Hi everybody,

Have been trying out a new pair of shoes this last week. Before that, I have been using Yonex. Why Yonex? Not because it was the best(!) but because it was so difficult to find any other half way suitable badminton shoes.

These new shoes are from the Mizuno range. Designed as a badminton shoe the model name is "Mastercross LB-R" (that's what the box says, the shoe doesn;t even have a model name on it).
The distinguishing feature is the Mizuno logo(blue colour) on the midpart of the shoe both sides with the material underneath the logo being a cloth mesh.
My impression this last week is that it is an excellent shoe. I have quite wide feet and have felt a bit unstable when using other shoes! But not with this Mizuno.
There is also enough padding so my heels don't need extra shock absorber pads (used to get very sore heels in the past)

The price is comparable with some of the Yonex range at about HK$300.

Being a very severe badminton fanatic, bought an extra pair at the same time. Didn't buy a third pair because I had too much shopping that day to carry!
I recommend actually trying to fit the shoe in the shop rather than getting somebody to buy the shoe for you. My Yonex Shoe is size 26.0(Japan), 7(UK), 8 (US) but this Mizuno size is 26.5 (Japan) for me.
Just as a reference, for ordinary shoes, I take UK size 8 instead of 7 because of my wide feet.

I bought from the "Luxis Sport Net" shop in Hong Kong.
1st floor, 41 Parkes Street, Jordan, Hong Kong.
To get there, go to "Jordan" MTR station.
Walk out of exit "C2" and you will be immediately on a cross roads junction.
Walk straight ahead(Bowring St) to the next junction which is the Bowring St and Parkes St junction.
Look to the 2 o'clock position and you can see the blue sign. Steps lead up to the 1st floor (2nd floor if u come from North America)

I had a chance to look at racquet prices.
HK$600-700 for the Ti range.
Add HK$150 for Ti Swing Power.
Iso 900 was about $650
CN versions add $300 more
ISO 800 still available, I think HK$600
Winex racquets also available

There's a couple of Sports centres very near by so you can buy your shoes & racquet, wait 30 mins for the stringing (use this time to book the court) and go try them out immediately!
Happy badminton in HK!!

P.S. For those guys who are really desperate, the owner also does badminton coaching (sorry, forgot to ask the cost). He will even play at 8am in the morning. Any fellow junkies willing to play at that time?!
(FYI, yes, I have played badminton at 8am)

Hey Kwun, it's like a tourist package deal for badminton.... :o)
Guess I'll have to make some additions to the badminton fanatic section.....

Luxis is my favorite shop for badmintion equipments too (I live in HK). Besides the reasonable price, customer service is pretty good as well (especially in compare with another badminton specialty shop in Mongkok's Sin Ta Square, even they may carry newer products, such as Yonex Ti-75, from Japan).

In addition, it is the only shop which I know in HK having Yonex's CN racquets for sale (these racquets really have difference with normal retail mode, try them yourselves !).

Regarding Mizuno badminton shoes, I think I've a pair of LBR as well (since I'm not sure the exact model, the price is more or less the same). Another pair of badminton shoes I've is Yonex's SHB-92 (just bought few weeks ago, attracted by as "Power Cushion"). From the preliminary experience on SHB-92, I think LBR is a very good and affordable badminton shoes as well. I found that it is more comfortable than Yonex, light and having good grip on floor.

You may also find the top model of Mizuno badminton shoes in Linux if you are luckily enough (they sold out very frequently). As they are imported models, the price is very expensive - HK$1000+. While I do interest to find out whether they worth the price (one of the model is called Ti something, Titanium in a pair of shoes ?), I can't afford to spend so much just on badminton shoes (and I think two pair of badminton shoes are already enough for me).

Remember to have a good tour in HK if you come to Linux !

I am very tempted to try out the CN racquet.
$1000+ for a badminton shoe?? wow, extreme.

Have to agree 100% on the service. The guy is very friendly and informative.

Ricky, do u play the local tournaments? if so, I probably see u around. Hey, maybe we know each other already!!!!???

I'm just an amature player, or someone with strong enthusiasm on badminton. I don't think I'm good enough to play in tournaments (in fact, I'm thinking about advancing my skills through a good coach). I play badminton more for fun.

It's a really nice to see a lot of professional players (or enthusiastic players like me) to share their ideas in this forum. While someone may think that there is no point to discuss too much on equipments, but in my opinion, if we can have fun during the discussion, why not ?

