Is Astrox 77 Pro Good
Alayna Rother
The first thing to note is that the packaging is super high quality with a nice box and all the carbon parts all separated. The hardware is super nice as well (some of the best I have ever seen) with no jiggle in the threads or standoffs at all. The carbon has the "silk" finish and is THE best carbon I have ever seen in a frame. Plus rounded edges are really neat and give a good finish.
The frame was really easy to put together. Tolerances are super tight and there is no give in the end product. There is no need to bodge anything on the build and everything is perfect. The frame looks tidy and is really compact when built.
This frame has not been hard to tune by any means. Vibrations in the footage are caused by motor 4 having a bent shaft or something. It took a hell of a blow :-). Check out my you tube channel under the same name for the crash. The video is called Why you should fpv - epic! - visit the channel if you want!
The shaft was oddly short - the handle and cone take up more real estate on the racket than usual and there's an odd shape to the cone as well. The shaft is stiff, typical of what comes out of Yonex nowadays I reckon.
On swing, the racket feels even balanced. The shorter shaft probably had something to do with it, and it feels good to be able to generate power without having to suffer the slower swing speed of a head heavy giant (think Z-Force 2).
The next few days came and I decided to go back for it - gut feel. It was sold. Apparently it's also a popular one... The next few days went by with the thought of missing out eating into my head, and I eventually got my hands on one.
The racket performed well in its first session, giving me good placement around the court. Netting, in particular, was a joy. The slightest shift gave me the ability to control the shuttle and twist it over the net. Smashes and clears were solid and I had nothing much to complain lest for the lack of accuracy owing to my lack of play.
That aside, the racket performed admirably - swings with the racket were effortless and accuracy and control are out of this world. If you could feel 'one with the racket' it would likely come from handling this guy.
Between this and the last racket I tested, the Yonex Astrox 99, the 100ZZ definitely came out a winner. More time will tell as to whether I am correct with this initial judgement, and I will try my best to provide a good review here.
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of 2020 was the announcement that Yonex were withdrawing their top selling rackets Astrox 88. Most would have missed the news with Covid 19 very much on our minds and how this has impacted our lives.
So, here we are, the first of these rackets has finally arrived. Introduced at the behind-closed-doors All England 2021 in March, and sadly without much fan-fare, the Yonex Astrox 88 Pro will be the upgraded successor to this much-loved series.
Surprisingly, the racket arrived without the customary full length cover and I am advised Yonex have refrained from using covers due to landfill concerns. I am aware that many players discard the covers so perhaps this is a good time to take a stance. That said, I would have liked the old style, racket head cover to provide a modicum of protection to the frame.
According to the Yonex chart, Astrox 88S Pro is situated towards the head heavy zone with a relatively hard feel, whatever that means. In summary, this is a stiff, moderately head heavy racket. This is usually close to my favoured specification, so I am hopeful that this racket delivers.
The slightly lighter head weight could almost fool you into thinking the racket is more even balanced, and maybe some will question whether this is refinement gone too far. I can imagine players who prefer the likes of Arcsaber 11 really taking to this racket, with the added benefit of a much stronger frame.
Power shots from the rear court are really sweet with the racket feeling so agile and yet still packing a punch. Attacking shots are strong with just enough feedback from the head to feel the shot. The speed of the head is impressive and allows a wide range of shots to be played quickly from half smash to cut drops, full smash to attacking clear.
As we moved into mid-court hitting, this racket continued to shine. Flat drives were really easy, with a great feel and thankfully without tiring the arm. The shuttle reacts quickly to the slight change in the head sending it in a different direction. When I compared to the original, the 88S, the Pro version is considerably punchier and quicker.
RRP is 185 as I write this review with retailers discounting to around 148. This is a fair price. It will be interesting to test the other variants on the Astrox 88S to compare and find which version delivers the best value for money. Given the playability of the Astrox 88S Pro, I consider the benchmark with this racket is high and other versions will have to show something special to beat this.
