Background
I feel like the kid entering the sweetshop. With 8 new frames recently delivered I’m really looking forward to my next set of badminton racket reviews.
Of course, I have to begin with the big one, Lin Dan’s new racket which launched prior to Rio – Yonex Voltric Lin Dan Force. It’s been a while since I tested a really good Yonex racket and this one has really caught my eye. It feels great, looks great and let’s hope it plays great.
On to my review
Yonex Voltric Lin Dan Force is a great looking badminton racket combining black, red, gold and white. This is a 3U (weight 85-89g) G4 grip size with full length racket cover featuring the new Lin Dan logo. G4 tends to be the smallest grip size on offer and I now find this a touch too big. Perhaps there needs to be thought about introducing G5 and providing some choice, although I understand the difficulties that presents.
The racket was pre-strung in BG65Ti, the usual standard tension. Of course, you can bet that horrible stencil ink will flake off – yes it did happen and yes, it was witnessed. My hitting partner was sceptical so I let him have the racket first. It took less than a dozen hits and he was amazed how much ink had already come off the strings. OK, gripe over. I know we can’t solve it but for such a quality brand, it’s disappointing.
It’s hitting time
I was expecting Lin Dan Force to be a super stiff, head heavy racket. After all, these are the specs this player has used for many years. I was pleasantly surprised to find a more flexible frame with a moderately head heavy balance. The racket felt nice, felt right immediately. I have to say, this is the first time I’ve felt this way about a Yonex badminton racket since I reviewed Voltric 80.
Overhead performance
VT Lin Dan Force flows so well, it really was a pleasure to hit with this racket. The head weight was sufficient for me to feel it without being too heavy to cause my arm to feel as though it needed a rest. There wasn’t any lag from the more flexible shaft. Indeed the specs really compliment each other so well, delivering power when it’s needed without having to try too hard. It would have been great to test with a higher string tension, but the overall feel on this racket was great.
Drop shots were great too. There’s a solid feel on impact which translates into excellent control. Slice, reverse slice were all good and again, there was no sense of tiredness that other heavier rackets create.
Smashes demonstrated that this racket provides plenty of power. Personally I feel Yonex have got the weight in the head spot on. There’s lot of control, great direction and no timing issues whatsoever.
Flat drives provided another great test regarding the head weight and I can only give this a thumbs up yet again. Even with a more flexible shaft, the racket continued to deliver, even with the faster drives.
Defence
Usually, heavier headed rackets present a minor issue in defence which is perfectly understandable. Voltric Lin Dan Force was quick in defence, and dare I say it, better than VT80. The slightly reduced head weight and what must be streamlined frame, allows for fast hands to hit the mark really well. Lifts, drives and blocks all felt solid and were delivered with relative ease, maintaining good accuracy.
Net area
Considering the speed off the mark in defence, I really wasn’t surprised that the racket took command around the net. The little taps were easy without ever feeling it was difficult to apply the brakes. Again, it was great to report arm tiredness did not feature at all, and the touch remained sharp at all times, despite the lower string tension.
Summary
I’m so happy to report that this racket was superb, I really can’t fault it. It has such a friendly feel and for a top-priced racket it’s great that Yonex have broken with tradition and released a mid flex racket that will suit more players. This racket looks great and most certainly plays great. For me this is the best racket in the current Yonex range and I’m delighted that Yonex have upped their game and designed a racket of this quality, something I feel they have lacked for a number of years.
I have to rate Voltric Lin Dan Force. RRP is £190 but online retailers are discounting to around £150 which I consider is good value for money. Having introduced additional ratings beyond my 5 stars, I am delighted to offer a gold award to this fabulous racket, and richly deserved too. I think this racket will appeal to more players than the super stiff, super head heavy versions that are still on offer and I can see this becoming a best seller.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the great review, last few months I have been playing with this (Rio version) & enjoying a lot. No doubt it’s a great racket from Yonex as I started playing with Voltric ZF-2, then Duora-10, Duora Z Strike and lastly with Astrox 88D. Among all of these I found Lindan Force is the best as its quick, good in defense & great feel to hit hard.
