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Rating Category | Score |
---|---|
Overall Rating | 3.8 out of 5.0 |
Comfort Rating | 4.5 out of 5.0 |
Durability Rating | 4.0 out of 5.0 |
Feel Rating | 3.0 out of 5.0 |
Welcome to yet another honest product review. Today, I will be reviewing the Yonex Hi Soft Grap. For all my other reviews, check out the badminton equipment page.
Prior to testing this product, I had never used it before. Similar to the observation I made in my Honest Review of Yonex Tacky Fit Grip, I’ve also never seen this particular grip used by any of the players that I have come across in my 15+ years of playing. Perhaps this is because the product is not as popular in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, or I just don’t pay close enough attention to the grips that players use.
It’s important to note that the following review is being written after playing only one 2-hour session with the grip. I am also a player who sweats more than the average badminton player. So take those factors into consideration when reading on with the review.
Now, let’s dive right into it!
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Product Overview: Yonex Hi Soft Grap
You can get the Yonex Hi Soft Grap in white, pink, yellow, taki blue, red, or black.
Category | Statistics (metric) | Statistics (imperial) |
---|---|---|
Dimensions | 24 mm x 1120 mm | 0.94 in x 44.09 in |
Thickness | 1.6 mm | 0.063 in |
Weight | 14.89 g | 0.53 oz |
Material | Polyurethane |
One thing I must admit is that Yonex does a fantastic job at naming its products. The Yonex Hi Soft Grap is quite soft to the touch. Imagine grabbing onto a puffy and spongey, yet sturdy, material that is similar to soft taffy. The sensation produced from holding the grip itself is maybe the best that I have encountered through any of the grips that I have used to date.
The thickness of the Yonex Hi Soft Grap is very noticeable at 1.6 mm (0.063 in). This is nearly thrice the thickness of the ever popular Yonex Super Grap at 0.6 mm (0.024 in). This may be beneficial to players looking to apply a firmer grip to their racket, especially suitable for power players.
The Yonex Hi Soft Grap falls into the category of an overgrip. As I have described in my post covering the various Yonex Grips: overgrips refer to the type of grips that are appended on top of the original/replacement grips, increasing the thickness of the handle grip and can offer additional gripping benefits.
Another very prominent trait of the Yonex Hi Soft Grap is its length. Coming in at only 1120 mm (44.09 in) long in length, I actually had to re-apply the grip because the first go-around did not cover enough of the racket handle. To fix this, I needed to grip in a way where there was less overlapping material with each wrap. And even then, you can see how short the grip came out to be. Take note that you’ll most likely need to modify the way you apply this grip to your racket handle.
The underside of the Yonex Hi Soft Grap has an adhesive strip running along the center of the grip, length-wise. This helps with applying the grip as the sticky underside will stick to the top layer of grip you already applied, keeping it fixed in place. This feature is not really necessary, but it doesn’t detract from the product either.
Overall, I would give the Yonex Hi Soft Grap a rating: 3.8 out of 5.0
Why a 3.8 out of 5.0? Well, you’ll have to read on to find out!
Comfort
Comfort Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0
I define comfort as a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint. What I am looking for from a comfort aspect is if the product provides a pleasant gripping experience. From the sensation of holding the grip to the degree the grip makes the game play more enjoyable.
The Yonex Hi Soft Grap was truly spectacular when it came to the pleasure gripping the product provided. The grip is extremely soft, probably the most so out of all of the grips I have ever used. However, it is not so soft to the point that the material compresses under any degree of pressure – as you may experience in a memory foam mattress. As such, it strikes a perfect balance in offering enjoyment from gripping but doesn’t detract from the experience by being too spongy.
Squeezing this grip also gave me a really pleasant feedback. Squishy is not the right word to capture this sensation. Rather, imagine a soft stress relief ball that allows you to easily squeeze it while still . When I softened my grip on the Yonex Hi Soft Grap, the product returned quickly back to its original form.
The delightfulness of the Yonex Hi Soft Grap’s grip material is unparalleled. Now you may be wondering, why didn’t I give it a perfect 5.0 out of 5.0 score? The reason boils down to personal preference. The grip was slightly too thick for me. My fingers were slightly less curled around the handle due to the larger circumference. While this may come across as a subtle difference to some, to an experienced badminton player, it can make a big difference in their game play.
If you’re a player who appreciates a thicker grip, you may find the Yonex Hi Soft Grap to be your ideal product as it comes to comfort.
Durability
Durability Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
I define durability as the ability to withstand wear, pressure, and damage. From a durability standpoint, I am looking for the grip product to remain intact and retain the same feel and quality as if it were newly applied.
After the 2-hour test playing session, the Yonex Hi Soft Grap did not suffer any noticeable decline in its quality. The grip was as soft as when I had freshly applied the grip at the beginning of the session. No part of the grip was coming undone, nor was there any grip residue that was left on my hand throughout the session.
