Introducing the Yonex Arcsaber 10 badminton racket, considered by many to be “top of the range” and used by a high percentage of professionals. Yonex’s “higher end” badminton rackets have a slightly tighter string, which makes it easier to test them out of the bag. The racket has great graphics and, as you’d expect from Yonex, a really solid feel. There is very little spin in a Yonex racquet, which means that in extreme conditions, your shot remains accurate. Many other racquets do not have the legendary built-in T-piece that adds “lateral” strength to the racquet. The extra movement under these other rackets may be enough to send the shuttle off the side court.
The racket has a lovely balance and feel to me. The stiff shaft is fine as I’m used to playing similar rackets so my timing didn’t need to be adjusted. Immediately I got to the ferry I felt at ease. It was like playing with an old friend. The clears were crisp and true and overall the racket was a joy to play. As expected, he responded quickly at the net and on defense. I soon began to wonder why I wasn’t playing this racket as my racket of choice. Then I remembered that I chose the Armortec 900 Power because it was balanced with the weight slightly in favor of the top of the head to give me that extra oomph in my swing. Not the best of hitters, this racket gave me a little more.
Back to the Arcsaber 10. Everything I tried with this racket, from backhand punts to the tightest spinning net shots, the racket performed admirably. To be honest, that’s what I’d expect this racket to do considering it’s top of the range. There is one thing that I noticed and that was the speed with which it could respond to a sudden change in direction or power. I went much faster with this racket compared to my Armortec 900. I’ll have to work on that and do more armchair exercises!
There is a lot of debate going on in many forums at the moment about the price of badminton rackets and as you can imagine Yonex has been getting all worked up about this. Is it worth it with a PVP of €170? In my opinion, this racket delivered everything I wanted from it. Because choosing a racket is so personal, it’s only worth it to me if it delivers exactly what you want it to do. The “feel” of the racket and its performance are critical in your choice. You should choose the racket that meets these criteria along with your budget.
For some, the Arcsaber 10 will be out of the budget and may not be the racket of choice. For others it will be the best racket they have ever experienced. The only way to know is to try one. Check with the manufacturer’s website and search for “demo days” to see if there is one in your area. If so, go and try as many rackets as you can. It really helps you make the right decision and can save you a lot of money.
An important note. I’ve seen a lot of fake Arcsaber 10’s on eBay recently. There is no such thing as “China version”. As the saying goes, “if you think it’s too good to be true…it’s the best way to approach these ads. I know two people who have bought on eBay recently and regretted it. Why? Simply because the racket it looks the same, that is until you put one next to the other with the real thing.Then you can easily spot the differences in the graphics, the serial code on the ferrule and most importantly the twist on the head.
Rest assured counterfeits are not made from the same materials and will NEVER be reproduced as the original. Unbelievably, the law seems to be on the side of the fraudsters. Yonex is doing everything possible to have these sellers removed from eBay. Because they say the racket is a “china clone” or words to that effect, they are actually telling you that it is not real and therefore cannot be prosecuted under various Trade Descriptions laws.
“Buyer beware” is probably the best way to look at this. If you really want an Arcasber 10 badminton racket, expect to pay good money for it. I think this racket will serve you (erm…sorry) well. If I had to rate this racket I would give it 4 stars out of my 5 star system. It loses a star based on value for money. To some this will be a 5 star racket but I can’t help but think how much more I would get out of this racket compared to a racket that retails for £80.00 Is this racket really twice as good?
As I said before, choosing a badminton racket is something extremely personal. Knowing how well this racket has worked for me, I would buy it. I wouldn’t worry about what this racket offers and that’s a big part of my decision making. I know instantly that it’s 100% reliable, so I won’t blame my racket if I’m underperforming. This racket pretty much has it all and if my Armortec Power 900 were to be taken away tomorrow, this is the racket I would turn to without a second thought.