Here's a shout-out to all of you badminton fanatics out there! 2012 has been a nice year with lots of new rackets and reviews.
I look forward to reviewing more in 2013. Comments are always welcome so let me know if there's anything you'd like to see on these pages.
To end off this great year, I'd like to share some interesting facts about this blog. Thanks all for reading, and here's to a better 2013!
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Badminton Racket Review: Yonex Voltric Z-Force Review
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Badminton Racket Review: Victor Spira 22
First Impressions here.
I'll be honest. I've sold every single Victor racket I've come to own so far. Somehow they all seem to fade away after the first few uses. What seemed to be a good racket seems to get its ability sapped away by time and more frequent use.
I fully believe in the term "familiarity breeds contempt", and it seems really apt in the case of my experience with the Victor brand.
Unfortunately, this is also the case for the Spira 22. I wrote a resoundingly good First Impression of the racket, all in the hope of this being the one good one that slipped through the Victor curse.
Not that it's a bad racket, mind you. The Spira 22 has it's qualities, it just seems to become less and less useful the more games I play with it.
Note. This review is my opinion of the racket 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 my games went with the racket. Comments welcome!
Ok here goes.
Victor Spira 22
Est. Dry Weight: 97g (3U)
Grip Size: G2 (Yonex G5)
Balance: 4/5 (Victor's rating system)
Stiffness: 3/5 (Victor's rating system)
Strings: Pro-Kennex Pro Flex 85 @ 27lbs
I recommend this racket for singles play.
Defense
The defense for the Victor Spira 22 isn't very memorable. I don't recall having a lot of difficulty fending off attacks, nor can I truly say that the racket offers me the ease of placement on defense like the lighter Karakals.
Being on the head heavy side, I seemed to be able to block smashes and drives better than lift them. The slightly flexible shaft also lends to the difficulty in lifting after a smash. Having such limitations narrow the game play and won't allow me to move the opponent around as much as I want to.
However, I do notice that the Spira 22 delivers a very decent drive defense. If the smashes come too flat, it's all too easy to have the racket twist it's head and send the shuttle zipping down the opposite
Attack
Brutal. The Spira 22 has a fast swing speed. Coupled with the high tension-high repulsion qualities of the Pro Kennex strings, the attacks from the racket is one to be looked out for.
At the front of the court however, the Victor Spira 22 becomes a liability. Somehow I can't seem to lift the racket head fast enough to intercept shuttles. The racket soon becomes one that is more suited to play the back court, sending clears and smashes down the enemy line.
Control
Shot-making with the racket is easy. The head is stable enough to give right direction to most of my shots. However I did notice that I get more mis-hits with this racket than most. I usually stop making frame hits after I get warmed up to the shuttles, but that problem continues to bug me with the Spira 22.
Being less head heavy than my usual singles rackets, the Spira 22 also didn't allow me to clear as accurately. Having to use more strength from the back contributes to the larger amount of unforced errors to the sides.
This fact contradicts the point I made earlier about the racket being a back court racket. Not being able to move the shuttle across the back lines is a bad trait to have for something more suited to a rear attack style of play.
Unlike the long clears, drop shots and net play didn't seem to disappoint. The Victor Spira 22 is heavy enough to shift weight to the shuttle on the tight net shots, and also makes the drop shots a little more efficient since the natural weight of the head on the down swing will take care of the flight towards the opponent's front court.
Looks
I've been having a blue racket craze of late, and the Spira 22 adds to the collection with its electric blue exterior lined with streaks of black and silver.
Add the very matching Pro Kennex strings to that and you've got a very cool-looking racket.
I'll be honest. I've sold every single Victor racket I've come to own so far. Somehow they all seem to fade away after the first few uses. What seemed to be a good racket seems to get its ability sapped away by time and more frequent use.
I fully believe in the term "familiarity breeds contempt", and it seems really apt in the case of my experience with the Victor brand.
Unfortunately, this is also the case for the Spira 22. I wrote a resoundingly good First Impression of the racket, all in the hope of this being the one good one that slipped through the Victor curse.
