Jayce
The Final Piece of Li-Ning’s Three Major Badminton Series: Control Series – Halbertec, This is the Most Time-Consuming and Difficult Product for Li-Ning Badminton to Position. The First Product of the Control Series is Named: Halbertec 8000! The Design Follows the Concept of “Tai Chi” from the Book of Changes, with the Name “Ji” Representing a Weapon, Showcasing the Combat Performance of Both Control and Attack.
Appearance Highlights:
The main color scheme of the Halbertec 8000 uses pink and metallic blue, which are popular among young players. These colors are placed on the left and right sides of the racket frame, creating a visually striking and memorable look. The watermark pattern on the racket frame combines spear and halberd elements, hidden with lethal intent. The black and white contrasting colors on both sides of the shaft are highly recognizable, and the logo on the upper and lower sides of the racket throat uses blue and pink colors, subtly embodying the design philosophy of “Yin and Yang returning to Tai Chi.” The vibrant colors appeal to young consumers, and the intricate details highlight elements of Chinese ancient culture: the halberd and Tai Chi, making it the most distinctive in terms of appearance among Li-Ning’s three major badminton series.
Parameter Interpretation:
- Carbon Fiber: Toray T1100. The T1100 grade was first used in the Tectonic series, and its use here may be to enhance stability while also providing a higher modulus of elasticity.
- Shaft: 6.8mm New High-Density Shock-Absorbing Shaft ACC-RIF. Shock-absorbing materials are filled inside the shaft to reduce unnecessary vibrations and impact feelings during strikes, lessening the burden on the arm.
- Swing Weight (SW): Moderate. Strung with N63 string at 25lbs, with a balance point of 301mm after applying GP111 grip tape, weighing 3U (without removing the base grip).
- HARD FLEXIBLE SHAFT: The shaft is stiff, with a static physical stiffness similar to the BX700 but slightly softer than the BX800.
Racket Frame:
- Area: Approximately 355~360, medium to wide frame size, larger sweet spot, high tolerance.
- Cross-Section: Smooth arc-like box structure, slightly higher wind resistance, with a popular full groove structure.
- Shaft Length: 215mm (distance from three-way joint to racket throat). Reference: BX700/BX800: 220mm, Thunder 90 Tiger: 215mm.
- Price: 1680 RMB, similar to the A10 in 2008, and consistent with the Thunder 80 and Windstorm 800 in 2021.
Playing Experience:
Holding the 3U Halbertec 8000 (non-gift box) feels solid, with the balance point slightly towards the three-way joint. The racket frame has a smooth arc-like box structure with higher wind resistance, and the overall swing feeling is not much different from the 9000C. It feels slightly head-heavy compared to the 3U A11PRO, more akin to the grip feeling of the 3U A10. Upon initial use, it gives a solid feeling of “thick skin, high defense, and steady release.” Although it takes some getting used to within the first twenty minutes due to recent trends favoring 4U or lighter weights, the 3U Halbertec 8000 does not overly burden the arm and is easy to handle. It is recommended for those with decent physical condition to opt for 3U to unlock more experiences.
With the added carbon fiber material Toray T1100, the dynamic feel of the Halbertec 8000 is moderately stiff, with an extremely stable racket face. The hitting feedback is firm yet slightly soft, with the racket face providing a strong sense of ball wrapping. The shaft’s deformation recovery time and power transmission speed are faster than the Thunder 90MAX Tiger and Thunder 80. The new high-density shock-absorbing shaft ACC-RIF helps reduce unnecessary vibrations of the shaft and racket face, improving shot stability. For amateurs, this helps enhance the hitting experience, reduce counter-shock, and lower the risk of arm injuries. The most surprising aspect is its strong ball wrapping feel, akin to the sensation of the arm grasping the shuttlecock, providing the best wrapping feel in the current Li-Ning system, even surpassing some high-end Japanese rackets.
Comparing with competitors, it feels more like the sensation of an AZ racket with added stability of the A10 frame. The downward attack capability and the burst power are half a level stronger than the 11PRO, though the 11PRO feels crisper and more elastic. The Halbertec 8000 has just the right elasticity without overflow, with moderate energy storage time and easy mastery of the hitting point.
