Decathlon PERFLY BR560

Karry September 21, 2024 0

Currently, there are numerous racket selection tutorials on various apps, yet we don’t really know what beginners truly need! We don’t want to pay high brand premiums, nor do we want significant price fluctuations. We have aesthetic anxieties about products!

We need brands to provide meticulous after-sales service, with minimal price differences between online and offline, preferably allowing returns at any time offline! We want to feel the racket in hand right away and find joy in using it—higher expectations lead to a lower joy threshold!

Many promotional articles borrow heavily from predecessors’ writings, and often the authors haven’t even tried their recommendations on the court. Without immersive experience, how can it be called a personal recommendation?

This time, after a long time away from the court, I aimed solely for the experience: Decathlon PERFLY BR560 badminton racket.

Decathlon PERFLY BR560 Badminton Racket: balance point: 308mm, unstrung weight: 72g, shaft diameter approximately 6.8mm (unpainted), grip size close to G6, shaft is longer and the grip is shorter. The frame has a narrow box shape, with thickness similar to the NF800 and slightly lower wind resistance. It has 72 string holes, with a medium sweet spot slightly above average and a relatively high tolerance.

The overall balance point is 309mm, with a well-balanced frame and grip weight, lacking a noticeable head-heavy feel. The swing is smoother than the HMR L and feels similar to the W72, using mid-grade carbon cloth from Taiwan Plastics. The exterior paint uses eco-friendly materials to reduce harmful volatile substances, making the overall specs quite mainstream.

The Decathlon PERFLY BR560 badminton racket is available in five colors: Fairy Pink, Glacier Gray, and Lotus Green. The color combinations are soft, and while the watermarks are simple, they blend well with the base color, feeling harmonious. The paint scheme features a straightforward gradient on the shaft and symmetrical patterns on the frame, giving me a sense of nature, freshness, and comfort! This resonates with the needs and aesthetics of entry-level or casual players.

After seeing so many complex laser crafts and intricate patterns, this simple European-style freshness feels very pleasant. It alleviates aesthetic anxiety, allowing users to make quicker decisions.

The Decathlon PERFLY BR560 badminton racket has been launched with original strings around 23–24lbs. The stringing is neat, with no obvious issues, satisfying most entry-level players’ needs. It’s ready to hit the court right out of the box! During my first two experiences using the original strings (approximately 0.7mm), I was amazed by the feedback! At a price of around 100 yuan with original strings, I didn’t expect such an experience!

The feedback is relatively clear, with smooth power transmission from my fingers to the racket face, producing a loud impact sound. I felt no softness in the racket face during continuous smashing and flat exchanges; the shot feedback is clear, and the shaft recovers quickly after deformation.

Its feel is very smooth, and the power delivery is seamless. When smashing powerfully with full swings, the racket face doesn’t feel soft at all. For high clears, you need to increase the swing’s motion and speed to reach the backline, but the shuttle speed and power during flight don’t decrease significantly.

When smashing downwards, due to the lightweight, you need to anticipate more and hit closer to the front to achieve a more threatening downward shot. The racket produces a louder sound than the TK HMR L, with less vibration and quicker shot speed. The racket face provides a certain degree of wrap and the frame gives a nice feedback and recoil feel.

However, in flat exchanges, the feedback from the original strings was insufficient. When executing quick wrist movements, the racket felt a slight stiffness during rapid actions. After switching to BG80, the stiffness issue was resolved. For strong confrontations, better strings are necessary.

Throughout the testing, I couldn’t believe this was the Decathlon racket I knew. Its quality is close to that of the TK66 and W72, completely changing my perception of Decathlon badminton products. I used to think their products were generally average, but this experience made me realize that this racket could even surpass the feel of the TK66.

The Decathlon PERFLY BR560 badminton racket is not just for beginners; it suits those who prefer lightweight rackets, as well as women and those with higher economic considerations regarding rackets.

I usually don’t play with ultra-light rackets because many suffer from imbalanced weight distribution or have a heavy head, causing disjointed power transmission. However, the Decathlon PERFLY BR560 meets most of my requirements: smooth, stable, and no excessive bounce.

Areas for Improvement: The recommended string tension for the shaft is 20–24lbs, which seems a bit low compared to competitors that often have tensions around 30lbs. The feel is somewhat dispersed compared to the mid-range W72.

During string changes for 26lbs, the deformation on both sides of the frame was not significant. It seems 26lbs could be effectively supported, but this would mean giving up the warranty, as the grommets are softer. Higher tension would require thicker, longer double grommets.

From the new product strategy, it’s clear that Decathlon PERFLY has a strong desire to capture the professional market in mainland China. We can expect more professional products and corresponding strategies to increase market share in upcoming badminton products.

In the often-overlooked category of major badminton brands, Decathlon PERFLY has a high market share and revenue, with no middlemen taking a cut, sold only through their own channels, maintaining high product value. If you’re uncertain, you can go to the store to experience them; they offer flexible self-service experiences, and stores provide free returns and exchanges. They support online purchases with free shipping and offline returns without reason, along with a two-year warranty, exceeding expectations in the sports market.

They sell experiences, not just inflated prices and IQ taxes on limited shelf items. Their various store policies and comfortable exchange experiences reduce decision time and help you remember the positives.