Yonex UK has introduced 6 new badminton rackets this year, following in the footsteps of the highly successful Arcsaber Z Slash.
Of all the new rackets, the Yonex Arcsaber 8DX is the one I was looking forward to getting my hands on.
Unsurprisingly, the Arcsaber 8DX arrived with the usual full length bag, standard amongst the Yonex Arcsaber range of badminton rackets. The racket has a striking appearance with a winning combination of red, silver, black and coppery orange.
This particular model is only available in 3U (weight 85-89.9g) and G3 hilt size (same as Arcsaber 10 and 7). This is the largest of the 2 grip sizes currently chosen by Yonex for the UK market.
You immediately pick up this racketthere is something about it that speaks of quality. It’s a lovely balance, not too heavy on the head, although you can feel a touch of weight on the head to get some meat behind the shuttle. The balance is more even compared to Arcsaber 10.
As with most of the top Yonex rackets in the range, the Arcsaber 8DX has a stiff shaft, which is ideal for power players who need a quicker response from their racket.
While the material construction appears identical to other Yonex racquets in the range, the Arcsaber 8DX is designated as a high-tension racquet, with a maximum recommended string tension of 27lbs, which is 3lbs more than most. the rackets of the current range.
It is well known that many Yonex sponsored players have been stringing their rackets well above the recommended string tension values for years. Perhaps it is a sign of the times that Yonex has finally introduced a racket that claims to accept higher tensions, more so to meet the Asian public demand for higher tensions. This is now infiltrating the UK and is a particular concern of mine. To play with high tensions, a player’s technique must be extremely good, otherwise injuries will result.
Go ahead with the review…
The string tension on this racket feels a bit tighter, so there was no need to restring before testing. Readers of my reviews will know that I like to try rackets “straight out of the bag.”
From the first shot I knew I liked this racket. The glades sailed into the back line of my opponents with very little effort on my part. The racket oozed power but wasn’t hard to tame like Z Slash. He performed like a champion, giving me everything he wanted and more at the right time.
So we know this racket packs a lot of punch, though it doesn’t quite measure up to the hitting power of the Z Slash. But he has a lot more consistency and control and that counts for a lot more. And in other areas of the court?
Defensively, this racket delivered throughout and reminded me of the speed of my Nano9900, albeit not as light on the head. The combination of better aerodynamics and a slightly lighter head works really well here. I was able to maneuver the racket very quickly without any drag or lag caused by the extra weight on the head.
There is always a trade off between head weight for power and a lighter head for speed, but Yonex seems to have found the perfect match for this racket.
Unsurprisingly, if the racket works defensively, then it has to be good around the net. Yes, no surprises here, it was magnificent! I didn’t need to make adjustments to the racket, I just played net shots or spikes with ease and a quick recovery as well. Exactly what I want from a racket.
Will Arcsaber 8DX follow all playstyles? Absolutely. But that doesn’t mean he’ll follow your game. As you know, choosing a racket is very personal and I can imagine some will frown, possibly thinking the head lacks the weight to elevate it into the serious hitting league. That’s what personal taste is all about.
I do not agree with this type of thinking as there are powerful players who use very light rackets. As for me, I consider the Arcsaber 8DX to be an Arcsaber 10 with more advantage, a little more lively and eager to play. He’s the little kid on the block compared to the wise man – it almost encourages him to cast aside caution and play on the dangerous side.
Resume
As you can see, I really like this racket. While it’s early in our relationship, I can’t wait to get back on the court and do it all over again. I haven’t felt this level of enthusiasm for a racket since the Z Slash last year. This time, though, I don’t have the frustration of time issues – it’s almost like taking your favorite racket, painting it, and returning it to you with a dangerous, weaponized decal attached!
With an RRP of £150, this is quite a steep price. Online discounters will no doubt sell for much cheaper than that, so expect to pay around £130, maybe less. That’s still a lot of money for a racket, which will put many players off.
As much as I like this racket, the price will turn players off and therefore I need to reflect this in my scoring system. Therefore, I will rate this racket 4.5 stars on my 5-star system.
For me, the Arcsaber 8DX is close, if not right on target, on my Holy Grail of rackets chart. And that’s saying a lot!