Yonex Nanoflare 800 Pro vs Victor Auraspeed HS Plus: two takes on extreme speed
Both have hard shafts and small frames. Both want fast doubles. They feel completely different on contact — here is why.
Overview
Nanoflare 800 Pro is Nanoflare's first Pro model — launched five months after Nanoflare 1000Z. Frame shape almost identical to 1000Z, but 800 Pro uses sharper-edged frame from string bed to T-joint and adds copper foil at frame bottom for rigidity and rebound. In play 800 Pro feels crisper and more elastic than 1000Z with metallic sound. Swing slightly faster than my Arcsaber 100X SE and 1000Z — second only to 5U 800 LT. Ball speed resembles 100X — instant leave. While 1000Z and 800 LT have slight dwell. Shaft torsion resistance excellent — fast recovery, good direction. Best flat drives among these. Possibly high frame elasticity plus light head — net shots not always easy; lifts sometimes higher than usual; cross-court net hooks easier out. Front-court rush-push placement may trail Arcsaber 100X SE and 1000Z, but lighter swing weight helps win height at net. Back court lacks 1000Z's DR carbon — control clearly weaker. Shuttle leaves instantly without wrap. Drops resemble Arcsaber 100X SE — harder to control placement than 1000Z. Light head makes clears hard to borrow; 4U may not suit singles well. 800 Pro closest to 100X in Nanoflare performance and positioning. Both large head, stiff shaft, moderate balance, front-court doubles oriented, defence-stronger-than-offence. They can substitute each other. 100X has thicker harder shaft harder to flex — higher power demand. Regular 100X smashes sometimes travel longer, less sharp. 800 Pro lacks that — easier downward pressure with sharper placement. Control especially front rush-push-kill still favours 100X. Defence receives: 800 Pro and 100X equally excellent — easy to borrow shaft elasticity for deep lifts. 800 Pro even bouncier than my Arcsaber 100X SE for deeper lifts. Large sweet spot makes passive handling more relaxed versus small-head 1000Z and HS Plus — fewer errors. 800 Pro drop wrap not strong but slightly better than Arcsaber 100X SE, which can be too fast-elastic with fast falling but less tight net. Best drops in Nanoflare is 1000Z; worst 5U 800 LT. 800 Pro maybe slightly above Nanoflare 700 Pro and 800 LT, below Nanoflare 800 and 1000Z — shaft not as stiff, lacks 1000Z DR carbon. Flagship gap may be that bit of tech. My 4U HS Plus and 4U 1000Z close in weight and balance: HS Plus 88.9 g after cap removal, 1000Z 89.4 g, both 304 mm. HS Plus feels like hardened Black Falcon — harder style, faster ball, clearer feedback. Sweet-spot hit made me instantly lose love for Black Falcon. Rare solid feel among speed rackets — crisp yet transparent, much heavier than 100X but swing not much slower. Back court especially smashes far stronger than 100X. Whipping Gain 3.0 seems to move flex point forward without much balance increase — easier downward pressure, sharper heavier placement. Full smashes OK like Black Falcon and Dragon Tooth Gen 2 but still behind Yonex offensive Astrox line. Style leans speed-offence — totally different from 100X. Shaft hardest tier in Victor lineup. I strung 26–28 lb AB (softer than my usual ABBT, BG80, BG80P). Even with AB, defence and passive do not feel like Arcsaber 100X SE elasticity. Arcsaber 100X SE 26–28 lb ABBT receives easier; HS Plus needs more active force. Small head — off sweet spot defence quality drops a lot. Better in singles. Positioning: doubles back court, or singles/mixed. Small head, extremely stiff shaft — very high entry for players with good technique and power. I usually play Arcsaber 100X SE, 1000Z, Halbertec 10. HS Plus clearly harder — not my easy level. Compare small-head stiff-shaft 1000Z: 1000Z like balanced among speed rackets — all-round, no weak points, neither light nor heavy head, fast yet solid, fast with control. Only 1000Z and Arcsaber 100X SE do this well among speed rackets. Small head except ultra-fast intense men's doubles front court — 1000Z defence and passive forgiveness acceptable. Front counter very sharp like Arcsaber 100X SE with catapult feel — fast precise placement. HS Plus shaft harder than 1000Z, slightly more head weight, swing slightly faster than 1000Z, solid feel. WES 3.0 helps flex despite stiff shaft. 1000Z head not heavy but stiff small head concentrates power. Smash not as good as HS Plus but sharper and heavier than Arcsaber 100X SE — enough for me. Critics of 1000Z smashes may not suit light-head smashing. For me head weight perfect — threatening smashes while keeping speed. Too heavy head hurts chains and defence. 1000Z entry barrier high but easier than HS Plus.
Astrox HS Plus vs 800 Pro
Not ideal comparison — totally different styles, reviewed together only because launch timing is close. HS Plus's best rival is 1000Z. Both small-head wind-cut offensive speed rackets.