Badminton Racket Review: Yonex Voltric 60

White blue and hot all over. This racket just calls out to be reviewed, and I obliged like a drunk walking into a 7-11.

The design of the Yonex Voltric 60 appealed to me first of all, and then the G6 made to take a second look. The racket feels really light, and cuts through the air with a nice and crisp swoosh.

On first use, the level of the control that the VT60 gave was amazing, and it continued throughout the testing period for the review. I must admit that the play time that the racket got wasn't as much as the rest, but good things can't wait, and here I am writing about it.

Let me first state that I am no pro, and this is just my evaluation of the racket to my playing style and experience with it, If anything, I'm a low-intermediate level player looking to improve myself by playing more often and taking the lessons that I learn from the court away with me as pointers for the next session.

I play a mix of aggression and control, alternating between drop shots and sharp smashes to get the job done. I believe that the main goal of the wonderful game is to get your opponent moving so much they can't reach the shuttle eventually, and the loud thunderous smash is just a bonus that you get in between. As such, footwork is key, and technique supplements that so that you get the most out of your strokes. Power is nothing without control, and control is nothing without the proper strategy.

With that said, now on to the review.

Yonex Voltric 60 (New Hotness)
Dry Weight: 84g (4U)
Grip Size: G6
Balance: Slightly Head-Heavy
Max String Tension: 24lbs
Flex: Medium
Strings: BG66 @ 24lbs


Technology
- Tri-Voltage System
- Super Slim Shaft
- Sound Filter (BOOM)

Defense
I like to play a nice defensive game instead of a strong attacking, mostly because I don't think I'll have the strength to carry on with the smashes and drives and clears and smashes and drives and clears... The Voltric 60 gives me the perfect excuse to lift and wait because the racket just delivers when it comes to taking the hits.

Lightweight frame and quick swing speed gave me such quick response time. Couple that with the small grip size that allowed me to use more wrist to give variation to the returns, and it's a great defensive line-up that brings lifts, drives and net blocks to wonderfully enjoyable level.

Attack
This guy is no Voltric 80, and it shows in the speed of the shuttle off the smash. The light weight just doesn't cut it when you want to deliver a fierce check smash to unnerve the opponent. I found myself relying on the excellent control factors of the Voltric 60 to move the opponent instead of kicking the game up an offensive notch.

But the sound filter seemed to have gotten an upgrade with the VT60, as I noticed a "bark is louder than its bite" effect coming off my smashes.

Control
The Yonex Voltric 60 is a sniper when it comes to placing shuttles. The ease at which I could move the opponent around the court is amazing, and the accuracy rating of my shots skyrocketed once I started using the VT60. 6 corners, varying speeds - amazing.

Net play was superb, with tumbles and fast drops and net returns comparatively easier than with the other rackets that I brought to the game.

The increased confidence from the control also gives me more chances to try the trick shots and double motions that I've been meaning to practice on, so that's a plus I guess.

Looks
Holy crap this racket looks good! A more elegant version of the Voltric 80, the VT60 takes away the brutality of the heavier racket and replaces it with the cleanliness of thinner lines and more white space on the shaft. Turquoise and gold lines stream up the shaft to the head from the silver cone, ending near the YY logo at the T-Joint.

The frame continues the sleek design from the shaft, away from the louder tribal swerves of the VT80. Clean lines and short curves dominate the design, turquoise and a slight tinge of gold dominating the color palette.

The racket's strung with turquoise strings, and it completes the look. What a gentleman's racket.

Comparison
The Voltric 60 offers probably the highest level of control that I've experience from my rackets, with the Carlton Fireblade FX8 coming in at second. The ease of control translates into better footwork and a clearer mind when playing, and this affects the game a lot more that we usually give credit for.

I think that from watching international competitions, we're all sort of attuned to the overly offensive nature of the game. It's time to revisit the strategic aspects of the beautiful game of badminton and start thinking about making your game play an art form instead of chasing after loud smashes and snapped strings.

And what better way to start than getting yourself a Yonex Voltric 60.

Yonex Voltric 60

Defense: 10

Attack: 6

Control: 10

Looks: 10,000,000,000