Badminton Racket YONEX ASTROX 88S Pro Reviews

Jayce October 18, 2024 4 2

Pushing the envelope on the ASTROX series has become a regular feature of Green Factory in recent years. And after all the models except the 100zz have been pro, it seems that YY is about to start a new round of updates.

Speaking of updates, the only element that looks fresh in tech is the NAMD2g material, so it seems that this update, starting with the ASTROX 88 Twin, won’t be too radical.

Parameters: 4UG5, de-bottomed, total weight in used condition 89.32g, balance point 308mm, centre pole length 215mm, medium-high stiffness, boxed racket frame, 76-hole string bed, 7-5 point string groove, warranty 28lbs, stringing 25-27lbs xb63.

I occasionally look at F1, so it is still quite easy to see the new colour of the Silver Arrow style. Still asymmetrical racket frame paint design, the two wings were decorated with a black background and silver paint with horse petroleum green lettering, stickers with not as busy as camel gold, looks like the amount of detail is quite a lot but still keep it neat and clear. I think the current colour scheme is more aesthetically pleasing to me than the previous versions, so it’s a matter of opinion.

If you’ve read the reviews of others, you’ll have noticed that the 88 has an 8-pin head, and the added head weight is quite noticeable on the 88sp, which is a much more typical attacking racket weight than the original colour’s feel.

However, it is also very easy on the hands, in addition to the head weight which gives the new colours a more pronounced borrowed feel for handling overhand shots, the drive of this stiff mid-range shaft is very crisp and does not struggle to release elasticity due to the small amount of form factor. The face is also much more forgiving than the 68-hole, with a regular sweet spot that’s easy to adjust to. For advanced players, this could be a high-end racket that can be dynamically adjusted in terms of stringing pounds.

The strong feel of the ball was actually the first thing that struck me about the new 88sp colours. The new colours have been deliberately made more head heavy, and the ‘hammer’ feeling of the racket is even more obvious after the sole has been removed. The middle of the shaft is firm, and the racquet does not unload on big shots, and the response of the racquet face is not overly dry or sticky, but has solid feedback on shots. At the same time, the Waterwheel has excellent torsional resistance, and can still achieve precise control of the landing point in long distance shots.

This kind of adjustment makes its backcourt performance very solid and confidence, and even once reminded me of the initial version of the 88 D. Although the diameter of the centre stick with lacquer came to 7mm, its elasticity was still very good, belonging to the state of how much power to give how much work, the relationship between the degree of power and the speed of the ball is linear. So when I get the active backcourt ball that I can handle on my hands, whether it’s suppressing a shot to hit a flat high ball or killing a shot directly to attack, both are more resolute, and the effect is also good.

The 88sp’s new colour is a neutral racket with a stable grip that supports the small ball game at the net. The backcourt feel was also excellent, with the momentum of the head and the slightly ball-eating face, it was able to get the ball high enough to send the ball close to the net in a solid manner.

I’m sure that the elasticity of the centre stick has been upgraded, and although it’s still hampered by the stiffer texture and higher swingweight on passive shots, it’s able to use the bounce to put the ball in the right place when it’s released. The frame has been enlarged to be more forgiving, and the power of the opponent’s shot combined with the elasticity of the strings allows for consistent defence and distribution in the catch and kill game.

In terms of consistent performance, with the aid of the spin generation system, it performs just like the 88S Old Colour before it, more or less. However, because the swingweight has increased a bit, the lead time is longer, and the performance of blocking or grabbing a high point at the net to close a shot is not as quick.

More than an upgrade, the whole racket is like a ‘micro-plastic surgery’, where small repairs are made to areas that were not working well, and then a higher-end racket with a higher degree of finish and no bugs is made, so no one can go wrong with it. If it could be priced at the same level as the original colour launch, then I could give a buyer’s recommendation, but at the moment it seems unlikely that the new colour sp will come down anytime soon.

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