Curiosity Series 396 — VS Youlong

Karry September 21, 2024 0

Weichen has once again partnered with a former national player, this time with Chai Biao as the spokesperson for the national-style Youlong, which is positioned as an attacking racket. In contrast to the Longying endorsed by Xue Song, Weichen has also incorporated its new technology into this endorsed racket, particularly in the shaft, which enhances both the strength and elasticity of the racket to new heights.

The investment in materials for Youlong is commendable, and this commitment is clearly reflected in the racket’s feel.

Specifications: 4UG6, with a base, unstrung weight of 82g, total weight in use of 93.4g, balance point at 305mm, 6.8mm shaft, length of 210mm, medium to high stiffness, box frame, 72-hole string bed, 9—3 point stringing groove, rated for 36 lbs, strung at 26—28 lbs with KT66F.

The author has mostly encountered Weichen products that emphasize national styles (which makes the Xingyuan model quite rare). The bronze green base paint features stickers of a dragon head and dragon scales, with small seal characters on the wings of the frame, giving it a stable and powerful appearance. The paint has a textured finish, using a magnetic gold-plating technique that feels noticeably rough, enriching both the visual and tactile experience. After encountering several models, I can tell from the design that this racket has a distinct “Weichen flavor.”

Upon receiving the racket, I first noticed that the Youlong’s frame shape is tight and slender, seemingly designed to create a concentrated sweet spot through the narrowing of the racket head. On the other hand, the 72 holes in the string bed increase the central sweet spot area for greater forgiveness, serving as a means to lower the entry threshold.

As for the crucial part, according to the official information, the Youlong features a rare 6840 thin-walled shaft with an inner diameter of 4.0mm and an outer diameter of 6.8mm, enhancing the racket’s torsional stability while providing excellent elasticity and speed for smashes.

The feel of the Youlong is quite friendly, categorized as light and quick, with a forward balance point. Positioned for attack, it doesn’t impose much burden on the user, making it easy for intermediate players to adapt quickly. The shaft allows for noticeable flex during shots, facilitating effortless power generation. The racket provides crisp feedback upon striking, with moderate hardness, and while it has a low holding feel, it allows for good control over power and placement without shocking the hands.

The swing speed of the racket is slightly faster than I anticipated, thanks to the narrow frame and well-controlled thickness, combined with its lightweight design, providing a smooth experience that enhances the continuity of each shot. The crisp and fluid feel also contributes to the Youlong’s excellent performance in drives and blocks.

The power generated by the shaft and sweet spot allows the Youlong to maintain strong aggression in attack. However, compared to typical offensive rackets, it lacks a bit of the brute force DNA, falling short in heavy smashes due to a lack of a robust middle shaft and high swing weight. Nevertheless, each shot’s focused power results in good penetration and pressure on opponents, especially in aggressive situations where the racket’s blend of flexibility and stability facilitates seamless play.

It’s noticeable that the Youlong’s feel resembles that of a smaller frame racket, and the shaft exhibits a linear elasticity, enhancing the efficiency of power transfer through the fingers and forearm joints for quick, surprise attacks. However, this tuning can sometimes lead to difficulties in delicate operations at the net and in defensive situations.

Fortunately, thanks to the excellent shaft elasticity, the Youlong still offers plenty of tools for managing passive scenarios. It provides good feedback on reverse shots and can effectively return low balls from the backcourt, even helping to create distance when under pressure. However, the racket may feel a bit light, making it less comfortable and confident for delicate net plays.

In summary, the Youlong gives me a strong impression of being appropriately compact. Through the new shaft’s elasticity, Weichen has made significant adjustments to the Youlong’s attack, entry threshold, and continuity, aiming for a product that performs well without any weaknesses.

To be honest, seeing Chai Biao as the spokesperson might lead one to think this is purely a powerful offensive racket, but Weichen clearly embodies a rational brand philosophy, which is vividly reflected in the Youlong.