Hi Paul, thanks for the great review. I was interested in getting this racket but it has been discontinued and recently been replaced with the Lin Dan Force 2019 version. Will you be reviewing this and comparing the two?
Hopefully I will have the chance to test this racket soon.
Hi Paul. This racket had now been replaced with the Lin Dan force 2. Have you had a chance to compare or review it?
Regards
Irfan
The black Lin Dan Force was only a change in colour. It’s a shame this racket has been withdrawn from the market and soon all Voltric frames will be history.
Hi Paul,
I’m a 12 year old intermediate/skilled/advanced player who doesn’t have the strongest arms in the world and is looking to buy a new racket. My current racket is the Victor Challenger 7150 (Probably never heard of it). And I’m contemplating whether to get the Yonex Voltric Lin Dan Force or the Yonex Arcsaber 11.
I’m looking for a “not-overly head heavy” racket, a racket which gives me a lot of power (i.e Clears are effortlessly hit into the rear court, Fast smashes, Precise drops, etc.). It doesn’t have to be even-balanced. The racket should also have good control, should perform well with plastic shuttles (As I only play with plastic shuttles, my coach coaches me with plastic shuttles and also tournaments in my country also use plastic shuttles)
So which fulfills all of the above requirements? TheYonex Arcsaber 11 or the Yonex Voltric Lin Dan Force? If you have any other racket suggestions which are better for my use then please feel free to suggest it 🙂
P.S I also wanna know whether there’s a difference between the Yonex Voltric Lin Dan Force 2016 (Gold Version) and the Yonex Voltric Lin Dan Force 2017 (Matte Black)
OK – LD Force is the same racket but different colours. Both are very nice.
I can’t say whether LD Force or Arc 11 will suit you best. Both are very good rackets and so is Duora Z Strike
good luck with your search. See if you can find a player that uses each and have a hit. You will feel the racket very quickly and even one minute hitting can be enough to get a good feel for which you prefer.
Thanks for your reply Paul,
I heard that the Yonex Duora Z-Strike does not perform well with plastic shuttles in this review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0W4VYeUgjo (around 8 min 37 secs into the video) and I only play with plastics! So that’s why I crossed out the Z-Strike out of my list. Is that rumor true?
And very few people have either the Z-Strike, LD Force and Arc 11 where I live, so testing out the rackets isn’t an option.
Can’t you just get an idea of what racket will suit me between the LD Force and the Arc 11 🙂 I already told you what kind of player I’m like in my above comment xD And I also told you what are the requirements I’m looking for in the racket in my above comment, so please read it again and try and get an idea which racket will suit me best between the LD Force and the Arc 11 😀
And another requirement of the racket is that it has to be good in defending against heavy smashes.Thanks!
Sadly nobody can tell you which racket you should play with. If I could predict that, then I could make a lot of money charging players to give them their ideal racket.
No, I haven’t heard that Z Strike is not good with plastic shuttles. However, why pay so much for a racket and then play with plastic shuttles? that doesn’t make sense.
There is no reason the racket cannot play well with plastic shuttles if it is restrung to the correct tension.
Hey Paul
Just curious as to why you think both rackets are the same aside from the paint job? I’ve owned both and I feel a world of difference between the two.
Love the work btw.
Kind regards
Because that’s what Yonex told me. I did not re-test the racket because of this. Usually when Yonex retain the name of a racket the specification is the same but colour can change. Bear in mind that all rackets are made to a tolerance. This means there can be 4 grams difference in weight which can make the racket feel very different
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the wonderful review of the lindan force. I have tried it at the shops, the 4U version but it seems like it is very head heavy, ie. 315mm b/p. I m currently playing with the voltric 3 lin dan, 4U stealth black but it feels like it is very slow in defence, forcing me to anticipate and move the racquet first before the open hits. I was wonder if I could remove the tri bumper (linked grommet) at the 10/2 o’clock location of the racquet to make it lighter at the head part. Any idea if this is possible?
