The rarest Yonex badminton rackets

Peter Gade's Legend Vision ArcSaber 10, one of a four-racquet set.

A white ArcSaber 10, on sale by late 2016, issued in Yonex's four-racquet Legend Vision set with a full-length Legends' Vision cover. It closely resembles Gade's own 2010 signature edition: on this one his signature is printed in black on the shaft, not in red on the head. The frame is not the scarce part, since Yonex brought the ArcSaber 10 back several times after its original run. This edition is.

The red twin of the Peter Gade Legend Vision ArcSaber 10.

Taufik Hidayat's red ArcSaber 10, a callback to the 2008 original, with his signature and name on the shaft and a full-length Legends' Vision cover. Retailers list it as a 2017 limited edition. A red 'ArcSaber 10 Taufik' was on sale by October 2015, and Yonex's Thai site listed it as item ARC10THL with no Legend Vision wording; whether it is the same racquet as this edition is not settled. A red ArcSaber 10 without the shaft signature is not this edition.

Lin Dan's black LD Force: no confirmed sale anywhere we looked.

The black version of Lin Dan's Voltric LD Force, dated to 2017 by retailers and by the earliest hands-on write-up that April. The Japanese sources checked list only the gold and red versions, so where it was sold is unclear. Listings often blur it with the cheaper Voltric LD-3, which also came in matte black, so confirm the model name.

Green-and-orange Duora 10 issued while Lee Chong Wei was still competing.

The Legend Vision edition of the Duora 10, dated to 2017, in green and orange with Legend Vision livery and Lee Chong Wei's signature on the frame. It shares materials and specifications with the standard Duora 10, whose 2015 launch colorway is also green and orange, so the signature and edition markings are what set it apart.

The first LD Force reached retail days before Rio 2016 began.

The gold version of Lin Dan's Voltric LD Force and the first of its three colorways, in shops by early August 2016 and sold in Japan as a limited-quantity run. Which frame Lin Dan actually played at Rio is unconfirmed. Some listings confuse it with the cheaper, Taiwan-made Voltric LD-3 in Premium Gold, so check for the Made in Japan mark.

Made in 4U only; a 3U 'Legend Vision' is a red flag.

Lin Dan's Legend Vision edition of the Voltric Z-Force II has a black frame and his signature on the shaft. Retailers date it to 2017, though no Yonex announcement was found. It is one of four Legend Vision racquets, alongside the ArcSaber 10 Gade and Taufik editions and the Duora 10 Lee Chong Wei. The 4U-only size is a practical first check.

The least seen of the three Lin Dan Exclusive colors.

A white Voltric Z-Force II released alongside the bright red as Lin Dan Exclusive II, announced in October 2015 and on sale worldwide that November. It is the Z-Force II frame, not the later LD Force. Some listings call it a later 'New Color' or a Japan-only release, but Yonex USA sold it too. No match report puts it in Lin Dan's hands. It ships with a dedicated Lin Dan cover.

Peter Gade's own ArcSaber 10, in circulation by December 2010.

A Peter Gade signature edition of the ArcSaber 10, with his signature on the racquet. It predates the 2017 Legend Vision edition by years and is a separate product. Owners who compared it with a standard ArcSaber 10 reported no difference beyond the finish, so check the finish and markings. One reviewer warned that counterfeit ArcSaber 10s were common while the model was on sale.

The red Lin Dan Exclusive: check the model code on any red Z-Force II.

A bright red Voltric Z-Force II from Lin Dan Exclusive II (late 2015), the colorway most often tied to his sixth All England title in 2016; Yonex's report links his racquet to that collection without naming the color. A separate Japan-made red Z-Force II carries the suffix BP, which no source explains; confirm the LD marking and model code.

Lee Chong Wei's dark pink Z-Force II, made for the 2014 World Championships.

Lee Chong Wei's edition of the Voltric Z-Force II is dark pink with blue and gold accents, unveiled by Yonex in August 2014 as part of a kit for the World Championships in Copenhagen. One reviewer found it slightly more head-heavy and slightly less stiff than the standard frame despite identical listed specifications. Made in Japan, with a Taiwan-market version also circulating. Yonex called it limited but published no production figure.

The Lin Dan Exclusive color that turns up most often.

The first Lin Dan Exclusive, launched in May 2015: a black Voltric Z-Force II with yellow and metallic gray trim, sold in 3U and 4U with a dedicated Lin Dan cover. Retailers call the line limited, yet the yellow appears on resale markets more often than the white or red. Confirm the frame is a Z-Force II LD, not a Voltric LD Force.

Widely tied to Lin Dan's Beijing gold, but that link was disputed.

The Armortec 700 Limited 2008 'Dragon' edition is made in Japan and marketed as a Beijing Olympics commemorative. Retailers often say Lin Dan won gold with it, but 2008 forum analysis of match photos argued he used a standard Armortec 700 (black cone) rather than the LTD (yellow cone), and no Yonex confirmation was found. He is associated with the Armortec 700 more broadly, through his 2006–2008 peak.

Released after Lee Chong Wei retired; he never competed with it.

Green with purple accents and Lee Chong Wei's logo, announced by Yonex Japan in August 2019, about two months after he retired. He had been named a launch ambassador for the Astrox 99 but was diagnosed with cancer in September 2018 and never competed with one. Yonex said only 'limited quantities'. The frame is the standard Astrox 99, so the edition is cosmetic.