Karry
Introduction
In addition to the Banana War God, Li Junhui, this racquet also had early endorsements from the Grand Slam champion Zhao Yunlei and the “Sweetheart” Wang Xinling (just kidding).
Basic Parameters
- Weight: 5U
- Balance Point: 305mm
- Shaft Length: 222mm, moderate hardness, slightly soft.
- Breakwind Frame
- 29-pound N68 string
Thoughts on ‘Ultra-Light Racquets’
Before discussing the feel, let’s talk about ultra-light racquets (5U and below). Generally, ultra-light racquets face two main issues:
1.Leverage: Due to the light weight, if the balance point is very low, the leverage effect is minimal. This makes it necessary to apply extra effort to achieve distance even on high clears, which further impacts offensive performance. To achieve leverage, a head-heavy design can be used to increase the balance point. Alternatively, leveraging the shaft’s deformation can help, which means the shaft should not be too stiff and must have good elasticity. A high balance point combined with a less stiff shaft is ideal.
2.Stability During Impact: Head-heavy racquets with a soft shaft may suffer from excessive frame wobble during powerful shots, leading to reduced stability and precision. To address this, it’s essential to balance the shaft’s hardness, elasticity, and torsional rigidity (referred to as the shaft’s bending stiffness).
Energy 70I
- Pure Breakwind Frame
- 5U weight
- Balance Point is not low
- Most importantly, the shaft is long and soft
These factors directly contribute to instability in the hitting feel.
Overall Feel
The most noticeable initial impressions are the light weight and the prominent Breakwind feel. It is positioned as a “sugar water speed racquet,” which means it’s easy to use and visually appealing. The description “sugar water speed racquet” encapsulates its primary characteristics.
Negative Experiences
From my personal experience, there are some aspects I found uncomfortable. The intended characteristics of being “light” and “fast” should be the main features of this racquet. However, the long and soft shaft results in poor elasticity. The shaft feels quite stiff, which affects the force transmission and slows down shot speed. The swing speed isn’t slow, but the shot feels less crisp. (I used it with 29-pound N68 strings, which are relatively elastic, somewhat compensating, but it still felt less direct.)
A fellow player in a discussion group described it as “long power,” which means the long and soft shaft delays the power transmission, unlike the quick response of a short shaft. This long and soft shaft is a disadvantage in the mid-court. In the backcourt, high clears are easier with more leverage, but smashes feel weak due to the soft shaft and Breakwind frame.
Did Li Junhui Really Use This Racquet for Smashing?
It’s possible that Li Junhui’s exceptional skills could be the reason for the powerful smashes, rather than the racquet’s strength. Another plausible explanation is that the version he used was different from the retail version available to the public. Li Junhui mentioned in interviews that he prefers light racquets, and there are reports of a 3U version of the Energy 70I used by him.
However, these speculations aside, the retail version we can purchase is a relatively “sugar water” light-speed racquet.
