Where to go from AT800OF?

Discussion in 'Racket Recommendation / Comparison' started by Isaac Sibson, Jan 16, 2007.

  1. Isaac Sibson

    Isaac Sibson Regular Member

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    About 6 months ago I bought an AT800OF 4U G4. This "replaced" my ISO Power 200 2U G3.

    I got the Power 200 restrung with BG80 @ 23lbs, and after 6 months playing with the AT800 I finally played a few games with the Power 200 again.

    I LOVE the BG80s... they feel so right. Even though 23lbs seemed stiff and sounded high when touching the racket, in game there is an elasticness to them that felt perfect to me.

    However, in the third game I managed somehow to tumble when getting a low backhand at the net and landed on the racket, breaking it. :crying:

    Now, the AT800 is a pretty good racquet, but it has just never suited me as well as I'd hoped. I'm a fairly aggressive, smashing player but I just don't think my technique gets the most out of the AT800OF. It's too uncompromisingly stiff I think. I suspect that the BG65TI don't help, but overall I think I made the wrong choice, too extreme a racket. The other problem (and I did not realise this at the time because centralsports don't publish it :mad: ) is that the AT800 is G4 which is too small for my hand (and I don't have big hands... why is there no G3?!).

    What I do love about the AT800 is how quickly I can get on smash returns with its light weight. Quick head speed is great for net play, but I feel that it's too stiff and I'm having to work harder for smash power than I did with the Power 200.

    Having broken the Power 200, and knowing the 800OF isn't right, where should I be looking? Maybe a 3U racket that's slightly head-lighter and more flexible than the AT800, and G3?

    With that in mind, I've been looking at all the Yonex selection charts and can't make up my mind... NS9000S might be good, but they don't sell it in the UK. I worry that NS8000 is too close to AT800OF on the charts (and most people seem to reckon it to be stiff). Maybe AT500? NS7000 on the charts is well away from the smash end of the spectrum... So, basically I'm confused.

    Suggestions welcome, including non-yonex (of course. I'm just more familiar with yonex and have been playing with them for years).
     
  2. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    AT800 DE is less stiff than AT800OF. NS8000 (much more head lighter) is completely different than AT800OF.

    If possible, try the rackets in your mind, before making a purchase. Visit the local store/club, see if you can rent/borrow a racket, and demo. A quick drill session is much more accurate than reading 2000 reviews. ;)
     
  3. Isaac Sibson

    Isaac Sibson Regular Member

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    Of course it is, but there are no decent racquet shops around where I live. My club does not have any serious level racquets as club racquets, and most people there do not pay much attention to them (which is fair enough in a way). Hence my opportunities to try racquets out are seriously limited...
     
  4. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    If you have to pick up a racket blindly, I think AT800DE might be the best bet at this moment, as it's similar to OF, but a bit less stiff. Make sure contact the shop, to see whether they carry G3 or not. ;)
     
  5. BaddGolfer

    BaddGolfer Regular Member

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    Don't give up so easy on the AT800OF. Try a coupla things. Bring the grip size to G3 by wrapping an overgrip. What tension are the strings? Try re-stringing w/ a string and tension you know has worked for you. I bought an AT800D (4U/G5) recently and when I tried playing w/ it w/ a grip size thats about G4+ (w/ the overgrip), I had difficulty controlling and it didn't feel right. Then I added an extra single layer of overgrip to bring it to G3 and the racket feels totally different and I like it now. The G4+ grip size was perfect for me w/ my MP99.
     
  6. Isaac Sibson

    Isaac Sibson Regular Member

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    I tried that already. The problem there was that with two layers of grip the handle starts becoming more round, and I could not accurately feel which way the racquet was pointed.

    I did wonder about the 800DE, but felt that it might not be right. The selection charts suggest that it's not quite what I want.
     
  7. TonyWdq

    TonyWdq Regular Member

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    you believe in the official yonex selection chart?
     
  8. Matt

    Matt Regular Member

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    I would not put all the faith into what the catalog/chart saids, you will ultimately need to try them out.

    Since you are in the UK, I would assume that the G3 is avaialble. Upon checking the Central Sports website, the AT800OF listed there is advertised as 4UG4 (I assume it was not posted at the time as you mentioned at the begnning). Unfournately that is not the popular AT800s since the 3U's are the ones.

    On top of that Yonex UK only carries the 4UG4 of AT800s. You would need to look outside the country to find them. Canada does have the 3U of both DE and OF in G3, 4 and 5.
     
  9. Matt

    Matt Regular Member

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    Looks like some European countries carry the 3UG3 of AT800 upon checking several yonex country websites.

    www.yonex.dk
    www.yonex.de
     
  10. SPaterson

    SPaterson Regular Member

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    I doubt an extra overgrip or two would make it feel more round really. An extra grip would, but not an overgrip. Just making sure you haven't mixed the two up?

    Also I'd suggest as BaddGolfer did, get it restrung in a string you like and at a tension you like. Suggest something like BG80 at 22lbs, as you mentioned that was on your former racquet. String makes almost as much difference in my opinion, as the racquet itself. Plus, Ti coated strings tend to be something the majority do not prefer.
     
  11. Matt

    Matt Regular Member

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    Well, we can't jump to assumption yet, but Issac, what overgrip are you using? Also, are you overlapping the grip so that it is two layers using one grip?
     
  12. Isaac Sibson

    Isaac Sibson Regular Member

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    What I've tried on grips is a single Karakal PU, two Karakal PU (this is what was too round), and I'm now using a single PU with 50% overlap so it's ribbed (quiet at the back there!). It's ok, but I preferred the feel of the G3 with a single non-overlapped grip. I may try putting some heatshrink on the handle and then using a single karakal pu on it, as that should bring the size up without losing the corners.

