Latest reviews

Alright guys, in our latest review we test the new ABS ball from STIGA and compare it to other popular balls in the market including the current DHS ABS ball used in the World Tours.

We found the balls were very consistent and the bounce didn't change a lot which was pleasing as well as not breaking throughout so the durability looks like an improvement too. We were able to generate good spin on the balls and the contact felt a lot more crisp and celluloid like than previous plastic balls.

We found some great results with the new ABS ball, watch the review in the video below for more:

The new 40+ version of the Target National seems to be frustrating. Just like the Euro Target version the new 40+ Target seems to have a very low throw that the ball hits the net always no matter how much effort you place on the ball contact. I never had any problems with the old Target National rubber and it is the one I am recommending players to use instead of the new 40+ versions because I never it is easier to use and it doesn't hit the net. It is as heavy as the other Target National versions at 69grams approx.

Lighter version of the T-88 rubbers at 61 grams uncut. The topsheet is not your typical Chinese rubber which is shiny. The Taiji has a matted topsheet for both black and grey. The new, bright, pink sponge has bigger pores compared to the last version of T-88 which was a yellow sponge. The rubber is slow at all+ speed but very spinny.

The topsheet is slightly tacky even with the black version. Spin is high despite being slightly tacky and produces a medium to high arc.

Speed is only a bit faster than the T-88 light rubber. If compared to other rubbers, the speed of the Taiji is a little bit faster than LKT XP Pro or a little bit slower than Ritc 729 Higher. This is a beginner to intermediate level rubber. Take a bit of effort to spin and needs a proper technique to play with. It can chop defensively and push with high amount of spin.

It is not as spin sensitive like the PF-4 nor feels as hard as Hurricane 3.

The Nexy Rubicon is an amazing blade. Weighing at 84 grams, the blade feels light and not head heavy. The one is used for half an hour was with a Nexy Karis Hard on the forehand and a Stiga Airoc Astro on the backhand. The blade has a very good finish. In fact, it has the most comfortable flared handle among all the Nexy blades I have tested so far. The neck, the size and the smoothness all contributes to the comfort when gripping the handle. The surface is medium hard and the overall stiffness is medium stiff with some flex. The blade is fast, more or less teh level of a Startus power wood but the control is much better. When I tried the Karis H in the forehand, the set up seems very bouncy so for people who want soem control I would suggest not to use any medium hard or hard ESN rubbers. Probably a 38-39 degree dhs rubber would be perfect because it isn't not too bouncy. I would choose medium rubbers for this like Rakza 7 or Joola Rhyzm-P

I've been using this blade with tibhar evolution ELS on both sides however I would recommend using a slower rubber such as the evolution FXP or FXS with this blade as it is already fast enough and any faster rubber makes it hard to control unless you are a very high standard player.

I feel it's best strengths are flicking, open ups and counter top spins as this blade suits a more close to mid range offensive player. When flicking the ball the blade really directs the ball well and even against a weak backspin touch you can flick through the ball with speed and power. Whilst opening up the ball is propelled at quick a low arc causing the ball to travel to the other side faster giving the opponent less time to react. As for countering this blade seems to really be able use the opponent's power when countering to still play a fast and spinny shot with half the amount of effort you would normally use which allows you to play a fast and effective counter to win the point with less effort you would normally have to use

I think blocking with this blade for me is a bit difficult but that's probably because of the rubbers I use with it if I were to use potentially FXS or FXP then blocking would feel Easier to control and easier to guide the ball back on the table

I tested the Fastarc S1 on DHS Hurricane WL on the Forehand side, Red sponge. The rubber has decent spin provided you have adequate technique for looping. I felt i was in control of rallies while opening the loop. 3rd ball and 5th ball attacks were pretty adequate too. This rubber pretty much does everything OK. Away from table the spin/speed is also quite ok. What i did not like about this rubber was the durability. It started to chip away towards the end of 2nd month, which was a bit surprising for me, as Nittaku products are usually quite reliable.
Other than that the rubber is quite adequate. Not the best forehand rubber out there if you ask me, I felt that T05, MX-P are far better in terms of generating spin. This fastarc S-1 rubber isnt quite of that class.

