ASTROX 88D [Discontinued]

Everyone's rating [Performance] Touch and Swing rated highly
ASTROX 88D
ASTROX 88D

(Click the photo to enlarge)

Average review score

  • Rating: 9.47 / 10
  • Number of reviews: 32
    • Swing: 9.28
    • Maneuverability: 8.88
    • Control: 9.28
    • Touch：9.34

    Power destroys opponents with aggressive smash. · Position-specific kick point design · Energy boost cap · Nu-mu · Rotational generator system · Nano metric DR · Aero + box shape · New grommet pattern · Solid feel core · Nanometric · New built-in T type joint · Super slim shaft

    Specifications

    Producer
    YONEX
    Series
    Astrox (ASTROX)
    Model number
    4550086095514
    Grip size
    3U4、3U5、4U4、4U5
    Color
    Ruby red
    Length
    675
    Weight
    3U,4U
    Shaft stiffness / feel
    Slightly hard
    Head balance
    Slightly head heavy
    Recommended tension

    4U: 20 to 28 (lbs) 3U: 21 to 29 (lbs)

    Frame material
    High elastic carbon frame + nanometric + tungsten
    Shaft material
    High elastic carbon shaft + Namd, new built-in T type joint
    Frame shape
    isometric

    User Review SummaryAI Summary
    Highly rated as a high-performance racket for doubles backcourt play. The powerful and stable smash is its greatest appeal, but its head-heavy design and hard ball feel cause significant variation in suitability depending on playing style and skill level.
    ■ Frequently mentioned points
    • Powerful smashes that drop easily
    • Optimized for doubles backcourt
    • Good swing despite head-heavy design
    • Hard ball feel and stiff shaft
    • Feels lighter once accustomed
    ■ Representative voices
    ▲ PositiveThe smash power and exhilarating feel are unbeatable. For a doubles backcourt racket, the weighty smash it delivers is astonishing. Despite being head-heavy, it swings well even at 4U weight.
    ▽ CriticalDoesn't suit users accustomed to stiff-shafted head-light rackets. Those prioritizing speed and quickness over power should consider other rackets instead of relying on this one's characteristics.

    User reviews

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    • kazu

      kazu （Experience：11-20 years） For hard hitters who control the game!!

      These are my impressions of the 4U G5.
      When I held it, it felt like a 3U even though it's 4U. Honestly, it's heavy.

      But when I used it, I didn't feel the weight that much; on the contrary, control was very good, and feints from the back line were easy!
      The shaft is also quite stiff and it's a heavier racket, so it feels like a racket for the rear court in doubles!!

      It's not that you can't play front court or receive with it, but it really does feel strongly like a racket for attacking!

      2018/09/30
      Overall
      9/10
      Swing
      9
      Maneuverability
      8
      Control
      10
      Touch
      10
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    • Diet man

      Diet man （Experience：4-5 years） Smashing in doubles feels amazing!

      I use the 4UG5 strung with ABBT at 24 lbs. I'm a doubles player.
      Its strength is that overhead shots like smashes and clears, with the head-heavy weight behind them, are stable, and the satisfaction of a well-timed smash in particular is irresistible. In terms of smash satisfaction alone, some people might prefer the VOLTRIC Z-FORCE II or ASTROX 99, but those rackets are more singles-oriented, and for a racket recommended for doubles to deliver such a heavy smash is simply astonishing. I'm the typical doubles player who loves the rear court and values "overhead stroke" shots, so I think that's why this racket matched me.
      As for maneuverability, it's head-heavy and the shaft isn't thin compared with other YONEX products, so swing speed is so-so, but in 4U you can swing it around just fine.
      That said, swinging it all the time does get tiring, so I sometimes switch to another racket then, but it's a racket that makes me want to use it even so.
      It's sad that it was discontinued just a few months ago when the new PRO and GAME models came out, but I plan to keep using it for a while as a rare classic precisely because it's discontinued.

      2021/08/09
      Overall
      10/10
      Swing
      9
      Maneuverability
      8
      Control
      10
      Touch
      10
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    • Kaga Hyakumangoku

      Kaga Hyakumangoku （Experience：4-5 years）

      This is a review after test-hitting the 4U5.
      It's easy to hit steep, downward smashes.
      I had personally avoided it because I assumed the smash power came at the cost of maneuverability, but I didn't feel the racket was as heavy or as hard to play finesse shots with as I'd expected.
      It's said to have one of the stiffest shafts in the ASTROX series, but I didn't find it that stiff either.
      Like the 88S, it's easy to see why so many people use it.

      2021/06/19
      Overall
      10/10
      Swing
      9
      Maneuverability
      9
      Control
      9
      Touch
      10
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    • Michinoku Hidayat

      Michinoku Hidayat （Experience：6-10 years） A racket that picks its player

      Bought the 4UG5.
      Honestly, it suited me the least of all the rackets I've used.

      That's because I had mostly used 4U even/head-light rackets with fairly stiff shafts, and my play style emphasized repulsion, so I think I couldn't bring out the strengths of the ASTROX.

      Even among rear-court doubles players, whether you push with power or compete with angles and quickness makes a big difference in racket choice. If you're the former, I recommend it; if you're the latter, I recommend the NANOFLARE or other makers' head-light, stiff-shaft rackets.

      2021/05/29
      Overall
      7/10
      Swing
      5
      Maneuverability
      3
      Control
      7
      Touch
      6
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    • Hoshino

      Hoshino （Experience：4-5 years）

      When you swing lightly the shaft is stiff, but when you swing hard and fast for smashes, clears and so on, you can definitely feel it flex.

      2021/02/08
      Overall
      10/10
      Swing
      10
      Maneuverability
      10
      Control
      10
      Touch
      10
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    • The Uncle Who Loves Badminton

      The Uncle Who Loves Badminton （Experience：6-10 years） Using the 4U alongside the ASTROX 77.

      I use the new red design alongside the ASTROX 77. First of all, many people describe this racket as stiff. In my experience, it's not the shaft that's stiff; it's the face (the feel) that's clearly stiffer compared to the ASTROX 77. Even strung at the same tension, it feels 1-2 lbs higher. However, the shaft flexes surprisingly well, so although it's stiff, it still sends the shuttle deep. The shaft is just a touch stiffer than the ASTROX 77, and the timing for catching the shuttle is almost the same, so I use the 88D as my main racket, and switch to the ASTROX 77 when I get tired or when I'm partnered with advanced players (when getting the shuttle back takes priority). The head weight is almost the same as the 77. I think it's probably the 88D's distinctive stiff feel that decides whether people like it or not. If you drop the string tension 1 lb below usual, or use a soft, thin string, it turns into a pretty easy-to-use racket. Its strength, the smash, drops steeply and carries. Compared to other YONEX rackets, it clearly delivers more destructive power. Many people avoid this racket, but if you work on the string tension and type, it's an easy racket to use for anyone who likes head-heavy rackets.

      2021/02/08
      Overall
      10/10
      Swing
      10
      Maneuverability
      8
      Control
      8
      Touch
      10
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    • Mr. Slight Cold

      Mr. Slight Cold Feel is too soft

      The feel was softer than I expected. Personally I like stiffer shafts, so it wasn't for me.

      2020/10/12
      Overall
      8/10
      Swing
      9
      Maneuverability
      10
      Control
      8
      Touch
      6
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