Badminton Racket Review: Victor Bravesword 15

Awhile back I had the chance to get my hands on a member of the coveted Bravesword series from Victor. What struck me first about the even-balanced Bravesword 15 was its design (what else right) - pure hotness. With the usability of the racket out the window, all that's left is to pay.

I must admit that I've not been a Victor fan. The previous rackets that I've happen to get my hands on - Spira 21 and Meteor X80 - were disappointing to say the least. Perhaps I wasn't skilled enough to use the rackets, perhaps they just didn't suit my style.

So when I took to the courts with the suave BRS15, there wasn't much expectations. Boy was I surprised!

This review's my opinion of the racket from using it in my games, my style. No one plays badminton the same way, so take this with a pinch of salt. I'm here to tell you, in as much accuracy as I can, how my games went with the racket. Comments welcome!

Ok here goes.

Victor Bravesword 15
Est. Dry Weight: 86g (3U)
Grip Size: G2
Balance: Slightly Head-Heavy (4/5 by Victor standards)
Max String Tension: 28lbs
Flex: Stiff (4/5 by Victor standards)
Strings: BG66 Ultimax @ 24lbs

I use this racket for singles and doubles play.

Defense
There's this thing about even-balanced rackets when it comes to defense. It brings the swiftness of the head-lights and the power behind the head-heavys into a lovely combination (well, the good ones anyway). The Victor Bravesword does this beautifully, allowing controlled returns from smashes and drives that adds an element of awareness to my games.

The Bravesword 15 is excellent when it comes to flat drives as well, pushing the shuttle straight across to the other side with the speed you'd expect from a head light racket. The added weight to the front of the racket frame gives it an extra power boost, so watch the tape to check your shots don't go straight out the back tramlines. That happened to me a few times already.

Let's say this again, because I want to do this justice - the Victor Bravesword 15 gives you a fast, fast defense that comes with enough power to place the shuttle comfortably. BUT, watch the smaller head frame; it's going to give you a bit of frame hit and a paint chip here and there if you're not careful.

Attack
Explosive. Very bloody incredible.

Control
Even-balanced rackets have always given a good sense of where the court is, and this one is no different. Perhaps the smaller head frame makes it a little more challenging to place the shuttle, but it all adds up in the end.

The stiffness makes it easy to push and slice the shuttle around the court. Much of the game was then used for thinking where to place the shuttle instead of worrying about whether the shuttle will fly out. The back-to-backs were also well-placed, with less shuttles sailing out of the back tramlines as compared to the other racket I brought along (VT80).

Looks
Glittering black serves as the canvas for the golden motifs that line this gorgeous racket. A hint of red adds that subtle ferocity that comes out of its smashes. All this on a slim head frame with the infamous Sword frame shape gives this piece of equipment all the reason you need to own it.

Racket Royalty.

Victor Bravesword 15

Defense: 9

Attack: 9

Control: 9

Looks: 10