Oh follow up about the grommets at the top if anyone interested, yes there is a small plastic grommet strip in the middle of the top, that lies in a channel.

Does anyone know why the 125 X-speed costs more than the 130 and 135 – is it really superior in build or is it more a marketing ploy for lightness and use by El Shorbagy and others? Simply, if you liked the Airshaft, then you’ll like the X-Top. They feel similar in practice, albeit a smidge faster through the air. The difference is subtle – with the Carboflex line proving so popular with professionals and club players across the globe, think of this as a ‘refinement’, rather than a fundamental change. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it! The top of the performance, it is ideal for regular players and competitors looking for the best combination of power, precision and spin.The topselling Tecnifibre Carboflex 125 from Tecnifbre's flagship range used by Mohamed El Shorbagy. The Airshaft frame geometry is modified for more dynamic response and acceleration. X-Arms technology increases the strength of the structure for more stability. 4 enlarged main and cross strings encourage string movement and improve tolerance and effect. The Airshaft is aimed at intermediate to advanced players seeking maximum acceleration. Additional Information PDH Product Code:

I too, experienced these feelings when I switched from the X-Speed to the Airshaft 2yrs ago when they came out. Another interesting product development are the so-called iBlades that run up the sides of the shaft. These are supposed to act as a form of reinforcement to make the racquet a bit stiffer, which I personally like: I thought I’d utilize and make it known here on Squashsource (Thanks Pierre!) so they can go to a good home and to someone who will make the best out of them. Direct link to this product: https://www.squashsource.com/tecnifibre-carboflex-airshaft-125-ns/#70558 I got an X-Top finally, and it came in the mail last week, and I’ve hit with it once so far, for almost 2hrs solo.Customers are responsible for the cost of returning any unwanted items unless an item is faulty or has been sent in error.

Extended String Holes - The groomet holes enlarged on 4 specific mains and 4 specific cross to encourage movement of the strings and to improve tolerance and effects. To me, at least the one I got in the mail, the X-Top is a TOUCH head heavier than my AirShaft racquets when doing the balance test. In real world application though, I didn’t really notice when I was hitting with it on court. I honestly think having a Carboflex 120, along with just a 130 or 135 would be the perfect sweet spot. And yes, it feels and looks pretty similar to the Airshaft, just with the carbon top and elimination of the bumper.Airshaft has the added benefit of Extended String Hole Technology. This is the provision of 12 eyelets at specific locations of the frame, which have been widened to allow the strings to breath and maximise elasticity.

Same balance as Airshaft (in fact, my X-Top balance is a TOUCH head heavier than my Airshaft racquets), has the same beam size as Airshaft, it’s pretty much an Airshaft with the carbon top-bumper-less modifications. I am coming from using the AirShaft 125 for the last 2yrs since its release, and before that I was on the X-Speed 125. Tecnifibre Carboflex 125 Airshaft Squash Racquet is a great new racquet which offers a combination of power and precision. It is used by many leading world players, including Mohamed El Shorbagy. Tecnifibre Carboflex X-Top 125 – The 125 is Endorsed by Mohamed ElShorbagy, and used by (brace yourself) Fares Dessouky, Gregoire Marche, Joshna Chinappa, Mahesh Mangoankar, Mohammed El Sherbini, Ramit Tandon and Farida Mohamed, to name a few. Tecnifibre has just launched their long awaited Carboflex AirShaft racquet series. The flagship racquet (Carboflex) series that put Tecnifibre on the squash map is their best playing series to date. Designed with AIRSHAFT technology for a more dynamic response and improved racquet acceleration, X-ARMS to strengthen the frame for more stability and power, and NEW Extended String Holes; strategically placed enlarged grommet holes to improve string movement and overall playability.The (inexplicable in my mind) decision to coat the entire frame for the sake of design, which offsets any perceived advantage of not having a bumper Tecnifibre X-Speed 125 NS. This is a signature cosmetic for Nour El Sherbini, hence the “NS” in the name. It also has a smaller grip. If you choose a vibration dampener go with the Python Vibration Dampner (Our favorite), Head Smart Sorb, Head Megasorb, or the BBB (Big Bad Band). I rate the 125NS especially high in this area, as I found the thinner grip really aided with control – previously I’ve described this as ‘pen-like’, which I still believe to be the case. Our ranking system The TopChoice.co.uk Team selects top-of-the-line items from a wide selection and conducts rigorous evaluations on almost all the products available on the internet. We rank each product based on how well it matches our criteria.