Hopefully more and more people will actively participate in this forum. When I first this Web site, I really round it amazing !

Cheung, perhaps I can learn more from you someday (I'm really an amature). -:)

p.s. I've two CN racquets so far - Ti 10 and Ti 8, the Ti 10 CN is particularly good - it out performs all the racquets I've (including my new MP-100 SP) in smash. The only racquet I've which has similar power is the Carlton AS-1 (strung at 24 lbs with Carlton high tension string - the brochure said that the racquet can be strung up to 40 lbs !). If you are a offensive player, I strongly recommend you to try this racquet (even though it is very expensive - HK$1000+).

How can u say you only play for fun and have two CN racquets??
I try not to succumb to the marketing from Yonex now. Things like "ultimate power smash" etc - then next yrs model will be described as "infinately multiple ultimate power smash".
Given the choice, I would have to think very hard on spending HK$1000+ for a racquet when I could get two cheaper racquets with the same cash. At least I'd have a spare....(admittedly I am thinking of a CN racquet because i am very curious now)

This is not meant to be personal but my feeling about getting the newest racquets every yr is this is a big con for most of us.
Reasons for getting a new racquet:
1) it's a fashion statement
2) it's the newest and most expensive (At Uni in UK, one of my HK coursemates had the 2nd most expensive Yonex racquet - Why? Because the most expensive one had sold out!! FYI, he didn't play much badminton but I suppose that's besides the point. At least he looked good.)
3) the newest badminton stars use this current model so it must be good. (sorry to say but many times it's what the sponsor supplies. There is an ex-HK ladies player now coaching who gets asked which is a good racquet. She hasn't a clue because she just used what Yonex gave her in her playing days!)

Ricky, I'm not really a fantastic player. :o) Just an addict who is always looking to improve and likes to judge my progress by entering the small local tournaments.
Kwun's a good player. He's got a great badminton physique....he looks like that very famous badminton player...........the name is...Kwun!

BTW, I'm currently playing in the Corporate Games at Kln Park. Will be there Wed and Thur. See ya

Have had a chance to drop by this store the past weekend after knowing that there's such a shop nearby where I live.

I have to agree with you guys totally on his service, and his opinion is very subjective as well.

I do think racquet is something personal as well. One playing good with a racquet doesn't not mean it suits others playing style. It's more on the skillset that makes a good player. I have seen a player who's using Fleet racquets only, and he can play with others with brand name racquets with no problem. But I do believe that a racquet does distinct a good and best player.

It's also good to have such forums to be able to discuss badminton with others.
Hope to play with you guys someday.

Well I think by now alot of ppl are wondering how the writer's of this page looks like! Why don't you guys put a link in describing yourself a bit..like a personal profile..! I'm very curious of how great Kwun's badminton physique looks like!:P~

A bit taller than me and thinner than me. His alter-ego is ............Taufik! (It's true, he told me himself). Don't ask me where he gets changed.........................!?!!!

How tall are you then?:P

Sorry, I meant the smash is like Taufik.
Really should have my head examined - memory failure!!

Height? av HK height. 1.7m I think

good badminton physique? that's sounds so erm... generic. :)

kwun

i am a so so badminton player. no Taufik or anything even close to that. i regularly go to the local gyms here in the San Francisco Bay Area and get my ass kicked by the better players.

as Cheung said, i am taller and skinnier than avg.

how about playing badminton to 1:30 am, and then go out for a night cap

Does Luxis sport net sell stuff via internet?

Not that I know of.

woke up at 5am. went biking for 100miles (endurance training for badminton, biking is just the excuse!), came back by 1pm, played 6 hours of badminton from 6pm-12am. went home and sleep like a baby....

hard to beat that. Any coach would envy this kind of drive from their players.

Are u referring to a biking video game??

no. i got on my bike, and actually pedalled 100 miles. :)

Hi everybody,

I would like to express my hard feeling after I went to the shop:

"Luxis Sport Net" shop in Hong Kong.
1st floor, 41 Parkes Street, Jordan, Hong Kong.
To get there, go to "Jordan" MTR station.
Walk out of exit "C2" and you will be immediately on a cross roads junction.
Walk straight ahead(Bowring St) to the next junction which is the Bowring St and Parkes St junction.

