Jayce
I have experienced the 3U CALIBAR 500 as early as two years ago, and it was indeed the first mid-range Li-Ning product that I gave a favorable review from the author, who at that time still only liked to play racquets below 4U. The stunning exterior design, good offensive performance, and sturdy and high poundage-resistant overall structure have supported this racket’s hotness all the way. But CALIBAR 500, as one of the few Li-Ning mid-range explosive models at the time (the same period of the WS72 in addition to the face value, difficult to be heavy), but also has many users of its shortcomings consensus – a strong sense of head weight, the center pole hair wood, paint easy to damage.
And this evolution of CALIBAR 500pro is a bit of a must-see for me.
Parameters: 4UG5, bottomed, total weight 93.0g in used condition, balance point 304mm, 6.8mm (official standard) center bar, 220mm long, moderate stiffness, CALIBAR wind breaker frame, 76-hole line bed, full line slot, 30lbs warranty, threading 25-27lbs CALIBAR 66F.
Cosmetically, the CALIBAR 500pro has not been altered beyond the name indicated on the center pole. Although conservative, but this is a good choice, after all, the original 500 itself in the light of the sparkling effect is very durable, and in the market has also appeared on the existing successful products pro or second generation after the face value but produced an unstable change of the counter-example, in the original version of the face value of the premise of the affirmation of the original version not to be changed is a wise choice. The overall CALIBAR of the frame is not as sharp, so the probability of the frame hitting the head and causing a blemish is theoretically reduced. But the devil is often in the details – thickness. At first I just vaguely perceived that the CALIBAR 500pro has a leaner visual impression, as if it had been slimmed down somewhere, but I couldn’t tell, and then after checking, one of them is the center stick, and the other one is the bevel of the racket frame, which is indeed a slimmer body.
The basic parameters have not changed much, due to the continuation of the previous borrowed feeling obvious, not too difficult to start, the sweet spot of the advantages of high tolerance, in addition to the swing weight is slightly higher than the overall difficulty of starting is not high, the content of this aspect will not repeat.
Let’s start with the center stick, after all, the original version of the performance of the center stick still has more room for improvement, make it thinner is the result of the improvement of the process, but also to respond to the expectations of the players. At this level of 6.8mm, it is natural to think of the improvement of elasticity, indeed, in the author’s warm-up experience of the long ball, CALIBAR 500pro very well responded to my biggest concern – the feedback feeling has become better. And it’s not just an improvement, I’d call it a “metamorphosis”. Even though the frame is still very rigid, which makes hand-shaking unavoidable, the pleasure I receive on every shot overrides this bad feeling. Moreover, the frame is really stable, and it is not uncommon for racquets with windbreaker frames to be able to move on a stringing machine, which is one of Li-Ning’s specialties. However, if you want to compete with the windbreaking effect of the frame, although the CALIBAR 500pro has been compressed to achieve a smoother swinging experience in terms of wind resistance, its overall thickness is still much thicker than some familiar speed racket, the swing speed is still almost meaningless, can only be said to have been optimized. However, the CALIBAR 500 was an offensively positioned racquet from the start, and the CALIBAR is more of a way to make the process of swinging power smoother. Considering that the original 500 is also suitable for advanced mixed doubles men or doubles off-court roles, it is of course perfectly fine to use it in doubles in the versions after the PRO.
However, it still can’t be expected to perform like a fish out of water in flat draw blocks either. Even with the 4U version, the high swing weight and the longer mid-range are still constraints when playing fast-paced short games against a comparable opponent one step behind the tee line. When practicing off-court wall pumping, I consciously work on the feeling of power in my fingers at the moment of ball striking, but after a long time, I also feel that compared to the CALIBAR 600C, the load on the small joints is greater, and the small arms are more fatigued. Therefore, when I play fast-paced doubles against my friends, I am more willing to sabotage my opponent’s intention of pulling the line into a flat blocking match in time.
But there’s no need to get frustrated in areas you’re not good at. The racquet’s improved offensive performance is a much brighter attribute, and it doesn’t compare favorably to the original CALIBAR 500’s decent downswing. On the 500pro, you may initially feel that the center stick is softer on heavy kills, but after getting used to it, you’ll realize that this is a result of the deformation feedback becoming clearer after eliminating the bad feel of the wood, and that it’s actually more resilient. As a result, a better center stick, combined with the already good head weight setting, provides a good feel for downward pressure and increases the weight of each shot on hard kills. Even with the 4U version, it still has the same downward pressure as the original 3U while still delivering a consistent attack. However, it remains to be seen whether or not the thinning of the center stick will lead to performance degradation after prolonged use. In the author’s opinion, even though the 4U version has excellent downward pressure, it still lacks a little bit of punch in heavy kills, so for men who like the initial CALIBAR 500 performance as well as enjoying heavy kills with a hammer, the 3U specification provides more security.
The author has also said that he prefers a racket that is head heavy and not sticky when defending kills, which is something the CALIBAR 500 Pro does well. The more fierce the opponent’s kill, the more obvious the feeling of borrowing the power to return to the top quickly, in the classic offense and defense has a stable performance. The pro’s solid feel is also inherited from the original, providing just the right amount of unloading when seizing the opportunity to soften the gears and turn the ball from defense to offense when the opponent’s downward pressure is not of good quality. If the mid-range were a little stiffer with less hesitation, I’d like the feel of the 500Pro even more when I’m splitting the edge to draw a big diagonal, and the current 500Pro is still a little short of being the best in the defense category. In terms of small ball control, the large frame with high forgiveness and solid feel is almost the same as the CALIBAR 500, so I don’t need to go into details, but the feeling of handling passive balls is superior. Still with the improved performance of the center stick, the process of power transfer after the deformation is more efficient, in the backhand position when receiving the incoming ball with the potential energy of the racket frame will produce a little whip, and from time to time to create the initiative of the backhand board. Moreover, when the third shot is not very powerful, the improved driveability of the 500pro also ensures that the pick is more effective in getting rid of it.
All in all, the CALIBAR 500pro’s positioning and target groups have not changed because of the changes in technology and configuration, and it is one of the rare “Pros” that have been upgraded from the original product in recent times. 4U version has its own scope of application in both singles and doubles, and for the advanced players who have the ability to play both singles and doubles in the backcourt role, I would recommend the 3U version for a thicker and more substantial ball experience. For advanced players who are capable of playing both singles and doubles in the backcourt, I recommend the 3U version for a thicker ball experience.