Not that it's a bad racket, mind you. The Spira 22 has it's qualities, it just seems to become less and less useful the more games I play with it.
Note. This review is my opinion of the racket 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 my games went with the racket. Comments welcome!
Ok here goes.
Victor Spira 22
Est. Dry Weight: 97g (3U)
Grip Size: G2 (Yonex G5)
Balance: 4/5 (Victor's rating system)
Stiffness: 3/5 (Victor's rating system)
Strings: Pro-Kennex Pro Flex 85 @ 27lbs
I recommend this racket for singles play.
Defense
The defense for the Victor Spira 22 isn't very memorable. I don't recall having a lot of difficulty fending off attacks, nor can I truly say that the racket offers me the ease of placement on defense like the lighter Karakals.
Being on the head heavy side, I seemed to be able to block smashes and drives better than lift them. The slightly flexible shaft also lends to the difficulty in lifting after a smash. Having such limitations narrow the game play and won't allow me to move the opponent around as much as I want to.
However, I do notice that the Spira 22 delivers a very decent drive defense. If the smashes come too flat, it's all too easy to have the racket twist it's head and send the shuttle zipping down the opposite
Attack
Brutal. The Spira 22 has a fast swing speed. Coupled with the high tension-high repulsion qualities of the Pro Kennex strings, the attacks from the racket is one to be looked out for.
At the front of the court however, the Victor Spira 22 becomes a liability. Somehow I can't seem to lift the racket head fast enough to intercept shuttles. The racket soon becomes one that is more suited to play the back court, sending clears and smashes down the enemy line.
Control
Shot-making with the racket is easy. The head is stable enough to give right direction to most of my shots. However I did notice that I get more mis-hits with this racket than most. I usually stop making frame hits after I get warmed up to the shuttles, but that problem continues to bug me with the Spira 22.
Being less head heavy than my usual singles rackets, the Spira 22 also didn't allow me to clear as accurately. Having to use more strength from the back contributes to the larger amount of unforced errors to the sides.
This fact contradicts the point I made earlier about the racket being a back court racket. Not being able to move the shuttle across the back lines is a bad trait to have for something more suited to a rear attack style of play.
Unlike the long clears, drop shots and net play didn't seem to disappoint. The Victor Spira 22 is heavy enough to shift weight to the shuttle on the tight net shots, and also makes the drop shots a little more efficient since the natural weight of the head on the down swing will take care of the flight towards the opponent's front court.
Looks
I've been having a blue racket craze of late, and the Spira 22 adds to the collection with its electric blue exterior lined with streaks of black and silver.
Add the very matching Pro Kennex strings to that and you've got a very cool-looking racket.
Victor Spira 22
Defense: 7
Attack: 9
Control: 7
Looks: 8
Badminton Shoe Review: Babolat Shadow
This is my first badminton shoe review, and it's going to be quite different from the rackets one since there's probably a whole different set of specs to rate.
I've got four pairs of shoes at the moment - Mizunos Wave Lightning 8 and Wave Fang XT, a Li Ning AZYG013-2 (they should probably have cooler names for their shoes), and I'm going to try and rate them somehow...
I also used to own a pair of Yonex SHB101-LTD, but that's been retired and too far from memory to be fair in reviewing.
So without further adieu, here is the review.
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
This comes in a close second after looks (go figure). You should really learn to get the right sized shoes for your feet; I remember someone telling me once that he can wear anything from size 9-10...
Which is really troubling since a half size difference in my shoe size caused my feet to hurt during the game and for me to almost sprain my ankle.
The Babolat Shadow has a really thin cast, wrapping around your feet like a blanket in the cold night. There are elastic wraps inside the shoe to really grab onto the top of your foot, making the fit exceptionally fine.
When pulled, the laces don't really feel tight, but rather a little loose even though I've tightened them as much as I can. This is pretty much a good thing since you've got the stability of a well-strung piece of footwear, as well as the comfort of a loose sneaker on your feet.
