Karry
In 2020, Kumpoo once again entered the badminton scene. With endorsements from internet celebrities, extensive promotion on badminton forums, partnerships with world champions, high-quality designs and color schemes, and affordable prices, Kumpoo successfully stood out among many second-tier brands. This series of commercial operations by Kumpoo has been undeniably successful, making the brand shine brightly among its peers. However, the products of the brand have also faced controversy.
Kumpoo Kevlarmor “Shiri”
The asymmetric design of the Kevlarmor series evokes thoughts of the Green Factory’s Ti series. (I personally really like this type of asymmetrical design.) The black and red color scheme is also quite impressive, and when paired with the Red and Black AB strings from the Green Factory, it looks excellent.
Specifications: 4U (82g), 290mm balance point, and a relatively soft shaft. Priced around ¥240, this racket is very beginner-friendly with no significant learning curve—it’s definitely a “sugar-water” racket. It’s also quite suitable for players with some experience, especially for doubles play. Note that despite Kumpoo’s official specs listing it as a 4U racket, it feels closer to a 3U in hand.
Kumpoo positions this racket as a doubles racket, and indeed, in my practical experience, it performs very smoothly in continuous attacking play. It exerts minimal pressure on the wrist, excels in flat drives, and the softer shaft contributes to a smoother swing and power generation. The feel is solid and stable. However, its performance in singles is quite average. It requires more effort for high clears and tends to be somewhat inconsistent in smashes.
The frame strength of the Kevlarmor is quite good, likely due to the special materials used (Kumpoo claims it uses bulletproof materials). The paint quality, however, leaves much to be desired, which is a common issue with smaller brands but is acceptable.
Comparing the Kevlarmor 1 and Kevlarmor 2, the latter has a stiffer shaft and delivers heavier smashes. Despite being only about ¥30 more expensive, I personally find the first generation to be better.
Summary: I recommend the Kevlarmor 1 to students or players with a limited budget who need a mid-range racket with a good feel and to those who want a racket suitable for continuous attacking play. However, it’s crucial to choose a racket that fits your own style rather than blindly pursuing higher tension or more expensive options.
