Curiosity Series 598— Yonex NANORAY 10

Karry September 12, 2024 0

I still remember when I first started playing badminton, my family gave me this RapiD 10. At that time, I had no real concept of badminton rackets; I just heard people say this brand was good and treasured it like a gem. However, as time passed and I used more and better rackets, this one was quietly abandoned in a corner. Fortunately, thanks to its protection, the racket is still in pristine condition, and it’s time to revisit that “initial sharpness.”

As usual, let’s start with the equipment parameters:
4UG4, length 675mm, shaft length 210mm
After removing the cap and three layers of film, weight is about 90g, balance point around 307mm
Wind-breaking frame, 72-hole string bed, warranty 24 pounds
String 23lbs Yonex AB, handle grip soft and large

The racket I have is the blue version. The paint gives an overall fresh and detailed look, with a nice blue and white color transition on the frame, and the symmetrical pattern design is quite pleasing. The paint seems durable, as the racket has not lost any paint despite being in use for so long.

The racket has a low swing weight, with no noticeable head heaviness, but its swing speed is quite good, meeting the standard for a speed racket.

The sweet spot is evident, with the ISO frame providing a large sweet spot. The racket performs well in handling net shots with agility, and its performance in flat drives is quite consistent. This allowed me to handle net shots effectively during the match.

However, given the racket’s positioning, the shaft feels relatively soft, and the smash lacks power, leading to a feeling of inefficacy. Returning shots also requires some power to get the shuttlecock back to the rear court. Perhaps it would perform well in doubles as a “net front sweeper”? The high-quality string somewhat compensates for the racket’s shortcomings.

For passive shots, the racket’s performance is acceptable, but it still feels somewhat weak. There is some directional control on high lifts, but it often suffers from positioning issues, requiring a certain level of power to use effectively.

Overall, this “re-experience” was quite good.