A semi-light rubber at 64-65 grams uncut. Spin seems to be in the level of xiom vega europe but the speed of the R42 is much faster. it is very bouncy and easy to use especially in the backhand. It is easy to receive spinny serves and also spinny loops because it is not spin sensitive and also it is good for blocking. I might prefer this over the Xiom Vega Europe for the backhand because it has a more bouncy sponge and it seems durable enough. Think of it as almost the sme with Xiom Vega Europe but with a faster speed. Arc when spinning is medium to low.

I use Andro Ligna All + blade which is quite soft. I know that this version of Rasanter could be too soft but still I wanted to try. Few things are strange:
First of all it is very fast, Andro made a rubber different way, the sponge is much more thicker then usual and the outer part is thinner. this solution made the rubber really fast. Most of my topspins are too long. the same happens while blocking the ball. Before I used tbhar evo EL-S which was harder and definitely slower.

The Eternity blade is a hardened Infinity VPS blade that has a more solid feel and faster speed. The speed of the Eternity is more or less equal to the Stratus Powerwood. The outer plies look like burned or colored limba. The blade is medium stiff with some flex that is still good for looping or simply smashing. It is a blade that attackers and all-around style players can enjoy. The weight seem to vary. Mine was 92-93 grams at legend flared while the other ones I knew who bought the blade have 87-88 grams. The Eternity has only one drawback-you need to seal the blade surface before you glue a rubber on just to protect the outer plies from splintering. The Eternity is a little more expensive than regular Stiga blades but it is a good attacking blade with good control.

The korbel has long been touted as an offensive classic and it does not disappoint. Tested the setup with Andro's hexer duro on the forehand and the Hexer plus on the backhand. The blade has a decent feel and solid touch on all the shots. I would rate it as medium-fast blade, if you have decent technique for looping this blade is a must-have.
The blade has decent power away from the table too. When i held the blade for the first time it seemed eerily similar to the Butterfly power-7 blade. Perhaps it is the handle.. regardless of the similarity, i find it very easy to play with the korbel almost any shot that i like the blade seems to support that. Short game is quite ok too, blocking is fine.
you cant go wrong with this blade, it is a safe option for any developing offensive minded player. Amazing that even after more than 20 years of the first batch of this blade, it is still going on strong. Well done, butterfly.

I bought these balls at a shop and 2 balls broke after 1 week of training. It might of been a fake ball?????

I currently use this rubber in my bh on a burn off but I already tested it on fh too!
This is a spinny rubber, has more spin than the M1, I really think it has more spin than tenergy 64 but not that at 05, the arc and spin are a little lower than 05 but it is a good solution to T05, Although it is slower ....
The rubber feels very good to serve, it's soft, and it's great for the Bh for those who like rubbers like that!
It is not very fast but has more spin than many European rubbers ...
It is good for blocks, it is controllable ...

I tested this rubber in the bh of a viscaria with the M1 in the fh to see the differences and later I changed, being a more recent rubber hoped to be better ...


In Fh the rubber feels controllable, very fast but less than M1, there was more control, but I still prefer M1
In terms of blocks the rubber felt firm but less than the M1
It is more spinny than M1 but has less speed, is less spinny than baracuda but faster, so if someone looks for a rubber for fh faster than baracuda I recommend ..
In Bh the rubber felt firmer! The blocks come out better, it's really a great rubber for Bh, But I still prefer M1...

Hi All! Since there is little information on this rubber, I will share my initial impressions with you, based on some hours of playtime. These new ultramax series rubbers are the next generaion of rubbers that are truly ment for poly balls. Long time have I seen those flight curves of the balls, reminds me of the old days of celluloid balls. This Bluestorm Z2 is the next big step, which has a 47,5 degree sponge (similar to M series) a non tacky surface. The advantage of this rubber, that it feels softer, than the M1, yet faster. I'm using M1 on my FH for more than a year now, Z2 requires a more forward oriented movement, than M1. Compared to M1, Z2 has a spongy softer feel, faster (half tempo), more contact time, better drop, tad more aggressive, better loop and counterloop. Because of the softer feel I am considering to use it on my backhand too, where I am in debate with M1 or M2. So anyone who loves M1 and M2 and want to play a bit more aggressive, with nearly the same feeling give this rubber a shot. For the JP lovers there is Z1.

