Author: Racquet Network

Racquet Network staff are certified experts. Many are also certified coaches. Racquet Network Experts undergo extensive training and product knowledge testing in order to ensure that we have the most knowledgeable staff in the racquet sports industry.
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Where to find WIDE tennis shoes in Calgary

BABOLAT SFX 2 ALL COURT BLACK-BLUE
We carry wide tennis shoes for players with wide feet.
Racquet Network always has an awesome selection of tennis shoes at a variety of price points. Below is just a small sample of our selection.

We carry budget shoes, recreational shoes and high performance shoes for men, women and children.

We also offer wide tennis shoes for players who need them.

Customers can count on our experts to determine which shoe is best for the surface they will be playing on.

We also help customers with expert fittings that help to minimize foot pain caused by a variety of factors.

Come in for a tennis shoe fitting with our experts and leave with the perfect fit for your feet — even if those feet are wider than normal.

We are open 7 days a week. Monday to Friday 11:00am to 8:00pm. Saturday and Sunday 11:00am to 5:00pm. We are closed for all statutory holidays.

Men’s Tennis Shoes

A small sample of our men’s tennis shoes.

Shoe Selector For a full list of shoes in this category, please check out our ONLINE SHOE SELECTOR. You can sort by sport, gender, brand, size, width and price.

Ladies Tennis Shoes

A small sample of our ladies tennis shoes.

Shoe Selector For a full list of shoes in this category, please check out our ONLINE SHOE SELECTOR. You can sort by sport, gender, brand, size, width and price.

Junior Tennis Shoes

A small sample of our junior tennis shoes.

Shoe Selector For a full list of shoes in this category, please check out our ONLINE SHOE SELECTOR. You can sort by sport, gender, brand, size, width and price.
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Yonex Releases Astrox 99

Yonex Astrox 99 Badminton Racquet

Yonex Co., Ltd. is proud to announce the ASTROX 99, the newest racquet in the ASTROX series, which continues to gain a never-before-seen level of trust among the world’s top badminton players. Targeted at advanced players, the ASTROX 99 is designed to deliver power from hit after hit. Worldwide release is scheduled for mid-September 2018.

Until now, the ASTROX series has utilized next-generation graphite “Namd” in the shaft, which results in a large increase in the snap back speed of the shaft, producing greater smash speeds. But the ASTROX 99 has adopted Namd in the entire body of the racquet, including the frame, doubling contact time with the shuttle*2, resulting in an explosive shot as the racquet returns from flexed to straight at the end of the swing. Additionally, the Energy Boost Cap shape is designed to encourage even more flex in the shaft, further benefiting from the effects of the Namd graphite.

The series trademark technology, Rotational Generator System, which contributes to a smooth transition from shot to shot also helps the player maximize the effects of the entire Namd body.

The design of the ASTROX 99 is inspired by the power and energy of the sun. The base of orange and black echo the sun spinning in the vast blackness of space, while red highlights recall the explosive solar flares that occur on its surface.

*1 Namd is a technology developed by Nitta Corporation to “uniformly disperse carbon nanotubes into carbon fiber composites.”
*2 Based on machine test results, compared to conventional racquets

INNOVATION

New dimension graphite Namd

A world-first, new dimension graphite material, Namd, greatly improves the adhesion of the graphite fibers and resin by attaching nanomaterial directly to the graphite fiber.

In high performance racquets, it is common to combine nanomaterials with resin that connects graphite fibers, but in Namd, nanomaterials are directly adhered to the graphite fibers and resin is greatly increased. This major improvement produces a shaft that flexes and stores energy, delivering explosive force on impact with the shuttle. In the ASTROX 99, Namd has also been incorporated in the racquet frame, which helps it to “hold” the shuttle, increasing contact time and, resultingly, the speed and force with which it is expelled.

Below left: A shuttlecock hit by the ASTROX 99 reaches the target fast and penetrates deeper than when hit by a conventional racquet.

Below right: The contact with the shuttlecock is twice as long with the ASTROX 99 than with the conventional racquet, and the shuttle is ejected faster and further.

Rotational Generator System

By applying the counterbalance theory, weight is distributed throughout the grip end, frame top and the joint for maximum control. The transition to the next shot can be performed smoothly and in rapid succession.

New Cap Design “Energy Boost Cap”:

Maximizes shaft performance

The new shape allows the shaft to flex, which ensures the maximum effect of “Namd[1](more flex and faster kick-back graphite material)” and stabilizes the racquet face by preventing the shaft twisting, increasing control.

