Tag: Badminton Racket

He shocked the world by defeating Malaysia’s top player Lee Chong Wei in the 2013 Australian Open final, clinching the title with a surprising victory over his teammate Xue Song. In the 2016 Rio Olympic cycle, he also overcame Olympic champion Chen Long and silver medalist Lee Chong Wei. Going back further, he first made his mark by winning the Asian Junior Championship and the World Junior Championships in 2009, the year he turned 18.

Known for his graceful playing style and powerful attacks, he is a left-handed player with solid fundamentals and a distinctive style characterized by aggressive and quick play. His maturity and calm demeanor on the court are remarkable, and his composure is so exceptional that, as noted by Fujian provincial badminton team’s head coach Hu Zhilan, “I can’t even tell whether he won or lost just by his tone during post-match calls.” This illustrates his high level of excellence, which is widely acknowledged.

At this point, many players might already be shouting his name—yes, it’s Tian Houwei. The Thick Yie II, reviewed here, is closely related to him, and we will also include a comparative review of the previous Thick Yie I model.

Appearance Appreciation

The design features a stunning blend of cloisonné blue, jade green, and Han white, creating a dynamic and vivid portrayal of national style. The embossed cloud patterns on the shaft and frame add to the artistic beauty, making the racket look more like a finely crafted piece of art than a mere sports equipment.

The frame’s vibrant colors include refreshing and calm blue-green hues, complemented by bold white, black, and gold accents. The white symbolizes brightness and hope, while the green and blue represent vitality, creating a visually striking combination.

Parameter Analysis

The review model of Thick Yie II is a 4UG5 specification, with string tension marked as ≤35lbs; the shaft has a hard elasticity;

• Frame balance point: 296mm (292mm with grip tape);
• Swing weight: 89;
• String setup: bg-80, tension: 28lbs;
• Frame type: three-section dynamic frame;
• 76 string holes, overall frame area is large;
• Frame length: 675mm;
• Empty racket weight: 82.5g (93.8g with grip tape).

Comparative Feel: Thick Yie I vs. Thick Yie II

In terms of parameters, Thick Yie II inherits the dynamic frame design from the first generation—top part wind-breaking frame, middle part box-type, and bottom part oval frame. With the addition of new graphene technology, the overall strength of the frame has increased, and the maximum string tension has been raised to 35lbs.

Comfortable Handling and Speed-Based Attack

Initially, it is noticeable that Thick Yie II retains some of the aggressive head-heavy characteristics of its predecessor but with a more balanced and agile feel. This adjustment makes the racket more versatile in the mid-court and less prone to being passive in quick exchanges. Although the high swing weight of the previous model provided more finishing power, Thick Yie II offers improved maneuverability and elegance, akin to a refined sword.

Versatile and Dynamic

The head-heavy design has not diminished its offensive capabilities. Thick Yie II has adjusted parameters to balance speed and attack, resulting in a more harmonious racket. The three-section structure combined with the narrow, elongated frame provides a vertically extended sweet spot. Initially, it may take time to adjust to this layout compared to traditional rackets. The enhanced handling and attack are well-suited for precise shots and diverse techniques.

Comfortable Impact and Advanced Materials

The inner foam and high-modulus carbon fiber (46T) contribute to a comfortable shock absorption experience, rivaling high-end rackets. The inclusion of three memory titanium wires in the 6.6mm diameter shaft improves rebound performance, making the ball’s trajectory as precise as other high-end models. However, there is a slight sensation of vibration that could affect consistency during extended rallies.

Defense Performance

While the updated design offers better defensive performance compared to its predecessor, the elongated sweet spot can make it less forgiving in defense, particularly when hitting off-center.

Conclusion

Overall, the Thick Yie II is a well-rounded racket designed for fast and controlled singles play. Its excellent feel and affordable mid-range price offer high-end performance characteristics. The detailed craftsmanship and improvements over its predecessor make it a competitive option in the mid-range market. Despite some shortcomings in defense, the Thick Yie II provides a solid and appealing experience at its price point.

