Yonex Armortec 600 Badminton Racquet
The Armortec range of racquets has improved in 2009 with the introduction of 4 new racquets – the 600, 70MG, 50 and 30.
The Armortec 600 is positioned towards the top of the range. As I already use Armortec Power 900 I was looking forward to comparing these racquets.
Straight out of the bag the racquet felt nice. It’s well balanced, nice graphics with a mix of sliver, purple and black. It’s strung reasonably tight although considerably less than the 24 lbs tension in my racquet so I knew I would have to make adjustments to my shots.
The racquet is available as a 4U G4. This means the weight is around 81-85g and the grip size is small. This didn’t matter as it’s the same as my 900 although for this test I didn’t build the grip to my specification.
As you would expect from a racquet at this level, it performed admirably in all areas. The nice balance meant it was quick although not as fast as a Nano series racquet. There’s plenty of power and a little extra “kick” courtesy of the flexible shaft.
When I chose this racquet, I hadn’t read the specification in the Yonex catalogue so I was very surprised to read it had a flexible shaft – I really hadn’t noticed during my test. Perhaps I’m so familiar with the Yonex range now having tested a number of their racquets that it’s like going over old ground again – very familiar.
There were no surprises with this racquet, it’s a good solid racquet with plenty to offer you. It’s one of those racquets that you know you can depend on no matter what your opponent throws at you. With tighter stringing and a grip I’d be hard pushed to distinguish this from my Power 900, it’s that good.
RRP is £110 so expect to pay under £100. Value for money I’d rate the Armortec 600 as a 5 star racquet – my first 5 star rating. It’s got everything although I suspect that power players may avoid this racquet because they don’t need the flexible shaft. If truth be told, there are very few out and out power players in league badminton. There are one or two very hard hitters but if every player’s smash could be analysed, only a small percentage would qualify in this department. So, overall this racquet will suit the majority of players.
Because racquet choice is so personal I urge you to try as many as you can before making your choice. Find a retailer who supplies demo racquets so you get the best chance of finding the right one for you. Unless you have a smaller budget, make sure the Armortec 600 is on your list to try this season, you’ll be glad you did.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you very much for your review.
I’ll get mine next week. Can’t wait to play with it.
John
Jonathan
I hope you’ll love it as much as I did when I tested and reviewed it.
I believe it’s a seriously underrated racket and should have received far more praise and discussion than it’s got.
Let me know how you’re doing when you’ve had the racket for a while.
To your success.
Paul
Hello Paul
Once again, thank you very much for your review. I know how personal the choice of a racquet can be but it really helped me to choose mine.
I think you describe the AR-600 very well in your review and I don’t have much to add haha.
I’m really satisfied with it and I will surely buy the same model if my actual AR-600 breaks. It’s really nice to have a racquet that responds so well.
But I had one “major problem” with it, I had to make it re-strung after my first game session. I didn’t feel very comfortable with the original BG-65 on it. Now I’m using BG-68 Titanium with 9KG of tension which is around 20lbs if I’m not mistaken. It may not be the case for everyone, it may be due to my poor level of play haha.
Anyway, after nearly one month of use, it works fine and I’m more than happy.
John
PS: hope my English is understandable haha.
Oh sorry, I forget to say one thing which is very important for me but may sound ridiculous for other players.
As an unseeded player, I have the obligation to play with plastic shuttles (Mavis 300) during Belgian tournaments (I don’t know if it’s the case in UK) but for some occasions, I have to change for feathers shuttles. To tell you the truth, I’m quite reluctant to play with feathers shuttles ’cause I don’t have the same sensation of play but with my AR-600, I performed quite well. I was really astonished by the results I’ve got and I can assure you that all the credit goes to my racquet.
John
Hi John
This “sensation of play” could be a result of the lower tension in your racket. Whilst it’s OK for feathers at around 20lbs, it’s probably a bit on the low side. Also, if you use plastic shuttles more often, technique is slightly different because the shuttle does not respind the same.
If you ever get the chance to play with feather shuttles on a regular basis I’d be surprised if you enjoyed the game played with plastic shuttles again.
To your success
Paul
Jonathan
Welcome to my blog.
Yes the Yonex AT600 is a very good racket. I’m pleased you like it so much. I think you were wise to keep string tension lower bearing in mind you play with plastic shuttles. Glad you also tested string to find what worked best for you.
That’s what this game is all about – personal taste.
PLease continue to add comments to my blog and join the forum where you can talk to other like-minded badminton players.
To your success
Paul
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