Yonex Astrox 99 — Technologies

Yonex Namd

Yonex Namd Badminton Racquet Technology
Yonex Namd Badminton Racquet Technology

A world-first, new dimension graphite material, Namd, greatly improves the adhesion of the graphite fibers and resin by attaching nanomaterial directly to the graphite fiber.

In high performance racquets, it is common to combine nanomaterials with resin that connects graphite fibers, but in Yonex Namd, nanomaterials are directly adhered to the graphite fibers and resin is greatly increased. This major improvement in Yonex racquets produces a shaft that flexes and stores energy, delivering explosive force on impact with the shuttle.


Yonex Badminton Racquet Full Frame Namd

Yonex Full Racquet Namd Badminton Racquet Technology
Yonex Full Racquet Namd Badminton Racquet Technology

The ASTROX 99 has adopted Namd in the entire body of the racquet, including the frame. This doubles contact time with the shuttle, resulting in an explosive shot, as the racquet returns from flexed to straight at the end of the swing.


Yonex Nanometric

Yonex Nanometric Badminton Technology
Yonex Nanometric Badminton Technology

NANOMETRIC* improves the bonding strength between the carbon fibres enabling us to take racquet shaft construction to another level. By reducing the amount of carbon in the shaft to make it 60%* thinner than a conventional racquet whilst retaining stiffness, YONEX has created a revolutionary lightweight racquet with lightening head speed and control.

*NANOMETRIC is the new material which applies the NANOALLOYTM Technology of Toray Industries, Inc.


New Grommet Pattern

Yonex New Grommet Pattern Racquet Technology
Yonex New Grommet Pattern Racquet Technology

Yonex’ new single-pass grommet hole construction provides more grommet holes and fewer shared holes than other brands. This permits for a more high-performance stringing pattern.


Rotational Generator System

Yonex Rotational Generator System Badminton Racquet Technology
Yonex Rotational Generator System Badminton Racquet Technology

Yonex rotational generator system applies the counterbalance theory in Yonex racquets. Weight is distributed throughout the grip end, frame top and the joint for maximum control. This ensures a smooth and rapid transition to the next shot.


Solid Feel Core

Yonex Solid Feel Core Badminton Racquet Technology
Yonex Solid Feel Core Badminton Racquet Technology

The built-in solid feel core in Yonex premium racquets reduces harmful miscellaneous vibration at impact. This technology, called “solid feel core” is a feature of all Yonex racquets manufactured in Japan.


Super Slim Shaft

Illustration
Reduced Air Resistance

This is the slimmest shaft ever produced by Yonex. It vastly reduces air resistance whilst providing maximum feel.


Aero+Box Frame

Yonex Aero Box Frame Badminton Racquet Technology
Yonex Aero Box Frame Badminton Racquet Technology

Yonex frames are contoured differently on different parts of the loop. Some areas feature an aerodynamic shape to reduce air resistance. Other areas feature a box shape to provide strength and power. This combination offers a quick swing with a solid feel.


Built in T-Joint

Moulded deep into the layers of graphite where the frame connects with the shaft, the YONEX Built-in T-Joint creates a durable and high-strength one-piece frame that is torque-free.


Energy Boost Cap

Yonex Energy Boost Cap Badminton Racquet Technology
Yonex Energy Boost Cap Badminton Racquet Technology

The new shape of the energy boost cap allows the shaft to flex, which ensures the maximum effect of “Namd (more flex and faster kick-back graphite material)” and stabilizes the racquet face by preventing the shaft twisting, increasing control


Isometric Head Shape

Yonex Nanomesh Neo Badminton Racquet Technology
Yonex Nanomesh Neo Badminton Racquet Technology

Yonex’ square-shaped ISOMETRIC frame shape is designed to keep vertical strings at a similar length. This shape produces a larger sweet spot in all directions.

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Which Yonex Astrox is Best for Me?

Yonex Astrox Flash Boost Badminton Racquet

Which Yonex Astrox is Best for Me?

There are several racquets in the Astrox series for men, women and teens at all levels. This provides an overview and a starting point for considering which are good fits for you.

Overall, this is a head heavy series. It replaces the old Voltric series which is now obsolete.

The Astrox series features upgraded materials and enhanced engineering. But like the Voltric series before it, the Astrox series is designed for players who like to smash. It is also for players who who tend to hit most of their shots from the middle to the back of the court.

Chart produced by Yonex summarizing their Astrox series of badminton racquets
Enlarge this chart to see what Yonex recommends for their Astrox series.

Advanced to Elite Players

Big, strong and/or athletic players who are fully capable of hitting out of bounds from any where on the court tend to play with stiff and extra stiff shafts. The racquets in the Astrox series with stiff and extra stiff shafts are the Astrox 99, Astrox 88D, Astrox 88S, and Astox 9.