UPDATE! Hi All! I have been testing this rubber on both sides for a time now I loved it on FH and BH too, before that I was using Bluefire M1. This rubber is definately faster, than M1, has a bit lower throw in some cases and feels more spongy due to the 2.33 mm thick sponge. I decided to buy another sheet so I use it on FH and BH too. Comparing to the M1 in different strokes: Looping is more dynamic, easily varied and more aggressive, due to the spongy feel riskier highly rewarding shots can be played close and far from the table. Really like FH and BH flicks. Counterlooping is the most notable feature of this rubber as it is very solid and fast. Dropshots are bit tricky, don't do passive blocks always direct the ball with small movements. Counterhits are good as any, the rubber feels a bit spongy, the throw is lower, but stable, the balls don't touch the net. The main DIFFERENCE is this spongy characteristic! Fine touch and passive strokes are harder to get used to, because the balls will fly further than intended. With this rubber you have to be more dedicated to the shot/touch to engage the sponge of the rubber to get the control over your shots. If you just hold your racket passively when handling the ball, you won't get any good results. But when you hit the ball correctly you can feel it sinking in the sponge and can immediately feel the control of your ball. Due to the spongy feeling you may feel like you are playing with the old 40 mm celluloid ball, but with a new 40+ poly. So to describe this rubber I may say that this is an M1 mixed with an Acuda Blue, a Rosena in beast mode, a T05 with more dwelltime and speed. Can recommend it to an allroud looping attacker, not for chopping but pushes are loaded with backspin. Excellent for different looping styles. Speedwise I was playing with a Waldner WC '89 OFF blade with M1, had to put that blade down bacause was not able to hit the ball on the table. Had to go to an OFF- blade to get the same speed. So take note, that this rubber is really one tempo faster!

After few weeks my fine touch shots are quite punctual. I still have some control issues with the rubber on my backhand, some flat hits have to be adjusted. Since last time I adjusted my technique, every ball contact has to be made firm, and the ball needs to dig into the sponge and all shots will be consistent. During fast exchange plays, this will be easy to do, but when opening up the rally or doing some shots in the slow game you have to remember to apply a bit pressure on the ball. So in modern high quality games the rubber is a gem, fast dropshots and fast counterloops and drives. Due to the thicker sponge the rubber mitigates a fair amount of rotation. This was surprizing for me, and had to get used to, even cockier shots land on the other side of the table. Over the table short game is overall good, the spin is vicious even from small movements. The serving is good due to the sponge, there is a lot of time for contact.

Overall this rubber is said to be slower than M1 in the official catalogue, which I do not believe. M1 feels more crispier, harsh, but does not have more tempo. Z2 is a half tempo faster, than M1. Feeling of the rubber is not hard at all, it feels like something between M1 and M2. The ball contact requires good timing and since the ball stays on the racket for a long time, it needs correct technique/brushing/hit. After adjusting to this, I can say, that my balls are loaded with spin, but I am not trying to loop a high spin high arc ball, just normal aggressive loops that are 2-10 cm above the net. My backhand flicks are often misread, because I don't do the full motion, but the ball is loaded with spin. Serves had to be adjusted to the spongy behaviour, but they are fine now just like in case of M1. The grip of the surface rubber is really good, I don't believe they changed it, acts and looks like the M series upper rubber, even ages the same way. Dropshots are flat and I feel the confidence to conterloop or smash kill some high arc loops just off the bounce.

In the first plays I noticed how consistent this rubber can loop, but my other shots were very long or too low. After getting used to the spongy character, i can summarize, that you have to drag the ball with your strokes, bare that in mind and you will get used to this rubber in no time. This rubber is suited for modern allround-offensive looping game with moderate control and touch. Also Z2 rewards more than M1, because with M1 I had to lift the poly ball more, my movements were more vertical, With Z2 they are more horizontal. This way it is easier to estimate the flight curve of the ball.