There is a player known for his “cool and stylish” playing style, with a graceful physique and aggressive attack, who is affectionately called “Liu Da Ren”—Liu Guo Lun. He was once a Malaysian national men’s singles player, making his mark on the international stage since 2009 and becoming a rising star in Malaysia. In 2012, he won the French Open. With his young age, he was seen as a potential successor to Lee Chong Wei. As expectations grew, Xunfeng, his sponsoring brand, has launched the latest racket “2300 Guo Lun,” designed to complement Liu Guo Lun’s continuous attacking style, following the Guo Lun D83.

Appearance: The 2300 Guo Lun features a deep starry blue with mint green accents and Liu Guo Lun’s exclusive signature on the cone cap. As a classic and evergreen series from Xunfeng, the 2300 has been popular for over a decade, used by top players like Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana and Poland’s Wacha in international competitions.

With the starry blue base color, the mint green accents and gold foil patterns make the racket look refreshing, elegant, and durable. From the Wind Blade to this 2300 Guo Lun, Xunfeng has shown visible improvements in paint craftsmanship, design, and texture.

The 2300 Guo Lun I have is a 4UG5 specification, with the string tension range of 28-35lbs; the shaft has a medium elasticity. It features a 76-hole string bed and a total length of 675mm. The unstrung weight is 82.1g (92.0g with grip added); the balance point is 293mm (292mm with grip added); it is strung with BG-80P at 28lbs.

Initial Impressions: The first impression of the 2300 Guo Lun is its stability, which is a refreshing change. Despite its 4U weight and a relatively balanced 293mm balance point, the noticeable head-heavy feel was unexpected.

Indeed, a few smashes and high clears reveal the 2300 Guo Lun’s ease in producing effortless shots thanks to its head-heavy design. The large head and sweet spot make it a racket that is relatively easy to handle.

Technology: The 2300 Guo Lun incorporates Xunfeng’s patented technology with a six-sided conical structure inside the shaft, enhancing the bending point while reinforcing the shaft’s bottom hardness. This results in faster recovery and improved torsional resistance. As a result, the bending point is shifted forward, making the racket more suitable for smashes and drops, even with its moderate balance point (293mm).

Performance: In attacking scenarios, the 2300 Guo Lun maintains sharp smash placement with its 4U weight and 40T high-modulus carbon fiber. The racket’s frame remains stable, and the quick rebound of the shaft allows for impressive continuous attacking capabilities. However, the forward-shifted bending point may feel unfamiliar and awkward, requiring some adjustment time.

Despite the 2300 Guo Lun’s three-segment dynamic wind blade frame (diamond-shaped head, fluid midsection, and box-shaped bottom), it struggles with its somewhat “bulky” nature, possibly due to durability considerations. This thickness affects the swing speed.

Fast-paced front-court play can be challenging for the 2300 Guo Lun, and the large head may result in a less crisp feedback on off-center hits. Fortunately, during defensive play, its easy return makes up for this shortcoming. While it may not excel in aggressive play, it is well-suited for net play, where its stable frame offers smooth control.

Conclusion: Priced close to 2000 RMB, the 2300 Guo Lun, a signature model, offers both prestige and value. As a mid-range racket, it provides a solid balance of attacking and defensive capabilities. It is recommended for advanced mixed doubles backcourt players and singles players seeking a reliable and versatile racket.

Xunfeng Liuli Badminton Racket 5UG6

To be honest, I don’t quite understand the naming pattern for Xunfeng. Why use the same name for both shoes and rackets?
I get why names like Houyi and Guolun are used since they can leverage the fame of star players and ride the wave of publicity. But “Liuli”… is it because the same design elements are used for both products? Or is it just laziness in naming? Or maybe it’s to appeal to the ladies?