    I intend to get the AT800 restrung anyway, but I need a racquet to use while that's being done, and figure I might take the opportunity to possibly acquire something that's closer to my ideal (and like to have a backup racquet available should I put my foot through another racquet). Even with restringing I do think that the 800OF is just a bit too stiff for my game. It's quite unforgiving, and since I'm no longer playing competitively (I played for school and university) I'm not doing coaching or playing often enough to really improve my game to the point that I can take advantage of it.

    Since yonex UK don't carry any G3 AT800s then that puts the DE out of contention. As far as I can tell, they don't seem to stock the higher NS rackets in G3 either... why do they do this? Largely irrelevant though because I don't think that the NS8k is going to be right, and they don't stock the 9000S (only the X).

    Looking on Yonex's site, and ignoring the selection charts, the AT500 and NS7k both seem fair choices, both being a bit more flexible than the AT800OF, and both being G3. Any comments on those racquets and how they compare to AT800OF?
     
  13. azn_123

    azn_123 Regular Member

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    Stay with your Armortec 800OF overall it's a very good racquet. I think you just need to get used to the stiffness/feel. Before I had the iso 80VF now I have the yonex ns9k type x. After a few months--since I play about 2 times a week I got used to it more and more. So don't go buy a racquet right now. Just give yourself a few months to try to get used to it.
     
  14. twobeer

    twobeer Regular Member

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    I never liked the AT800OF (it feels unresponsive in most shots except the smash). I feel the 9000X has the same problem to me.. I can't see why on earth you should "stay with it" if you don't like it..

    Of course it is hard to buy without trying, and even harder to advice without knowing your technique, strenght, style...

    AT800DE from Yonex is usually a safe bet.. and also the new 9000s. If you want a quick easy-to-play racket NS7000 and NS7700 are also good bets!!

    cheers,
    Twobeer
     
  15. Matt

    Matt Regular Member

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    Well it is a different market per country. Utlimately it is the GM of the Yonex country who decides what they will bring in. Some countries I complain about beacuse are limited in what they bring - ie. Yonex USA, one weight size and only G4.

    Yonex Canada, seems to be the friendly one.

    I do see on Central Sports that there is a G3 of the NS9K Type X.

    The method you grip yours is fine that way with one grip. You could go full overlap if you want. I use G5 / G4.5 and just use a Babolat Syntec with full overlap.
     
    #15 Matt, Jan 16, 2007
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2007
  16. Isaac Sibson

    Isaac Sibson Regular Member

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    :rolleyes:

    No doubt it's a good racquet. I don't feel that I'm a good enough player to get the best from it and feel that something a bit more forgiving would suit me better. After 6 months I'm still not comfortable with it.

    Indeed. It's akin to hitting the shuttle with a very aerodynamic bat.

    Thanks for the recommendations twobeer, and thanks for the grip info Matt.
     
  17. CoolDoo6

    CoolDoo6 Regular Member

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    If you thicken up the grip, you will find the racket starts to feel less stiff. I suggest a layer of over grip on top of the factory grip. Then a replacement grip on top of that. This should bring the grip to to G3. These layers of grips will add significant weight to the racket, and the racket will start to feel head light, and can be manouvred noticeably faster.

    If the racket is still too stiff after that, replace the BG65Ti with a none-Ti string. If still too stiff, switch to the top end ashaway strings. If still too stiff, reduce the tension.

    All this is a lot of work. You may consider buying a different racket would be less hassle. But I think that would be false economy of effort, as chance of any racket playing perfectly off the shelf is extremely remote. Racket makers are not magicians. They can only make rackets fit for the arbitrary average person. Most people would not fit precisely that profile. In the worst case scenario of the profile used was that of a professional, particularly for high end rackets, you have absolutle no chance of geting the racket to work off the shelf.
     
    #17 CoolDoo6, Jan 17, 2007
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2007
  18. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

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    4U AT700
    3U or 4U AT500

    similar feel, less stiff.
    personally, i prefer the 800OF.
     
  19. BaddGolfer

    BaddGolfer Regular Member

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    We can probably add 3U or 4U MP88. MP88 probably being the most flexible of the high end Yonex rackets and very easy to play with.
     
  20. gsloh

    gsloh Regular Member

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    I have tried my friend's AT800Off 4UG4 a number of times, although I could clear etc, basically found it too stiff for my liking, which made playing a load of hard work. It was still strung with the factory strings, so probably BG65Ti @ 22lbs.

    If its the stiffness troubling you, then suggest you go for the At800De (more flexy than the Off), or AT500 (available in the UK 3UG3) which is less stiff and more even balanced compared to the At800Off. Alternatively, the MP99. Generally rackets in the UK are G3, 3U to 2U, the main exception being the AT800's in 4UG4.

    I got the At500UK, and think its a pretty good racket for all round play - not too stiff, head heavy enough to give good power but not too much to hinder defence. Sadly, I think I broke mine at the shaft/handle, as it gives a clicking noise while swinging it around. Unfortunately, the cone is still stuck fast to the handle, tried prying it out with a screw driver to no avail, so I can't do Kwun's racket glue surgery on it!

    Or if you prefer a cheaper alternative, try the Tactic Namiblade 9000 (I got this one as well), a Clone of Yonex NS9000 but it is a less stiff compared to the Yonex. Power and control is good with this. However, only available in the equivalent of yonex G4 - get it from http://www.crampsports.com/ based in Cheadle Hulme manchester
     
    #20 gsloh, Jan 18, 2007
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2007

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