Tag: HYPERNANO X

It’s clear that excellent gear isn’t necessarily meant to complement each other. In the world of badminton equipment, good products inevitably compete against one another. Not only do similar products from different brands create intense competition due to the same market demands, but even products from the same brand with different positions can compete due to factors like cost-performance ratio and marketing. This happens even though the less favored product might still be excellent.

I’m referring to the Hypernano X90—the last and perhaps most underrated piece of the Hypernano series puzzle.

Specifications: 3UG5, unstrung weight 89.8g, balance point at 320mm, 7.0mm shaft, 205mm shaft length, stiff tuning, 76-hole string bed, 9-3 o’clock string grooves, diamond aerodynamic frame, warranty up to 27 lbs, strung with 25-27 lbs XB65.

The most striking feature of the HX90 is its fluorescent green color. The frame’s black, purple, and green layers create a misaligned, layered look, with asymmetry on both sides. Although the frame’s thickness isn’t particularly impressive, the frame itself appears large. The paintwork is well-executed, with the matte finish adding a nice touch.

The HX series is known for being balanced, but like the HX80, the HX90’s high stiffness and high balance point make the racket feel stable and solid. This 3U version, with its balance point of 320mm, feels quite heavy right from the start, especially during warm-up swings. This weight became even more noticeable once I started adapting to it on the court. While the HX80 had a 4U version that was more manageable, the HX90’s 3U version is quite challenging for me.

The racket excels in power transfer, but with its highly elastic strings, it’s easy to hit the shuttle out if you’re not careful. The racket also has a long wind-up time, so adjusting to its swing rhythm takes some time.

The shaft material is made of anti-torsion carbon, and I’m glad to report that the HX90 delivers a more straightforward shot, similar to the HX80, without any unpleasantly dull feedback during initial contact.

Additionally, whether due to EM fibers or the string, the HX90’s string bed feels very elastic. The initial speed during short, sharp strokes is impressive. However, unlike other highly elastic rackets, the HX90 also excels in controlling delicate shots, with no unpredictable bounciness. This balance reminds me of the HX900X from the same series.

Because of this, the racket’s control is outstanding when combined with a solid core. The large frame and sweet spot enhance forgiveness, while the high stiffness and torsional resistance ensure accuracy. The heavier weight also provides a stable feel, making it easy to execute high-quality drops, net shots, cross-court slices, and lifts during rallies. This consistency would delight any strategic player.

Moreover, the racket’s explosive power is among the best I’ve seen in rackets using anti-torsion carbon. While the Nanoray 6 was also an attack-oriented balanced racket, the HX90’s stiffness and elasticity enhance the pleasure of smashing from the backcourt. The direct feedback ensures aggressive play, making it capable of landing powerful smashes that can pierce through opponents’ defenses.

However, the downside is also apparent—it’s slow and heavy. The diamond aerodynamic frame only moderately reduces wind resistance, and even with advanced aerodynamic frames like the Sonic Frame, the overall feel of the racket remains heavy, particularly in flat drives and blocks. This makes it difficult to control fast-paced exchanges, especially at the net.

I think the HX90 is a traditional attack racket, and a 4U version would be a better choice. Even so, it demands a higher level of strength and proper technique from its user.

That said, the racket feels incredibly solid when defending smashes with cross-court drives or lifts. Its stability and the direct response of the short shaft are evident here. However, when struggling in fast exchanges, it might be better to play it safe and stick to a high lift and defensive strategy.

Overall, the HX90 lives up to its price and position. It’s a high-end racket with a high usage threshold. Although it has great elasticity, you need enough power to make the most of it. Its properties overlap with many other rackets, so it’s understandable why it might not be a top-seller despite being a quality product.

I must admit, this racket is a bit of a lemon right out of the gate. When I first got it, it came strung, but upon closer inspection, I noticed something was off with the head. After cutting the strings, the damage wasn’t too severe, so I decided to keep it. However, upon closer inspection, it turned out that all six holes on the racket head were in pretty rough shape. If you plan to use this racket, make sure you find a reliable and skilled stringer, preferably one who knows to rotate the grommets with each restringing. For this review, I replaced the damaged grommets with the lightest six-link grommets I could find, which might affect the racket’s performance. After replacing the grommets, I noticed that the stringer didn’t rotate the grommets at the 2 o’clock and 10 o’clock positions, so I had to trust their judgment.

