As a big fan of Kento Momota and a user of the Yonex Astrox 99 badminton racket, I bought the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro the moment I could find it in stock. After over a year of playing with the Astrox 99 Pro, here’s my verdict. Welcome to my Yonex Astrox 99 Pro badminton racket review!

Table of Contents

Summary

Power: 9/10

Speed: 7.5/10

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

Recommended For: Strong, Advanced Players

Extras: Stiff Shaft, Head Heavy, HM Graphite / Namd / VOLUME CUT RESIN / Tungsten Frame

Where To Buy: Amazon

Review Model: 3U G4, Yonex AC402EX Towel Grip and Yonex AC102EX Super Grap, Yonex BG80 and Yonex BG65 Ti both @28 lbs

Power – The Head Heaviest Of Them All

As you may have guessed from the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro’s name, this badminton racket is the successor to the popular Yonex Astrox 99. Released in late September 2021, the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro was designed to be the most powerful racket in the Yonex Astrox series.

The Yonex Astrox 99 Pro is the most head-heavy racket in the Astrox series, perhaps out of all Yonex rackets, which is why it had been my main racket for so long. It is an excellent racket for singles players. From talking to various people and using the racket, I know the extra head heaviness gives you better control over the shuttle.

Lifts, clears, and smashes all feel great, provided you don’t mishit.

I note the point about mishitting because it takes a lot of power to use the Astrox 99 Pro’s power. As I was training and learned that I play better with lighter rackets, I realized that you must be very strong if you want to play well with the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro.

Though the racket is personally not for me anymore, the power you gain from playing the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro is still very respectable and deserves a rating of 9/10.

Speed – Better Than The Astrox 99

The Yonex Astrox 99 Pro isn’t my main racket anymore because its weight makes the racket relatively slow.

Playing fast drives with this racket is very difficult if you are not super strong. The weight also hinders your ability to get the racket up fast. A few milliseconds could mean the difference between playing a big smash or a defensive drop.

The scenarios I often get into as a singles player where it’s difficult playing with the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro involves a lot of flat shots. For example, I might be on defense, block a smash, and my opponents often love coming in and playing a drive if the block is a little high. Because my racket had just been down to get a smash, I often find myself unable to get my racket up in time to play the next shot.

However, the good news is that the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro is much better speed-wise than its predecessor, the Yonex Astrox 99.

When I primarily played with the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro and the Yonex Astrox 99, I often noticed that the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro had a smaller head and felt more aerodynamic. It’s just not as good as rackets like the Yonex Voltric Z Force II and the Yonex Astrox 100ZZ.

Price and Extras

At about $310 CAD or about $230 USD, the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro is by no means cheap. As a high-end racket from Yonex, however, you can be sure of the quality. It is priced in the same range as other high-end badminton rackets, so whether you buy the racket will come down to your preference.

Since you’re spending so much on these badminton rackets, I would always recommend trying the racket out before buying. If you have friends who already use the racket, asking them to hit a few shots with it is generally the easiest way.

Beyond the price of the racket, it’s also worth mentioning that the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro comes in two different styles – the White Tiger and Cherry Sunburst colors.

==> Buy The Yonex Astrox 99 Pro Badminton Racket Here

Yonex Astrox 99 Pro Badminton Racket Review Conclusion

To conclude this Yonex Astrox 99 Pro badminton racket review, I would recommend this racket to those who love head-heavy rackets and are very strong. The weight of this racket allows people to generate unprecedented control and power… if they can wield it. I’d recommend that most players get the 4U version of the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro if this is their desired racket because of the weight.

For players like me who like head-heavy but lighter rackets, you may want to check out the Yonex Astrox 100ZZ or the Yonex Astrox 77 Pro. These are great, lighter alternatives to the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro. And if head-heavy isn’t your thing, you should check out the Yonex Arcsaber 11 Pro and the Yonex Nanoflare 800.

Overall, I’m giving the Yonex Astrox 99 Pro an 8.5 out of 10 because its power is simply phenomenal in the hands of a physically strong, advanced player. It is a rather heavy racket, so beware and figure out if it suits you.