Hi, I bought my first love (racket) in 2017 (Jetspeed JS 12M) thanks to badmintoncentral community's recommendation. I am still very much satisfied with it. I am thinking of having another racket. I am thinking of Victor THRUSTER F Enhanced Edition. My question, is it a good choice to upgrade from my current racket? I usually play doubles, likes to smash, mostly play back court, and sometimes drops. My intention to buy Victor THRUSTER is to add more power when playing back court and for singles..... Please help me find my 2nd love .
i literally just made this exact change and i play pretty much exactly as u described. I've used the tkfe for a few sessions at this point and i can say it packs more power than the js12m, stiffness for me is about the same but there is more weight in the head. The tkfe is still a speedy racket, probably 90% the speed of js12m. tkfe definitely has a more solid feeling from the backcourt and the reduction in vibration is much appreciated by the elbow and shoulder. id say going from js12m to tkfe isnt really an upgrade, more a sidegrade with the tradeoff being less speed for more power but again the tkfe is still a fast racket on defense. I like the tkfe so much im likely going to buy another one when i get the chance
Thanks for your detailed reply . A lot of things have been clarified. As you said “tkfe isn’t really an upgrade, more a side grade” do you think it’s a good choice for a second racket? Or is there some other racket I should consider given my situation?
You can check out lining Blade X series, N9ii or TC extreme. They are also fast but packs some extra power.
I went from JS12 OG to TKFE. I was in love with my JS12. Definitely enjoyed it immensely. Honestly I am a little sad I sold them. I agree with the first response. It's only an upgrade if you are changing your play style. I loved the manouverability or my JS12 in the fast paced double. Also enjoyed the quick stick smashes you can send out on a punch. However, I went from a majority mid-front court player to a back court player. Tkfe for me was an upgrade. Helped me in many ways. Obviously I don't get back court 100% of the time. So there is times between rallies where I literally tell myself "man I had that shot if it was my JS12" lol. All in all it's a good racket and good experience, there is no all-rounder that accels in everything. I wish I could whip out my JS12 during club sometimes to play. Just for the nostalgia. But I liked the OG. Never enjoyed the JS12 II or JS12M.
Nice to find another og JS12 user here. I have been enjoying it for 5+ years as well until I moved on to 100ZZ
indeed! It took me a few sessions to get used to it but after that I love it. I think what most people struggle from 100ZZ is its stiffness and not the head-heaviness
id say having both rackets would be nice as i use the js12 when i have a partner that is stronger than me in the backcourt as the faster racket head speed is definitely useful in fast driving exchanges as well as the more even balanced js12 seems to have a better feel on defense and at the net, the tkfe is still decent in these areas but the backcourt and midcourt is where this racket shines for me, so id say its a great choice for a second racket
I am leaning towards TKFE. I need one more suggestion. I am currently using 26 string tension on my JS12m. I am thinking 28 for TKFE, is that ok? or any suggestions regarding this would be highly appreciated.
Dude, tension is all on you. If you like 26, use 26. I find it also depends on your string choice. I use LN#1 and I enjoy it at 28. But if I go to aerosonic or 66UMX I like them at 26 for a little more durability. But I try to stay with the same string every time. Whatever you like, giver. I know some top players that still play with BG65 @25lbs. Which seems unheard-of but you like what you like.
i imo the js12M and the tkfe are both around the same level of stiffness, so if u do string the tkfe at 28lbs, if u dont have proper technique and timing, u may find it hard to use, i just use the same strings in my js12 og, js12m and tkfe; exbolt 63 @27lbs
Thank you so much everyone. I really appreciate all your suggestions. I am currently using BG66U with 26 on my JS12m. I decided to go for VBS66N with 28 for TKFE. I will post my experience here after a few sessions of game play. Let’s see how it turns out.
VBS66N is a very nice string. Durability is good for it's size IMO. Enjoy. Let us know how the tkfe feels.
Hello everyone, I am posting my game play experience with TKFC. It’s been almost a month since I started using it. TKFC certainly packs more power compared to JS12M. I can play stronger shorts from the back of the court more easily and my smashes pack a more punch-like feeling. For the racket speed, I did not feel much of a difference. I can easily play drops and even deceptive shorts. One thing which I notice (not sure why) is that in the beginning my shorts hit the frame more often which was unusual but it’s not the case anymore. Also related to the string, I have VBS66N with 29/28 LBS, having no issues, and am very happy with it. I doubt that more power may be due to the 29/28LBS setting. I am thinking of going for the 30/29 LBS setting to see if that is the case. Your suggestions are welcome to help me understand this aspect better. Overall, I am very happy with this racket and highly recommend it.
After playing with Li-ning n99 for several years (and some years of no playing at all thanks to covid shutdowns), I ordered 2 rackets just for the heck of it. Yonex Arcsaber 11 Pro and Victor Thruster Falcon Enhanced Edition. Arcsaber will be delivered today and I'll take it to the club for a few games. Victor TFEE will be delivered on Saturday, and I hope to test it out this weekend.
After playing several games with Victor Thruster F Enhanced 4U and Yonex ArcSaber 11 Pro 3U, I've decided to sell the ArcSaber and ordered another Thruster F to have an identical pair. It's easy on the arms, fast for doubles front court and reasonably powerful from the mid and back courts. The ArcSaber, while a beautiful-looking and feeling racket, feels a bit lifeless, comparatively for some reason. It doesn't suit my style of play, I guess.