[Review Experience] Bonny STAR SHADOW

Jayce September 3, 2024 1 0

4:30 A.M.—this has been my wake-up alarm for the past week. In the early hours, I head from home to the hospital, and from the hospital to various nucleic acid testing sites. The journey involves a lot of commuting, which varies in length. Sometimes I can sleep, other times I can only look at my phone to pass the time. Under the pandemic, everyone is struggling, and after a week of this routine, I feel like I’m trapped in exhaustion, like a small animal stuck in a quagmire, unable to save itself.

Playing badminton has become a luxury and feels out of reach. Even when participating in unit activities, my poor physical condition doesn’t allow me to accelerate or exert force as I used to, and I mostly struggle.

Although it’s not my first time experiencing this situation, a friend recommended the Starry Shadow, Starry Mirage, and Starry Cloud rackets.

Specifications: 4UG5, with base, total weight in use 92.4g, balance point 283mm, shaft length 220mm, soft adjustment, fluid box frame, 76-hole string bed, 9-3 o’clock string channels, 26-pound warranty, string tension 24-26lbs VBS66N.

I know Bonny’s recent Sky Series includes three models with slight variations in paint jobs but a consistent style. The Starry Mirage features a rose gold and creamy white color scheme, giving a warm and cute yet cozy visual appeal. The frame is decorated with light orange and light green stars and stripes. Though simple, the design is quite harmonious and avoids being vulgar, highlighting a fresh look. Unfortunately, the paint job doesn’t meet high standards, with a slightly rough texture. There’s a saying that the pinker the racket, the fiercer the smash, but the Sky Series rackets are rare in that they completely lack an aggressive appearance, likely appealing more to players who focus on the joy of badminton itself.

I was aware that this is an entry-level racket, but handling the Starry Shadow still impresses with its lightness. Although it has a boxy frame, the frame thickness is relatively low, and the frame surface features aerodynamic slants, making this 4U racket quite swift. Unlike those with extremely high balance points and ultra-light weights, it retains a normal racket feel, without the “mace” swinging sensation. Despite a soft shaft, it remains responsive, balancing flexibility with a reasonable grip feel. Even female players with less power will find it a racket they can comfortably use.

After experiencing many high-end rackets designed for decisive matches with extreme head heaviness or swing speed, the Starry Shadow’s simplicity seems like a natural approach to creating a highly usable product.

However, every racket should be tested on the court. The Starry Shadow’s long and soft shaft leads to easy deformation during swings, with the shaft’s elasticity participating in high clears and smashes. While the elasticity doesn’t exceed the price range, its easily accessible elasticity can mentally encourage users with various tactical moves. The Starry Shadow is like a beginner’s tutorial in a game. For me and beginners, it easily allows hitting the shuttlecock to the baseline. Only after completing the beginner’s tasks and gaining a sense of achievement can one optimize the high clears. With its good power, high swing speed, and reliable feel, the Starry Shadow can naturally become a great first racket for beginners.

This performance also reminds me of the lower-end NF600 or Bluebird. However, in terms of appearance and subjective feel, the Starry Shadow feels more refined.

Nevertheless, I must discuss its performance in competitive play. Its mediocre elasticity and average head heaviness don’t excel, but the overall tuning of the Starry Shadow provides both agility and stability.

The Starry Shadow has a fast swing speed and offers the best holding feel among recent entry-level rackets, meaning it can handle slightly faster-paced matches. Agility is understandable, but stability is based on its high tolerance. Previously, I attributed increased tolerance to the string bed and sweet spot size, which are indeed advantages of the Starry Shadow, but its ease of use is also crucial. With this racket, there’s no need to be overly tense, and even if you can’t take the initiative, its easy-to-drive nature helps you recover better. In other words, its passive shots and high clears are very comfortable—something I haven’t enjoyed among entry-level rackets in recent months.

The drawbacks are also quite apparent: lack of offensive power and sluggish response in flat drives, especially the former. The confidence in downward smashes cannot match classic entry-level options. However, for beginners or those looking for a relaxed play experience, this is not a significant issue. What matters is finding the feeling of power and ball control outside of serious competition, experiencing the simple joy of swinging and playing, or setting aside technological enhancements to refine technique and ball feel. It can be a toy or a tool, and for a product of this positioning, it is quite suitable and excellent for someone like me who currently can’t approach matches with a competitive mindset.

The current price of the racket is 299. Even considering its appearance, buying at full price might not be ideal. Generally, Bonny rackets offer some discounts at corresponding retailers. If you can get it at a price similar to or slightly lower than HMR, it would be a reasonable choice.