A Review of the Yonex Astrox 88D Pro

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. See our Privacy Policy for more information.

We have yet another racket review by our fan, Nihal S! He did a review of the Astrox 77 in the past and now he’s come back with a review of his latest racket, the Astrox 88D. Please check out his reviews and if you ever want to contribute as well, let us know at b4dmintonbites@gmail.com!

Join our mailing list on our About Page for exclusives, offers, and the latest news from BadmintonBites! By joining, you’ll get 25% off anything from our shop!

Specs of the Racket

• Weight category: 4u
• Grip size: G5
• Colour: Camel Gold
• String (at the time of writing): Yonex NBG-95 (Yellow)
• Tension: 27 mains, 29 crosses
• Grip configuration: Remove factory grip, 3 layers of Yonex cushion, Lining thin grip
• Fully recessed frame profile
• Namd material
• Volume Cut Resin (VCR)
• Enhanced rotational generator system (RGS)

First Time Use and Thoughts:The racket felt comparatively head heavier than my Astrox 77, which I had previously reviewed on this website. The funny thing is it was definitely a lot head heavier than my Astrox 77 but felt just as fast and quick if not faster than it. Power was just another level, sheer power but I also feel that its harder to hit correct downline smashes due to the balance change and momentum during the swing. Deceptions were slightly harder to perform. Overall, enjoyed it but I still had lots of mistimed shots.

How I feel about the racket currently: After 4 months of use, the racket is more enjoyable to use now. The head weight is not something that bothers me now unless my energy levels have been down too much. The sheer power is something I enjoy with the racket. I think you do feel the VCR, enhanced RGS and fully recessed profile in the first try but for intermediate players like me, I think you only get the advantages of it after using it constantly for at least 2 to 3 months. The racket is still very fast and maneuverable for a head heavy racket. The only small issue is when you are too stiff with your body, you might end of mistiming the shot and might hit the frame. The solution to this is to relax your body, get behind the shuttle, release and tighten at the last moment. Even though the sweet spot of this is larger than the OG Yonex 88D, I feel it is still smaller compared to the most user-friendly racket, the Astrox 77.

Pros:

• Effortless shots, no difficulty with power
• If you can use the racket to advantage, you will be eventually able to get to good steep smashes.
• Pretty good sweet-spot
• Awesome sound while hitting (I tried with NBG-95 28lbs)
• Sheer power 💪🏼💪🏼
• Pretty durable, had few clashes but still not a single scratch.
• Pretty good paint job
• Huge improvement in many terms compared to the OG Yonex 88D

Cons:

• Head weight might be a problem for those who don’t use heavy rackets or weaker/younger players.
• Stiff shaft, will need some power to get the momentum
• Takes some time to get the most out of the racket
• Gets sluggish once you are very fatigued.
• Only one color available as of mid-2022

Ratings
Overall Rating: 4.8 out of 5

1. Control Rating: 4.9 out of 5

I hugely agree with this point. This head heavy racket has lots of control in them just like the Astrox 99 Pro used by Kento Momota. This is also no exception to this racket. Lots of control in net also from the rear court is also a bit common.

1. Speed Rating: 4.6 out of 5

This racket is exceptionally fast for its head weight category but still falls behind the true speed. Still not bad for a head heavy racket. This will take some time to get used to the speed, especially in drives and jabs. Definitely not for the front court player, it can be used but highly recommend 4u weight.

1. Power Rating: 5 out of 5

Let’s get this right, the Astrox 88D Pro is an absolute beast in power just like the how the Astrox 100ZZ is a legend of power! This is the main win point of this racket which no one would dare to say no to. I love the power but just be careful to time it well. Also, put in a nice string at a decent tension to get the best response out of the smashes.

For whom is this racket: Definitely for those looking for a combo of power, speed and control. This is the choice for you.

Subscribe on our About Us page, see you there!

Thank you for reading! Our most popular posts are our badminton equipment posts, make sure to check them out next.

Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our email list down below for a FREE downloadable PDF and a 25% COUPON CODE for our store.

BadmintonBites is all about honest and authentic badminton content. The goal of BadmintonBites is to create real value for the badminton community, which is often plagued with subpar or downright false content on the internet.

Badminton deserves so much more and we’re here to share our experience and expertise with you. You can read more about BadmintonBites and our purpose on our About Us page.

We would love to have you with us on our badminton journey and we hope to provide you with as much value as possible.

Here’s some guides and reviews on badminton products. We update this list whenever we add new equipment content – hope you enjoy!