Curiosity Series 637 — Gosen RYOGA SHIDEN

Karry September 21, 2024 0

Sigh… No matter how much I try to mentally prepare myself, I can’t seem to avoid being influenced by the current market price and giving this racket an undue, unrealistic amount of respect. This time, I really have to thank the fellow badminton enthusiasts on the forum for sharing their equipment experiences.

Next, I’ll just have to trust my own feelings as much as possible.

Specs: 3UG5, no grip tape, total weight in playing condition: 91.17g, balance point: 290mm, shaft length: 215mm, stiffness: medium-high, box frame, 76-hole string bed, grooves at 9-3 o’clock, 28lbs tension warranty, strung at 25-27lbs with BG66U. Many people, including the owner of the racket, praise the appearance of the “Zi Dian” (Purple Lightning). This has led some other brands to follow its design style. At least, the racket’s exquisite paint job is enough to make it stand out on the court. The model name is displayed in an elegant font, and the Aermet sticker on the inner side of the frame creates a sense of technological sophistication against the black background. The racket uses only a few colors, yet through layered application, it gives off a dynamic appearance. However, whether it’s visually appealing depends on personal taste, and it doesn’t quite resonate with me.

The racket looks like it’s not to be trifled with, mainly due to the feeling of a relatively small yet thick frame. The decals at 2 and 10 o’clock further emphasize the egg-shaped head, making me realize that this racket’s stringbed tension is likely on the higher side. But the balance point is not too extreme, making it a well-balanced racket in terms of weight distribution, providing a solid grip—not too light, not too heavy. When I tried flexing the shaft, oh man, it’s tough to bend. Okay, since it’s described as having a very stiff shaft, I can’t help but bring out my ZSP to compare.

As for the blue factory logo on the stringbed, that’s a personal customization by the owner—kind of gives off a “cuckold” vibe.

When I took it on the court for actual play, my face gradually contorted. Using my usual power for clears, I couldn’t get a driving feeling with this racket. Although the swing weight provides a sense of leverage, the shaft doesn’t move at all; there’s practically no drive feel. This likely means that “Zi Dian” requires constant active effort. Just thinking about it is exhausting. Applying more power isn’t a big issue, but the racket head is not reassuring either. The sweet spot is quite small, so you need to be very precise with your shots, and the tolerance isn’t forgiving. I can already foresee the challenge of having to constantly wrestle with this racket during the trial period.

Many people believe this is a weapon that excels in both speed and offense, and I’ll focus on these two aspects. Let’s start with speed. For me, the “Zi Dian” doesn’t have an advantage in continuous drives or swing speed, which are traditionally understood as “fast.” Because it’s hard to get it to respond, the entire racket feels stiff, and its elasticity is not easily activated. It demands a lot of short bursts of power, which consumes more stamina to maintain high-quality shots over extended periods. Even though it’s balanced, compared to traditional speed rackets, this one still feels less nimble and agile. On the upside, the racket allows you to take shots slightly earlier and higher, which gives an edge in returning serves and in the third shot when you’re rushing the net or driving from the midcourt. However, the small racket face makes it challenging to consistently find the sweet spot.

As for offense—or rather, if we’re evaluating purely based on smash power—the “Zi Dian” faces a similar dilemma of “high ceiling, low floor.” It’s even more extreme than the ZSP, immediately reminding me of the same feel from the new Gravitas series. The racket head’s response comes before the shaft’s elasticity kicks in, making it difficult to transfer power efficiently to the shuttle. I can feel the flex of the shaft, but over longer periods, I struggle to unlock the racket’s full potential, leaving me with a hollow, unresponsive hitting feedback when the drive doesn’t come through. If we’re talking about the advantages in terms of speed and offense, I think they lie in its improved chances and success rate in intercepting and striking. Thanks to its stiff and resilient feel, the downward pressure is decisive when you seize an opportunity from a poorly returned shot—no hesitation, swift and sharp. Moreover, the four-axis carbon fiber adds a bit of torsion resistance, so when you perform an overhead stroke with rotational force, the shot is still very accurate.