Thanks.
yes you can remove bumper and replace with existing grommets. However, I have no idea what the outcome will be. I suggest you retain the bumper.
Hi Paul,
Loving your tips and advice following a hiatus I had from badminton. They’ve been extremely helpful in my return to form. I’ve been using a Voltric 7 and was wanting something heavier/meatier (but still head heavy, which suits my playing style) and the option to string to higher tensions if need be (Voltric 7 currrently on 24lbs, BG80 string).
How does the Lin Dan Force compare to the Voltric 7 you previously reviewed? What other rackets could I consider in the same vein?
The Lin Dan Force is a good upgrade to Voltric 7. It still has some flex, is a shade heavier and overall a great racket.
For options, take a look at my recent reviews of Li-Ning rackets. There is also Victor Jetspeed 12 which I personally use.
Hi Paul,
I have used your reviews many times with regard to racket purchasing and advice. They are very helpful, thanks.
I play 2/3 times a week at club and area league level. I currently use head heavy rackets. I used to use the yonex voltric 70 (pre-etune) then changed (yonex stopped making without e-tune) following your reviews to the Victor Thruster k9000. I love the way it plays! However, I have now cracked the frame of 2 of them during a rally by literally only hitting a shuttle on the sweet spot. Both in under 6 months from purchase. This second one within 3 months! This has led me to lose trust in it so am considering changing to the Yonex Voltric Lin Dan Force, following your reviews!
What do you think of this change? Is there much difference between them? (Incidentally, I use bg80 power strings at 25lbs if this helps)
Many thanks in advance,
Rob.
Rob – TK9000 is a great racket and I suggest you contact your supplier. I’ve not seen any cracked heads so if the frame is in really good condition I would return them. Send pictures first and see what your supplier says. Having used and tested so many Victor rackets, I have not had an issue with quality.
LDF is also a great racket with a bit more flex than TK9000. I’m sure you’d love it, especially after playing with VT70 original.
Hi Paul ,
I been following many of your racket review, taking many of your tips and advise, great articles.
After reading your review- voltric Lin Dan Force , like the main review , the racket is more flexible and moderately head heavy balance and also a more flexible shaft. Comparing to now I using 80 etune 3u for almost 2yrs plus. ( first racket till now )
I’m thinking to get an alternative racket – Yonex LD force Matt black 2017 , do you think I can handle the racket .
Need some advice from you.
If you can handle Voltric 80 Etune, then Lin Dan Force should feel so much easier to use.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your review of this racket. I find this very helpful as I followed your rating of this Ld force and my trust was paid. Having used yonex for a long time, I am going to switch to victor. Would you suggest me a victor racket that is closest to the ld force ( in terms of stiffness, balance, feelings)?
I’d like here your suggestion. Thank you !!
The closest racket in the current range is Thruster 9900 but it will feel very different and closer to a Z Force II but slightly less stiff. I will be reviewing TK9900 very soon.
Hello Paul,
Can you please suggest some good string ( control and power ) for this racket. Have you tried Yonex Aerobite string how did you like it ?
Thanks
There are so many good strings. I tend to use Yonex and Ashaway strings and consider them the best. So test different strings at the same tension and you judge how each feels to you. It’s OK if you don’t feel a difference with some strings. It won’t be like that for all of them.
Hi Paul,
Is there a difference in specifications between the LD Force Premium gold 2016 and LD force Matte Black 2017
I was told my Yonex that the racket is completely different and “closer” to the racket he is using. That said they told me he was using the new racket at the All Englands. I saw the match against Axelson and he was using the Lin Dan Force – Rio version.
So, until I receive a new version to review I cannot comment further.
Hi Paul. I’ve read in a forum that the supposedly Lin Dan force Rio version that Lin Dan used was actually a repainted ZF2. There were some pretty clear pictures that seem to indicate that the racket had some features that are exclusive to ZF2 only. And I seem to agree with the “investigations” done.
Anyways, I didn’t feel that diminished in anyways my admiration for this great racket, the Rio version that is. I should’ve gotten the 3U though given that I can handle the Voltric 80 3U well in doubles. I was kind of concerned the 3U LDF might be too heavy for me, not realizing that it’s more user friendly than the VT80 as you said.
