Jayce
First post of the new year, and I made a special effort to arrange a trade with a local player. Although it’s rare for local courts to be open throughout the entire Spring Festival, it’s still difficult to find the time for a match amidst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Even with no shortage of fellow players or available courts, finding time for an intense game to offset holiday overindulgence is quite a feat. For someone like me, who usually plays 2-3 games a week, the badminton craving was real. I wonder how everyone else spent their Spring Festival.
Let’s try to complete the entire HX series of high-end rackets. Here comes the 7th one, the HX600. The more I experience the HX series, the more I regret the experimental nature of this line.
Specifications: 3UG5, total weight with grip and shrink wrap is 98g, balance point at 292mm, 6.8mm Flash Shaft, 210mm length, stiff shaft, diamond aerodynamic frame, 10-4 o’clock string grooves, warranty up to 30 lbs, strung with 25-26 lbs BG80P.
The high-end HX series has some really attractive paint jobs, and so far, I haven’t encountered a single one that’s mediocre. The white base paint, silver high-gloss stickers, and glossy finish give it a very orthodox look, without any obvious masculine or feminine aesthetic features. However, the sharp edges of the aerodynamic frame still suffer from a certain fragility in the paint, and by the time I got the racket from the seller, it had only been used for a few high clears, with no damage and in excellent condition. It was only some slight scuffing from the rackets rubbing against each other when they were stacked that caused a minor blemish.
In terms of specs, the HX600 and my HX-Sun don’t differ at all. Both have similar swing speeds when unstrung, though the HX600 feels slightly head-heavy and starts a bit slower. I believe if I removed the shrink wrap on the grip, the balance point would easily reach 300mm. The slight head-heavy feel makes the racket very comfortable to handle, and aside from the weight, it’s almost indistinguishable from the Sun, so much so that I was already thinking about how to naturally segue this review into a discussion about the HX-Sun before even hitting the court.
However, a fellow player had previously warned me that there’s a difference in the shaft tuning between the two. Once on the court, I could indeed feel that the HX600 and HX-Sun aren’t the same—the HX600 is stiffer. Even though the string tension and weight were different from before, I could still sense that the 600’s shaft was a bit harder to drive with the same power. When I’m not in top form, I can use the Sun as a “sugar water” racket, but the HX600 is noticeably less forgiving.
Clears are easy to control, and the directionality of the shots aligns well with what you’d expect from a high-end racket. The frame’s forgiveness, handling of defensive shots, smashes, and control at the net are similar to the Sun, making it a good reference point.
However, in terms of offense, the HX600 has more explosive power. The stiffer feel gives more advanced players a better tactile response during downward shots, with more violent and accurate hitting. This 3U racket showcases the diamond frame’s torsional resistance and the excellent elasticity of M46J carbon, and when paired with BG80P strings, smashes feel satisfyingly solid. But this satisfaction comes with a caveat. On the day of testing, my partner tried using the HX600 for a few rallies before switching back to their Kason 10U.
It’s worth noting that I also used the HX900X that day. While both have similar difficulty levels in terms of drive, the Pyrofil and Flash Shaft materials offer different sensations—the former feels crisper, while the latter is slightly more flexible.
I won’t go into too much detail on the other experiences. Compared to Victor’s flagship lines like Bravesword, Jetspeed, Thruster, and TK series, the HX series really tried out a lot of different combinations. The variety of frame shapes in the HX series is the most diverse. Even though it’s positioned as an all-around racket, some models clearly lean more towards speed or offensive play. The overall characteristics of the HX series aren’t very clear, and there’s a significant difference between the rackets. This may be why its market performance was subpar and why it was eventually replaced by the DriveX series.
Rumor has it that this Nanjing-made racket used to be available at a bargain price? It’s a decent racket, but after browsing Taobao, considering its reputation and the availability of alternatives, its current price is just about competitive. It holds its value moderately well on second-hand markets, so it’s not a bad choice to pick one up at a good price for some fun.
