Carlton PowerBlade 9909 brief review

Review: Carlton Powerblade 9909

Specs
Weight: 4U (85g)
Grip Size: G5
Flex: Medium+
Strings used: Yonex BG66 @ 24lbs
Grip: TCS grip + Toalson overgrip
Maximum tension: 30lbs
Balance: 285mm +/- 5mm

Technologies: Ti-Wire reinforced frame, Nano resin technology, Ti-Wire Shaft, Superlightweight, isometric headshaped

First impression: The colors are beautiful, the frame is a mixture of silver and royal blue whereas the shaft is grey. The 10 and 2 o'clock of the frame has a golden hologram paint. The stringing pattern is a traditional type with the standard grommet arrangement. The racquet feels rather headlight and has a fast backhand swing and slower forehand swing.

Conclusion: A fast racquet with good control and fast handling suitable for a fast doubles game. The light weight of the racquet helps in handling as well.Not the best smashing racquet but the speed and ease of handling makes it a fast control racquet for doubles.

Pros: Quick, light and maneuverable. Suitable for a fast and long doubles game.
Cons: The feel and the smashes are slightly lower owing to the flexier shaft.

Suitablity: Doubles beginner, intermediate and advanced players.
Player type: control, defensive and all-around players

Brief review
Power: 8/10
Defense: 9/10
Control:7.5/10
Maneuverability: 9/10
feel:7.5/10

Yonex Arcsaber 8DX review

Yonex Arcsaber 8DX

Review Date : 4th March 2010
Racket Type : Yonex Arcsaber 8DX
Specs : 3UG5
Flex: Extra Stiff
Balance: 285mm (Even Balance)
Strings: Yonex BG66
Tension: 26lbs , 1 Piece Stringing
Grip: Karakal Contact PU grip + Toalson overgrip
Technology : Slim isometric head, CS Carbon Nanotube, Ultra PEF, New T-joint and CS cap

First Impression:
The racquet looks unassuming but have a rather classical hybrid kind of look. The overall color is black with half the frame in white and orange on 8 and 4 o'clock. For the first time I handle it, the racquet feels like an even balance racquet but slightly towards head heavy. Frame shape is isometric, with the stringing pattern of an Arcsaber Z-Slash. The racquet is claimed by Yonex to be able to withstand up to 27lbs. The swing seems comfortable and cuts thru the air similar to Arcsaber 10/7 but not as fast as Arcsaber Z-slash.

Warm Ups:
Clears are excellent, feeling of the shot is solid and input of energy is acceptable. Drops are good as I can feel that the control is there. Smashes are nice and pretty powerful for a even balance racquet. The drives are excellent and flat pushes are fast and accurate. Racquet feels slightly headheavy and the flex is stiff/hard.

Game Time:
This racquet is an all-around racquet. Backhand serves straight to the 'T' is accurate as in sliced flick serve. The shuttle goes in where you want it to be. When driving, the racquet is responsive and maneuvarable. The overhead shots like smashes, drops and clear are above average, similar to arcsaber 10 and 7. For normal standing smashes it is good, but to hit a hard smash, one needs to put body weight into the smash by jumping, as the racquet felt very stiff and hard to flex. The clears are excellent, and especially good for punch clears. The drops are ok, sliced and straight. For defense, I rated it as in the class of Ti-10, fast and responsive.

Conclusion:
An all around racquet, combining excellent control and counterattack. The racquet has good feel and is easy to get used to. The racquet feels like it combine the best features of Arcsaber 7 and Arcsaber 10 but is a stiffer version.

Feel: 8.5/10
Control: 9/10
Power: 9/10
Defense: 9/10
Maneuverability: 9/10

Pros : Excellent durability and solid attack + defense

Cons: price and not suitable for beginners owing to the extra stiff flex of the shaft.

Suitability : doubles and singles racquet suitable for high intermediate and advance players.

YONEX/Sunrise sports recommendation for player type:
For hard hitters looking for high performance with high tension

Yonex rating 1-5:
Flex-5
Power-5
Control-5

(Ref: Yonex badminton chart)

New Peter Rasmussen video

Arcsaber 8DX and Arcsaber 1All England 100th Anniversary

Saw these two racquets and found that it's mostly cosmetic differences.

According to Yonex, Arc8DX has roughly the same specs as ARc10 but able to hold tension up to 27lbs for a 3U and 28lbs for a 2U.

Arc All England is a repainted model of Arcsaber 7. The colors are nice with English Lion emblem and dark reddish color.

Gosen GRAPOWER 490 Review

Brief review

Bought these racquets 2 for under SGD 100, comes with bag, grip and strings.

Thoughts: Is somewhat shorter than most latest racquets, it is as long as Yonex's Carbonex 21. The frame is isometric and has a rather mid stiff shaft rather than soft. The racquet's technology is great for a budget racquet. The Frame is like a muscle power frame of Yonex. The grommets near the T-joint is similar to a Yonex. However, it maybe the string, Gosen Bio Roots which may differ from my go-to strings Yonex BG66 which affect my findings. Will update soon upon further testing.

Gameday: I found this racquet has high defense and maneuverability ratings owing to the shorter shaft and even to headlight balance. The control and feeling ratings are tentatively lower owing to the fact that I am using Gosen Bio Roots string rather than my trusted Yonex BG66. The power is definitely there and easier to come out compared to a stiffer racquet. But overall the power is not as high as a stiffer top end racquet. Morever, this racquet is a bit light thus lowering the power rating.

After restringing with Yonex BG66
The racquet feels easy to use, control is much better but feeling is still not there compared to a high-end racquet. The racuqet is excellent at drives and at near the net. For overhead strokes like drops, smash and clear, the slightly shorter length is a slight disadvantage. But it makes up for it by being fast and excellent near the front court. Definitely a doubles racquet than a singles racquet.

Specs: Flex- soft
Balance: 285mm (even balance)
Weight: 86g
Grip size: G5

Frame: Hi-Modulus graphite
Shaft: graphite

Technology: Flat (CS) cap, wave(muscle power) frame and vibeless (anti-vibration) grommet
Maximum tension: 28lbs

Grip: Gosen basic PU grip,
Strings: Gosen Bio Roots 0.66mm @ 25lbs

Power: 7/10
Feel: 3/10 ----------------Owing to strings with a soft feeling
Control: 8.5/10
Defense: 9/10
Maneuverability: 9/10

Updated review after restrung with Yonex BG66 @ 26lbs, 4 knots [15/03/10]

at 26lbs 4 knots.
Power: 7.5/10
Feel:3.5/10
Control:8.5/10
Defense:9/10
Maneuverability:9/10

A budget racquet by Gosen. Looks nice and has the makings of a basic graphite racuqet.
What get what you pay for. An adequate racquet for beginners and leisure players.

Pros: Cheap/budget racquet that offers social/leisure players adequate basic racquet and durability (ability to take up to 28lbs.)

Cons: Not a good racquet for singles as the feeling of the racquet is taken away by the anti-vibe grommets and is a shorter racquet than current longer contemporary racqets.

Old Yonex ad

This is a old Yonex ad in 1980s. Good camera angle on the Indonesian legend, Liem Swie King.

Badminton on hiatus

Will be back from a long break. Stopping badminton for a month.