The Yonex Hi Soft Grap also did a great job in absorbing the sweat produced by my hand. At the end of my testing session, the grip did not feel over-saturated with moisture. This means that the grip has a high degree of absorbency and would complement players that tend to sweat more.
Because of the high absorbency and durability, I found the grip to perform consistently throughout the entire session, which is in contrast to the Yonex Wet Super Grap Tough – look out for my future review!
UPDATE 1: Resuming play 3 weeks post gripping, the Yonex Hi Soft Grap felt as good as new when I played with the racket with the same grip used during the testing session. You may be thinking, “shouldn’t this be expected? This is only the second time you’re using it.”. You are not wrong in this line of thinking. But from my experience, even the popular Yonex Super Grap can severely decrease in its playability even after 1 badminton session of usage.
UPDATE 2: Players should be aware that the adhesive underside of the Yonex Hi Soft Grap may damage the replacement (aka original) grip over the racket. The replacement grip itself is stuck to the bottom of the Yonex Hi Soft Grap and therefore starts to tear when the overgrip is removed. While I haven’t noticed any difference in my play, more sensitive players may notice the unevenness to the grip post-damaging the replacement grip. Either be extra care when removing the overgrip as to prevent damaging the replacement grip, or carefully apply the Yonex Hi Soft Grap by having the adhesive strip only applied on top of the overgrip itself.
Feel
Feel Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0
I define feel as how well a player is able to maintain control over their shots by means of handling their racket. This involves how the grip aids the transmission of subtle movements from the player’s hand to the racket.
Given the thickness of the Yonex Hi Soft Grap, this racket was great at providing a very sturdy and reinforced feeling when it came to smashing or clearing. In these particular shots, players want to apply a tighter hold on their racket, so having a thicker grip material allows them to close the gap between their fingers and the grip sooner. I played my offensive shots with confidence as I was able to hold the racket with a strong grip.
As you may be aware, there will always be trade-offs in life. In the case of thickness of grip, the thicker the grip, the less suitable it is for control play. The reason here is because control players want more room between their fingers and the grip. This allows for better racket handling through applying subtle finger movements to maneuver the racket.
I personally identify more as a control player. With this, I prefer my grips on the thinner side so that I can have the freedom to nimbly move my fingers to move the racket in a wider range of motions than with a thicker grip.
The Yonex Hi Soft Grap was too thick for me and prohibited me from executing the same technical shots I like with ease. I found it difficult to play as I normally did and return shots to the same place that I was used to. Meaning, my placement was off, which I attribute to the feel of the racket being off. I had to be especially mindful when it came to more shots that required more technique to play, such as converting defensive blocks into offensive opportunities or hold and flick shots.
Critical Thoughts About the Yonex Hi Soft Grap
- The Yonex Hi Soft Grap is quite thick. This isn’t ideal for players who prefer control/technical game play or if they have smaller hands. But, can be a great partner in crime for players who specialize in power and attacking play.
- It adds considerable weight to the racket. With a mass of 14.89 g (0.53 oz), the Yonex Hi Soft Grap is on the heavier side of overgrips. This can alter the balance of rackets – either to a player’s benefit or detriment. Player’s beware!
Conclusion
The Yonex Hi Soft Grap is a decent grip and I would not mind playing with it again. Especially due to its unrivaled comfort from its incredibly soft texture. Though, this would not be my go-to grip.
In summary, check out my ratings table for this grip product again:
Rating Category | Score |
---|---|
Overall Rating | 3.8 out of 5.0 |
Comfort Rating | 4.5 out of 5.0 |
Durability Rating | 4.0 out of 5.0 |
Feel Rating | 3.0 out of 5.0 |
I would highly recommend this grip to players who prioritize comfort. While I haven’t played with the Yonex Hi Soft Grap for too long, I can see that it has the potential of preventing the development of calluses, especially the notorious one right below the pinky finger of your racket holding hand. Furthermore, this grip would be a great choice for players who have a smash-happy play style.
If you’re unsure about what grip to choose, you’ll benefit from checking out my post What Badminton Grip Should I Buy?
I got my Yonex Hi Soft Grap from the amazing Yumo badminton shop. This is a badminton-specific store that carries a wide selection of the latest and greater badminton equipment. If you’re located in Canada or the USA, definitely check this store out as they also have the option of free shipping for eligible orders. If you’re located in other countries, worry not! You can still receive orders from Yumo with a shipping fee.
If you’ve tried out the Yonex Hi Soft Grap and want to share your thoughts, feel free to comment below or email me at: b4dmintonbites@gmail.com.
Also, if there is particular product you would like me to review, don’t hesitate to let me know.
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