Well that was worrying. Just posted a really detailed reply, but for some reason it didn’t get posted even though it ‘refreshed’ the page after submitting the reply. Anyway here goes again(oh and I tried posting this second one but it didn’t work again. luckily I had copied the text beforehand. I was able to post this by creating a post with 1 character, editing it, and saving it. might be useful to know this is happening as it can be frustrating).

Thanks guys for your replies.

I didn’t really dislike the Z-Force II, and can get along fine with any racquet, but after all the research I’ve done in the meantime since my first post it does seem I can do much better.

I do understand that the player is the most important part of badminton, but having the right racquet for my fast reaction/swing speed capabilities would be a big improvement. Correct me if I’m wrong but improving technique will also go a lot smoother as you’ll have optimal accuracy, power etc. with the right stiffness/weight etc. I do know technique training will make a much bigger difference than any racquet, but that takes time(who knows how long).

From the research I’ve done it seems that the faster you are, the stiffer the frame should be, along with a lower balance point to make the most of the swing speed and so it doesn’t get held back by a high balance point. Lower overall weight racquets would be nice too as you’ll be able to swing your fastest with a light racquet. Everyone is different, and has different strengths and weaknesses, and one of my strengths is being able to swing fast. Is it wrong to want to maximise that, or is there a point that swing speed becomes too high?

I’ve tried downloading that guide from you a few times Paul, but it never makes its way into my inbox, so I’ve given up. It does sound like it’d be really useful. Like I’ve said though I’ve done a lot of research in the meantime, even though it can often be obscure and/or conflicting, but based on what I’ve read, I’ve got my eyes on a few racquets. Instead of looking at every online shop I could, I’ve reduced my search to directbadminton.co.uk since they seem to test the flex, weight and balance point of most racquets they sell. This has been really useful. I’ve made a huge spreadsheet with all the racquets they sell, their properties and prices. In the end, I’ve reduced all the racquets to the following 5(edit: just noticed some links don’t appear properly):
Yonex ArcSaber FD
http://www.directbadminton.co……white-red)?ProductID=24881
Yonex Voltric 1TR
http://www.directbadminton.co……ilver-red)?ProductID=24865
Victor Brave Sword 09N
http://www.directbadminton.co……ctID=21410
Victor Light Fighter 7500
http://www.directbadminton.co……ctID=25695
Victor Jet Speed 10
http://www.directbadminton.co……et-(4u-g5)?ProductID=21407
So there they are. Just really looking for confirmation and/or critique as to whether these are good options based on what I’ve said about myself in my original post. Any reason I should exclude any of these racquets, or include some not listed here?

I’ve also got another question about shaft flexibility. If the shaft is bent after impact like in these photos http://pho.to/AYp5h does that mean it’s too flexible for my swing speed, that it has optimal flexibility or that it’s too stiff? Something tells me it’s the first one, as from my understanding it should flex forwards on impact, and straighten again right after impact. If that Z-Force II is too flexible, or has the right flex for me then the above 5 racquets were indeed good picks flex-wise.

Very much appreciated if you guys can assist with this(and any critique to my theories etc. would be very helpful, but I am in need of a racquet)!