Endorsed by Wang Shixian, the flagship of the HX series, designed by Victor’s Taiwan division, this balanced racket has a reputation to live up to. However, on badminton gear forums, it only scored a 7.9 out of 10, with most reviews being 4 stars. The strangest part is the completely contradictory reviews: some say it’s head-heavy with a stiff, unforgiving shaft that slows down your swing and strains your wrist, while others describe it as slightly head-light, with a soft, forgiving shaft that’s easy to handle and allows for quick swings.

A friend who has tried the entire HX series gave this racket a rather negative review, which made me curious about the HX990 to see what it’s all about.

Specifications: 3UG5, total weight with grip and strings is 99.2g, balance point at 300mm, 6.8mm Flash Shaft (M30J + M46J), 210mm shaft length, stiff, 675mm racket length, aerodynamic frame, 9-3 o’clock string grooves, warranty up to 31 lbs, strung with 25-27 lbs VBS66N.

The striking vermilion base color, combined with white and black stripes and gold-embossed text, makes it impossible to overlook. The aggressive color scheme almost invites confrontation, making it something you’d want to pick up and wield.

After stringing, the racket felt noticeably head-heavy, which didn’t quite align with the expected balanced design. After trying out the HX900, I thought its 3U version would be better, but now I think I was wrong about the HX990, especially in doubles, where continuous play is emphasized.

Before changing the strings, I tried it with the original Li-Ning No. 5 strings. It had no issues with clears, and the head-heavy feel was just right for me, allowing for effortless power transfer. Even at this stage, I could feel the shaft’s elasticity. The aerodynamic frame provided a smooth swing, and the overall feel matched the level of a flagship racket from Victor. I tried a few quick drives with light force, and the feel was still sharp, with good directional control and appropriate shot speed. The feedback wasn’t overly crisp, but the elasticity was top-notch, offering a moderate hold on the shuttle. In net play drills, the HX990 provided plenty of confidence in delicate shots. Coach Pang Hu mentioned during his analysis of the Sudirman Cup match between Shi Yuqi and Kento Momota that Wang Shixian represents a typical Jiangsu-Zhejiang playstyle, characterized by fine techniques, and so far, this image aligns well with the HX990 (cue the iconic triple-crosscourt-net-shots).

This racket clearly leans more towards singles play, but its performance can only be fully validated in doubles matches. I must say that the VBS66N strings also felt somewhat sluggish. While the directionality and power during smashes were excellent, there was a noticeable sticky feeling with the shuttle on the string bed, making the feedback less crisp and not as satisfying. The “meaty” feel could be due to the large frame or the shaft tuning, but it also highlights the different approaches taken by the Nanjing and Taiwan factories in understanding or handling the Hypernano series. The HX990 and HX900 are two different beasts.

It seems that a significant portion of the Chinese national women’s singles team prefers rackets that amateurs generally find to have a somewhat dull hitting feel, like the Astrox 77. During testing, I could sense that this racket has a very high ceiling, but the overall feel was rather serene and emotionless. If I were to describe this racket, it would be “stable”—stable in feel, stable in control, stable in clears. However, I think most amateur players would prefer a racket that feels more exciting. Given its fragile nature, it’s understandable why it’s not as popular.

First post of the new year, and I made a special effort to arrange a trade with a local player. Although it’s rare for local courts to be open throughout the entire Spring Festival, it’s still difficult to find the time for a match amidst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Even with no shortage of fellow players or available courts, finding time for an intense game to offset holiday overindulgence is quite a feat. For someone like me, who usually plays 2-3 games a week, the badminton craving was real. I wonder how everyone else spent their Spring Festival.

Let’s try to complete the entire HX series of high-end rackets. Here comes the 7th one, the HX600. The more I experience the HX series, the more I regret the experimental nature of this line.

Specifications: 3UG5, total weight with grip and shrink wrap is 98g, balance point at 292mm, 6.8mm Flash Shaft, 210mm length, stiff shaft, diamond aerodynamic frame, 10-4 o’clock string grooves, warranty up to 30 lbs, strung with 25-26 lbs BG80P.

