Butterfly Moonbeam Alternative

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says https://www.facebook.com/eduardo.eduard.33/videos/vb.1000...
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Hi people!

A friend played with a Moonbeam that he had for a bunch of years, but he dont want to use it again because he say's thats a piece of collection. Can u guys tell me an alternative to Moonbeam, for playing close to a mid distance, a bit stiff, thick (>6,5 mm) and with good shock absoption like moonbeam. Thanks :D
 
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Sorry for thread necromancy 💀

I like this blade alot. But my urges to find an alternative to be safe is unstoppable, if something happens to the blade...

I would be appreciated if you know alternative blades with softer initial feeling and solid core, without being the fastest.

To describe its feeling, I would like to compare to my Viscaria.

Viscaria(V series, 2019, 87 gr)
Moonbeam(early 2000s, 94gr. Balance is close to Viscaria, but a bit more handle heavy)
FH: T05
BH: M-XP

My level is 1500+ TTR in Germany. I am two wing looper. My main weapon is open ups.

Topspin
Hard topspin
Viscaria
super fast with very sharp bounce and spinny. Feeling is not super hard, but blade's flex noticable. Ball lands onto table kinda safe. My partner blocked to ball out. But playing very hard topspin is not easy without mistake. Because it requires very good accelaration and certain type technique.

Moonbeam
speed is slower than Viscaria but very close. Feeling is a bit mushy on contact but solid(stiff?). Arc is still there but longer. My friend missed the ball completely(This happen when I play inner carbon blade(HL5), because of change of the arc). I guess that soft feeling increases dwell time and feeling. I sometimes hit out of table because of longer arc.

Drive with %70-80 power
Viscaria
Very stable, lineer, no unexpected behaviour. Easily blocked. No threat for opponent.

Moonbeam
Again softer feeling is helping to grab the ball better. Maybe it generates %20 or %30 more topspin than Viscaria. My partner did more mistake while blocking.

Looping with less power was much spinny with Moonbeam. I couldn't generate that much spin that cannot be blocked with Virtuoso+ too.

Counter Topspin
Viscaria
easy to counter fast topspins. But against slow spinny ones weren't easy. Harder rubbers excell there better

Moonbeam
Flatter arc on more blade core engaging shots helps here on countering slow topspins. That mushy feeling exists but blade's stiff core is more dominant on this type of shot.

Moonbeam was more safe. Opponent couldn't counter the ball again, because ball was dropping earlier.

Block
Viscaria
Generates dangerous pace for opponent. Punching or spin block feel very natural.

Moonbeam
Mushy feeling helps to slow down the pace, but opponent keeps looping the ball. Ball placing is much easier and ball travels not much, thus I didn't blocked out much.

I feel safe with Moonbeam while blocking.

Service
Viscaria
spinny and sharp. Bounce is low. Lineer.

Moonbeam
not spinny as viscaria, but it has pretty good spin. Bounce is higher. Ball travels slower and makes more arc on sidespin. There was time that opponent couldn't touch the ball while receiving pendulum serve because of bending ball from his FH to BH.

Serving is kinda easier than Viscaria

Receive
Viscaria
Easy to keep the ball short on short serves. Less bouncy. Easy to play fast push.

It is a big mistake to play safe against long serve. Ball goes with less spin, opponent kills the ball. If you have Viscaria, you should attack every long and half long(no spin) you can. Playing the ball just onto table with a lazy stroke will be punished.

Moonbeam
more bouncy, not easy to keep the ball short and low. But there are lot of flip options without needing to rip the ball as Viscaria. And you can place or change the tempo much easier.

Easy to play topspin, because of softer feeling. But full power shots on receive were not easy as Viscaria.
 

ZFT

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ZFT

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Closest is Xiom SAL or HAL due to being Arylate only, though it is koto outer vs limba on Moonbeam.

Add some well padded grip tape to provide more shock absorption or what you describe as the mushy feeling.

Maybe pair with a less lively rubbers to replicate the dwellier deader limba feel. Vega Pro/Fastarc G1/ELD/Glayzer, potentially experiment with Chinese tacky.
 
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