Advantages of the Current Version of Halbertec 8000:
- Large sweet spot, stable near-box frame structure, high tolerance of the racket face string bed. When strung at 25lbs, it lacks the sticky ball feel and looseness of the Arc11. These advantages ensure improved return quality during fast-paced arm exertions, such as smashes, drives, lifts, or large defensive strokes. The power conversion rate is not low at medium tension. At the net, the Halbertec 8000’s large sweet spot on the racket face provides a larger control area, with the racket face not being too bouncy during net drops and downward pressure, allowing better control of the shuttlecock at the net. The better-wrapping frame allows for better control and feedback during hitting. I like to use it for powerful flat drives to the backcourt, which can instantly unleash extremely fast shuttle speeds, a rare advantage of the Halbertec 8000, capable of forcing the opponent into a passive position.
The 3U Halbertec 8000 delivers powerful attacks, with forceful smashes and sufficient power. The shuttle speed maintains a high pace after crossing the net, with relatively little speed decay. The 3U Halbertec 8000’s smashes feel heavy and powerful, with the racket face compressing and wrapping around the shuttlecock, then catapulting the force out like a catapult. Giving 10 points of force returns 9 points of solid hitting feedback. The Thunder 90 Dragon offers precise downward strikes and high explosive conversion, while the 3U Halbertec 8000 feels like stable heavy firepower delivery. During continuous downward smashes followed by mid-court drives, the Halbertec 8000 shaft offers a good sense of continuity, with the overall attack and drive power being stable. The Thunder series might feel a bit slow during front-back transitions but offers more precise and powerful downward strikes for finding breakthroughs. The Windstorm series provides clear feedback but lacks strong downward pressure, requiring more precise shots for breakthroughs. As for control, attack, and speed, how to achieve effective scoring methods during attacks depends on your understanding and adaptation to the racket.
This version of “Control” should have a moderate balance weight. During flat drives and defense, the Halbertec 8000 does not have a noticeable delay caused by high balance when the racket head is level or downward. The solid hitting feel provides extremely stable shot experience when controlling long-distance drop points. The moment you hit the shuttlecock, you feel that the shot is steady, the trajectory is straight, and the drop point is deep enough. This is the kind of “weight” you want to deliver. Stable and solid shot “weight” ensures your shots fly deeper and more accurately during medium-paced rallies, making your opponent struggle to cope with your weight. The racket provides more stable hitting support during “Control.” In fact, finding a solid hitting feel with a small sweet spot in 3U attacking rackets is possible, but rackets like Dragon and Tiger are best understood for precise downward strikes and explosive power, while the 3U Halbertec 8000 ensures stable power output and trajectory, offering more versatility.
Some A10 users are confused: A10 feels very vague at low tension (below 24lbs), but the feel improves significantly at high tension (above 28lbs), resulting in polarized reviews. The A11 lowered the entry barrier but sacrificed a lot of aggressiveness. The Halbertec 8000 in 2022 resolves these issues, with no sticky feel at 25lbs in two consecutive stringing sessions. It provides a good wrapping feel, with no high entry difficulty, simply requiring sufficient power. The feedback from the frame and the shuttle’s time on the string bed are quick, without worrying about control rackets struggling at medium tension. If you want to speed up the string bed feedback, I recommend the N63 for quick rebound. If you prefer more stability and friction, consider the N69 or N65.
Consumers see ads for rackets that claim to balance attack and defense or control the entire court and wonder if such rackets truly exist. I’m not sure! What I can confirm is that the Li-Ning Halbertec 8000 should satisfy most consumers with such demands. With excellent wrapping feel pleasing the user’s hand, ACC-RIF reduces vibration and lowers the risk of arm injuries. The moderately stiff feel provides certain explosive power, while the stable frame and shaft offer highly stable hitting effects and trajectory flight. The moderate weight balance can handle various on-court situations. For singles and offensive-oriented players, I recommend 3U. For those who prefer doubles control and lack power, consider 4U. The 3U does not overly burden the arm, with low power requirements, and combined with a stable frame and elastic shaft, the overall entry difficulty is low. Among all Li-Ning 8-series rackets, the 3U has the lowest entry barrier.
The new end cap of the Halbertec 8000 uses a two-color PE cap, with the same craftsmanship and materials as the high-end two-color PE caps from blue and green manufacturers. Many online rumors about supply chain and factory issues are inconsistent. Why Li-Ning changed the end cap, the cost calculation, and the impact of the cap change will be analyzed in a separate report and will not be elaborated here.
Making a comprehensive/control racket is very challenging: being too comprehensive lacks features, moving forward means attack, swinging fast means speed, a small sweet spot makes it hard to control, low balance means defense, and soft parameters can lead to a syrupy feel. It needs to excel in feel while balancing various needs, which is why developing classic models in the control series is difficult for many brands. This year, the benchmark for domestic brand control series should still be the Li-Ning Halbertec 8000!
