Nexy Kanaph

Here is my review of the Nexy Kanaph. I have been playing with this blade since early December and I have already logged around 60 hours with it.

Design/Cosmetics
The Kanaph is a beautiful blade. Initially I wasn not a fan of the purple and black handle color but seeing it person changed my mind, this blade is very pretty to look at. The bottom lens has a unique design, it adds to a more premium look. The hinoki top ply is very smooth and I do not see any imperfections. The burnt core gives this blade a racing stripe look.
I was told by our local reseller that I should give the straight handle a try. He was right. The straight handle is very comfortable. It is not as chunky as other straight handles that I have tried, in fact it is rather slim. It fits my average hands like a glove.

Feel
I really enjoyed the feel of this blade. The hinoki top ply gives the blade a soft feel while the carbon layer and burnt kiri core give it a crisp, sharp feel. I find the feel a bit odd, but in a good way. It is both soft and crisp at the same time. When hitting with medium low power the hinoki top ply feels sort of like a damp layer of wood, abosorbing the impact of the ball. Compared to the Nexy Oscar where you can feel which part of the blade face the ball is hitting, I can feel the impact on the whole face of the blade. So the Oscar feels sharper while the Kanaph feels duller. Which one is better is purely subjective.
On more powerful shots, you can feel the ball dig deeper into the blade. In fact, you can almost feel the core of the blade communicating with your hand. I really enjoyed this feeling since I always know how much power I am putting out unlike some other composite blades that feel numb. The feeling that I am getting is not really typical vibration associated with all wood blades, rather it is more like haptic feedback telling your hand how hard you are hitting and at what angle.

Control
This is a very linear and controllable blade. There is no sudden catapult, no wierd speed jumps, you get what you put out. This feeling of control encourages you to hit harder and faster. I did not feel like I have to hold back, in fact, I feel like I want to hit harder every time. Looping from mid to far distance is a dream. The length and direction of the blade is easily controllable. Short game was also exceptional. On passive shots, this blade is dead. It is not bouncy at all. It is possible to drop the ball very close to the net when recieving serves.

Speed
Since the Kanaph is linear, it is like you are playing with 4 different blades - an ALL+, OFF-, OFF, and OFF+ blade. With passive shots this blade is dead, the ball does not bounce very far. Once you increase the power output the blade starts to come alive. If there is a chance to really rip it, the blade can be an OFF+ - very fast with a direct trajectory. With my stroke during counterlooping, the blade feels right in the middle of OFF range.

Looping
From what I read, I was expecting Kanaph to be more of a hitting blade than looping. But I was surprised the blade did really well in this department. Spin generation is very easy, control is exceptional, ample dwell time, yet crisp and sharp feel at the same time. One thing to note is the arc. The arc seems to be on the low side. Using the same sheet of Sigma 2 Pro on the Lissom and Vege Pro, the arc during loops seem to be on the low side. I tried an Omega V Europe and the arc seems to be even lower. With my normal looping stroke I was hitting the net a lot. I therefore had to do a more vertical stroke to clear the net. But when I switched to Omege V Asia the arc seems to be high enough to safely clear the net during looping rallies. Aside from the low arc, I consider this my almost perfect looping blade.

Conclusion
This is an exceptionally good blade from Nexy. The playing characteristics and feel of the Kanaph are what I have been looking for in a blade. I currently have the Lissom and Vega Pro but I am contemplating selling them both because the Kanaph has the control of the Lissom and the stability and power (actually even more power) of the Vega Pro. If I really have to say something I do not like about the Kanaph it is the arc. But after playing quite a bit with it for the past weeks I have already adjusted very well. So I guess this is my perfect blade. No more blade ej-ing....for now...

The Nexy Kanaph is a 5 ply (2 carbon layers) blade that has stunning looks. Below is a video review I did with Tom testing out both the Nexy Kanaph and the Arirang blade. Here are some quick details about the kanaph blade:

- Direct, low Trajectory
- Excellent for close range shots such as flicks, counter topspins and punch shots
- Fast (Off + blade)
- Dual impact (crisp sound)
- Solid sweetspot

This blade I feel is quick and suited for advanced players who have developed a solid technique.

Enjoy the review below which looks at both the Nexy and the Arirang blade.

Nexy Kanaph is a Gen 3.5 blade made for both hitters and loopers. The low range of OFF+ is the top end. If that isn't enough power to finish a point... dude you gotta hit the gym !! Although it has Dual Impact effect, you feel it more on the touch shots. The top end is already very high. This blade is a lot more linear and direct than most Nexy blade. Nexy made this blade with Poly ball in mind, but you can smack the heck outta a celluloid ball as well.

Players who have used classic ALC blades like say TBS will REALLY appreciate the unique feel, response, and high end performance of Kanaph. You can play the same style, but just a bit more powerfully and just as safe. You also get a more direct feel for the ball and the blade's properties ENCOURAGE and reward you for FORWARD strokes making SOLID impact.

If you are a player who likes to give opponent a tricky serve, then smash the ball to Smithereens, this is your blade.

If you are a player who likes to serve underspin, loop the 3rd ball, then smash the 5th ball for a winner and cho out loud like you are Howling at the Moon... this is your blade.

If you like to park yourself at the table and drive, counterdrive, or block your opponent silly, this is your blade.

If you like a blade with wood combination and craftsmanship not found often, this is your blade.

If your Mamma told you to not go faster than ALL+, and you get caught using this blade, then you are in for some serious timeout detention.