Also check our full range of Yonex Badminton Rackets.
NOTE: A number of the recommendations below may go out of stock, in addition to this remember what we suggest doesn't necessarily make it the best racket for you personally!
We've chosen this racket because it suits multiple styles of play and is available in 3U or 4U to suit different player preferences. It's originally made for the back court doubles player, as it's super attacking, however a big number of even top level players are also using it in singles. Super powerful and fast, it's an outstanding top level racket.2. Yonex Arcsaber 11 Pro Badminton Racket
Recently relaunched, it's legendary history as a top level racket used by players even after Yonex stopped running it's original range shows how much it's loved! Played even previously by Victor Axelson, we find once players get used to this racket they struggle to move onto anything else!
The new range from Yonex, adds extra technology for even more speed and power.
Used by the Worlds Top players in singles and some doubles pairs, the Astrox 100 zz suits the stronger player due to its stiffness and head heavy weighting. It's Yonex's most aggressive top tier Badminton Racket.
If you love to smash with power and accuracy this racket is perfect. You'll see large numbers of male county players using this.
New for 2024, the Astrox 88 Play racket is a versatile, powerful and precise racket aimed at beginner to intermediate players. With a medium flex and a head-heavy balance, this racket is powerful enough to control the game from the back of the court, yet agile enough to excel close to the net during heated rallies. A superbly designed racket, this racket is an easy choice for any player looking for a user-friendly yet dominant option. 6. Yonex Astrox 88S Pro Gen 3 Badminton Racket
Similar to it's partner in crime the Astrox 88D, this S stands for "Skill" and is designed for the front court player in a doubles partnership. It's a great combination of reactionary front court shots but still has enough weighting in the head of the racket for an excellent smash from the back of the court.
With a super slim frame and shaft profile, this racket is suited to players looking for speed and buttery smooth, fast swings. This is one of the easiest rackets to play with from Yonex's elite 'made in Japan' rackets and is also popular on the pro tour. This racket does require good technique and timing from the rear of the court, and we prefer the heavier 3U version over the 4U as it helps generate that little extra punch, especially from the rear court.
To say this racket is light just doesn't do it justice; this racket is almost in a new weight category of its own! With an average weight of 63g there won't be many rackets that will feel as easy to swing as the Astrox 22LT. Want to retrieve the smash of that guy at your club who hits bombs? This may be your best weapon.
The problem with most super light rackets is the lack of swing power from the rear court. Yonex have fixed this issue by placing most of the weight in the head and our feedback from customers is extremely positive.
This racket can be hard work and if you need manoeuvrability and speed, this is probably not the racket for you. If you can handle it, this racket is a true weapon....however, you will need to be a physically strong player with excellent technique to get the most out of this frame.
A beginner friendly version of the professional level Nanoflare 1000 Z racket, the Play variant takes this design and quality, and features incredible technologies to allow beginner players to enjoy all the benefits and advance your game with speed and attacking power. A head-light racket, the Nanoflare Play is ideal for counter attacking at the net, before unleashing a powerful smash to seal the point.
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In January 2018, Yonex introduced two badminton rackets that were specially designed for doubles players: Astrox 88 S (Skill) and Astrox 88 D (Dominate). Traditionally, the Astrox series has always been a favorite of players who demand head-heavy rackets for more power. However, with the introduction of the two Astrox 88 models, the company has offered the same features in lighter head-heavy rackets that can make the doubles game easier.
Launched as a replacement for the Voltric series, badminton players had huge expectations from the Astrox racket series. When the company launched Astrox 88S and Astrox 88D, the excitement was palpable because doubles superstar players Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (AX88S) and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon (AX88D) were the poster boys for the racket series. The racket was endorsed by Lee Yong Dae, the winner of the 2008 Olympics. You can find the rackets in 3U and 4U weight categories and G4 and G5 grips. Now, you can even opt for the second-generation Astrox 88S racket and 2nd gen Astrox 88D badminton rackets online.
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