Players in this group tend to be in the top 10% of all players. Most are men, but some ladies and elite teens fit into this category as well.

Intermediate to Advanced Players

Recreational players who are not capable of hitting the backhand corner to corner clear out of bounds with a stiff racquet may will usually choose to play with racquets with medium flex shafts. The Astrox series racquets with medium flex shafts include the Astrox 77, Astrox 7 and Astrox 55.

The group of players includes most recreational level men who play regularly, stronger recreational level women, advanced teens and advanced seniors.

New to Intermediate Players

This category includes most recreational level ladies, teens and seniors. Players in this group have difficulty hitting the shuttle out the back of the opposition baseline when standing on their own baseline, especially on the backhand. Astrox series racquets built for this group included Astrox 66, Astrox 6, Astrox 5 Astrox 2.

Yonex Astrox Series

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Save Money with Pressureless Tennis Balls

BABOLAT ACADEMY PRESSURELESS TENNIS BALLS
Save money. Use pressureless tennis balls.
As you can imagine, we spend a LOT of time hanging around tennis courts. Therefore, we spend a lot of time watching recreational tennis players. And as a result of this, we can tell you that most recreational players are playing with the wrong tennis balls.

We are not talking about color coding here. That’s a different issue. We are talking about regular players playing with regular tennis balls. Most of them are wasting their money and wasting their time playing with regular, pressurized tennis balls.

Regular tennis balls come in a can. That can is pressurized to 15 lbs per square inch over ambient air pressure. This is why it sounds like a soda when you pop the seal and open a new can of balls.

Just as a soda starts going flat the from the moment you open the can, tennis balls start going flat, too. From the moment you open the can, the balls inside start losing pressure. If you drop a new ball when you first open the can, it will bounce up to your belly button. Wait just two weeks and the same ball — even if it sits unused in your bag — will only bounce up to your knee.

This is because as soon as you open the can, the balls start losing air pressure and begin returning to balance with their new environment. Here in Calgary, this means that new tennis balls lose about 50 per cent of their bounce in about a week — even if you don’t use them.

Unless you are playing several times per week, pressureless tennis balls are not a wise way to spend your money. As we said above, even if you don’t use them, they will quickly go flat in your bag. A much better way to go is to purchase pressureless balls. Pressureless balls never lose their bounce. You can leave them in your bag all winter and they will bounce the same in the spring.

Pressureless balls use new materials technology to maintain their bounce. And contrary to popular belief, pressureless balls do not weigh any more or less than standard pressurized tennis balls. Today in our store, for example, we weighed six different models of pressurized and pressureless balls and all weighed exactly the same — 58 grams.

So unless you are tournament player who has to be accustomed to a very specific ball, there are almost no good reasons to be using old fashioned and expensive pressurized tennis balls.

Babolat ™ Academy balls are available in our southwest Calgary store. They can be purchased individually or in money-saving multiples. They are designed for use in teaching programs and ball machines, so they are extremely durable and long lasting. For most infrequent players, this is the best way to go.

We also offer a range of pressureless tennis balls for children, teens and adult beginners.

Pressureless Tennis Balls for All Ages

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Help! My Feet are Blistering

For a shoe fitting expert, information about blistering is excellent because it sends a clear signal about what is wrong with the fit of the shoe.

Unfortunately, this awesome information is often tied to equally bad information firmly planted it the customer’s mind about what is causing the blistering. When this happens, it can make it a difficult issue to correct.

Here is the truth about blistering.

Where your feet are blistering will usually indicate what is causing the blisters.

Blistering on the heel, for example, is caused by shoes that are too short. Court shoes that are the correct length will be loose enough in the back not to cause blistering on the heel.

Blistering on the outside of the foot or the side of either the big toe or the little toe is usually caused by shoes that are too narrow.

If blistering in these places is also accompanied by bruised or blackened toenails, then the shoe is to short as well as too narrow.

Blistering on the sole of the foot can be caused by shoes that are too big, but it is most often caused by damp cotton.

Wet skin is weak skin. Weak skin tears. So if you developed a large blister on your forefoot that splits open late in a match, the first thing you should check is your socks.

Wet socks weaken your skin and make it susceptible to tearing.

Either buy some polyester socks or change your cotton socks frequently during your match. Keeping your feet dry is the first step in avoiding skin tears.

We strongly recommend that players with friction issues carry a tube of Body Glide and a tube of Anbesol. The glide can be applied to areas of known friction. The Anbesol can take the sting out of blisters that are starting to develop.

Yonex Men’s Badminton Shoes

A small random selected of our Yonex men’s badminton shoes