First, let me clarify: this racket is not for my own use. I bought it for my girlfriend. Initially, I was planning to get the K520PRO, a racket I had played with before. It’s light, easy to handle, slightly head-heavy, good for borrowing power, has a soft shaft, a large frame, and high tolerance for errors. It’s my go-to recommendation for beginners, and even when I had a shoulder injury, I borrowed my friend’s K520PRO for rehab games.
However, my girlfriend preferred the look of the Liuli. The pink and purple color schemes were more appealing to her than the K520PRO’s.
So, I checked the specs:
5U, balance point of 302mm.
In terms of total weight, the K520PRO is heavier, but the Liuli has a heavier head based on its balance point.
However, considering it’s a 5U, even with a 302mm balance point, it shouldn’t be too difficult to handle, right?
So, I went ahead and ordered the racket.

Let’s start with the appearance.
According to my girlfriend, “It looks nice, but that’s about it. It’s not stunningly beautiful.” The color scheme is very pink and girly, but upon closer inspection, it seems rather ordinary.
I have a similar impression.
The pink and purple around the racket head, paired with the white on the T-joint and shaft, gives a cute and fresh feel. The addition of some fluorescent decals adds a bit of sparkle, like a magic wand from a children’s show.
The shaft, besides the white base, also has some green and pink-purple decals, which look pretty nice at first glance.
However, looking closer, the decals and font on the shaft appear a bit cheap, almost like those found on low-cost plastic toys from childhood. I even felt as though I might find rough edges or mold marks on the racket.

Now, onto the playing experience.
For context, the strings were pre-installed by the seller at 24 lbs, since my girlfriend is a complete beginner.
On the first few hits, I was pleasantly surprised.
Hitting clear shots with proper technique was easy thanks to the soft shaft and the not-insignificant head weight, allowing for powerful and effortless clears.
Even without rotating my body, relying solely on arm strength, I could easily hit baseline-to-baseline shots.
The 302mm balance point might look intimidating on paper, but given its 5U weight, it still feels relatively light and fast.
The shaft is on the softer side, almost like a spring. You don’t need much strength to feel significant flex. I initially worried that such a soft shaft might reduce power during smashes, but I was wrong.
Not only is the shaft soft, but its elasticity is quite impressive, especially when combined with the head weight. During smashes, it feels like the handle of a hammer has been replaced with a spring.
The momentum from the swing, combined with the shaft’s flexibility, allows for powerful smashes that land right at the opponent’s feet.
So, I decided to try a men’s doubles game.
Honestly, it was a bit awkward being the only guy wielding what looked like a magic wand, while the other three guys were using tough, aggressive rackets.
But, as the saying goes, the pinker the racket, the fiercer the smash. I was on fire that match, smashing everything in sight.
Just when I thought I could ride this momentum to victory, the racket’s flaws started to show.

Firstly, defense shots felt uncomfortable. Of all the rackets I’ve used recently, this one made defensive shots feel the most difficult, even worse than those with small attacking frames.
All the advantages I mentioned earlier became disadvantages.
Whether it was backhand drives or defending against smashes, the head’s weight slowed down my swing, making it hard to time the shots properly.
The overly soft shaft also made the racket feel imprecise.
Even though the string tension was 24 lbs, there wasn’t the expected “holding the shuttle” feel. The strings seemed to release the shuttle instantly, but the shuttle speed was still disappointingly slow.
At the net, whether pushing, slicing, or dropping, the racket head was difficult to control. It felt like the racket’s torsion resistance wasn’t very good.
And due to the inertia from the head weight, the racket often felt like it had a mind of its own during defensive shots, refusing to cooperate.
After just two games, I handed the racket over to my girlfriend.

Initially, I didn’t plan on writing this, but after seeing how the racket performed in my girlfriend’s hands, I had a change of heart.
I’ve seen many beginners like my girlfriend play badminton. Usually, just making contact with the shuttle is a success. Most of their clears either go high but not far or far but not high, or worse, neither far nor high.
However, during her first time playing, using this racket, my girlfriend managed to hit some fairly decent clears. While she didn’t quite reach the baseline, her midcourt clears were pretty solid. I even started imagining her as a potential badminton talent.
That fantasy was shattered when she tried using my racket.
Turns out, all her good clears were thanks to the racket.

