Ya, the stiff just feels good (for me). It just i dont find it more powerful than 77pro. I got few miss hits but i think this is expected and we need to adapt for sure.
We can't get everything and must be happy what we get. In terms of stiffness I know no other source which provide independent stiffness measurements. Some reviewers also confuse us with statement to the contrary. Some say it is stiffer, other say it's less demanding and more forgiving, so VNB always the source which show us the tendency. But even with varations the numbers are so far apart that we can be sure that the 2024 88SPRO is much stiffer, which also @hm_andhika said. So for me: fellow BC members >> reviewers
Had a few hits with the 88D pro today and I really wanted to like it. It was the 3UG4 and I've used the second gen and the first gen before without any problems. The 3rd gen just is isn't as powerful. It's arguably better at everything else except raw power. On a max smash with everything lined up, it's as if the shaft absorbs some of the force which should have been given to the shuttle. There are rackets where you get what you put into it, but this one feels like it's trying to assist you. It will def give more easy access power to many, but if you have good technique and powerhouse timing already, you feel like you've been robbed some.
I havent try 88D pro, but I had a strong feeling 77pro is still having a better power. I might speculate too much but now, you say it. This is very re-assuring for me.
yes i like VNB reviews as well but stiffness-wise it is sometimes strange, e.g. TKFE is measured as very stiff at 7.5, but it definitely doesn't feel too stiff too me. Whereas 88s pro 2nd gen is measured not very stiff - and it feels very stiff to me. Maybe it is because the flex of the racket head as well, because VNB measures only shaft stiffness Actually probably a more accurate test is attaching a weight to the top of the frame and measuring the displacement (saw it in one of the reviews)
I agree that your mentioned method would be more accurate and it is a shame that nobody use it to provide better informations. Which review have you seen and would you mind to share? Sounds interesting to me. I think that there are also a few factors which distort the feel. From different strings and tensions, to Victors Freecore which can also can have an influence, over the shaft length, the head size, the frame profile of the head to the pattern and also the total length (shorter leverage). At the end they are totally different rackets and the head weight also affect how stiff the racket plays. I also see that the VNB method is far away from perfect, but for me better reference than 10 people saying it is stiff and 10 people saying it is more flexible. I think as long as you just compare inside various versions of a racket model it is okay and better than nothing or just hearsays. I also wish that this swing weight machines would be more consistent and manufactures find a standard how they measure and provide infromations. Who can understand this racket maps? I also have seen on a Li-ning machine very high dry head weight measurements (nothing under 40g), while Yonex has by a few grams lower results. Also Victor and Yonex swing weight results are not compareable. At the end there is much room to deliver better measurements but such indicators are still better than nothing.
This is what happens when you add flex to a racket, it's just simple physics. I think they designed this thing for lower level players.
I saw a while ago this reviewer doing that . I think the other channel "Badminton Guide" does the same for all of their racquets but I am not 100% sure
Had my first session with the 88D Pro (4U G5) today. Doubles. Mid-Intermediate. Strings: BG80 (26lb x 28lb). Took a bit to get used to coming from NF800 3U (not pro). Also coming back from a being really inconsistent last week, so take that with a grain of salt. After dialing in the timing of my swings, I felt I was able to really play to the strengths of racket, probably can get more after more practice time. Pretty powerful compared to previous rackets I've used in the past (NF 800 3U, NF800LT 5U, NF700, AX88S [1st gen], Duora 10, Duora 6), felt like I could really put away the shuttle when set up well for smashes. While the "speed" of the shuttle was not like what I could get from the NF8003U, the overall power forced my opponents to get less optimal returns making it easier for my partner or myself to be on the offensive. The overall touch was not as "hard"/responsive as I'm used to, a bit soft and less repulsive compared to the headlights I've used, which is expected. Net game was a hurdle to adjust to for me so far, shuttles ended up not as flat/short as I'd like which let my opponents get net kills. To be honest may be skill-issue on my part. Front play was a bit slower, so I had to adjust what shots I could make, but not too bad. Lifts were great and easy to get out of trouble. Defense was ok for me, felt like I had to put more effort into getting flatter returns on smashes than I'm used to. The head weight made the racket feel a bit slow but manageable, forced me to lift more on defense. Overall, I like it so far - Smashes were satisfying and felt great (which I think is what people want out of this racket to be honest). Net play is ok. Backcourt touch is good. Defense is satisfactory. Colourway, nice. I'll give it a month or two before going more in-depth on how I really feel about the racket or rating it just yet.
