Badminton racket test: Victor Thruster F C Ultra X vs. Auraspeed Fantôme J

Jakob and Michi tested the Victor Thruster F C Ultra X and the Victor Auraspeed Fantôme J on court. Both are high-end 4U rackets and both can be played offensively. But they feel clearly different.

The test video

The two rackets in brief

Victor Thruster F C Ultra X

The Thruster F C Ultra X comes from Victor’s power series. It is head-heavy and has a stiff shaft. It suits players who put pressure on from the back court with smashes, clears or half smashes. Besides the 4U version, it is also available in 3U.

Victor Auraspeed Fantôme J

The Auraspeed Fantôme J is only slightly head-heavy and has a medium shaft. The frame is very thin. That makes it more manoeuvrable: you are faster in grip changes and in flat, fast rallies.

The differences at a glance

Back court: smash and clear

With the Thruster F C Ultra X you feel right away that it comes from the power series. The head-heavy balance helps you build pressure from the back court. The Fantôme J also has its strengths at the back. But it forgives more when your technique or your contact point is not quite clean yet.

Drive and defence

In drive and defence the Thruster gives you a lot of stability and pressure. But it forgives little, so you need a clean technique. The strength of the Fantôme J is fast, flat play. It is very manoeuvrable and moves easily from left to right. You still create enough power in fast play and in defence.

Verdict: which racket suits you?

• Thruster F C Ultra X: for attacking players who want a lot of power and already have a clean technique.
• Auraspeed Fantôme J: for players who want fast shots in the drive and look for a manoeuvrable racket. Good for doubles and mixed.

In short: the Thruster is the classic power racket. The Fantôme J gives you more speed and more feel.

You find all our racket tests on our page Badminton Racket Test & Comparison. Questions about the two rackets? Just write to us.