u/Melodic-Cook-335

If you are a user of the Exbolt 65, read this review.

Recently over the past few years, YONEX's Exbolt 65 has been rising in popularity. I have already tried the string for myself before, and there's no denying that it really is a good string.

https://preview.redd.it/uyo6cxilyuyg1.png?width=1456&format=png&auto=webp&s=bb6301ad0accd99a55400e5d022d1830d1b96121

But, there's one string I tried that doesn't even seem to be recognized or known in the Philippines, let alone the brand itself.

Gosen, and their 0.65 mm string, the Ryzonic 65.

I bought the RYZ65 around a month ago for around 350 pesos on Lazada. Compared to the Exbolt 65, you can get it for roughly around 480-500+ pesos on Shopee, and as far as I know, that's the cheapest price range you can get the EXB65 at.

When it first arrived, I wasn't really expecting much from it, considering how low it was in price. But, I decided to get my racket strung with it at 25x27 lbs after my Exbolt 65 snapped, but after using it for a month, this string very much exceeded my expectations.

Now, for the my honest and unfiltered thoughts, I'll cover the most important characteristics of strings:

1. Repulsion

• Of course, the EXB65 is praised for its high repulsion, but how does the RYZ65 compare?
• From personal experiences and based on the observations of others, it is true that the EXB65 is indeed a very repulsive string. But, for me and for several others, we have found it a bit too repulsive. What I mean by this is that on controlled net shots, the ball would sometimes jump over the net a bit too high.
• The RYZ65's repulsion is just right for me. Not as repulsive as the EXB65, but not lacking in repulsion. Though, I will have to say that the string leans toward the repulsive side more than the less repulsive side.
• Rating and Final Verdict: If you already prefer the high repulsiveness of the EXB65, I would give this a. 8.5-9/10, but if you prefer strings that are just a tad less repulsive than the EXB65, I would definitely give this a 10/10.

2. Hitting Feel/Feedback

• Oh boy, this is probably my most favorite (yes, I know that is gramatically incorrect, but thats just how much I love this string's feel.) part about this string.
• I would say that this string is a hybrid between the Exbolt 65 and the BG80 that doesn't compromise or lack in any areas. It mimics the EXB65's repulsiveness but tones it down a bit so that you don't compromise control, but it also has the grip BG80 offers. BG80 is known for having a texture that "grips" the shuttle, allowing for more controlled spin nets, and I can say that the RYZ65 replicates this really well. Especially on slices, you can really feel the contact of the shuttle with the stringbed.
• The EXB65 is a medium-feeling string, wheras the RYZ65 is a medium-feeling string that leans toward being hard-feeling. I would say its basically like a medium-hard feeling. When you let the tension settle in, this string feels amazing.
• The EXB65 is a "smooth" string, whereas the RYZ65 is a textured string that offers more grip over the shuttle, therefore giving you more precision. This is what I really kind of lacked during my time with the EXB65, and the RYZ65 compensated for that perfectly.
• Rating and Final Verdict: If you like the grip and texture BG80 provides, you'll love this string. a 9-9.5/10 for me. Really love the precision and crisp feedback this string gives me.

3. Durability

• I have seen mixed reviews regarding the durability of the EXB65. Some say its quite durable, while some say that the durability is lacking. Personally for me, my EXB65 snapped in just 12 days. I know, that sounds abnormal. But from my personal guess, it was probably because of the stringer.
  • I know some people will say that "oh, it must have been dahil puro mishit ka!" Yeah, but I've had the RYZ65 for over a month now, and during that time, I've made more mishits than I have with the EXB65. Infact, I've made more brutal mishits (smashes that hit the racket frame or severely outside of the sweet spot) with this string than I have with the EXB65.
• Been a month, and I can say that this string lasts really well. No visible fraying or anything on the strings, and its still holding up really well after lots and lots of beating I've done to this thing.
• Rating and Final Verdict: 10/10 so far. Performance strings like these generally aren't expected to last longer than 3 weeks for those who play seriously, but its amazing how these have lasted me a month already as a heavy player who plays several times a week for hours.

4. Tension Retention

• Yes, I know. Not a common thing that others review when they're reviewing a string, but this area is too good not to be praised. The RYZ65 is marketed by Gosen as a string that specializes in "tension maintenance". What this basically means is that you'll maintain the tension you'll string your racket at for a longer period of time. For those who don't know, strings lose tension overtime, so a racket that was strung at 27 lbs may go down to 24 lbs as time passes by.
• The RYZ65 actually holds it tension so well its crazy. I would say that I'm an aggressive player who typically goes for hard smashes and slices, all which we know degrade the tension of the string much more compared to passive shots, and tension is still holding up really well. I strung this at 26 lbs, yet after a month of beating, this feels like 25 lbs, only a one pound difference.
• Rating and Final Verdict: 10/10. There is no string I've tried that retains tension this well, not even EXB65 or BG80, and if you're telling me that this string offers the same performance as those two strings while retaining tension, this is no doubt a solid 10.

