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4:39 pm
February 15, 2011
Offline
MM
The simple choice is BWS Sports. They have demo rackets so if you live in the area you can borrow them and play with them. All BWS Sports ask is that if you borrow their rackets then you buy from them rather than one of the online retailers. Personally I think that's a fair deal bearing in mind no other online retailer allows you to borrow rackets.
MM, BWS Sports are near Whitefield. PM me if you want their details.
Paul
2:57 pm
February 14, 2013
Offline I got myself a Voltric 80 in the end, and have been playing with it for a few months now – I had a while out due to a shoulder injury 🙁
It has taken some getting used to, I previously always bought the lightest racquet I could find, but it seems this is not the be all and end all!
I had a brief go with an MP99 and quite liked it, but had that go after I had taken the plunge.
I am getting there with it, there's no doubt it helps with a bit more power, but it has slowed me down with my defense – but I am getting better each time I play with my defending, and am viewing players who worried me a few months back differently, as my game comes back and I get some confidence I am finding I can hold my own a bit better, and sometimes even setup and hit some good winners.
Thanks for the advice, I find this forum very interesting and keep lurking around 🙂
12:05 pm
February 15, 2011
Offline To develop your hand speed simply complete the armchair exercise program. You'll find videos on this on my blog.
Paul
6:25 am
December 4, 2013
Offline 11:07 am
October 5, 2013
Offline To be honest I would give up looking at specs, weights, balance points etc. I had an proper demo session with Victor and rackets, as far as I'm concerned, are a really personal thing. It's not really about weight, head heavy etc. It's about what “FEELS” right. A good example of this is the TK6000. On paper it's just another average racket, however for me (and reading the forums, quite a few others) it really is the Ferrari of rackets I've ever had the pleasure of playing with.
11:28 am
December 4, 2013
Offline Bob,
Thanks for your reply. The problem arised when I started playing with the racquet I liked and as technology improves, you want to upgrade considering various factors ( assuming, I might be completely wrong here ).
The flip side of the story is, when I started playing with my cab 8000 light, I felt extremely happy and the default string tension was somehow lacking the punch as the days grew for which I decided to have it restrung at 24lbs ( suggested by the shop guy locally ).
I also faced issues with a tennis elbow for which I opted for a lighter racquet assuming that it would provide me some relief, which actually went un-noticed for some reason.
Now I have decided that the NR10 can be used for improving the defence as the same lacks power when a proper smash is fired and the returns from the opponent are much quicker ( the reflex counter action is fantastic on the NR10 cos of its 4U weight ) but lacks the sting when a full power smash is fired.
I have tried the arcsaber 002 and it felt absolutely good in my hands and loved playing with the same. However, I was recommended by a friend to check and try the voltric series as they had the head heavy series and that could give me the desired power in my smashes and also were pretty adept in defence.
Was terribly confused between these 3 the arc002, VT3 and VT5 because I really haven't used the VT series and would need some advice from the experts.
Cheers
3:57 am
July 13, 2013
Offline I'm inclined to agree with Bob in that specs only tell part of the story. Two racquets with almost identical specs can feel and play completely differently due, in some part, to all the different tech that goes into making a racquet these days. You might try a racquet that fits perfectly into your spec comfort zone and absolutely loathe it and you're just as likely to pick up a racquet outside of your usual comfort zone and love it. End of the day, you'll just have to try them out to be sure. If there are any badminton clubs nearby with generous players, you might be able to give the racquets a go and a lot of pro shops also have demonstrator models to try. Failing that, the next best option would be to find a store somewhere and just give the racquets a few swings in store to see how they feel in the hand. Won't tell you much about how they hit but at least you can get a feel for how they'll handle.
2:14 pm
May 25, 2010
Offline I'd agree with both Bob and Yuki that the best way to try rackets is to actually play with them.
Just to add my opinion to the mix, but you mention about getting tennis elbow after getting the racket restrung. From where I'm sitting, I read what you said as the following process:
Felt racket wasn't as good as it could be
Got racket restrung at higher tension
Got tennis elbow and still not quite right
Looking for a new racket
I can't help but feel, that this whole process was started as your strings were getting old. And rather getting new strings at a tension you like, you got a higher tension (for better smashes). This causes the sweet spot to be smaller (I'm guessing your old tension was lower) and possibly be the cause of the pain in your elbow. However, this could also be caused by not enough grip on your handle (depends how big your hands are, fingers shouldn't be touching etc).
So your still having problems and have decided that you need a new racket as they are much better. Not necessarily true. If you like the “feel” of your racket and there is nothing wrong with it, why fix something that isn't broken? For all the marketing hype that comes with a racket, at the end of the day, it's still a racket and it might not suit you. So do you REALLY need a new racket, or would you LIKE a new racket?
Another thing to think about, would you rather clash rackets (not at all would be the best answer!) with your old racket (built to last no doubt 
) or a £150 flimsy hi-tech racket? I'm using an extreme price guide just to highlight my point, but I hope you get where I am coming from.
The problem is, when people set out, they think, I'll buy a new racket. But you can end up spending a lot on money on trying to find this “dream” racket, then once you have done this, you spend quite a lot of money on finding the strings and tension that you like. And then possibly end up thinking, I quite like my old racket….. 
I know what it's like, a shiny new racket is calling your name (some times it's nice for a change, even if the feeling doesn't last long), but do you really need it? Could you fix the problem with your old racket? Try a lower tension (some people find lower tensions better for smashing)? Change your grips? Check you are hitting the shuttle cleanly? Are you sure you are not looking for an excuse, “I'm not playing well, it's the hall/racket/shuttle” (delete as appropriate!).
Either way, good luck in your search and I hope you find the solution, keep us posted 
Badminton Gives Me A Purpose In Life – To Serve Others
I'd Rather Be Playing Badminton…………..
2:42 pm
February 15, 2011
Offline Whilst I review a lot of rackets, most players that know me will confirm that I would rather a player invest in coaching first prior to investing in a new racket. They can therefore solve a number of issues which may negate the need for a new racket.
Aside from that I always advocate testing as much as possible as you never know whether you'll get a AHA moment or a bit of a surprise which could save you from making a mistake.
Paul
10:19 am
February 14, 2013
Offline Hi everybody 🙂
I am trying to scare up the funds to take the plunge with a coaching course.
In the mean time, I have been working on the weak areas of my game as much as I can – and had a eureka moment!
I got a Voltric 80 based on my most confident winning shot being a smash, and my power being what I thought was the best part of my game.
I now believe I was wrong. I have tried more rackets, and discovered that I get one better with much less weight in the head. It makes me so much faster my games improves hugely and immediately. Also even my power shots have gained power, including the smash, while I have no lost any control either. A stiff racket with a medium balance is what it turns out suits me, possible even slightly head light.
I thought I would report back to let everybody know – do not underestimate the value of trying out rackets! As mentioned about, specs are one thing, but until you try them and see how you get on with them, you can never REALLY know how you'll take to them.
Thanks again for the advice here, I hope to meet some of you at a coaching weekend soon!
Thanks
Ben
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