Quick impressions of the new 88S Pro 4UG5 (strung with BG66 Ultimax at 27lb) after two hours of playing. I play doubles, intermediate level. My views here are made in reference to the latest 77 Pro which I have used for about six months, and to my preferred racket characteristics (even balance or slightly head heavy, and medium stiff; Bravesword 12 is my favourite racket). Head heaviness - the new 88S Pro feels slightly more head heavy than the 77 Pro, despite similar balance point measurements at around 297-298mm. Perhaps something to do with the distribution of weight. I feel 77 Pro is a faster racket. Stiffness - the new 88S Pro bends more than the 77 Pro, feels somewhat softer. Initially I was worried that the racket could be as stiff as the previous 88D Pro (the gold colour) or 100zz after seeing the stiffness measurement at the VNB channel, but the stiffness turned out to be just fine for me. A slight digression, I regularly use the YouTube channels of VNB, Badminton Guide, and More Than A Swing to find stats like balance point and stiffness. They are objective measurements that I find useful as an initial reference for comparison between rackets. That said, there are limitations as the actual feel of a racket can be influenced by other factors. For example, I thought that the new 88S Pro would feel similar to 77 Pro in terms of head heaviness, but I found 77 Pro to be a faster or head lighter racket. I will need to give more time to the new racket. At this stage, I still prefer 77 Pro as it is faster and feels more direct. One area that I like about the new 88S Pro is drop shot and this may be due to its slightly heavier head weight.
Interesting. I just got to play with my friend's 88S Pro (4UG5) strung with VBS-63 at 27 lbs. I found the head weight to more or less similar to my 77pro, perhaps slightly less. Felt it to be stiffer than 77 pro, with a more solid feeling. It also felt faster. Drives were a breeze, net shots were decent but that's one of my weakest areas so not much to comment there. Smashes weren't as powerful, but they felt faster. It now tops my OG 88S as my favourite. Unfortunately it seems that my wallet will be crying. Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk
Couldn't agree with you more. Watched many reviews and everyone that says it's a great racket and plenty powerful, all I see are the smashes coming back from the opponents. This is exactly how I felt this racket plays. Against the people I play with, if you don't have that extra pep in your smash, it will all be sent back. At 6:06, these guys pretty much summed it up in that its not going to be as powerful as the second gen. It will accel in all other aspects though. In contrast, I watch the videos on a 3U Axforce 100, and those smashes are deadly if you're used to smashing. The irony is that the new 88D smashes aren't going to kill many higher level players the way I want it to.
So i've decided to unload my 2nd gen 88D Pros to main the 88D 3rd gen. After about a month playing with it. I've got some more observations that many have echoed here before. The 3rd gen is an odd racket. In terms of power, it does give me an easier time when I hit any type of clear, be it regular clear, defense clear, backhand clear. But when I do a full smash I do find that it lacks the sting of the 2rd gen. I'm still getting used to the timing. The smashes from the 3rd gen feels fast....but not heavy. I've hit the sweetspot on full smashes and even they don't feel as good as with the 2nd gen. While the 3rd gen feels easier to me than the second gen on most aspects, it's on smashes where I feel I need to concentrate on my technique and be loose that bit more. But almost everything else I like the 3rd gen a bit more. The feel is good. I find drives feel more crisp. I'm not sure if they are faster but they sure feel better. I find I have better control when I serve than with the 2nd gen. SO the switch is more on feel and crispness rather than all out power. I'm switching not because the 2nd gen is bad in any way, but I'm the type of person who likes the same kind of rackets for consistency purpose. And during gameplay I always find myself grabbing the 3rd gen. Probably won't help anyone in deciding, but there you go.
Excellent input! My playstyle is a little more power orientated. There are some rackets that I can pick up and use easily, and the second gen was fine. The 3rd gen right off the bat feels like smashes get numbed down significantly. My input into the shot isn't completely translating to the shuttle is the best way I can explain the feel. Having also recently tried the Axforce 90 Tiger, I had a similar experience and didn't like it. It's going to come down to playstyle and what a racket can do for you. If you're not known for being super powerful, this thing can enhance everything that you're good at.
I think the entire local Vsmash stocks sold out within a week, even with the price hike. But I was expecting more reviews here really.
that's how technologies work. square grommet called cubic lock grommet, actually it used for some lining racket such as aeronaut 9000 and calibar 900 families for top frames grommets. budget wise, you may ask your stringer to change this cubic lock grommet with lining AXJK006-1 grommet because I found the cubic lock just only good for high tension twice (1 side), and AXJK006-1 can up to 3-4x on high tension up to 33 lbs (per sides), because some racket are not compatible with cubic lock square grommet.
Got me a 88D Pro 4U with UM66 @ 27lbs. And wow..... this is even better than I imagined. Clears and smashes were awesomely good, while drives is just about the same to my 88S Pro. When it comes to speed, defence and net play, 88S Pro still is better - but not by much. Really a perfect pair so to speak. One thing is for certain though - when your arms are tired after multiple matches, this thing gets heavy. Fast.
