Karry
Although I rationally know that the first-generation Katana is a good racket, unlike most players, I didn’t particularly like it. It didn’t quite suit my personality at the time. Unfortunately, the Katana 2 veered off course in terms of tuning, and structural flaws prevented it from becoming a good sequel. On the other hand, I became quite fond of the Cut series, which was more of a spinoff, due to its stiffer and more responsive performance.
But after trying out the fresh new Katana 3, I was shocked: How could this racket be both flexible and explosively powerful?
Since I’ve just unboxed it, I’ll share my initial experience.
Specifications:
4UG5, no bottom cap, total weight in use is 88.9g, balance point 298mm, 6.8mm shaft, length 210mm, medium stiffness, box frame, 76-hole string bed, 8-4 o’clock string grooves, tension warranty 30lbs, strung at 26lbs with Victory VBS66N.
In my opinion, this truly deserves the name “Purple Flame.” At first glance, it reminds me of the color scheme of the Dragon Fang 2. The delicate shiny silver decals on the frame have an embossed texture, while the rose-red decals shimmer alluringly under the dark lacquer, exuding a seductive charm. The whole racket looks fierce and very refined. Notably, the silver decals reflect a laser effect from certain angles, giving it a wild edge. Maybe the unevenness caused by the decals could impact the swing speed, but who cares? How long has it been since Victor made such a good-looking racket with lacquer?
A friend had warned me that the Katana 3 felt a bit heavy. But when I held it, it didn’t feel particularly heavy—just a bit head-heavy, but nothing extreme. Among 4U rackets, I wouldn’t call it very head-heavy either. However, this time the Katana series finally comes with a G5 handle, which I really like for its slim grip.
When I took it to the court and tried a few shots, I indeed felt that signature Katana-series sensation—it’s not stiff, but highly elastic. For players with good power, its “soft” feel will be more noticeable, a result of the shaft’s large deformation, which causes the shuttle to linger longer on the string bed.
However, once the deformation reaches its maximum, the shaft seems to “wake up” suddenly, snapping back with surprising speed and whipping the shuttle out. This phenomenon felt refreshing to me and made the Katana 3 instantly intriguing.
This racket is incredibly easy to get used to, much like the 8888ax. Just a light tap and the shuttle flies far. The frame is narrow and smooth, allowing for high swing speed, and the weight of the racket head provides good leverage. There’s no difficulty in handling it.
It seems that making a slightly softer, shorter shaft can create a very interesting feel—a combination of ease of use and explosive power.
Speaking of the shorter shaft, this is what makes the Katana 3 shine during fast-paced exchanges, especially in flat drives and quick front-court doubles play. The longer handle helps with adjusting grip positions on the fly, while the stiffer shaft responds faster, sending the shuttle off quicker and more forcefully. These are areas where the 215mm shaft of the earlier Katana models fell short.
Additionally, the Katana 3 is highly maneuverable. Not only can it handle rapid back-and-forth drives, but I also pulled off several forehand flicks with it. Though the swing speed isn’t too fast, it’s sufficient for doubles.
The sweet spot is large, and the frame is stable. Its performance near the net is as agile and steady as the previous versions, so I won’t go into much detail there.
I know many are curious about the Katana 3’s smashing capabilities. My verdict: it’s the strongest in the series. The whip-like sensation is incredibly sharp, and when fully powered, it feels like the frame snaps through the air, with the shaft’s deformation being quite pronounced. Despite the large deformation, the released elastic energy is immense, making the leverage effect very noticeable. Combined with finger power, you can easily produce sonic boom-like sounds when smashing. The quality of the shots is explosive, and it’s great for power shots.
However, the 4U version is a bit too light, and when fatigued, there are occasional moments when it feels like I can’t fully control it. Therefore, I strongly recommend players to try the 3U version. Also, the frame’s whip-like movement can affect precision when smashing, so it may take time to get used to.
In terms of defense, the Katana 3 performs unexpectedly well. As usual, its large frame and sweet spot maximize forgiveness. The racket excels in handling backhand shots, showcasing its “elasticity” to the fullest. No matter how passive the situation, it can send the shuttle deep into the opponent’s court, giving me peace of mind during play. You don’t want to lose position after making a poor attacking shot, only to have your opponent return it, do you? The “Purple Flame” has got you covered.
To sum up my thoughts on this soon-to-be-released new model, I’m not sure if “brilliant” or “peculiar” is a more fitting description. If you can adapt to its head-heavy feel, the Katana 3 is undoubtedly a product that elevates both fun and competitiveness to a very high level.
This is Victor’s grand finale for the year, and it was well worth the effort I put into acquiring this pre-release version from a friend.
Let me say it again—this is, in my opinion, the strongest in the 8888ax series.