Oh well. Next time I go back again for this racket as a back up, I’m considering on having the 3U version. Not sure about the 2017 though at this point so I’ll stick to the Rio version for now.
Hi Paul
I now been using voltric 80 etune 4ug5 , it makes my Defence down compared to other racket .
Should I change to lin dan force as an upgrade or
Thruster k onigiri ?
What is wrong with your racket that makes you thing another will be be superior?
please tell me which weight would u suggest for mens fast paced doubles i can handle 3u if it gives me extra power without tradin of much speed ?? will 4u lack that solid hitting feel u were talkin about ?
3 U doesn’t feel that heavy because the racket moves so well. I’ve no idea how a 4U feels or plays so I can only tell you about 3U version.
Hi Paul,
Decided to buy one.. Only 4U (85 gr) available.. Strung bg66 ultimax @25lbs..
Feel amazing…
Overall the shaft is same flexi as JS12 when in use cause of head heavier…
Gold 5 star like you say..
Thanks…
Zen – I’m delighted you like the racket as much as I do.
Hi Paul,
I bought 3 racket based on your review..
1. Jetspeed S12 3U
2. Voltric LD Force 4U
3. Jetspeed S10 4U
Thanks for your articles, it helps me a lot…
Best regards,
hi zen what are the differnec ein jetspeed 12 and ldf u feel which is better in smash defense speed ?
Sorry sir.I think there is a missunderstanding.Yonex introduceced Voltric FB just two months ago!!I think you are talking about arcsaber FB.Yonex has released a flash boost in voltric range recently.
you are right. I’ve not seen Voltric FB yet and when i last checked it wasn’t on offer in the UK
And one more question sir..What about the new racket yonex anounced?The voltric flash boost?Did you have the chance to test this racket?It sounds great on the paper..Ofensive racket witch is only under 80 grams!
I tested Flashboost a long time ago. I’m cannot see where these super-light rackets really fit. They are so light the player cannot really feel the head. And, they are not very strong.
I have hx800p 4u (strung 26lbs) and js12 3u (strung 28lbs)…
Feel better using the JS12…
I consider add power racket that more flexible…
Play for fun n healty…
Think LD Force based on your review.
4U or 3U will suit me more?
or it just enough for current rackets..
Hi Paul.I’m an intermediate player without powerful muscles.I have used zf2 for just one year and it seems it’s a lot head heavy.I read your review of voltric lin dan force and was wondering if it can help me have the same powerful smashes and need less power in my arms.And if there are any other choices that you can introduce me.thank you.
Hi there
LD Force is a very good racket. However, nobody can say whether you will be able to generate the same racket head speed with this racket – only you can decide this I’m afraid. I would also consider Victor HX800 Power or the new Thrsuter 9900. Good luck
Hi Paul,
Thank you for your great articles.
I have a big dilemma.
I play badminton 1-2 times a week with Yonex Voltric 7 (65% doubles, 35% singles). So I need a racket that I did not have to be afraid to use both the singles and the doubles. As for my game, so I’m fairly well mastered technique and significantly lag behind in any of the basic badminton skills. If anything is my strengths, then definitely move around the court, I therefore great defense. Even in very heavy balls I have time and I can play them in the back of the court, the defense strikes for net play yet rather rare. Also very like to play net shots. Regarding the attack, as they perceive it as its weakest part (but not significantly). Well I can definitely spike a (Voltric and 7 provide a good helper), but sometimes in this process ending mistakes. Now into its game I am trying to add some of those technically difficult tricks.
So I’m looking for a great racquet for a universal game, but with a good smash. At the same time I needed it as light as possible, to prosecute her in the doubles. After going through various reviews in i think the best options so far seem Victor Jetspeed 10, Yonex Nanoray 900 or perhaps Yonex Voltric Lin Dan force? Or some others? What do you mean? Please, do you think you could give me some advice?
PS: I am 26 years old, 182cm/67kg but i have strong wrists.
