soneko's profile

Gender Male
Age U30
Experience １１〜２０ years

User review

  • This is my review of the 3U.
    Personally, I think it's one of YONEX's masterpiece rackets, even though it's hard to handle.
    My impression is a racket that devotes everything to the smash. It's quite head-heavy, and the shaft is very stiff too.
    As you'd expect from a racket that sells itself on being easy to swing, there's a strange sensation of not feeling the weight while swinging.
    Clears go far as a matter of course, and when you hit a smash cleanly, it stands head and shoulders above other rackets.
    However, I had an aversion to the compact frame, so it didn't become my main racket.
    Strength is of course necessary, but I think this racket also requires the skill to catch the shuttle in the center even with a compact frame.
    I think it's a racket I'd recommend to true hard hitters who want to keep smashing even if it means overcoming those drawbacks.

    2021/02/14
    Overall
    8/10
    Control
    6
    Touch
    10
    Swing
    10
    Operability
    5
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  • Review of the 3U
    It says "answers Lin Dan's requests, combining power and control," but honestly I don't think an ordinary player gets much benefit in terms of control.
    The reason is that the head is too heavy.
    It's often compared with the Z-FORCE II (ZF from here on), and it's hardly inferior in power. Some say the ZF is the more head-heavy one, but I don't think so. I actually own a 3U ZF, and when I compare them, this racket feels heavier in the head. That may be due to the ZF's slim shaft and compact frame.
    This racket was made for Lin Dan in the first place, so it would be strange for an ordinary player to get the same benefits Lin Dan does, right?
    That said, since it doesn't have a compact frame, it's definitely more stable than the ZF, and I understand the feeling of it gripping the shuttle. In that sense you could say the control is good, but it's probably only good "compared to the ZF."
    Of course the power is proven, and smashes and clears are easy to hit using the weight of the racket.
    If you find the ZF hard to use but want power, why not give this one a try?

    2021/02/13
    Overall
    8/10
    Control
    7
    Touch
    9
    Swing
    8
    Operability
    6
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  • It's similar to the NANORAY 800, but my impression is that you can hit sharper smashes than with that.
    In doubles, I think you can use it whether you're in the front court or rear court. It's easy to handle, so your defense gets tighter. It's an advantage in doubles and fast rallies.
    As mentioned, it's very sharp, so even wrist smashes go "swish!" Combined with cuts and half smashes, you can keep your opponent off balance, so I think it's useful in singles too.
    However, since it's light and has a stiff shaft, you need a certain amount of arm strength and the technique to transfer power to the shuttle.

    2021/02/15
    Overall
    8/10
    Control
    9
    Touch
    8
    Swing
    10
    Operability
    10
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  • It's a ferocious racket, and I think it's very hard to handle.
    In terms of head-heaviness, the YONEX Z-FORCE II (ZF from here on) feels slightly heavier, but the problem is the stiffness of the shaft. It feels like swinging a metal rod. You can hardly feel any flex.
    This racket supposedly advertises good swing speed, but I can't really feel it. The ZF is way better.
    As the title says, it's probably a racket made for overseas power hitters.
    Which means that if a Japanese player uses it, they won't be able to control it without considerable strength and core stability.
    I think it's fine for basic rallying practice. But in matches, you can't help feeling its poor maneuverability.
    On the other hand, because the shaft is stiff, your power is transmitted directly.
    It goes well with thin strings and high tension.
    When it comes to smashes, it delivers tremendous power.
    Honestly, I think people who want to smash or clear using the racket's weight should just use the ZF or the ASTROX 99.
    But for people who want to transfer their own arm strength to the shuttle on top of the racket's weight, it's the perfect racket.

    2021/02/13
    Overall
    7/10
    Control
    5
    Touch
    9
    Swing
    5
    Operability
    5
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