But… the more I thought about it, the more interesting it became.
I’ve tried getting others into badminton before, but it always ended in failure.
Initially, I thought it was because they couldn’t hit the shuttle and thus had no interest in the game. But upon closer observation, they could hit the shuttle; they just didn’t find the fun in it.
Then I thought back to what got me addicted to badminton in the first place.
Looking deeper, powerful clears, fast drives, and explosive smashes were the common elements.
Breaking it down, these types of shots all require significant power, have a clear feedback when hitting, and produce a satisfying sound.
Isn’t this basically like delivering a powerful, controlled slap? In a society as stressful as ours, who wouldn’t get hooked on this feeling?
With this realization, I finally understood how this racket should be used.
A heavy head, good power transfer, soft and elastic shaft, comfortable feedback without too much vibration, and the combination of head weight and shaft elasticity helping to produce a loud hitting sound—this racket is like a perfect tool for delivering powerful slaps. It’s a badminton addiction machine.
So, for those of you who’ve been asking for my opinion on this racket and are considering buying it for your girlfriend to get her into badminton, this might just be the first step to finding a mixed doubles partner.

I’ve recently used several rackets from different manufacturers, including some sample models that haven’t been released yet. Among them, the XunFeng Asura left quite a lasting impression. At first, I didn’t find anything particularly outstanding about it, but as I continued to use it, my evaluation of it gradually stabilized.

However, even after reaching a more settled view of its performance, it still hasn’t lived up to the rating it holds in the Badminton Equipment Library in my mind.

Specifications: 4UG5, with bottom cap, total weight in use 92.27g, balance point 305mm, shaft length 220mm, medium stiffness, box frame, 76-hole string bed, 9–3 o’clock string grooves, 30 lbs tension warranty, strung with 26 lbs BN69.
In my mind, the term “Asura” refers to a being close to a demon, exuding a fierce and brutal aura. However, the Asura racket from XunFeng doesn’t quite convey that sense of oppression. Its frame has an asymmetric design, with colors mainly in white, black, and blue. The use of decorative elements and stickers is substantial, yet it doesn’t come across as chaotic. The rich visual signals make it an eye-catching racket, but it doesn’t excel in aggressiveness, falling short of my expectations.

The official weight of the racket is 82g, which is already near the boundary of ultra-light rackets. For such a high-balance racket, its feel does resemble that of an ultra-light racket. Though the racket’s overall weight is average, the head heaviness is quite noticeable, allowing for some power assistance when actively hitting the shuttle. The shaft has medium stiffness, making it relatively easy to drive. In short, sharp movements, the racket’s built-in elasticity is easy to access.

However, I don’t think the Asura’s elasticity surpasses what XunFeng has achieved with their previous flagship models. The racket’s advertised 6.1mm ultra-thin shaft performs at a middling level in my opinion. To put it differently, I would describe the Asura as a “soft” racket—one that offers a pleasant but not remarkable experience.

With that said, its elasticity is the key focus when using the Asura. It’s easy to notice its flexibility during fast drives, where the shuttle responds actively, helping in maintaining exchanges during mid-court battles. When you get the chance to attack from the backcourt, it’s better to focus on quick, agile movements to generate power, rather than relying on full-body strength for a powerful smash. The Asura lacks the mass for a decisive backcourt smash, so scoring from the rear will likely require an opponent’s weak defensive formation.

That said, it does have a tendency to feel a bit unstable. When handling delicate shots at the net, I didn’t get a consistent feel with the Asura. In this regard, the provincial team version of the 2300 is much better. However, when dealing with slightly higher shots near the net, the Asura displayed good flexibility and a high tolerance level, offering decent control and touch.

Additionally, the elasticity of the shaft has indeed improved somewhat. This was especially helpful when dealing with defensive shots—whether I was forced to hit a high backhand after being overpowered or handling low backhand shots, the shaft’s flexibility allowed me to make smooth transitions or even recover from bad positions.

This is where the Asura’s charm lies. Despite not being known for swing speed or offensive power, it excels in rallies with high continuity. In other words, it’s more suitable for doubles play.