I have read the message from Cheung before and thought that this shop should be reliable and professional for badminton.
But it was very disappointing after I went to this last Friday.
Because my badminton racket YY-AT800 strings was broken so I bought it to this shop to fix it and change the new YY-BG68Ti strings. I had requested for 25 pounds for this strings. The lady said that no problem and said they are professional in badminton equipment and strings.
However, after two hours I came back to pick up my racket. I found that the strings was very soft (I think around 21 pounds) and the serious problem was the way she made the strings was very bad and unprofessional. The bottom part of racket was without strings to connect. ( I meant there was only vertical and no horizonal strings on the bottom part of racket).
I had complaint this problem but the lady insistent said they made it correctly 25 pounds. She said even to make the strings 30 pounds will be the same problem as this soft touching.
I can't believe the lady will say like this...
This shop should be felt that it is professional for badminton. The owner Mr.Sze who is also a badminton coach. but I don't understand they are not responsible for their mistake...
It's my personal feeling but I hope baminton fans must be careful when choosing the badminton shop to fix the strings or to buy badminton equipment.
:crying:

Sorry to hear you've had such an experience. I can only vouch for my experience which has been very good so far.

Hi everybody,

I had requested for 25 pounds for this strings. The lady said that no problem and said they are professional in badminton equipment and strings.
However, after two hours I came back to pick up my racket. I found that the strings was very soft (I think around 21 pounds) and the serious problem was the way she made the strings was very bad and unprofessional. The bottom part of racket was without strings to connect. ( I meant there was only vertical and no horizonal strings on the bottom part of racket).
I had complaint this problem but the lady insistent said they made it correctly 25 pounds. She said even to make the strings 30 pounds will be the same problem as this soft touching.
I can't believe the lady will say like this...
This shop should be felt that it is professional for badminton. The owner Mr.Sze who is also a badminton coach. but I don't understand they are not responsible for their mistake...
It's my personal feeling but I hope baminton fans must be careful when choosing the badminton shop to fix the strings or to buy badminton equipment.
:crying:

Can you explain the part about the bottom part of the racquet without any cross strings? Maybe you can count the number of cross strings on your racquet. It should be 21. Also how do you know the tension was actually 21 lbs and not 25 lbs? If you really think that it is way below the 25lbs you requested-you can ask a few friends to have a look at your racquet to confirm-you should go back and talk to Ng Kai Sze about it and demand a restring.
The months of July and August are not good months to get a restring job done at the sports stores in Hong Kong. There are too many school kids employed by these sports stores to do all sorts of odd jobs, including stringing, after being provided with a few stringing lessons.

What I meant the bottom part of the raceqet without horizontal strings is:
you can count on the string hole from the middle part of racquet.
Until no. 10 string hole (it counts by the middle part of racquet), there is horizontal and vertical strings. It should be no.8 string hole..with cross strings.
From my 20 years badminton experience, I can feel the tension of strings was only 21~22 lbs. You can use your finger to spread the strings...
In fact, I really want to see Mr.Ng and requested restring but he was not there and at that time, I need to go back to Shenzhen to play for badminton game at night.The sales staff was not school kids but a lady...
Anyway, I had restrings in sport shop in Shenzhen .
They are very good and it cost only $50 by using the same YY-BG68Ti

What I meant the bottom part of the raceqet without horizontal strings is:
you can count on the string hole from the middle part of racquet.
Until no. 10 string hole (it counts by the middle part of racquet), there is horizontal and vertical strings. It should be no.8 string hole..with cross strings.
From my 20 years badminton experience, I can feel the tension of strings was only 21~22 lbs. You can use your finger to spread the strings...
In fact, I really want to see Mr.Ng and requested restring but he was not there and at that time, I need to go back to Shenzhen to play for badminton game at night.The sales staff was not school kids but a lady...
Anyway, I had restrings in sport shop in Shenzhen .
They are very good and it cost only $50 by using the same YY-BG68Ti

No Yonex modern racquets string the last cross string across the bottom grommets no. 8 (hole). The AT800 OF and DE should have the first top cross string across grommets (holes) no. 8 at the top; the last cross string should be across grommets (holes) no. 9 at the bottom. There should absolutely be no cross string across the bottom grommets no. 8.
If you had your racquet's cross string strung across the bottom grommets no. 8 before, then your previous stringer did not know what he was doing. As you own an AT800 you must have a stringing pattern chart from Yonex that came with the racquet. Please show it to your Shenzhen stringer and ask him to follow the chart. If your racquet that was strung by Mr Ng's asistant had its last cross string across the bottom grommets no. 9, then there is nothing wrong. However, if the last cross string was across the bottom grommets no. 8, then that is not correct.
It is difficult for me to really say whether the 25 lbs is closer to 21 lbs. I am in no position to say who is right here.

