Jayce
I seem to have gotten fixated on the HX series, and by coincidence, I’ve acquired several high-end models from this series all at once, pushing everything else aside for now. This racket is indeed a bit of a rarity—the third one I’m testing, the HX-Sun, a signature model of the Vice President of the Badminton Association, Sun Jun.
The name was unfamiliar to me, so I looked up some information. Sun Jun was a Chinese national men’s singles player in the 1990s, known for his defensive control style, following in the footsteps of Zhao Jianhua. He was a big-tournament player but unfortunately had to retire early due to health issues.
Since I haven’t fully recovered, the testing intensity will be slightly lower, so my experience should be taken as a reference only. After a full trial, my impression of the racket is different from what I initially expected based on Sun’s reputation.
Specifications: Made by Victor in their Nanjing factory, 4UG5, base paint removed, strung with overgrip, balance point 306mm, 6.8mm shaft (M46J+M30), length 210mm, medium stiffness, diamond-shaped aerodynamic frame, 10-4 o’clock grommet design, strung at 23-25 lbs with NBG95 string.
The color scheme of navy blue, silver-gray, bright red, and pure white gives it a positive, sunny, and uplifting design—this is the classic color scheme of a Gundam protagonist’s machine, isn’t it? The racket frame decals and shaft font are quite flashy, making the whole racket eye-catching. Apart from the signature of Sun Jun, which signifies this racket as a special model, the overall appearance gives a sense of orthodox quality, similar to classic Warrior shoes, which I quite like.
Despite the balance point being 306mm, the swing feels surprisingly light compared to the Thruster K (TK), making me question the mystique surrounding the relationship between balance point and feel. The T-joint has an aerodynamic design, and there are airflow grooves at the 4-6 o’clock position. Victor has been using the diamond frame shape since the Nano 7, making it quite understandable and transparent. You can feel the aerodynamic effect, though the head heaviness might make continuous swings feel a bit like wielding a hammer, but overall, the process is smooth.
After hitting a few shuttlecocks, I could sense the positioning of the Sun—it has moderate head and shaft stiffness, with good elasticity and feedback from the shaft, allowing for comfortable, well-placed clears. The 6.8mm flash shaft is a very mature design, second only to the Boron Carbon shaft, and is widely used in high-end rackets, which explains why the TK15/30 had such luxurious specs.
The feel of net shots is also very solid, not weak. The large frame and big sweet spot lower the technical threshold for shots like drops, providing a good sense of control over the shuttle. This sense of control, combined with the large sweet spot, offers excellent ability to escape from passive situations like defending smashes—one strong shot can disrupt the opponent’s rhythm, allowing for a quick transition from defense to offense in doubles. The racket is also okay for big, open rallies.
The racket performs well in attacking plays, with a noticeable dwell time on the string bed, but without the sticky feel of the HX990 or the crispness of the HX900. Simply put, it feels somewhat like the ArcSaber 11, with a more direct power feedback at the moment of shuttle release, avoiding any wooden or mushy sensation. The amount of explosive power needed to deform the shaft isn’t too high, and the synergy between the string bed and shaft elasticity allows for quick smashes, effectively delivering powerful shots without excessive force. The frame’s torsional stability is reliable, and you can roughly predict the shuttle’s landing point with strong downward pressure. Although it lacks the Astrox series’ rotational power system, it still offers decent continuity in attacks—if a heavy smash doesn’t finish the rally, it can effectively transition to the next shot, making it adequate for evenly matched opponents.
However, the racket’s performance in flat drives is somewhat lacking; it feels slightly sluggish during fast exchanges. During testing, I rarely found myself dominating in frontcourt drives. Even with well-anticipated shots and the racket ready for interception, the swing speed sometimes led to inaccurate hits. It’s still usable for rear-court doubles positions or singles for players with slightly less power.
First, let me clear the name of the NBG95 string. Although many in the forums consider it an all-around string in the durability category with a somewhat mediocre personality, I can responsibly say that freshly strung NBG95 has impeccable performance, with hardness and elasticity approaching the 80P, along with a certain degree of shuttle hold, living up to its all-around reputation. As amateur players, it’s not economical to cut the strings just because they don’t feel right, and the NBG95 does tend to feel mushy after losing tension, which is why it has a mixed reputation—its durability can be a curse as it continues to lose tension without breaking.
In my opinion, the Sun is a high-end “sugar water” racket, designed mainly with amateur players in mind, offering excellent feel and downward pressure. After receiving this racket, I searched Taobao but couldn’t find any sellers offering it. Later, I chatted with the seller and found out that on Xianyu, the price for a brand-new or unused one ranges from 500 to 600 RMB, while in physical stores, it’s about 800 RMB. This price is fair considering its performance, but the lack of supply is an issue. As Victor’s HX flagship line is discontinued, the HX-Sun shines in an unnoticed corner. It’s a pity that such a good racket is so underrated; Victor’s previous marketing strategies have buried many good products. Hopefully, after management adjustments, Victor can focus on making great equipment again—ultimately, whether players buy a racket depends on the product’s strength.
