Curiosity Series 156 — VS Jinghong 7

Karry September 21, 2024 0

A 6.5mm shaft immediately brings to mind certain rackets that also use this feature. Previously, with Bo Li’s Xiaoqing series, I was struck by the fierce competition in the industry and pleasantly surprised by the application of thin shafts in more affordable models. This time, I saw the same 6.5mm shaft on the new Weichen Jinghong 7. As a racket designed with strong cultural aesthetics, aimed at beginner to intermediate female players, I find it quite intriguing.

Specifications: 5U G5, no grip tape, total weight in use is 80.9g, balance point 309mm, 6.5mm shaft, shaft length 215mm, flexible stiffness, pure box-frame design, stringing grooves at 9-3 o’clock, 76 holes, recommended string tension 24-26lbs with VBS66N.

The Jinghong stands out visually and is truly an eye-catching piece. As the saying goes, “a coat of white covers all flaws,” and this female-targeted design adopts white as the base color, with traditional Chinese painting-inspired patterns, likely drawn from the Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River. If you say Jinghong is a cultural product, it certainly lives up to that label—it grabs attention and is worth close inspection. The only downside for me is that the poem on the shaft feels a bit out of place, leading to some other associations in my mind.

The racket’s positioning is very clear, with a focus on lightness in feel. In a 5U weight class with a balance point over 300mm, this setup has been proven effective for control in many products. Despite its light weight, it doesn’t feel too floaty, though as a male player, I found it a bit lacking in solid feel. However, I imagine female players would appreciate its lightness right away. Even though it has a traditional box frame, the swing speed is still impressive due to the weight reduction, and compared to other box frames at similar price points from major brands, the Jinghong 7 has been slightly thinned out without sacrificing durability. Clearly, some thought went into the design.

There’s no need to revisit the pros and cons of ultra-light rackets. Judging this racket by its offensive potential alone would be missing the point, although the high balance point does give it some smashing power. If I were to say the overall tuning leans toward the NF600/NRGZ style, you’d have a good idea of how the Jinghong 7 performs. As another light, soft, and easy-to-handle entry-level racket, its clear lifts are quite comfortable, and with minimal effort, you can “bounce” the shuttle to the opponent’s backcourt. Yes, I said “bounce,” not “hit.” You can clearly feel the shaft bending during impact, with the shuttle staying on the string bed for longer. This gives the racket a holding feel, greatly reducing the effort required to generate power.

Of course, if I were to claim it matches the elasticity of the NF600, I’d be overstating it, but the 6.5mm shaft certainly shows its value. Sources say the carbon fiber used is provided by Mitsubishi, and it’s supposedly around 35T in performance. Considering the racket’s price of 299 yuan, there aren’t many competitors at this level. Additionally, with its soft, elastic feel, you’ll find it particularly comfortable when handling low or backhand shots, making it easy to return with rebound power. If the opponent plays a poor-quality drop shot, the racket’s holding feel and control allow you to turn defense into offense with a sharp net shot.

This holding feel also makes the Jinghong 7 stand out in net control among 5U rackets. Normally, I rely on the stable feel of head-heavy offensive rackets to control the shuttle, so initially, I struggled with mishits and empty swings while trying the Jinghong 7. However, once I adjusted, the racket’s sticky shuttle feel made me enjoy net play more. My net taps and slices felt quite nimble, and I saw real gains in these areas. Furthermore, its large, forgiving sweet spot provides excellent margin for error when cutting or slicing shots from the backcourt. Since the Jinghong 7 isn’t a racket for finishing points with one strike, its control at the backcourt and net offers a more feasible strategy for consistent play.

Honestly, I think it’s a bit of a shame that the Jinghong 7’s excellent continuity and decent smashing ability are packaged in a soft and elastic style, but even as I say that, I realize it’s my male perspective interfering—how can I know what others truly enjoy? This racket is clearly intended to be a sweet, cost-effective choice, and there’s really no other cultural product as suitable for competitive play at this price point.

On the day of testing, I wasn’t in top form—my 99 Pro felt sluggish, and the TK20 was just awkward to use. Surprisingly, it was the easygoing Jinghong 7 that gave me the best experience, which made me laugh.