Stability / Grip
I usually test the shoe's gripping ability by placing the shoe on the court and then attempting to slide it across the floor with a finger. If that turns out well, I'll use my foot.
Generally, I've noticed that the flat-soled shoes tend to do better in this department, but the Babolat Shadow is no sore contender. It manages to hold on tight enough so that I don't end up falling over from stepping on a bead of sweat.
The patterns on the bottom of the shoe are excessive enough to enable good lateral movement and stopping power. It's like the sole of your old SHB92 if you've ever seen them. I like soles like those.
Not your one-piece construction, but it sure as heck can give you a solid turn when you need it, with different patterns at different locations of the sole to optimize your stopping.
 |
| Image from Babolat website |
On the court
The Babolat Shadow makes me feel faster. Not only because it's darn light, but also because of the closer fit on the feet that makes it feel less burdened.
I've thicker shoes like the Li Ning one that gives you a very high stability but at the cost of additional weight. Both shoes move fine on the court, but you've got to give it to the Babolat Shadow for making movement so much more fun.
Because it's not fully flat on the ground like the Li Ning and the Wave Fang, the shoes offer a quicker change in direction due less drag on your movement. Overall chasing shuttles with this shoe is a little easier.
However, the light weight and thin foot-wrapping comfort comes at a cost. The need for thick-toe socks appears when you're moving around in singles games for two hours like I do. From all the stopping and turning, I was pretty much left with a sore foot... The lack of cushioning for the tip of the shoe raises some issues on its durability.
Babolat Shadow
Pros:
Very Light
Comfortable and not warm after wearing
Good stop and turn
Excellent pace
Cons:
Lack of cushioning makes toe hurt
Durability issues from thin material used
Badminton Strings Review: Pro-Kennex Rainbow Pro, Pro Flex 85, and Pro Flex 80 Ti
I had the chance to try out these awesome strings from Pro-Kennex, and I have to say they've been pretty good for my games so far.
One thing that I've noticed is that my smash speed and force increased. The three strings have very a very good hold, in that they take in the shuttle and stretch the string bed before repulsing the shuttle.
If you, like me, are one of those who like to feel the shuttle being absorbed into the strings before the hit, you'll surely like the three Pro-Kennex strings.
I'll start with two I've found less liking to (no less good to play with) before I move on to the one I like best.
The Rainbow Pro strings are your staples. 0.66mm with really response and feel. I've been told they fray quite easily though. After a few sessions I could notice the strings in the off-centre zone fray. True to its name, it comes in duo-tone and a rainbow option for those who opt for a little color in their game.
The Pro Flex 80 Ti feels exactly like the Rainbow, but it comes in at 0.68mm. This potentially gives you more power on your hits since more of the string is there to hold and repel the shuttle. Since I normally play with thicker strings (Yonex Nanogy 99), this felt more at ease than the Rainbow Pro.
Until this came along.
I like the Nanogy 99 because of the bite it offers to the shuttle. You feel like you can throw the shuttle off in any direction because the grooves on the strings catch onto the shuttle for that little much more.
The Pro-Kennex Pro Flex 85 offers the same sensation, but at a better feel than the typically harder Yonex Nanogy 99. The Pro Flex 85 gives me more control since I don't have to use much energy to place shots because of the strong holding capabilities of the string.
Coming in at 0.68mm as well, this string is the perfect replacement for my Yonex, not only because it's cheaper but more importantly because it adds more to my game.
Being good at holding the shuttle means I can string at higher tensions. I've moved my regular tension up to 27lbs, and that has given me stronger smashes alongside with the easier clears.
All-in-all, the Pro-Kennex series of strings offer me a greater feel, but at the cost of shorter string life. I don't expect them to last as long as the Yonex ones do, but it sure as heck gives me a more fun game.
One thing that I've noticed is that my smash speed and force increased. The three strings have very a very good hold, in that they take in the shuttle and stretch the string bed before repulsing the shuttle.
