We’re now almost a month into Coronavirus quarantine, what better way to pass the time than to spend money on things you couldn’t possibly use. My way of spending money unnecessarily was to purchase a Tecnifibre Carboflex Airshaft 125. Absolutely no regrets!
I guess this cabin fever can cause even the sanest of people to go a little doolally. My latest purchase arrived this morning, kindly left on my doorstep by the postman – I suppose this was a good reason to get out of bed at a reasonable time (there’s not too many other reasons!).
I’m fortunate to have more than a handful of rackets to be able to compare the new Airshaft to, including two of the older Carboflex variants including the 125 X-speed, so I’ve been able to have a quick play about with the racket to get an idea how it might feel once things return to normal and we can all get back onto a squash court.
If you’re interested in the history of the Carboflex models, make sure to have a read of our feature article, a brief history of the Tecnifibre Carboflex 125, where you can find out exactly how they became so insanely popular on the squash court.
Looks
When I first saw pictures of the new Airshaft, I wasn’t sure how I felt about deviating from the sleek black frames of the previous Carboflex models. I’m happy to report that in person, this is a seriously nice looking racket.
Tecnifibre is really playing on their French heritage here, and also brining the design of their tennis and squash rackets closer together. The new Tecnifibre branding is hard to miss, and it’s topped off by a subtle silver Mohamed Elshorbagy signature on the side of the frame.
Sidenote – I wonder how other professional squash players feel using a racket signed by someone who could one day be their opponent? Food for thought…
The new Airshaft appears quite a bit thicker than the Heritage and X-speed Carboflex models. You can take a look yourself below to get a better idea. It’s a welcome change – between this and the previous three models, it’s the first time the racket feels to have had a true redesign. It feels like a whole new model, yet felt familiar at the same time.
Strings and grip
New strings – The Dynamix V.P
The Tecnifibre Carboflex 125 Airshaft comes pre strung with their new Dynamix V.P string. It feels really responsive – just bouncing a ball on the strings and volleying a ball against my garage, the racket feels bright and ‘pingy’. I’m looking forward to seeing how this translates to hitting the ball harder once I can take it on an actual court.
Rather irritatingly, the TF logo on the strings is painted in what feels like thick glue, stopping the strings from moving naturally. I understand the marketing logic behind keeping logos visible, but when you’re paying for the privilege of having a racket pre-strung with the best strings possible, covering them with heavy paint defeats the purpose somewhat. I suppose this is just a small bugbear and hardly the end of the world!
Squash dry grip & the grip condom
Tecnifibre’s new rackets come gripped with their ‘Squash Dry’ grip. I personally have never been a massive fan of this particular grip as I prefer the comfort and tackiness provided by Karakal PU grips. Usually I’ll change this out before even playing a game. I do know some people that love the feel of it though, so it all comes down to personal preference.
I do like the inclusion of the ‘grip condom’ as I like to call it (sorry, Tecnifibre!) – this is the small rubber hood that covers the top of your grip, keeping your racket looking neat and tidy when you put a new grip on it. See, there’s logic in the name!
Overall
It’s hard to say much about a racket without actually being able use it. Having used plenty of rackets prior to this one, I have a distinct feeling the Tecnifibre Carboflex 125 Airshaft is going to be an enjoyable racket to take on court.
For now, it’s a case of staring longingly at the racket, eagerly awaiting the day I can actually use it how it was intended, rather than irritating my neighbours by hitting the ball at my bedroom wall!
Purchase links
Amazon (UK)