as technique.
I've read some of the stuff on the internet, tried them out and added my little touch to it for your perusal. I've even added in names to make them easier to remember!
This is the sixth and final part of the Badminton Strategies segment. After this we'll move on to the higher level stuff: Tactics.
If you read the overview you'll understand that I term Offensive Strategies as the point-scoring elements of your game. They consist of faster moves and may sometimes demand more concentration and accuracy than the defensive ones we've talked about earlier. You're also opening yourself up to counter attacks, so you might really want to use these as a calculated risk.
The payload is a spectacular smash finish to win the point.
The second offensive strategy I'll touch on is crucial in the game of singles, and is a common one employed by masterful shuttler Taufik Hidayat - Taking the Net.
If you feel like you've got the touch (well, at least better than your opponent anyway), you'll want to move your base position slightly forward to capture the front court area. Doing this will allow you to demand lifts from the opponent whenever you want to.
When executing tight net shots, there are two main methods - spin and drops.
The spinning net shot is when you brush the shuttle with an opposite force of its decent into your racket, making the return shot spin, reducing speed drastically and making it hard for the opponent to give a good return. A well-executed spinning net shot will tumble and turn, recovering well below the tape and forcing a lift from the opponent.
You will want to use the spinning net shot when your opponent is considerably ready to receive your shots. If he's standing at the base position, ready to split step and pounce on a loose shot, make him wait and stretch with a tight spinning net shot. The tumble and receive below the tape will eliminate the advantage he has by being ready in base position.
The other kind of net shot you'll want to practice is the drop net shot. These are hit with an upward sweeping motion so that the shot produced causes the shuttle to arch high upwards and drop vertically down with speed. These may not be as sexy as their spinning counterparts, but used well, the drop net shot can be very tight and close to the net. It's also hard for the opponent to judge how far the shuttle will arch before dropping vertically down.
The drop net shot is used when your opponent has quite some ground to cover, usually when he committed to a offensive shot from the back court. The relatively faster shuttle of the drop net shot as compared to the spinning one plays very nicely to this situation, allowing you to turn your defense into a chance for a short lift and smash finish.
For the strategy to work, you'll have to demonstrate that you're ready to pounce on any loose net shot that he's willing to execute. Stay upfront with your racket up, and watch the shuttle like a hawk. Once he's had a taste of your net kill, he'll stray away from the net and move his base backwards.
And when that happens, he's left with fewer attacking options and opens himself to the drop net shot.
If he comes to the front, he faces a net kill following a tight net shot. If he plays long, he'll have trouble following the attacks because of your drop net shot.
Limit his options, win the game.
Coming up next, Badminton Tactics.
Badminton Racket Review: Bekia Bravesword 10 Replica
I remember when I started out with APACS rackets, I refrained from getting the replicas. I'd rather settle for the original to be honest, but the Bekia Bravesword 10 Replica changed my mindset towards the copy of a well-known brand.
This racket has got to be among the top 5 for my, earning itself a permanent placing in my doubles play.
I've previously done a review on the Victor Bravesword 15, and the racket came off very highly in my ratings system. The Bekia racket will give the BRS15 a run for its money.
This review's my opinion of the racket from using it in my games, my style. No one plays badminton the same way, so take this with a pinch of salt. I'm here to tell you, in as much accuracy as I can, how my games went with the racket. Comments welcome!
Ok here goes.
Bekia Bravesword 10 Replica
Est. Dry Weight: 85g (3U)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Even
Max String Tension: 28lbs
Flex: Stiff
Strings: Yonex BG80 Power @ 23lbs
I use this racket mainly for doubles play.
Defense
Much like the rest of my 3U, even-balanced rackets, the Bekia Bravesword 10 Replica comes off well when put to the defensive test. It's got good power that allows you to lift the shuttle high enough, while offering an equal amount of agility that gives your blocks that little element of offense to turn the tide.
The sword design of Bravesword fame also lends to the speed of the Bekia replica. I noticed that the head frame for the replica seems a little larger than Victor's Bravesword 15, which gives it a larger sweet spot and makes it more forgiving when it comes to pulling off the defenses.