If you, like me, are one of those who like to feel the shuttle being absorbed into the strings before the hit, you'll surely like the three Pro-Kennex strings.
I'll start with two I've found less liking to (no less good to play with) before I move on to the one I like best.
The Rainbow Pro strings are your staples. 0.66mm with really response and feel. I've been told they fray quite easily though. After a few sessions I could notice the strings in the off-centre zone fray. True to its name, it comes in duo-tone and a rainbow option for those who opt for a little color in their game.
The Pro Flex 80 Ti feels exactly like the Rainbow, but it comes in at 0.68mm. This potentially gives you more power on your hits since more of the string is there to hold and repel the shuttle. Since I normally play with thicker strings (Yonex Nanogy 99), this felt more at ease than the Rainbow Pro.
Until this came along.
I like the Nanogy 99 because of the bite it offers to the shuttle. You feel like you can throw the shuttle off in any direction because the grooves on the strings catch onto the shuttle for that little much more.
The Pro-Kennex Pro Flex 85 offers the same sensation, but at a better feel than the typically harder Yonex Nanogy 99. The Pro Flex 85 gives me more control since I don't have to use much energy to place shots because of the strong holding capabilities of the string.
Coming in at 0.68mm as well, this string is the perfect replacement for my Yonex, not only because it's cheaper but more importantly because it adds more to my game.
Being good at holding the shuttle means I can string at higher tensions. I've moved my regular tension up to 27lbs, and that has given me stronger smashes alongside with the easier clears.
All-in-all, the Pro-Kennex series of strings offer me a greater feel, but at the cost of shorter string life. I don't expect them to last as long as the Yonex ones do, but it sure as heck gives me a more fun game.
Badminton Racket First Impressions: Yonex Armortec 900 Technique
I finally took the racket out for a swing today at a session of doubles, and it felt gooooood!
Speed-wise it's almost up there with the lighter rackets. I was able to defend pretty well despite the head-heavy orientation. Sealing the front court with this was also quite an experience. I was able to move quick enough to attend to the net shots and drives that came my way.
However, I was really amazed by the speed this racket gets on its smashes! It came naturally, punching the shuttle hard towards the floor of the opposite side.
So far so good. Review to come!
Speed-wise it's almost up there with the lighter rackets. I was able to defend pretty well despite the head-heavy orientation. Sealing the front court with this was also quite an experience. I was able to move quick enough to attend to the net shots and drives that came my way.
However, I was really amazed by the speed this racket gets on its smashes! It came naturally, punching the shuttle hard towards the floor of the opposite side.
So far so good. Review to come!
Badminton Shoes: Babolat Shadow
I saw this pair of shoes awhile back, and they kinda stuck with me because they just look so good...
Anyway, fast forward a few months, and they're finally on sale so I got me a pair.
Have yet to try it out to see how they compare to the Mizunos and Li Ning that I have.
But they're darn light! And they go with the new Spira 22 that made my game so well.
Review to come.
Anyway, fast forward a few months, and they're finally on sale so I got me a pair.
Have yet to try it out to see how they compare to the Mizunos and Li Ning that I have.
But they're darn light! And they go with the new Spira 22 that made my game so well.
Review to come.
Badminton Racket First Impressions: Victor Spira 22
I had an enjoyable singles session today, and it was partly in thanks to this "blue lightning".
Well, I wouldn't call it very fast, but it was reliable enough to deal enough damage to the other side of the court. I've never been a fan of the Victor series of rackets (I've sold every single one I've ever owned so far), but the Spira 22 might actually stick around for a bit.
This variation of the Spira series of rackets comes with an even balance and more flex than it's previous counterpart, the 21. I used the Victor Spira 21 for a bit before deciding that I wasn't strong enough to use something that stiff.
Another contributing factor to my game today has got to be the Pro-Kennex strings that I've recently had the chance to try out. I've tried my third so far, and I must say that the hold on these strings are amazing. It's like some kungfu stuff where they take in the shuttle and then absorb the force before throwing it all out towards the other side of the court.
