A racket includes a handle section, a head section, and a connecting section
positioned
between the handle section and the head section. One or more of the handle section,
the head section, and the connecting section include a superelastic metal. The
racket, other athletic devices and other devices containing superelastic components
are capable of producing a spring force in response to a deflection. The superelastic
components may improve the performance of rackets, athletic devices and other devices
by increasing the contact duration between the active element of the device and
objects against which the devices are configured to exert a force. The superelastic
components also provide increased resistance to breakage or plastic deformation
of the racket, athletic device or other devices, especially when exposed to frequent
deflections. Superelastic components are able to decrease the weight of rackets,
athletic devices, or other devices without sacrificing strength. The superelastic
components also enable applying a specific spring force at a flex point of the
racket to enhance the dynamic response resulting from a desired deflection.
