Yonex Armortec 900 Power Racquet
The Yonex Armortec 900 Power Badminton Racket
Those of us mature enough to remember “head heavy” racquets will remember our power shots with a wry smile…aaah, those were the days. In the, cough, 1980’s, just before the emergence of one-piece carbon frames such as the Carbonex 20. Our main axes were Carbonex 8 or 10. If you were with “the opposition” you had the Carlton 3.7, 3.7x or 3.7s. These “head heavy” racquets really allowed you to connect with a great deal of power.
The move to one-piece racquets brought a transformation to the game whereby power from the racquet head was virtually replaced by speed. The game suddenly became a whole lot faster as these new racquets allowed us the freedom of movement, lightning reflexes, increased power and speed in every way imaginable. But, for many, that extra weight in the racquet head was sadly missed. It gave more depth to the smash – a really solid contact. It also made a huge difference in the finer parts of the game. The weight really created precision in the stroke. It was like comparing a sniper’s rifle to a BB gun.
The benefits of the additional weight in the racquet head had been long forgotten until Yonex introduced the Armortec 900 Power. This is an exceptional racquet, now used by many of the world’s greatest players. You can feel the difference in balance, subtle but effective. The racquet allows you to connect in a solid way, generating great power. Strokes at the net need to be played, not tickled, therefore creating far more consistency in the quality of the shot. You can certainly “feel” more with this racquet than any other in the Yonex range which is the reason I made it my racquet of choice last season.
The Yonex Armortec 900 Power racquet has an extra stiff shaft which is great for powerful players but certainly not suitable for every one. It really does roll back the years although still feels lighting fast to move when a change in direction, quick defence or tight net shots are required. It’s a great combination between the dominating presence of the vintage models and the super strong, lightning fast racquets of the modern day game.
If you’re really looking improve your power game, then you’ve got to place this racquet high on your testing list.
Dear Paul,
Just bought it a few days ago,its kinda heavy compared to my other rackets,it slowers my defence,but delivers a good smash,its also energy consuming to use that racket as i got unusually tired using that racket as though theres something sucking my energy,but i wonder if i get used to it,will i be better with a lighter racket?
Gabriel