The Victor Thruster F Ultra (TK-F ULTRA C, Moonless Night) is the 2024 successor to the hugely popular Thruster F Enhanced Edition. It keeps the Falcon's head-heavy attacking character but moves to an ultra-slim 5.8mm Metallic Carbon Fibre shaft, the slimmest in the Thruster F line to date, for faster swings and sharper, more precise attacks.
A Tri-Formation frame, Hard Cored Technology and PYROFIL carbon keep the head stable, while the Free Core handle smooths out the swing. The racket is associated with Victor players Mohammad Ahsan and Tan Kian Meng.
Metallic Carbon Fibre — Thin metal sheet fused with high-strength carbon fibre. In the frame it adds smash power and strength; in the shaft it gives an elastic feel, efficient force transfer and precise shot direction.
Tri-Formation Frame — Power Box, Diamond, Aero and Aerodynamic frame sections are combined along the head, based on computer simulation, to optimize hitting, frame behaviour and overall performance.
VICTOR Anti-Torsion System — A shaft built from highly resilient materials with an anti-torsion design, keeping the head stable and transferring power efficiently.
Hard Cored Technology — A compact, multi-layer carbon fibre and composite structure, inspired by helicopter rotor design, that firms up the frame and sharpens handling feel.
PYROFIL — High-strength, ultra-light Japanese carbon fibre that improves shock absorption and control.
Free Core Handle — A computer-designed handle moulded from nano-nylon that lets the shaft move more freely for smoother swings and a more comfortable hold.
Single-Pass Grommet System — Grommet holes that each carry a single pass of string, reducing friction between strings to limit tension loss and extend string life.
The Thruster F Ultra is aimed at advanced and competitive players who like to attack but also need speed. The slim shaft makes it noticeably quick for a head-heavy Thruster, so it works well for doubles and for all-round players who mix singles and doubles and switch between power and control. The stiff shaft rewards good technique and a fast swing.
Best for: Attacking doubles players, all-round competitive players, and fans of the Thruster F Enhanced looking for a faster upgrade.
The Ultra is one amazing racket; let me just start with that. The swing feels smooth and effortless and it's really quite fast for a "power" racket in the Thruster line. Attacks were sharp and had a great angle. The accuracy of the racket is really quite good. While it still doesn't rival the Auraspeed 58 it's pretty close while still proving a fast and powerful playing experience. Compared to the Thruster F Enhanced, I would say this racket is a faster performer, especially in doubles. The power is about the same for me. For most singles power players, I don't think this would be your first choice but if you play a nice mix of singles and doubles and are an all-around-type player (can adapt to power and control play as needed) then this is the racket for you!
There are no real noticeable downsides of the racket. I did mis-hit several net drops but I'm chalking that up to it being my fist time playing a competitive game with it and not really being used to it yet. As with all Free Core rackets, the feel is certainly muted/dampened but well-placed shots feel effortless. I still have my same complaint about the Free Core in that shots slightly off the sweet spot feel more like a bad vibration/twang, which is good to know but feels weird. I do think the benefits still outweigh the occasional weird feel though.