5. Hitting Sound

• Now for the not-too-important characteristic, but of course, every player loves a good sounding string, and the RYZ65 definitely doesn't lack in this area.
• Shots are very high-pitched and "metallic", which I personally didn't experience with the EXB65. Still, there's no denying that the EXB65 sounds amazing, but the RYZ65 personally has this "metallic" sound to it that makes shots sound so much crispier. (let me know if you guys want a video showcasing the sound of it after a month of usage) Even after a month, this thing still sounds amazing.

6. Final Thoughts

• This string is a hybrid of the BG80 and EXB65 that doesn't lack in any areas. The repulsion is a tad bit less than the EXB65 while still giving great repulsion, and the result is more control over net shots. It mimics the grip BG80 gives, which I really love. The hitting feedback is incredible and every shot can be felt on the stringbed, durability is amazing, and this is the first string I've seen that retains tension this well.
• Definitely give this string a try and give it the recognition it deserves and I promise you, you'll never look back at the EXB65. This also helps your wallet a lot, considering that it doesn't break easily, retains tension like a beast, and if it does break, the price won't scratch your wallet as much as YONEX strings.

I recently got my hands on the not-too-long ago released Victor NCS Max (1,100 pesos for a tube of 12 pcs),, and after playing with them last night, here are my unfiltered thoughts. Please read until the very end, trust me. I might just be saving your wallet (lol)..

In terms of the playing feel of these shuttles, I'll only review the two most important characteristics. If you guys have any questions, please feel free to ask me below.

1. Durability

• Of course, I have to start with the characteristic this shuttlecock is most hyped for. I have seen other reviews from people regarding the NCS Pro, and from most of these reviews the one thing I have noticed the most is that the durability of the Pros are lacking. People complained that the NCS Pro's were overhyped, and that after one feather breaks off, the flight path basically makes playing with it unplayble. From personal experience, the durability of these heavily surprised me. It took two hours of straight playing to damage one of the feathers, and even after it got damaged, playing with them wasn't a struggle. It took roughly 6 games of singles to ruin the shuttle completely, with 3 stems completely detaching from the shuttle making it unplayable.
• Though I will admit, one thing that I noticed is that after around 3 games I noticed that the circular shape of the feathers started to deform into a very slight oval shape. Fixing this was nothing hard though, you just have to squeeze it a bit to return it back to its original shape after every few rallies. Even when I noticed the start of the deformation, there was no sign of damage on the feathers themselves. Comparison with Commonly Used Shuttles in Queueing (XP2 Silver and Ling-Mei 10): The durability of these are way better than the commonly used LM10s and XP2 Silvers. It takes around 10 smashes or even less to damage a feather of the LM10s, and the moment that happens, the flight path and speed become too unpredictable and inconsistent.
• Rating and Final Thoughts: 10/10. Didn't exceed my expectations, but it did satisfy them. Got what I was expecting from the hype of these shuttles, and I can fully vouch for the durability of these. I am satisified.

2. Hitting Feel/Feedback

• This was immediately the first thing me and my friend noticed. The feedback was so crisp and you could really feel the direction you're hitting the shuttle. For those who have used high end feather shuttles before, you know what I'm talking about.
• Comparison with Commonly Used Shuttles in Queueing (XP2 Silver and Ling-Mei 10): Again, I can say that these have way better hitting Feel than LM10s and XP2 Silvers. After a few rallies, they start to feel quite “hollow”, in comparison the NCS Maxes where I could really feel the weight of the ball behind every swing and the feedback was crisp and instant.
• Rating and Final Verdict: 10/10. Even after around 1 hour and 30 hours of straight playing, the shuttle retains 80-90% of its crisp hitting feel.

3. Price to Quality Ratio

• A tube of NCS Maxes cost around 1,100, whereas a tube of XP2 Silvers costs around 1,200-1,300, yet NCS Maxes perform better in every aspect compared to XP2 Silvers and LM10s. Playing with the NCS Maxes feel like playing with a high-end feather shuttle.
• From the title, the reason for this post all boiled down to this: The one thing I'm hoping for in the near future is that these shuttles get recognized by queueing groups across the country, and hopefully, start implementing these shuttles. There is quite literally no reason you'd choose an XP2 Silver/LM10 over the NCS Max, and I personally believe that implementing these shuttles in queueing groups would significantly lower the cost of ball fees per game. I'm really hoping that the NCS Maxes get the recognition they deserve, because I'm sure that all, or most of our wallets are being affected by the price increase of feather shuttles (lol).

Please, to those who read this, get a tube and try it for yourself. You will not regret it. To those who read this, please spread the word, because I sincerely believe these shuttles are the right financial investment for queueing groups. I'm 100% sure players will also find the playing experience with these shuttles more enjoyable compared to feather shuttles.