In Sept 2004, I bought two Ti-10s from Mr. Ng and was strung by the kid. The requested tension was 28 lbs but it also felt like 24 lbs. So, go figure. :rolleyes:

Sorry to hear you've had such an experience. I can only vouch for my experience which has been very good so far.

In Sept 2004, I bought two Ti-10s from Mr. Ng and was strung by the kid. The requested tension was 28 lbs but it also felt like 24 lbs. So, go figure. :rolleyes:

I am not sure Mr Ng would actually string your racquets at 28lbs. I believe he uses a 2-point machine, but I could be wrong.

Yes,I agreed your point the first top cross string across grommets (holes) no.8 at the top and the last cross string should be across grommets at no. 9 at the bottom. Because, in shenzhen, the shop was really professional on this part. They also do this way. it means: the first top cross string across grommets (holes) no. 8 at the top; the last cross string should be across grommets (holes) no. 9 at the bottom.
But I think you misunderstood my points which I mentioned before. I had said the Lugis shop sales staff made it at NO. 10 (hole) from the bottom. (which is much far away from the standard)
That's why I lose confidence on this shop.
and their services and attitude is very bad as well...
I hope they can improve in this services, not only in badmintion professional services but also in customer services..

In Sept 2004, I bought two Ti-10s from Mr. Ng and was strung by the kid. The requested tension was 28 lbs but it also felt like 24 lbs. So, go figure. :rolleyes:

I can only vouch for my experience which has been very good so far...

Pete
Your statement does not invalidate my experience.;)

:D Just speaking from my most recent and last experience with Luxis. Mr. Ng is quite busy with coaching and leaves stringing to his wife and staffs. And anything goes with the staff in terms of string-job quality.

I can only vouch for my experience which has been very good so far...

Pete
Your statement does not invalidate my experience.;)

When he did mine and others personally, it was 28 lbs proportionally.

I am not sure Mr Ng would actually string your racquets at 28lbs. I believe he uses a 2-point machine, but I could be wrong.

:D Just speaking from my most recent and last experience with Luxis. Mr. Ng is quite busy with coaching and leaves stringing to his wife and staffs. And anything goes with the staff in terms of string-job quality.Again, I would say that this does not invalidate my recent experience. I have been happy with my raquets recently. From my viewpoint, it doesn't matter who strings my racquet so long as I am happy with it and it doesn't break/deform from the stringing! I cannot vouch for other people who may be far more expert than me.;)

So far, I do not blame my racquet for my recent losses on court. I blame my lack of time and regular play on court for that.:)

Hi Guys, I found theis thread (6 yrs. later) and wondering if you know if there is a new replacement pair of the LB-R that you guys love so much or if you know where I can get a pair of Wave Smash S1. I've try Kin Yee last and they don't have one in Stock. Thanks

BTW. I have a wide foot and Yonex is too tight for me.

Hi Guys, I found theis thread (6 yrs. later) and wondering if you know if there is a new replacement pair of the LB-R that you guys love so much or if you know where I can get a pair of Wave Smash S1. I've try Kin Yee last and they don't have one in Stock. Thanks

BTW. I have a wide foot and Yonex is too tight for me.

what about wan kee? one of their shops is just oppsite to kin yee. also, u may try to get it from sogo department store in causeway bay. there is a mizuno booth on the 3rd or 4th floor. (couldn't remember it clearly.) just check them out!
good luck!

Thanks red00ecstrat, WOW!! SOGO that sounds very expensive..but I'll try it.

Thanks red00ecstrat, WOW!! SOGO that sounds very expensive..but I'll try it.

nope! it isn't. their price is almost the same as those you can find in mong kok!
ah.....there is one more! if u got some friends who are familiar with mong kok and prince edward. just tell them to lead your to a shop which name is called tokyo sports. they sell mizuno only products on the second floor! just check that out as well!:)

Tokyo sport? Do you know appox. where it is located? I've been to one on the second floor somewhere neer Kin Yee. I am not sure that is the one or not.

Alright, u are lucky today! Here is their address. Ground Floor, 236 Sai Yeung Choy Street, Prince Edward, Kowloon. (Prince Edward MTR Station B2 Exit).
Good Luck!

Thanks alot red00ecstrat.