I have been using Jetspeed 12 for over a year now. Other than JS12, I also have LiNing N9ii, Victor BS12, Yonex NF800, and Adidas Kalkul A5. After quite some time, JS12 is still my most fav one from my collection, followed by Kalkul A5. I think based on these 5 rackets that I have, my preference is even-balance racket. As you already know, most of people in here are gear-head, including me. From many reviews I read / watched, almost all said AuraSpeed 90S is an upgrade from JS12. Does anyone in here have or ever tried both? What do you feel and what do you recommend? Should I upgrade or it's not necessary? Little background: I play doubles most of the time although I still like to play singles sometimes. I play using feathers. I used to play in the club for more than 7 years but now I am not in the club anymore, just play regularly with my badminton friends twice every week. Cheers!
I used JS12M 3U for over a year and got an ARS 90S 4U a few months back. Both great rackets for me. The heavier JS12 packs a bit more punch as you'd expect and ARS 90S is more manoeverable for quick doubles exchanges but still has enough in the smash. I don't usually buy into the marketing hype for rackets but the ARS90S definitely does have a great 'whipping' effect when you time it right. I do go back to the JS12M sometimes as it is a fine racket in its own right.. I don't think you would go far wrong with the ARS90S in 4U for doubles. Probably need 3U for singles and I've just bought one yesterday and am about to unwrap it today and play with it tomorrow.
Please let me know what do you feel about 3U ARS90S. That whipping effect, does it mean ARS90S is flexible? I thought it is supposed to be stiff racket, no? I have BS12 but I dont like it as I find it too flexible for my liking.
I've js12m and ar90s. Both 3u. The flex indicator on both racket is the same. Both stiffness is the same. Js12 is slightly more hh. 90s towards headlight even balance. Truly 90s has the whipping effect when your timing is right. Js12 produce a solid punch. Both are great rackets and easy to use.
No the ARS0S is not flexible. Like you I prefer stiffish rackets. As Leemarc28 says both rackets are similar stiffness - at least when flexed by hand - but the ARS90S seems to bend a bit more in a smash but recover quickly to give a 'whipping' effect.When you get that it makes for a pretty strong smash. The ARS90S is also good for stick smashes.
I've had a few sessions with ARS90S 3U and I've found it to be very good for me. I weighed it at 96g with strings and grip. My 4U is 89.5g though has a different grip and strings. I used Yonex grap on the 4U racket and though it is a decent grip it only lasts a few games before it wears out so I have put Victor 06 over grip on the 3U. 4U is strung with Ashaway 66 Firepower. 3U is strung with Victor VBS68. First couple of games with it were very ropey as coming from a 4U my timing was way off but after that thngs got a lot better. 3U has a good sweet spot and it is difficult to make a mis-hit (same as 4U). Despite the higher weight the racket is still very quick. Smashes are very satisfying. Oodles of power to be had and the 'whipping' effect is still there so it feels stiff when flexed by hand but not so stiff when a smash is well hit! I found backhand clears easier to time with the 3U than the 4U. Defensive blocks are very solid. For net play the 3U is decent though for tight stuff the 4U edges it. I would say the ARS90S 3U is a good successor for JS12M which is itself something of a classic as far as I'm concerned.
Guys, I'm looking for a 4UG5 racket among the ones you are discussing. Which of them do you feel is the most even-balanced with a semi/med flexible shaft? By that I mean specifically that when I hit down low backhand clears from my back court to theirs, I use a wrist-flicking whipping motion, just like trying to pop someone in the butt with a towel. Not so whippy like a length of bamboo, definitely not stff, but something I can feel and use to my advantage. I find that that amount of flex also helps give me more power in my weak smashes and power shots everywhere on the court. The tricky part is it can't be enough to cause a lag in the frame speed when involved in super-fast right-over-the-net drives that seem to go on forever, or be enough to cause inaccuracies in quick, accurate kills near the net out to 1/2 court. The racket I use now which has a perfect amount of flex is a cheap Victor V4000 Wave Tech that has a 3/5 stiffness rating on the shaft, but we all know how inconsistent Victor's ratings can be. I want to upgrade that racket. Khamenman, what do you mean by "too flexible" for your BS12? Is yours the blue/white? Are you considering finding a new home for it? Hickton, does the flex in your ARS90S feel like the kind of flex I'm looking for or is it stiffer than that? Also, if any of you have experience with the blue/white original version BS12 or the new Jetspeed 12F which is supposed to be even-balance/ med flex, I'd appreciate input on them. I play a lot like the OP stated. Should the Nanoflare 700 even be considered in this discussion? Thank You!
ARS90S is not ultra-stiff so may be what you are looking for. The Auraspeed is the only 4U racket I have used in the last few years so can't compare with other 4U rackets. What I will say is IMHO the ARS90S is pretty user-friendly.
Yes, my BS12 is the blue/white one. I gave it to my father, so I don't have it with me anymore (my father and I live in different continent so it might be difficult to get it back ) I like my JS12 (the OG yellow grey color). It is even balance a bit to head heavy and medium/medium-stiff shaft so maybe not something you are looking for. I heard NF700 is on medium/medium flexible stiff but on head-light side. Maybe something to consider for you. For me, I realize that I don't like flexible rackets after playing with BS12 and N9ii
So you would say that the Li Ning N9ii is flexible too? How would you compare it to your BS12? Which did you prefer most and why? Thanks?
Yes, in my book, LiNing N9ii is also flexible, although still not as flexible as BS12 IMO. Between the 2, I still slightly prefer N9ii, although neither is in my top 3 rackets in my bag.
Yes, I see, as you said the JS12 and Adidas are your #1 and #2 rackets. But since you are one of the few people I've spoken to who has most, if not all of the ones I'm considering, which would you say fits the description best of large head, very forgiving, med flex, even balance, fast, accurate, with control and enough power to get the job done? I'm now thinking of throwing in the LN N7ii as well.
Based on your description, the best one would be either JS12 or N9ii, although JS12 I think is stiffer than your medium flex and N9ii is a little bit more head-heavy than the even balance that you want.
That's right, but n9ii feels heavier, due to a tad more head weight and/or weight being placed higher in the head. I'm going back and forth between the two, and I've found that th only thing I'm doing better with n9ii is the smash. n7ii being faster and more accurate.