One more thing I noticed is that this racket gives me a very good backhand swing. With just a slight grip of the handle, I'm able to pull off full court back hands. Very nice.
I won't kid - this racket gives me the confidence to seal off the front court when playing doubles. It's speed and accuracy makes it a very good experience in my doubles game.
Attack
What good is a sword without a good offense? A weapon by nature, the sword allows quicker swing speed by virtually cutting through the air. The replica performs well in this aspect, and I find myself enjoying throwing the frequent smash with this in my hand.
For some reason, the racket gives me a very decent swing speed, and a very good angle. The feel is perfect, down to a T, and this translates to my drop shots as well. The soft shots come off sharp and fast, and the smashes come off steep and powerful.
One thing that's missing is the drive speed. Though I remember pulling off a few of these, I've not had much to praise. But do note that it may also be because I've had so much fun driving shuttles downwards to bother about the straight reply.
I have very little bad things to say about this racket when it comes to offensive capabilities.
Control
Probably the only thing better than its offense is the Bekia Bravesword 10 Replica's control. This thing is fine-tuned to provide a very tight game.
I don't know if any of you can relate to this, but the feel for this racket is PERFECT. Every single shot goes off the strings well, and I can feel every movement, directing the shuttle to where ever I want to.
The smashes are well-placed, the drops are tight as a miser's purse strings, and blocks are decent enough not to give much of a second opportunity. I might have a little grip with the drop shot, but it's not bad enough to lower its rating.
Looks
It looks like the racket it copies, which actually scores high on my aesthetic scale. A dull blue mixes with white, gold and red to produce a very professional-looking piece of equipment.
This racket has got to be among the top 5 for my, earning itself a permanent placing in my doubles play.
I've previously done a review on the Victor Bravesword 15, and the racket came off very highly in my ratings system. The Bekia racket will give the BRS15 a run for its money.
This review's my opinion of the racket from using it in my games, my style. No one plays badminton the same way, so take this with a pinch of salt. I'm here to tell you, in as much accuracy as I can, how my games went with the racket. Comments welcome!
Ok here goes.
Bekia Bravesword 10 Replica
Est. Dry Weight: 85g (3U)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Even
Max String Tension: 28lbs
Flex: Stiff
Strings: Yonex BG80 Power @ 23lbs
I use this racket mainly for doubles play.
Defense
Much like the rest of my 3U, even-balanced rackets, the Bekia Bravesword 10 Replica comes off well when put to the defensive test. It's got good power that allows you to lift the shuttle high enough, while offering an equal amount of agility that gives your blocks that little element of offense to turn the tide.
The sword design of Bravesword fame also lends to the speed of the Bekia replica. I noticed that the head frame for the replica seems a little larger than Victor's Bravesword 15, which gives it a larger sweet spot and makes it more forgiving when it comes to pulling off the defenses.
One more thing I noticed is that this racket gives me a very good backhand swing. With just a slight grip of the handle, I'm able to pull off full court back hands. Very nice.
I won't kid - this racket gives me the confidence to seal off the front court when playing doubles. It's speed and accuracy makes it a very good experience in my doubles game.
Attack
What good is a sword without a good offense? A weapon by nature, the sword allows quicker swing speed by virtually cutting through the air. The replica performs well in this aspect, and I find myself enjoying throwing the frequent smash with this in my hand.
For some reason, the racket gives me a very decent swing speed, and a very good angle. The feel is perfect, down to a T, and this translates to my drop shots as well. The soft shots come off sharp and fast, and the smashes come off steep and powerful.
One thing that's missing is the drive speed. Though I remember pulling off a few of these, I've not had much to praise. But do note that it may also be because I've had so much fun driving shuttles downwards to bother about the straight reply.
I have very little bad things to say about this racket when it comes to offensive capabilities.
Control
Probably the only thing better than its offense is the Bekia Bravesword 10 Replica's control. This thing is fine-tuned to provide a very tight game.