Very enjoyable smashing, very easy clearing, even easier dropping.
All-in-all, the Spira 22 and the Pro-Kennex strings add up to a very reliable racket that's able to perform noticeably well in my singles game. I'll try to get some doubles action as well, but for now the blue racket with blue strings make a very good impression.
Reviews soon.
Well, I wouldn't call it very fast, but it was reliable enough to deal enough damage to the other side of the court. I've never been a fan of the Victor series of rackets (I've sold every single one I've ever owned so far), but the Spira 22 might actually stick around for a bit.
This variation of the Spira series of rackets comes with an even balance and more flex than it's previous counterpart, the 21. I used the Victor Spira 21 for a bit before deciding that I wasn't strong enough to use something that stiff.
Another contributing factor to my game today has got to be the Pro-Kennex strings that I've recently had the chance to try out. I've tried my third so far, and I must say that the hold on these strings are amazing. It's like some kungfu stuff where they take in the shuttle and then absorb the force before throwing it all out towards the other side of the court.
Very enjoyable smashing, very easy clearing, even easier dropping.
All-in-all, the Spira 22 and the Pro-Kennex strings add up to a very reliable racket that's able to perform noticeably well in my singles game. I'll try to get some doubles action as well, but for now the blue racket with blue strings make a very good impression.
Reviews soon.
Badminton Racket Review: Pro-Kennex Nano X2 9000
First Impressions here.
This brand brings back memories. It's the first brand of rackets I've ever owned, and it's been with me through my little boy school team days.
The stringer brought in a few models and only this one caught my eye. It's green, so that's quite a surprise. The Pro-Kennex Nano X2 9000 is the top tier of the range available at the stringer, and at first handling you can see why.
The spiral graphite adds to the stiffness of the racket, and it gives off a rather good feel when you hit it, especially when you're playing doubles and like to stand at the net like I do.
However, preliminary playing with the X2 9000 wasn't as satisfactory since the light weight of the racket makes it difficult to clear with.
I've taken more swings with the racket, enough to write a review.
Note. This review is my opinion of the racket 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 my games went with the racket. Comments welcome!
Ok here goes.
Pro-Kennex Nano X2 9000
Est. Dry Weight: 94g (4u)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Head Heavy
Flex: Stiff
Strings: Yonex BG66 Ultimax @ 25lbs
Before I start, I'd like to add that I've added about 2-3g of lead tape to the 2 and 10 o'clock of the racket.
I recommend this racket for doubles play.
Defense
I wrote in the First Impressions that the racket was fast in defense because of the 4U weight. However that was also the reason why it couldn't clear far. I hated not being able to clear far, so I added the lead tape to give it a little push at the back of the court.
However, this extra weight at the top of the racket was all it too to slow down the defensive swings considerably. The Pro-Kennex Nano X2 900 potentially can shug off attacks and have your oppoennts scrambling around trying to chase their own smashes, but for the duration of my matches with the lead-taped head, it's just at little bit slower, and I couldn't generate enough swing to punch it very far either.
Taking into account the slower speed to raise the racket above my head, the drive defenses also took a beating. Not that it wasn't fast, but I do remember the X2 9000 being a whole lot faster.
Attack
If the defense goes down because of the weight of the head, the attack will of course be directly be affected by it. The Pro-Kennex X2 9000 is able to delivery quality smashes down your enemy line.
Although equipped with power wedges at the 2 and 10 o'clock positions, the lead weight did much to help those two along the way. Think of the power wedge as the same as Yonex Voltric's Tri-Voltage weight system.
But the Pro-Kennex Nano X2 9000 really shines when it's at the front of the net, intercepting and getting them check and wrist smashes in. A simple turn of the wrist and the shuttle's on the floor before you know it.
Drive attacks seem to have taken a back seat though, which is a very strange thing for a light weight racket to have. I wasn't able to generate as much threat from my drives. I'd rather smash and drop with this
Control
Speaking of drops, the stiffness of the spiral graphite used to make the shaft adds plenty to control at the front court, if only the lousy shaped racket head didn't get in the way all the time.