The high-end HX series has some really attractive paint jobs, and so far, I haven’t encountered a single one that’s mediocre. The white base paint, silver high-gloss stickers, and glossy finish give it a very orthodox look, without any obvious masculine or feminine aesthetic features. However, the sharp edges of the aerodynamic frame still suffer from a certain fragility in the paint, and by the time I got the racket from the seller, it had only been used for a few high clears, with no damage and in excellent condition. It was only some slight scuffing from the rackets rubbing against each other when they were stacked that caused a minor blemish.

In terms of specs, the HX600 and my HX-Sun don’t differ at all. Both have similar swing speeds when unstrung, though the HX600 feels slightly head-heavy and starts a bit slower. I believe if I removed the shrink wrap on the grip, the balance point would easily reach 300mm. The slight head-heavy feel makes the racket very comfortable to handle, and aside from the weight, it’s almost indistinguishable from the Sun, so much so that I was already thinking about how to naturally segue this review into a discussion about the HX-Sun before even hitting the court.

However, a fellow player had previously warned me that there’s a difference in the shaft tuning between the two. Once on the court, I could indeed feel that the HX600 and HX-Sun aren’t the same—the HX600 is stiffer. Even though the string tension and weight were different from before, I could still sense that the 600’s shaft was a bit harder to drive with the same power. When I’m not in top form, I can use the Sun as a “sugar water” racket, but the HX600 is noticeably less forgiving.

Clears are easy to control, and the directionality of the shots aligns well with what you’d expect from a high-end racket. The frame’s forgiveness, handling of defensive shots, smashes, and control at the net are similar to the Sun, making it a good reference point.

However, in terms of offense, the HX600 has more explosive power. The stiffer feel gives more advanced players a better tactile response during downward shots, with more violent and accurate hitting. This 3U racket showcases the diamond frame’s torsional resistance and the excellent elasticity of M46J carbon, and when paired with BG80P strings, smashes feel satisfyingly solid. But this satisfaction comes with a caveat. On the day of testing, my partner tried using the HX600 for a few rallies before switching back to their Kason 10U.

It’s worth noting that I also used the HX900X that day. While both have similar difficulty levels in terms of drive, the Pyrofil and Flash Shaft materials offer different sensations—the former feels crisper, while the latter is slightly more flexible.

I won’t go into too much detail on the other experiences. Compared to Victor’s flagship lines like Bravesword, Jetspeed, Thruster, and TK series, the HX series really tried out a lot of different combinations. The variety of frame shapes in the HX series is the most diverse. Even though it’s positioned as an all-around racket, some models clearly lean more towards speed or offensive play. The overall characteristics of the HX series aren’t very clear, and there’s a significant difference between the rackets. This may be why its market performance was subpar and why it was eventually replaced by the DriveX series.

Rumor has it that this Nanjing-made racket used to be available at a bargain price? It’s a decent racket, but after browsing Taobao, considering its reputation and the availability of alternatives, its current price is just about competitive. It holds its value moderately well on second-hand markets, so it’s not a bad choice to pick one up at a good price for some fun.

I believe that the overall performance of a racket is a product of its individual aspects, much like a rectangle with a fixed perimeter of 4 meters achieves its maximum area when all sides are equal to 1 meter.

The HX series has only two pieces left to complete the puzzle. What? You say the HX7SP and HX6SP haven’t been played yet? Then just slap on the old Nano 7/6, and you’re good to go. This time, it’s said that the HX70 is an upgraded version of the Nano 7 before the launch of the Victor DriveX 7.

Specifications: 4UG5, weight without grip: 83.9g, balance point: 300mm, shaft length: 210mm, medium-stiff tuning, 76-hole diamond aerodynamic frame, 8-4 o’clock string grooves, warranty for 25 lbs, strung with 24-26 lbs VBS66N.

From the appearance, my first impression of this racket is that it looks just like the HX20H—same color scheme, similar design patterns. However, the dark red HX insignia on the shaft adds a touch of sophistication to the racket. This mid-range racket also gives me the vibe of a main character’s Gundam. Apart from its average recognition, there’s nothing wrong with it. As for the paint quality, it’s consistent with the rest of the series.

