The so called tanks...

Discussion in 'Badminton Rackets / Equipment' started by ucantseeme, Feb 16, 2018.

  1. ucantseeme

    ucantseeme Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2010
    Messages:
    5,053
    Likes Received:
    2,403
    Occupation:
    Z-Force II
    Location:
    Z-ForceII
    Often I read here that people use setups from pros as reference how sturdy or strong the frames are and must be. I also often read that pro x run this string at thats tension on this racket, so it muss be strong. A fatal and misleading fact. The BWF made a video where pro players report though how many new rackets they go within a year.



    This is really eye-opening and due the trend of thinner strings and more and more mortal tension far above 30, I want to share this.

    Some statements:

    NG KA Long Angus goes through 12 new one per year
    Mads Conrad-Petersen: around 30 per year
    Mads Pieler Kolding: maybe 40-50 rackets per year
    Viktor Axelsen: Don't know, too many
    ....

    Maybe somebody can make it sticky, because we got here often misleading by dropping the sentence "This must be a tank" and IMO it's time to bury these myth of the often so called "tanks". This misleading often result in damaged rackets, unhappy members and lost hard earned money. Use a tension you can afford, play badminton and stay safe and have fun.

    cheers,

    ucantseeme
     
    s6edge, dnewguy, Saru and 11 others like this.
  2. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2004
    Messages:
    2,458
    Likes Received:
    414
    Occupation:
    Chartered Civil Engineer
    Location:
    London, UK
    I think when people describe racquets as "tanks" they don't mean that in the literal sense (that they are indestructable) but more that they are generally more robust than other racquets. It is true that there are differences in the durability and robustness of different racquets but even the most robust racquet will break in a heavy clash, especially when it is strung to high tensions - which all pros use. And given that in a match situation, pros would rather risk breaking a racquet in a clash than risk losing a point its no wonder they break so many racquets - which I suspect would be different for many amateurs.

    Interesting video and good to hear it from the pros themselves, but if I'm honest I'm not surprised at the numbers at all.
     
    justinloong, Cheung and Mr Arc2 like this.
  3. ucantseeme

    ucantseeme Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2010
    Messages:
    5,053
    Likes Received:
    2,403
    Occupation:
    Z-Force II
    Location:
    Z-ForceII
    I agree, that no racket must survive a clash and I'm not naive to await any surving. My intention to post it was not in terms of clashs. Regardless what tension. There is nothing like a crash test or any standard for rackets. I'm totally with you.

    While the topic of poor racket quality, sinking holes, recalls and special and thick grommets and so on had been a hot topic since the last years at BC and a lot people have the impression "Uhh player X runs it pass 30, it must be a tank", I wanted to share that rackets for pros are more something like a pair of underwear, while BC members have different requirements and await something different. I just wanted share to break up distorted impressions to prevent mixing up.

    I know that some players go through 4-6 Arc11 just for one venue. Nothing new to me, too. That clashs and warped frames due tensions are a total different thing. For doubles okay, but Axelsens "too many"? Do he clash with his own or the opponent? This is a tension related thing instead of clashs. I know the NG KA and Axelsens setup. And that NG KA nummer is low is related to his string choice and tension and has mostly nothing to do with clashs in doubles.
     
    Gollum likes this.
  4. avia

    avia Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2016
    Messages:
    56
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Germany
    I agree with the point that you are making about high tension.
    But regarding the number of rackets being used, one quick thought that comes to mind is, would these players still use this many rackets had they not been getting these rackets for free?
    When one gets free stuff then one does not care how much of it is being used.
    These professional players do not care if they break 10 rackets during a single match by clashing or putting pressure on it during a dive ( in singles ).
    If these players start paying 200 USD for each and every racket with new string job from their own earned money, only then we can find how many rackets and string jobs do they actually need.
     
  5. ucantseeme

    ucantseeme Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2010
    Messages:
    5,053
    Likes Received:
    2,403
    Occupation:
    Z-Force II
    Location:
    Z-ForceII
    @avia
    The wear and tear of equipment is in professional sports no matter. I think that they are not wasteful, just keep the level of their equipment constant to focus on the rest and don't bin rackets for fun and because they are for free. If you make your living from something you invest. If you work in a bank, you will have a stock of well-fitting suits, if you are a representive you use a comfy and nice car, if you work on construction, you will need safety gear, if you play soccer professionell you will go through endless pair of shoes in a year. You need it for your work. Regardless if you pay or not. I guess, that some pros would use a slightly tamer tension, because not every badminton pro earn enough to make a living from badminton. If you take reference what average BC members invest in terms of shuttles, court rent, coaches, equipment and so on a four digit in euro and don't earn a single cent from badminton, I think when your passion becomes your job and this is for every sportsman the case, you won't turn into a penny pincher, even if you need to pay a part of your equipment by your own, if you earn enough.
     
    avia likes this.
  6. Eastfield

    Eastfield Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2018
    Messages:
    60
    Likes Received:
    18
    Location:
    Norway
    I think it's also worth mentioning that most of these people play badminton as their full time job. Some of them probably uses their racket more in one day than some of us here on BC does in a whole week.
     
    swsh, Cheung and ucantseeme like this.
  7. avia

    avia Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2016
    Messages:
    56
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Germany
    @ucantseeme
    I have personally seen many athletes leaving sports after being professional for 3-4 years and opting for some job that actually pays. Most of us can play badminton and spend on it as we have some other source of income and badminton is just our passion.
    But when badminton becomes the source through which we are going to feed us and our family then we shall also start looking at it through different perspective.
    In my opinion without sponsorship ( any kind of money which they earn other than winning some tournament ) majority ( ranked lower than 50 worldwide ) of professional badminton players would have trouble making both ends meet.
     
