Friday 29 January 2010

Apacs Edgesaber Z-Spark Review

Ok here is the review for the z-spark. First off i will say that it is an all round racket due to its more even balance. The main factor i take into account when i rate any racket is how stable it is on impact. This is the be all and end all for me, and the z-spark is very stable, so it passes my test. The head is lighter than with the lethal 70, so it is better at the net and for fast reaction shots. Where it is not as good is at the back of the court when you need power. This is all because the head is lighter. However the difference is minimal, and i doubt you would notice much of a difference between the two. The z spark is slightly head heavy, just not as much as the lethal 70.

It sure does sound good when you hit the shuttle, especially at 30lbs tension, which is what i had in there. It is a stiff frame so it gives good control, and you can get very good power if you can swing fast enough overhead. I could tell after the first minute that it was a good racket that had control and stability. A nice consistent feel, which i what i look for. I think you can use it for both doubles and singles without any trouble at all. Better than the lethal 70 at the net because it is lighter in the head, but slightly less powerful from the back than the lethal 70. I have said before that the lethal 70 is my favourite, and although the z-spark comes very close, it just falls short in my opinion. This is only because the 70 suits my game better than the z-spark.

Others will prefer the z-spark because it is better for their game. This is just my own personal opinion, so bear that in mind. The most important point is that it is solid and consistent, which is all you can hope for in any racket, whether it is stiff, flexible, heavy, light or whatever. If you are a big hitter you will have no problem with the z-spark, and if you are a net player it will suit you as well. It is certainly more of an all round racket than the lethal 70.

I will give the z-spark 9.5/10. The test racket i had was a UK version made for Apacs Sports UK with the yellow shaft and t-joint.

APACS EDGESABER Z SPARK SPECIFICATION

Frame Material: Hi Modulus Graphite + CS Carbon

Shaft Material: Hi Modulus Graphite + CS Carbon

Shaft Flex: Stiff

Weight: 86 +/- 1g 4U

Lenght: 675mm

Max Tension: 30lbs (i strung mine to 30 without any problems)

Balance: 285 +/- 3amm


SPECIAL FEATURES

Isometric head frame

76 Grommets system
CS Carbon Nanotec

CS Nano Carbon + Hi PER HMG

Japan Troy 30M (30 tonne) for racket frame

Japan Troy T700 (24 tonne) for racket shaft

Tuesday 19 January 2010

Apacs Edgesaber Z-Spark

I have just received the test racket from Apacs Sports UK, the all new z-spark. I have just strung it to 30lbs with apacs spider string and i am about to begin testing it this week. From getting hold of it for the first time i can tell you it is slightly head heavy, just a little less than the lethal 70 in fact. I have high hopes for this racket, i expect it to be at least on a par with the lethal 70, if not better. It will have to go some to do this, so we will see. I will post my review in the next few days when i have given it a good thrashing. Stay tuned for more....