Somehow I wasn't able to get as much agility and accuracy from this racket as I would let. the pushes were off to the side, the clears a little too far and the clears just aren't hitting the right spot.
That said, it was rather difficult to get into the game when half the time you're cursing the shuttle for hitting your frame so much. This applies to both the smashes, clears and especially net drops.
Looks
Green and black makes a pretty good combination, with the black spiral shaft coiling its way up the sculpture and melting the gloss covering to a matt finishing on the racket. Pro-Kennex showed a nice sense of design with this one.
This brand brings back memories. It's the first brand of rackets I've ever owned, and it's been with me through my little boy school team days.
The stringer brought in a few models and only this one caught my eye. It's green, so that's quite a surprise. The Pro-Kennex Nano X2 9000 is the top tier of the range available at the stringer, and at first handling you can see why.
The spiral graphite adds to the stiffness of the racket, and it gives off a rather good feel when you hit it, especially when you're playing doubles and like to stand at the net like I do.
However, preliminary playing with the X2 9000 wasn't as satisfactory since the light weight of the racket makes it difficult to clear with.
I've taken more swings with the racket, enough to write a review.
Note. This review is my opinion of the racket 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 my games went with the racket. Comments welcome!
Ok here goes.
Pro-Kennex Nano X2 9000
Est. Dry Weight: 94g (4u)
Grip Size: G5
Balance: Head Heavy
Flex: Stiff
Strings: Yonex BG66 Ultimax @ 25lbs
Before I start, I'd like to add that I've added about 2-3g of lead tape to the 2 and 10 o'clock of the racket.
I recommend this racket for doubles play.
Defense
I wrote in the First Impressions that the racket was fast in defense because of the 4U weight. However that was also the reason why it couldn't clear far. I hated not being able to clear far, so I added the lead tape to give it a little push at the back of the court.
However, this extra weight at the top of the racket was all it too to slow down the defensive swings considerably. The Pro-Kennex Nano X2 900 potentially can shug off attacks and have your oppoennts scrambling around trying to chase their own smashes, but for the duration of my matches with the lead-taped head, it's just at little bit slower, and I couldn't generate enough swing to punch it very far either.
Taking into account the slower speed to raise the racket above my head, the drive defenses also took a beating. Not that it wasn't fast, but I do remember the X2 9000 being a whole lot faster.
Attack
If the defense goes down because of the weight of the head, the attack will of course be directly be affected by it. The Pro-Kennex X2 9000 is able to delivery quality smashes down your enemy line.
Although equipped with power wedges at the 2 and 10 o'clock positions, the lead weight did much to help those two along the way. Think of the power wedge as the same as Yonex Voltric's Tri-Voltage weight system.
But the Pro-Kennex Nano X2 9000 really shines when it's at the front of the net, intercepting and getting them check and wrist smashes in. A simple turn of the wrist and the shuttle's on the floor before you know it.
Drive attacks seem to have taken a back seat though, which is a very strange thing for a light weight racket to have. I wasn't able to generate as much threat from my drives. I'd rather smash and drop with this
Control
Speaking of drops, the stiffness of the spiral graphite used to make the shaft adds plenty to control at the front court, if only the lousy shaped racket head didn't get in the way all the time.
Somehow I wasn't able to get as much agility and accuracy from this racket as I would let. the pushes were off to the side, the clears a little too far and the clears just aren't hitting the right spot.
That said, it was rather difficult to get into the game when half the time you're cursing the shuttle for hitting your frame so much. This applies to both the smashes, clears and especially net drops.
Looks
Green and black makes a pretty good combination, with the black spiral shaft coiling its way up the sculpture and melting the gloss covering to a matt finishing on the racket. Pro-Kennex showed a nice sense of design with this one.
Pro-Kennex Nano X2 9000
Defense: 7 (w tape), 9 (w/o)
Attack: 8 (w tape), 7 (w/o)
Control: 6
Looks: 8