I don't know if any of you can relate to this, but the feel for this racket is PERFECT. Every single shot goes off the strings well, and I can feel every movement, directing the shuttle to where ever I want to.
The smashes are well-placed, the drops are tight as a miser's purse strings, and blocks are decent enough not to give much of a second opportunity. I might have a little grip with the drop shot, but it's not bad enough to lower its rating.
Looks
It looks like the racket it copies, which actually scores high on my aesthetic scale. A dull blue mixes with white, gold and red to produce a very professional-looking piece of equipment.
Bekia Bravesword 10 Replica
Defense: 10
Attack: 10
Control: 10
Looks: 7
Badminton Racket Review: Yonex ArcSaber 10 Peter Gade
This is a readers' choice review.
I've written quite a bit of reviews and still have quite some rackets left over, so I thought I'd start a poll on which review the readers would want to read next. Many thanks to those who took time to vote. I'm also thinking of an open-ended poll to see what sort of badminton article you would like to read so stay tuned and keep your questions ready.
Now without further ado, I shall attempt to give a fair review for the Yonex ArcSaber 10 Peter Gade:
This is the last of the three World Beating Performance rackets that I got my hands on, mainly because it's hard to find.
The AS10PG comes in a gentleman's white, laced with gold streaks down the inside of the head frame and shaft. At first glance, you'll most definitely feel that it's one handsome racket. Very befitting for the prince of Badminton, Peter Hoeg Gade.
One of the main reasons the review took so long to write was because I wanted to get enough games in to give it a fair trial, and it was quite hard at that moment because I was suffering from a bad case of GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome.
So now, half a year after the pristine racket reaches my hand, I am ready.
This review's my opinion of the racket from using it in my games, my style. No one plays badminton the same way, so take this with a pinch of salt. I'm here to tell you, in as much accuracy as I can, how my games went with the racket. Comments welcome!
Ok here goes.
Yonex ArcSaber 10 Peter Gade
Est. Dry Weight: 88g (3U)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Even
Max String Tension: 24lbs
Flex: Stiff
Strings: Yonex Nanogy 98 @ 24lbs
I use this rackets for singles play.
Defense
There's something magical about 3U, even-balanced rackets when it comes to defense. Somehow the racket head moves fast enough to meet the fastest smashes, and still is powerful enough to deliver a nice high block when you need it.
The Yonex ArcSaber 10 Peter Gade delivers well in this aspect, and even adds a little stability to boost your defense ratings. Standing strong in defense shouldn't be a problem with this racket. The slight boost to speed given by the even balance also allowed me to play around with the returns, varying them from left to right depending on how fast my mind could think.
Drive defense seems to benefit from the AS10PG as well, providing enough to return straight shots with equal ferocity.
If you're a wall in defense, this racket will be a nice addition to your armament.
Attack
With a good defense, you're able to turn a properly executed block into a nice attacking opportunity. And the ArcSaber 10 Peter Gade ain't too shabby in this department.
I found that I didn't exactly live for the high lifts when using this racket, as compared to when I wielded the Voltrics or Powerblades. The AS10PG just didn't give the attack power that's present in the head-heavy rackets that I own. The shuttle reaches a decent speed, but it's nowhere as explosive nor addictive to attack with.
While you'll need some time in the gym to be able to crack the whip on the shuttle for this racket, the drive attacks you execute with this racket will amaze you. Once again, the even-balance combination of speed and power delivers distinctly on the drives. ANd being strong defensively, you should be ready for a drive return if the opponent does manage to catch your silver bullet.
Control
Being even-balanced, the AS10PG doesn't deliver as well in this area as the Voltric behemoths, but it's redeemed by its tight controls. Technical players who enjoy hitting the lines, rejoice!
I felt extremely comfortable playing with this racket because I knew that it will place the shuttle exactly where I want it to.
With the Yonex ArcSaber 10 Peter Gade, you'll stop looking at the racket when you mis-hit, because you know in your heart that you can't put any blame on it.