My best regards,
Jaroslav from the Czech Republic
Hi Jaroslav – you have selected three great rackets that should do the job. I would also add Jetspeed 12. The 3U version will arrive in April and this is the better version. When I wrote my review of this racket I had to test 4U even though I was playing with 3U.
Good look selecting from these great choices.
Thank you Sir for the reply,
I recently saw your reviews on victor rackets and a few looked tempting. I have no experience with victor and have played only with yonex till now, but i feel like trying victor.
Could you please suggest a racket closest to Yonex VT ZF2 in terms of power and feel.
And i will choose either VT ZF2 or your suggested racket from victor.
Will skip VT LD FORCE as you said it is a different racket( so i guess it wouldnt feel similar) .
Once again thanks a lot.
no Victor racket will pplay like ZF2 because it has a unique feel. That said, closest is Thruster 9900 if you can find it. That said, it is being launched this year so you stand a chance.
Good luck
Hi Paul,
Wish you a very happy new year?
I have played 2 nationals in india in U-15 and U-17 age groups but was not àble to continue playing badmnton. Now i only play university level tournoments.
Ive been using Voltric Z Force ii at 27lbs from the last 18 months and love it. But my racket broke and now i need a new one.
Do you think it would be an upgrade to shift to the new Voltric LD Force from VT ZF2?
I am an attacking player, with a muscluar body. Stronger off the back court then front.
Primarily a singles player, so the question is with respect to singles.
Thank you
I wouldnt say LD Force is an upgrade, but just a different racket. It’s not as head heavy or stiff.
Paul,
Tried the Racket on Court and am very Please with the racket. It is every bit as good as you claim it to be.
Power generation was a breeze with this racket. It was really quick too i was expecting it to be slower as it did not have the compact frame which the Z force II has.
The racket felt really great and powerful when doing fast drives with just a flick of the wrist i could get some pretty powerful shots.
The racket seems to match my swing motion very well too, it feels very comfortable and easy to use even thou i had up the tension by 1 lbs and this racket was much head heavier then my previous racket.
You review’s really helped me narrow down the choices . I am glad i listen to your Opinion on the racket it was spot on
Thanks !
Hi Paul,
I recently bought the Voltric Lin Dan Force 3uG5
It was a very difficult choice as it was priced the same as the Duora 10 here in Malaysia.
When i was holding them i tried doing some short and fast lifting and slicing motions and immediately i noticed that the Lin Dan Force had a much faster frame it felt so effortless going thru the air and seem to feel much more comfortable.
Is the Duora 10’s Dual optimus system that much better ? .Recently i have noticed that a few singles player have gravitated towards the Duora 10 one of them would be Kento Momota there are some new videos of him showing that he has been using the Duora 10 for practice exclusively . It really intrigues me why he would make the shift from his Voltric Z force II .
Well in my case i decided on the Voltric Lin Dan Force because you gave it a much higher score over the Duora 10 .
Regards,
Calvin
Calvin
Unless you have the opportunity to play with both rackets it is very difficult to know which will suit you best.
You need to put to one side which racket the professional players use. Lin Dan Force is a fabulous racket and in my opinion played so much better than Duora 10. This two sided head gimic on Duora 10 is putting many players off purchasing the racket. There is so little difference between the two sides and it seems to me there’s more psychology against it which is a shame.
Hi Paul,
Great review! I was hoping if you could confirm whether or not the LD Force has the same or larger head size/area vs the VZF2.
If you could let me know, that’d be great.
Thanks in advance
LD Force is a standard size head compared to the smaller, compact head of ZFII
Hi Paul. Thanks for reviewing this new racket from Yonex.
I’ve followed many of your racket reviews but I was able to own only a couple of the ones that you’ve reviewed, the Voltric 5 and Voltric 80, both 3Us. Sadly, the Voltric 5 didn’t quite work well for me that I had to dispose of it after only a short period of time using it. I was actually kind of surprised that I found the Voltric 5 a lot heavier than the Voltric 80 which I really enjoy using.
