TL;DR for the 140USD prott price or even less in Taobao this blade is superb. Is it the best from Stiga??? To be decided after I get to try Cybershape. But I don't think I'd spend more on Butterfly, Joola, Xiom, Andro etc etc
Really sad that Stiga is limiting this to China.
Pssss: I wonder if I will like the Cybershape Truls edition (with the weighting stuff) as much when I finally receive it. Will use the same rubbers on that too just new.
Cybershape is pretty nice on backhand but the Wang Manyu blade is much much better overall. Cybershape has a too skinny handle (FL the front part is very skinny), not particularly fast in my view.
I have new Mantra Pro XH and M on the Cybershape and I feel the Cybershape makes more spin by default and a higher arc but it annoys me to no end. I can feel the new rubbers are better but my same old rubbers on the Wang Manyu blade just work better with that blade so as a combo it's much better.
I probably like the Cybershape more on backhand in general as it is safer (could be because of the new rubber), but if I need a one-hit kill shot the Wang Manyu blade is way superior. From mid and back I do like the Inspira Plus more, I can cause so much trickery with it. It's exciting and fun to use.
Forehand is not even a contest. The Inspira Plus has magic with 5-month-old rubbers that I reglued and glue peeled so many times and the topsheet is worn etc while the Cybershape kinda drops the ball with new rubbers if I do something it doesn't fancy.
The Inspira Plus having magic is like hitting the ball from any desperate position to anywhere and don't get me wrong with this blade I am trying and successfully hitting asinine angles. The blade has so much grip and eats the ball so much that it makes it possible. The Cybershape eats the ball even more I am sure, but it is weird I can understand it's less elastic and doesn't kick the ball out as fast so the racket is slower. But I don't understand why it drops the ball with the Mantra Pro XH. I'm having the same feeling as with Viscaria or whatever BTY outer carbon. Hard rubber and hard blade and drops the ball but the Cybershape is so soft though so what the actual frak. Again is it the carbon is it the glue? Not sure but something is not right.
So Inspira Plus, I am very certain that it is the best blade Stiga has never made since it's made in Guangdong (thanks ben). But I will still give Stiga major credit for possibly sponsoring, supporting and allowing some blade shop or just someone's aunt/uncle in Guangdong to get some recognition or to tool up and start a business.
Most importantly it is a fun blade to use, I love using it. I want to play with it, it just feels so fun and I have been frustrated in the past months a few times about my game and it happened that I kind of tilted a bit in some situations and blamed my previous blade. On this one, I don't even look when I miss a shot. Sure I have only been using it for about 2+ weeks but not once I gave it "the look". In fact when I miss a shot once it's either my fault or the opponent was great or I did something diabolical. But so much stupid shit works out... so I love it.
What I noticed today was that even tho I am a bit sick I was in such a good mood using it. Cheerful, coy, talkative in a bit sassy way but still very friendly just very Mr Delightful. I am normally like this, I am sassy but in a friendly and acceptable way never making the other feel bad, just laugh out loud or smile.
But today on the official match I was kind of rooting for my opponent to keep the rally going hit the ball back with quality and let me respond. Never have I ever done this. I was saying "too bad" when he missed a shot. I mean this with genuine intentions I wanted to keep the rally going.
I realize none of this has nothing to do with the blade specs and it's as subjective as frak, and maybe I got the most golden sample blade of this Inspira Plus on the planet and if anyone else who reads my love letter goes over the trouble to buy one from Prott or Taobao and gets a bad one will hate my ass. Thankfully I don't believe in such major coincidences so I think the shop or person who is making these is someone good.
Regarding the quality part... I went on youtube, bilibili to find out everything about this blade AFTER I got it and loved it and there's a Wang Manyu video which is just marketing shit. She likes the handle design and color. Well sis, me too but sell it better for frak's sake. But I noticed some Chinese coaches use it with Mantra Pro H and Dragon Grip, and their blades on the sides have some blemishes. You know if you look from the side or on the handle end it has a wood knot. Would this be the quality problem Chinese players are reporting? If this is on the edge of the blade or on the bottom of the handle then would I care about it if it plays wonderfully?
I'm talking about similar blemishes. I wouldn't care about it even if it's on the playing edge.
Funny how Wang Manyu's actual blade has the original Stiga "ass logo" with made in Sweden. I really wonder if it was made in Sweden or Stiga didn't sent the shop new logos since those were not available. I am almost 100% sure they just didn't have new logos yet. Why do I say this? Well the blue lines are misaligned on my blade about the same amount so I'm pretty sure her blade is made in Guangdong too and has only Swedesh name and financial support.
I kind of lost my train of thought if I had any I'm just talking out of my bumm about what I think.