Smashes, drives, drops, tight net shots, backhands, trick shots... the works. This princely racket will give you one good control game.
Looks
I don't think any player can look at this racket and not want to own it - white, gold, black and grey come together in a very handsome creation.
Underneath the main colors, a throbbing red core stands as a red "P", signifying the passion of one Peter Hoeg Gade.
I've written quite a bit of reviews and still have quite some rackets left over, so I thought I'd start a poll on which review the readers would want to read next. Many thanks to those who took time to vote. I'm also thinking of an open-ended poll to see what sort of badminton article you would like to read so stay tuned and keep your questions ready.
Now without further ado, I shall attempt to give a fair review for the Yonex ArcSaber 10 Peter Gade:
This is the last of the three World Beating Performance rackets that I got my hands on, mainly because it's hard to find.
The AS10PG comes in a gentleman's white, laced with gold streaks down the inside of the head frame and shaft. At first glance, you'll most definitely feel that it's one handsome racket. Very befitting for the prince of Badminton, Peter Hoeg Gade.
One of the main reasons the review took so long to write was because I wanted to get enough games in to give it a fair trial, and it was quite hard at that moment because I was suffering from a bad case of GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome.
So now, half a year after the pristine racket reaches my hand, I am ready.
This review's my opinion of the racket from using it in my games, my style. No one plays badminton the same way, so take this with a pinch of salt. I'm here to tell you, in as much accuracy as I can, how my games went with the racket. Comments welcome!
Ok here goes.
Yonex ArcSaber 10 Peter Gade
Est. Dry Weight: 88g (3U)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Even
Max String Tension: 24lbs
Flex: Stiff
Strings: Yonex Nanogy 98 @ 24lbs
I use this rackets for singles play.
Defense
There's something magical about 3U, even-balanced rackets when it comes to defense. Somehow the racket head moves fast enough to meet the fastest smashes, and still is powerful enough to deliver a nice high block when you need it.
The Yonex ArcSaber 10 Peter Gade delivers well in this aspect, and even adds a little stability to boost your defense ratings. Standing strong in defense shouldn't be a problem with this racket. The slight boost to speed given by the even balance also allowed me to play around with the returns, varying them from left to right depending on how fast my mind could think.
Drive defense seems to benefit from the AS10PG as well, providing enough to return straight shots with equal ferocity.
If you're a wall in defense, this racket will be a nice addition to your armament.
Attack
With a good defense, you're able to turn a properly executed block into a nice attacking opportunity. And the ArcSaber 10 Peter Gade ain't too shabby in this department.
I found that I didn't exactly live for the high lifts when using this racket, as compared to when I wielded the Voltrics or Powerblades. The AS10PG just didn't give the attack power that's present in the head-heavy rackets that I own. The shuttle reaches a decent speed, but it's nowhere as explosive nor addictive to attack with.
While you'll need some time in the gym to be able to crack the whip on the shuttle for this racket, the drive attacks you execute with this racket will amaze you. Once again, the even-balance combination of speed and power delivers distinctly on the drives. ANd being strong defensively, you should be ready for a drive return if the opponent does manage to catch your silver bullet.
Control
Being even-balanced, the AS10PG doesn't deliver as well in this area as the Voltric behemoths, but it's redeemed by its tight controls. Technical players who enjoy hitting the lines, rejoice!
I felt extremely comfortable playing with this racket because I knew that it will place the shuttle exactly where I want it to.
With the Yonex ArcSaber 10 Peter Gade, you'll stop looking at the racket when you mis-hit, because you know in your heart that you can't put any blame on it.
Smashes, drives, drops, tight net shots, backhands, trick shots... the works. This princely racket will give you one good control game.
Looks
I don't think any player can look at this racket and not want to own it - white, gold, black and grey come together in a very handsome creation.
Underneath the main colors, a throbbing red core stands as a red "P", signifying the passion of one Peter Hoeg Gade.
Yonex ArcSaber 10 Peter Gade
Defense: 8
Attack: 7
Control: 10
Looks: 10