There’s no need to elaborate on its feel, as it’s a familiar head-heavy balance and frame shape. Compared to the HX80, it lacks a bit of the solid feel brought by the heavier head, similar to the HX60H. Overall, with similar basic features, it doesn’t have much distinctiveness, making it difficult to distinguish it from several previous models in the HX series. The racket originally came strung with a 24-pound BG65Ti, and while the overall condition was decent—with only some paint chips on the head and marks from picking up shuttles, no signs of impact on the frame, and it appeared relatively new—it wasn’t until I cut the strings due to tension loss that I discovered several sunken string holes. The creep resistance of this frame’s material is indeed concerning.

Is it a good racket? I think so. It’s not hard to notice that it seems to perform moderately in every aspect, scoring 6-7 points across the board without any significant weaknesses. The HX70 is a product of average performance—it’s not particularly appealing, but it genuinely provides a reliable performance for players with different preferences and skills. Using this racket helps eliminate the possibility of relying on a single trick and promotes the development of a player’s game sense, making it feel like a training tool.

I can’t say it’s outstanding, but I do have a fondness for it. On the day I tried it, my friend’s NF600 broke a string, so I lent him the HX70 as a backup. As a prospective Nano 7 user, he also found the HX70 surprisingly satisfying.

Another entry in the HX series, the HX80L represents a mid-range model. Given the vast and diverse range within this category, completing it would be quite a challenge. Surprisingly, the coverage so far has been quite decent, possibly because some models in this series are easier to acquire, which highlights the overall lackluster nature of the HX series.

The HX80L, in terms of specs, is almost high-end, and it has a sibling without the “L” suffix. The HX20H and HX30 are quite good entry-level rackets, while the HX80L… well, it’s just worth mentioning for reference.

Parameters: 4UG5, full-spec 86.4g, balance point 289mm, 6.8mm shaft 220mm length, hardness marked as medium hard but actually medium, diamond aerodynamic frame, 8-4 o’clock grommets, 76-hole string bed, 26 lbs warranty, string tension 24-26 lbs VBS70.

Visually, the HX80L is appealing with its white base color and subtle, light-colored water-mark patterns on the frame. This design is a common technique to make the racket look fresher, which fits the trend of “L” suffix models generally being more suited for female players. However, after extensive use, the quality of the paint and finish of the racket reveals typical issues, with more attractive rackets showing more wear and tear over time.

The initial feel during dry swings doesn’t offer much to discuss. The racket’s overall hardness is not high, the swing speed is reasonably quick, and it is a balanced racket but not particularly responsive. For those familiar with the Nano 7, the HX80L feels like a slightly lighter version of that.

The HX80L uses the same repulsion carbon tube as the HX100. Previously, the HX100 felt much stiffer than its rating, while this one feels softer than its marked medium hard. This could be due to noticeable degradation in shaft hardness. Despite the promotional claims that this technology improves the resilience of a soft shaft, it doesn’t show up in high-clearance shots, making it feel like a typical entry-level racket—easy to use, with decent directional control and swing speed.

Testing alongside the FX04, the HX80L felt slightly stiffer and delivered a bit crisper shots. With the VBS70 strings, it had good control in the front court and could create opportunities for proactive plays due to its lightness. However, its rear court performance, especially for smashes, lacked the surprise factor. It had a somewhat dull and uninspired feel throughout the test. The 76-hole string bed does increase the ball feel.

For male players, the racket might seem quite unremarkable due to its average offensive quality. To rule out any impact from recent high-end rackets affecting my sensitivity, I compared it to a 4U TK15 from a colleague, which showed a noticeable difference in smash quality. The HX80L’s capability for continuous play was acceptable, but it fell short in terms of aggressiveness, especially with a 26 lbs warranty. For more aggressive shots, traditional offensive strings would be needed.

The HX80L doesn’t provide much excitement in terms of feedback. During poor performance periods, the only sensation I felt was a somewhat bland one.

In summary, the HX80L’s technology doesn’t need to be overly elaborate. The core filling does offer a more stable feel and better directional control, with good vibration dampening. However, it doesn’t provide the added elasticity that the higher-end models offer. The soft and balanced nature seems to be aimed at female players. The initial solid feel might be nice, but over time, the elasticity falls short compared to the HX20H and certainly doesn’t reach the level of the HX100. This could be due to the degradation in shaft performance, making it a decent but not exceptional choice within the HypernanoX mid-range. It reminds me of the Double Blade 6.