Comparisons:
T05 - Z2 has the same arc when playing over the table, spin is the same, has way more dwelltime, more spongy feel
MX-P - Z2 feels softer, more consistent/better feedback, tad slower, arc is the same when looping further away
M1 - Z2 is tad faster, more spongy feel just like M2, more agressive,
T80 - quite similar, but a bit more spongy, more dwell, better in flat shots

Hope I could help describing this rubber, I use it in ultramax (2,33 mm) both sides.

UPDATE 2017.11.18.
After testing this rubber thoroughly I can point out some simple yet very definitive statements:
- This rubber is a kind of mix between M (feeling) and Acuda Blue (arc) series
- Loops are flatter than the M series, but stable, this rubber is more forgiving in loops ,than M1
- On power loops the Z2 is a less powerful rubber, than M1
- Collision test was done, topsheet is quite resistant, sponge tears a bit
- The additional boostering of the sponge is not necessary, maybe it helps a bit on flat hits
- Very well suited for modern all out attacking game based on looping and countering
- I became 2-4 points better against higher level players (in 2 months), because of better dropshots and stable loops
- Works well on stiff, nearly-stiff and speed-elastic blades, on spin-elastic blades I have not tested
- After 80 hours of play, the rubber looks used, but I have not noticed any negative effects (except the looks)
- I would recommend an ALC blade or something similar in character
- Bat/hitting angle should be similar to T05, Barracuda
- My final statement: I will stick with it and leave the M1 behind....

Hi All! Since there is little information on this rubber, I will share my initial impressions with you, based on some hours of playtime. These new ultramax series rubbers are the next generaion of rubbers that are truly ment for poly balls. Long time have I seen those flight curves of the balls, reminds me of the old days of celluloid balls. This Bluestorm Z1 is the next big step, which has a 47,5 degree sponge (similar to JP series) a non tacky surface. The first impressions which amazed me: easy to attack close to the table, easy to counterloop and dropshot. The rubber is very fast and requires precise timing with good technique. To be honest I recommend this monster to those, who are playing an all out attack and are experienced players. Recreational, hobby, and mediocre players cannot tame this rubber. If you want to simply describe this rubber, I would say that this gives more speed and aggressiveness than T05, it feels a bit harder, but revards more. The feeling is similar to JP01. I would say that Z1 exceeds T05. For a controlled solution please try Z2, which resembles the bluefire M1, a bit faster and same sponge.

I have nothing bad to say about this blade, I love it. I have had it for about a month. I came from using an Andro Flaxonite Cruiser (All+), I found that it wasn't fast enough for me and died. I didn't want something that was too fast that I couldn't control the ball as well as lose the ability to block. As soon as I picked up this blade I could do everything I wanted. There was literally no learning curve at all. From the first hit I was landing on the table. Once I started to back away from the table I really found the blade had power when I needed it. I also found that it blocked even better than my slower blade!! I think it has a larger sweet spot than my previous blade which gives a more uniform hit. This might be the blade I use for life..... I think if I want more speed I will train my technique to get it.

STIGA Carbonado 290 blade
Weight: 95g
Type: Carbon OFF+
Composition: 7 ply
Rubbers used with blade: Mantra M and S

Hey what's going on guys, it's Dan here from TableTennisDaily. Today I am joined alongside Tom in the TableTennisDaily studio and we are looking at STIGA’s latest addition to the Carbonado Series, the 245 and 290.


Written Review

About the blade

These two new carbonado’s really live up to their name and are packed with Carbon, 200 grams per square meter of carbon to be precise. Although this doesn’t seem that significant you get an idea of just how much carbon this is when you compare the new blades to the older carbonado variations. The Carbonado 45 and 90 use 64 grams per m2² (per square meter) of carbon and the 145 and 190 use 100 grams per m2² (Per Square Meter) of carbon.

This means that the new 245 and the 290 have double the amount of carbon when compared to previous carbonado series. By doubling the amount of carbon used Stiga are obviously trying to up the speed and kick you get from these two new blades. This may be due to the response from players that the previous 190 and 145 were quite controlled carbon blades.

The difference between the 245 and 290 is how the carbon layers are applied, with the 245 constructed at a 45 degree angle and the 290 layered at a 90 degree angle. This is done to affect the trajectory of the ball, with the 245 meant to create a higher ball arc and the 290 meant to create a more direct trajectory.
The Carbonado 245 and 290 both weigh 95 grams, this is a increase from the original carbonado 190 and 145 which weigh 92 grams.