On the subject of this Lin Dan Force review, I was just wondering about the “GOLD AWARD” tag in addition to the 5 stars ratings that you gave it. If I’m not mistaken, it’s the first time you rated a racket as such. Does that mean that this has somehow performed above and beyond the other rackets’ performance in a similar class that you’ve previously reviewed? Just curious about this “GOLD AWARD” rating really.
Thanks for any explanations.
I introduced the aditional ratings during my review of Victor Jetspeed 10. So, LD Force is the highest rating I have given for a Yonex racket. I felt it handled better than VT80 and deserved a higher rating.
Once again, thanks for the excellent review.
Looks like I finally found an alternative racket to my one and only VT80.
So this Voltric LD Force is slightly less head heavy and also slightly less stiff than my VT80, is it so? This is exactly what I have been looking for as my 2nd racket. I’m even considering to get the 4U G5 version to max out the advantage of lightweight and playing speed. Just worry will the 4U version lack too much stability until it becomes trouble to play.
I’d like to hear your advice. Thank you!
It’s very difficult knowing whether a 4U version will workas well. Sometimes they are better than a 3U but they can perform worse too. In the UK we only have one version of a racket and therefore do not have choice of weight or grip size. So, it’s impossible to give you an answer.
I see. Thanks for the reply anyways.
Have a nice day!
Hi, new to your site and loving it. From this review I didn’t feel you got as excited about it as the js12 but gave it more marks. Which would you prefer please. I love to force errors so I can smash and also love a drop shot from the back of the court, which do you think would be best please?
Having tested so many rackets, i don’t get as excited anymore. It’s hard work trying to say something new or the say thing in a different way. I liked JS12 and currently use one. However, I was asked to review the 4U version. I am using 3U version which is so much better. Next year Victor will supply 3U version across Europe. In my opinion, it was a poor choice to go with 4U. LD Force is so good. Yet again, another player tested with me and is buying it.
My preference is still 3U Jetspeed 12 but, I am so pleased that Yonex have introduced a quality racket in LD Force.
Fantastic, thanks for your reply. The fact that I can only buy a 4u JS12 in the UK sorts that problem out for me, gone for the 3u VLDF which is the same spec as your review. On first impressions I love it and so grateful for your reviews, could have spent more and got a dud as coming back into the sport from a long absence and needed to catch up quickly with specs and quality etc. The “not as excited” wasn’t meant as a criticism at all, apologies if it read that way. Sometimes reviewers are waiting for things so long they get giddy and over exaggerate, your review wasn’t that way at all.
Your help is really appreciated.
Your comment wasn’t taken that way. It’s really hard work testing so many rackets and trying to fit them into my website, without it becoming known as a racket review site. I’ve done far too many reviews and need to return to writing coaching articles and filming videos. Saying that I still have 8 rackets to review.
Hi Paul,
It’s really exciting for me read your article.
But i have trauma using many head heavy.
I have 2 ZF2 3UG5 LCW and ZF 2 4UG4 LD
trust me i can’t use both very well. I’m a small posture man asian love to use small grip size.
I thought i want to try Z Speed but many suggest told me to stay away especially the Yellow one.
So i thought looking for the light head than head heavy maybe not suit me well.
But i read your review about Voltric give 5 stars. Damn !?
Can you tell me more, i’m a fast around player with strong smash. So i thought the more heavy will give me
credit 10-15% more power to generate. I was wrong…hahaha…
And i’m really practiced seriously on local club for 1 year and thinking i’m not good enough to use that racket.
Up until now morethan 1 year i bought ZF 2. Still have no good progress at all.
Can you tell me compared to the Duora 7 since many double player use it.
Duora 7 is very nice racket. I have just completed my testing with it. D7 is an even balance racket with medium flex. It doesn’t have the same nice and easy feel compared to LD Force and it takes a little more work in the overhead. However, it’s quick in defence and for those flat, fast rallies.
I cannot say which racket will work for you. Sadly you made the mistake many players do of selecting a high end super stiff, head heavy racket. Now you realise you cannot play with it. I suggest you take the time to try a few other rackets before making a decision