Hi all - I am a Masters county player in the UK and need to replace my beloved Yonex Power Cushion SHB-99MXs as they are falling apart! I need a flexible and (ultra) lightweight shoe as I'm pretty light on my feet. I tried the Yonex SHB-F1LTD and couldn't get on with them - they just seemed a bit heavier and stiffer. Can anyone suggest a shoe that I might get on with? Happier to try an alternative to Yonex. I have average width feet. many thanks Jools
Could anyone who has the following possibly post the weight in grammes? - Yonex SHB-86EX - Yonex SHB-87EX - Victor SH-910 - Victor SH-9000ACE - Victor SH-9100 many thanks! Jools
mizuno mastercross. they have been discontinued, but shuttlehouse japan still has a few old stock. mizuno current line of Wave Fang line of shoes are not bad either - soft, responsive, low to the ground, light weight, wave heal support is awesome. shuttlehouse has a nice 20% discount currently, for a pair of top of the line shoes with shipping under GBP70, that is a pretty good deal.
I don't think the Mastercross could be lightweight, they were made with real leather. The XT2 might be something and iirc the Asics Gel Beyond from last year was pretty lightweight but not so durable. Supposedly the new version has more Gel cushioning so not sure it they still weigh the same. The new (current) Blade's look like they could fit the part, think someone weighed them here (will have to look up). Wonder if the F1's are in fact heavier, they were supposed to be Yonex's lightest ever when they came out(?) ...
Have to add the Mizuno's are around 290+ gram at 26.0cm whilst the F1LTD's weight which I believe was 265gr. at 26.0cm. (F1N LTD promoted at 275gr.) Something like Adizero Feather Pro is probably lighter than the Mizunos (now Counterblast 7, looks a bit stiffer), seeing an Asics Gel Fastball as well atm ...
edit rolleyes: Have to add the lightest Mizuno's are listed around 290+ gram at 26.0cm (XT2 even listed at 305gr.) whilst the F1LTD's weight I believe was listed as 265gr. at 26.0cm. (F1N LTD promoted at 275gr.) Something like Adizero Feather Pro is probably lighter than the Mizunos (now Counterblast 7, looks a bit stiffer but aren't and definitely ultralight), seeing an Asics Gel Fastball as well atm ... Something lower down the chain with less features probably fits the light and flexibel, maybe Asics Gel Upcourt or something alike ....
i never actually weighed the shoes. guess you could be right. the mastercross fitted so well, snug and supple , so low to the ground, gave the illusion of feeling light - which is good enough for me. what really sold me is their heel shock absorption without the apparent bulk of other shoes, an important factor for any avid player coming on with age. havent bought yonex since the original shb65 cf came out, so cant comment much on latest models. i was looking at the asics blade, but ended up with the new mizunos again.
I actually later remembered only the red one (Pro?) was natural leather, maybe you had one of the others? (or the Pro with supple natural leather , wanted it but 2E width definitely put me off) But the listed weights and actual weights may not correspond as practically proven here: http://www.badmintoncentral.com/for...ve-Party-2!!?p=2120358&viewfull=1#post2120358 XT2 listed as 305gr. at 26.0cm and actual weight 25.5cm 272gr. (although these were bought from HK, but probably shouldn't matter) This is what I vaguely remembered when recommending the XT2 but then I saw the official listing on the Mizuno website which tells a whole different story ... Adidas Adizero Courtblast 7 is only 287gr. actual weight at around 28.0cm (awaiting confirmation on actual size)
Thanks Demolidor - you could be right about the F1s in terms of objective weight - its just to me they *felt* heavier on court than my 99MXs, particularly when receiving a flick serve, I always struggled to get back behind the shuttle with my F1LTDs! Just shows how subjective shoes are - I suppose the best option would be to buy 2 or 3 pairs (e.g Feather Pro's, Counterblast 7s, Asics) and see if I can return the ones that I don't need. Thanks for your advice.
Shame the Adidas Counterblast 7s are such garish colours - they look like an interesting shoe but not sure I could live with those colours on court!
If the shoe is stiffer, it might give you a more subjective feeling of being heavier. I tried the adidas BT feather. It feels light but breaks a bit easy. I don't like it because I can't get a good spring from a bounce. However, it may work for you.
You're absolutely right Cheung - I weighed my Yonex 99MXs and my F1LTDs last night and despite the 99MX's feeling much lighter and springier when I play in them they are heavier than the F1LTDs! So the key is flexibility as well as being lightweight and bouncy! I've gone with a pair of Victor SH910s - I'll let you know how I get on with them and thanks again everyone for your advice.