Once again like previous Carbonado’s, STIGA’s traditional look remains, with classical sharp features and a very solid and stable feel. STIGA Mantra medium rubbers were used on both sides throughout the review.

Speed + Control

The effects of the high ratio of carbon are most noticeable when playing topspin strokes. The 290 is very fast OFF+ offensive carbon blade, The ball shoots off very fast and has a hard feeling on contact.

I had a very direct low throw with the 290, what i did like was how stable my shots were. The Carbonado 290 is a rapid blade and packs a lot of punch!

During comparison with my forehand topspin the 290 felt faster than the 245. What I like about these carbon blades is the control they posses. The blades wood like carbon feel is very unique and adds a lot of stability in the blades.

Spin

Because the Carbonado 290 is a very hard blade, I was doubting whether I would be able to generate a lot of spin in the short game. Although i got minimal dwell and reduced spin capabilities, I was able to produce enough spin to flick back spin balls when timed correctly and due to the increased speed I was able to force Tom into making errors on numerous occasions.

The combination of the Mantra medium used worked well with both blades. We would recommend soft or medium rubbers with the 290 and 245 as harder rubbers such as the Mantra H and Tenergy 25 would be quite difficult to use with these blades.

Conclusion

The new Carbonado 245 and 290 blades are certainly a couple of notches faster than their predecessor 145 and 190 blades and have definitely been designed with speed in mind. We both concluded the speed of the 245 and 290 has increased by between 10-15% when compared to the 145 and 190. Although the blades are very fast they both maintain a very solid controlled feel, helping keep shots stable and accurate during stroke play.

The blades are very stiff and hard yet possess a lot of control. I think this trait is the blades best ability, to hold a strong control, woody feel yet produce a crisp and responsive contact.

The 245 and 290 are suited to players who really like a fast blade and value speed over spin.

The differences between the 245 and 290 simply comes down to the flight path which applies with the earlier models. The 245 produces a higher throw, whereas the 290 is more direct in nature so you get less height over the net but the ball gets to your opponent's end of the table faster.

Personally i prefer the 290 over the 245 because of its direct nature but of course this comes down to personal preference. I felt very comfortable when holding off toms shots during active blocking. The Carbonado 290 is without doubt the fastest STIGA blade we have ever tried.

These blades are definitely not for beginners and more for players with good technique who just want a bit more speed out of their blade.

Due to the blades hardness, soft to medium rubbers such as the Genesis S, Tenergy FX rubbers or a soft to medium ESN based rubber would suit these blades. Something like a Bryce high speed would not work with either blade unless you just block and punch everything. A slight downside for me personally is the weight of these blades as my personal blade is quite a bit lighter but i was able to get used to them. Of course this again is just a case of personal preference and if you are used to or like a heavier blade you will have no issues with either the 245 or 290. The earlier models are noticeably lighter however have less speed.

With these two new additions, the Carbonado series has covered all angles for all styles of attacking all round to offensive play.

I am using the Boll ALC with T05 Red 2.1 for Forehand and T64 2.1 black for backhand. The boll ALC is a versatile blade with which you can play the passive game, short game and the looping game quite easily. The carbon inside kicks in when you start to play aggressive over the table counter loops or loop drives. The Blade has pretty decent flex, so you can equally play the short game effectively. I would rate this blade as Offensive. The speed is quite good but it is definitely not as fast as some of the other blades such as the Boll ZLC, the Sardius, Schlager carbon etc. All in all a great offensive blade which can prove to be very effective in almost all facets of the game. A must have if you want to upgrade from an all-wood blade to a carbon blade. Not recommended for beginner level players though.

I swapped Tneregy 64fx on my bh to V42 and I couldn´t be happier. V42 (2mm sponge) is quite light weight rubber. It has bit more speed compairig to 64fx. throw is medium low. Best thing about V42 is that eventough it has more speed compairing to 64fx V42 has much better control especiallyin short game. Punch blocking is also really easy with sthis rubber. V42 is quite similar with 64 except it is a bit better in every way.