    boon_keng likes this.
  8. ucantseeme

    ucantseeme Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2010
    Messages:
    5,053
    Likes Received:
    2,403
    Occupation:
    Z-Force II
    Location:
    Z-ForceII
    I agree. On the contrary they use very well suiting partners and train to avoid any misunderstanding on court or cut it down to a minimum with a long-term fixed partner. I guess the normal player clashs in the ratio of time/number of clashs more often with mixing club partners. Also the stringing service for pros has different aims. While a normal stringer with clients has the priority from 1. maintain shape/don't harm the racket 2. quality of the string job and 3. the time spend for stringing, for tournament stringers it's more import that a pro got it in time and as quick as possible, with a good job, while no harm to the racket stay at 3.
     
    avia likes this.
  9. ucantseeme

    ucantseeme Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2010
    Messages:
    5,053
    Likes Received:
    2,403
    Occupation:
    Z-Force II
    Location:
    Z-ForceII
    I think I misunderstood you. You was just mentioning strings and rackets which are really no costs in this sport compared to traveling to the venues. These are the highest costs and I agree without sponsoring, they couldn't play. The sponsors pay them a salary, so they can live and their are different kinds of sponsoring with different taking costs than just the strings and rackets. I think you mean some german players? Germany is a 3rd World country in terms of badminton. I think even if you do biathlon or skispringen, you earn more than a german pro...;)
     
  10. knielsen

    knielsen Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2014
    Messages:
    103
    Likes Received:
    12
    Location:
    Denmark
    I cannot speak for NG Ka, but having strung quite a few rackets for Viktor I can let you know that it is due to sinking grommets, he uses AeroBite and the thinner string (Aerosonic) just goes through the frame after a really short time which is why he's using that many.
     
    Saru, Cheung, swsh and 1 other person like this.
  11. ucantseeme

    ucantseeme Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2010
    Messages:
    5,053
    Likes Received:
    2,403
    Occupation:
    Z-Force II
    Location:
    Z-ForceII
    This is exactly what I suspected and thought in terms of wear and tear and the reason why I opened this thread. Mayn thanks for you post and info. Awesome :)
     
  12. badmintony

    badmintony Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2016
    Messages:
    1,370
    Likes Received:
    275
    Location:
    San Andreas
    What I would like to hear from the pros themselves instead more than the number of rackets they use in their matches (similar to this video) is whether the rackets they use every time are modified versions of the commercially available ones or not:rolleyes:
     
    thyrif likes this.
  13. sautom88

    sautom88 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2011
    Messages:
    973
    Likes Received:
    88
    Location:
    Surabaya
    They wont say anything, Their contracts should forbid them to say anything. Its like telling customers abt their bosses dishonesty.
    However, sm players do modify their equipment. That's personal preferences n as long as it's not its 'too public' it's probably not that strictly bound by contracts.
     
    #13 sautom88, Feb 19, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2018
  14. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2005
    Messages:
    7,170
    Likes Received:
    695
    Location:
    St Helens, UK
    Ratchanok made me laugh - those don't count, love:D.
     
    justinloong likes this.
  15. sautom88

    sautom88 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2011
    Messages:
    973
    Likes Received:
    88
    Location:
    Surabaya
    I think u r speaking on the wrong thread, Mark. o_Oo_Oo_O
     
  16. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2005
    Messages:
    7,170
    Likes Received:
    695
    Location:
    St Helens, UK
    I'm surprised Yonex did this - for every clown who thinks "Pro X uses it at the tension - it must be strong" there must be one who thinks "Pro X goes through fifty a year? It must be a Kit Kat".
     
  17. ucantseeme

    ucantseeme Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2010
    Messages:
    5,053
    Likes Received:
    2,403
    Occupation:
    Z-Force II
    Location:
    Z-ForceII
    Just in terms of logistics it isn't always possible to get a supply of custom rackets in every country, even on the tour. I think just a very few use custom ones.

    Wasn't you the clow... one who had the NR800 on his list because Kamilla run her at 34. ;) And then @Ch1k0 and I convinced you that it isn't a tank from our experience...? I also know a stringing team who promoted the JS10 as a tank because of KGJ 34/35...the same team who rarely saw sunken holes. ;) Nice self roasted.
     
    #17 ucantseeme, Feb 19, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2018
    long likes this.
  18. swsh

    swsh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2017
    Messages:
    2,038
    Likes Received:
    610
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    Earth
    Nah he’s talking about the part where she mentioned the throwing rackets to fans part and counted that in her racket usage.
     
  19. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2005
    Messages:
    7,170
    Likes Received:
    695
    Location:
    St Helens, UK
    But I am prepared also prepared to "go through" them, as it were.

    To a point... I wouldn't do 20 a year, having to buy such frivolities as food and electricity. If it survives stringing, it's enough.
     
  20. Ch1k0

    Ch1k0 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2012
    Messages:
    5,754
    Likes Received:
    1,353
    Occupation:
    N/A
    Location:
    Singapore
    Eh honestly. With the NR800 and the missiles you're capable of. I think you could potentially run through 10. Some will likely die on the machine alone.

    Sent from my LG-H930 using Tapatalk
     

Share This Page