The range of Yonex Arcsaber badminton rackets has reached iconic status in badminton circles. First introduced in 2007 and made famous by legendary singles player Taufik Hidayat, the Yonex Arcsaber range was built to be the ultimate all-rounder racket. Yonex Arcsabers provide a fantastic balance of power, control and speed so that players can be strong on all shots, in all areas of the court.
Yonex has built upon the success of the original Arcsaber 7, Arcsaber 10 and Arcsaber 11 to create rackets with a one of a kind feeling and incredible control. These even balance badminton rackets are particularly easy to play with and adapt to, less demanding than a head heavy racket, but with more power potential than a head light racket.
Are Yonex Arcsaber badminton rackets good?
Yonex Arcsaber badminton rackets are an extremely popular range by the market leading brand in badminton. Their even balance and easy playability have made them a firm favourite with players of all abilities, including many recent world champions!
Yonex have re-imagined many of their technologies when it comes to the Yonex Arcsaber badminton rackets, making them feel distinctly different to any of the other racket ranges that they sell such as the Yonex Astrox badminton rackets or Yonex Nanoflare badminton rackets.
ENHANCED ARCSABER FRAME
Arcsaber rackets have a unique frame structure in which the top and bottom of the frame feature grooves to reduce twisting on impact with the shuttle and increase stiffness for greater control. In contrast, the sides of the frame feature a more flex friendly design, which allows the shuttle to be held on the strings for longer as the racket flexes on impact. This pocketing is known as 'shuttle hold' and gives a greater feel to players as they make contact with the shuttle. As the shuttle pockets in the racket, the lengthening time on the strings allows the player to have better control of the shuttle and be more precise with their shots.
CONTROL-ASSIST BUMPER + POCKETING BOOSTER
The CONTROL-ASSIST BUMPER is a connected grommet strip that sits at the top of the frame. This bumper contains T-ANCHOR, micro-sized tetrapods that lock onto the strings. This helps to improve accuracy by reducing unwanted string movement.
Another feature that can be found at the top of the frame POCKETING BOOSTER*, a proprietary rubber-like material that emphasises elasticity in the frame’s flex. The POCKETING BOOSTER is lined within the top of the frame and brings additional elasticity to the frame’s flex increasing both shuttle hold and shuttle launch speed.
*PRO & TOUR models only
When Yonex tested the effectiveness of these latest features in the Arcsaber 11 Pro, they found a 3.7% increased in power from a smash and 6.6% increase in shuttle contact time when compared to the previous Arcsaber 11 model.
ISOMETRIC
Yonex have tweaked the dimensions of the Isometric frame when compared to previous Arcsaber models. This new and improved Isometric shape creates a larger, more forgiving sweet spot so that players are able to hit their best shots more often.
Which pro players use Yonex Arcsaber Badminton Rackets?
Yonex Arcsaber badminton rackets are used by many professional players on the pro tournament circuit.
The Yonex Arcsaber 11 Pro badminton racket is (at the time of writing) used by 3 times world champion Zheng Siwei, Sapsiree Taerattanachai (also a world champion) and Aaron Chia (also a world champion!). Needless to say the Yonex Arcsaber 11 badminton rackets have been extremely successful weapons for the pros.
The Yonex Arcsaber 7 Pro badminton racket is used most notably by Olympic Champion, Huang Dongping and Thai mixed doubles world champion Dechapol Puavaranukroh. It's medium flex frame makes it more comfortable and easier to extract power from than it's bigger bother the Arcsaber 11 Pro.
As a versatile, all-round racket range, the Yonex Arcsaber badminton rackets are suitable for both singles or doubles and can compliment any play style. The super slim shafts and recessed frame profiles featured on the Pro and Tour models have increased speed and manoeuvrability which has made them increasingly popular with doubles players. Singles, is however a game extremely dependent on control and this is the element of the game where the Yonex Arcsaber badminton rackets perform best due to the Pocketing Booster technology.
What is the difference between Arcsaber 7 and 11?
Both the Yonex Arcsaber 7 and Yonex Arcsaber 11 are similar style rackets however their are some slight differences. The Arcsaber 11 Pro and Tour features 'Super High Modulus Graphite' whereas the Arcsaber 7 Pro and Tour editions feature 'High Modulus Graphite'. The Super HMG graphite produces a stiffer frame and so the Arcsaber 11 has a harder, sharper feel. The Arcsaber 7 features a softer, more whippy frame which can help players with longer swings to generate power more easily.
The Arcsaber 11 also features the control assist bumper however this is not featured on the Arcsaber 7. Many players have commented that this bumper on the top of the frame gives the Arcsaber 11 a slightly more head heavy feel than the Arcsaber 7.
Which is better Astrox or Arcsaber?
The Yonex Astrox badminton rackets are better suited to players looking to base their game on explosive power from the rear of the court and do not mind sacrificing some speed and manoeuvrability in pursuit of this. Yonex Arcsaber badminton rackets are best suited to players looking to play a balanced, precise game and want to be equally adept in both defence and attack.
For any further help in selecting a badminton racket you can refer to our Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Badminton Racket.
