What blade to get?

(The question that has been asked 1 million times )

Who are you? I am an occasional player. I consider my self not an advanced and professional, but also certainly not a beginner. I practice 3-8 hour a week and hope to improve. I get coaching sometimes but usually practice in the university. I am the last-on-the-list player of the university team and give the better ones (which are a lot better) a hard time every now and then, specially as I play better near the table.

Why a new blade? I've lost my TB ALC, 3 weeks ago and never found it. I was comfortable with it (Using XIOM Omega V on FH and Donic Baracuda on backhand) and liked it. It felt fast and out of control sometimes but as I improved I felt I can tame the speed and use it. I liked the consistency and quality of my blade.

So why again? I went to store to buy a new TB ALC, but it was out of stock (weird). So I got a ZJK ALC which I had read is similar to TB ALC. But when I played with it a few hours, I felt that it is so much faster and stiffer and has much less feel to it. I don't like it . The handle seems more comfortable but I have yet to get used to it (I feel I hold it too tight when I should not).

So? Should I continue to play with the ZJK? Should I try to find a TB? Is there any chance that I like another ZJK? Should I try a slower one like TB ZLF? The choices in my country are really limited. Buttefly, Donic (which I didn't like any of them I played with), XIOM and maybe Tibhar.

Thanks

vvk1 said:

TB ZLF is not that much slower than TB ALC, it has higher dwell time, and some would argue that it has much better "feeling". So if you're a looper, get the ZLF and enjoy it.

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Hmm... I prefer looping. I will give it a try. What else is different between these two?

Der_Echte said:

I would recommend to anyone to have an off-speed blade with suitable rubbers handy, and use it when your main blade goes down and you are waiting to accumulate money to buy one or have to wait for it to become available.

When I say off-speed, I mean a speed that is off, meaning slower/different.

So if you use an OFF speed class blade like TBS, keep a Grubba or a Feth blade in your bag and hit with it every now and then. It will make you play more patient and help you better construct points.

The, when you have a situation where you lose or damage your main blade, you have something ready to continue to fight until you get back the bat you like. In this time, you will also grow your game and be a better player for it all.

I keep a lot of 896 bats at the ready for myself and friends and it works out.

EDIT: I normally play with an Arirang or Inca or Calix, but I am hell on blades and I gotta be ready for when that happens (or I make it happen )

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You're right. Thanks. I have a Primorac OFF- in my closet. I should put some rubbers on it. I thought switching to a very different blade occasionally can affect my game. It seems that's not the case for many people.

Greco said:

I know someone who plays a similar game, i understand. He tries to bring the opponent near to the hable and then, attack. He uses a Butterfly Matsushita Pro Especial, it would be an All or Off- blade, i suppose it's the slower blade of the Arylate family. Unfortunately, it's not easy to find one today.
My blade (Bty Kumpuru) is something similar, lighter (mine is about 86 gr), i don't know if it's softer, but butterfly says it's one of the softest carbon blades, and a little faster han the matsushita pro special, maybe because of the T5000 carbon, i don't know the matsushita's composition, it has a great control. The Kumpuru is also out of catalogue, but according to the serial number, my blade was made in 2013.
All the others composite blades that i know, are faster.
I think an all wood blade cluld be an option, ooor, wait for a new TBAlc

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I haven't heard of these butterfly blades ever! But I'll ask about them from the store. Thanks