This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Specs:
RST Handle – 29 x 23mm
87 grams – 2.3 cm balance point (low)
Head size – Slightly larger than 157x150 mm (158x151?)
5+2 inner = Koto-Ayous-ZL Fiber-Kiri
5.6 mm thickness
Impressions:
Physically, this blade is awesome. I got it lacquered and the surface is so smooth, so I have never had an issue with leftover glue or splintering. The handle is thicker than a Viscaria ST and feels very full and natural in the hand. My wrist feels flexible, and my grip firm which both give me confidence. The balance point being 2.3 cm (was the same on another 87 gram blade I tried) was perfect for me. Even heavy rubbers like Donic Barracuda or Xiom Vega X feel manageable. My only qualm is that the head size is larger than standard, so the overall weight is heavy, even if the head is light. This means your setup will be several grams heavier than a blade with a standard head. This was almost a deal breaker for me as I have joint issues, but someone strong enough will find great satisfaction in the increased weight lending to more force/spin.
An 88 gram blade I got had a balance point of 2.8 cm though, which changed the feeling way too much for me. Not sure about FL handle or other ST handle weights. It’s wood, and therefore never identical. Still, 87 grams feels perfect for me.
Out of the many blades I have tried, this has consistently had the best spin. It feels like you can produce a lot of spin with even small motions, but there is no upper limit to how spinny your shots are. It all depends on your technique and power! The control is also excellent. It is not very fast and has a lot of dwell time in all shots. This gives you a feeling like you can’t miss while playing passively or spin-focused aggressively.
Although the short game is generally great, it can feel a little dead at times, so you do have to put some ‘oomph’ into your touch and pushes. This same sensation is present on blocks, so passive ones tend to go into the net. Thus, even though the spin potential feels limitless, the power potential feels like it has a cap to it. Stiffer blades like the Tibhar Pure Wood or Viscaria have a feeling where the harder you hit, the more speed you’ll get. You do not have that sensation with the ZL Pro. Flat hits do not feel deadly nor are they confidence inducing. They require good technique to land consistently.
Overall, I really liked this blade and come back to it often. My favorite rubber combinations were as follows:
Joola Rhyzen Ice and/or Fire
Maximum control and linearity. Heavy rubbers and could feel ‘mushy’ which did not compliment the blade well if you’re trying to play aggressively. I imagine more defensive players and even choppers would love this setup.
Andro R42
Lightweight, and bouncy enough to counteract the blade’s slowness. This gave it the perfect blend of speed and control to me! So close to being the perfect setup...The rubber surfaces are not very grippy though, so I wasn’t a huge fan.
Xiom Vega Europe/Baracuda
A good combination with a high arc, and lots of spin/control potential. Great for blocking and looping. Not so much for flat hits, and just generally not a very ‘wow’ combination. Still very functional and affordable!
Xiom Vega X both sides
The prime time. Absolute spin MONSTER that I have never come close to recreating. The control, spin, and feeling are excellent. But wowza is it a brick. So heavy!!!
RST Handle – 29 x 23mm
87 grams – 2.3 cm balance point (low)
Head size – Slightly larger than 157x150 mm (158x151?)
5+2 inner = Koto-Ayous-ZL Fiber-Kiri
5.6 mm thickness
Impressions:
Physically, this blade is awesome. I got it lacquered and the surface is so smooth, so I have never had an issue with leftover glue or splintering. The handle is thicker than a Viscaria ST and feels very full and natural in the hand. My wrist feels flexible, and my grip firm which both give me confidence. The balance point being 2.3 cm (was the same on another 87 gram blade I tried) was perfect for me. Even heavy rubbers like Donic Barracuda or Xiom Vega X feel manageable. My only qualm is that the head size is larger than standard, so the overall weight is heavy, even if the head is light. This means your setup will be several grams heavier than a blade with a standard head. This was almost a deal breaker for me as I have joint issues, but someone strong enough will find great satisfaction in the increased weight lending to more force/spin.
An 88 gram blade I got had a balance point of 2.8 cm though, which changed the feeling way too much for me. Not sure about FL handle or other ST handle weights. It’s wood, and therefore never identical. Still, 87 grams feels perfect for me.
Out of the many blades I have tried, this has consistently had the best spin. It feels like you can produce a lot of spin with even small motions, but there is no upper limit to how spinny your shots are. It all depends on your technique and power! The control is also excellent. It is not very fast and has a lot of dwell time in all shots. This gives you a feeling like you can’t miss while playing passively or spin-focused aggressively.
Although the short game is generally great, it can feel a little dead at times, so you do have to put some ‘oomph’ into your touch and pushes. This same sensation is present on blocks, so passive ones tend to go into the net. Thus, even though the spin potential feels limitless, the power potential feels like it has a cap to it. Stiffer blades like the Tibhar Pure Wood or Viscaria have a feeling where the harder you hit, the more speed you’ll get. You do not have that sensation with the ZL Pro. Flat hits do not feel deadly nor are they confidence inducing. They require good technique to land consistently.
Overall, I really liked this blade and come back to it often. My favorite rubber combinations were as follows:
Joola Rhyzen Ice and/or Fire
Maximum control and linearity. Heavy rubbers and could feel ‘mushy’ which did not compliment the blade well if you’re trying to play aggressively. I imagine more defensive players and even choppers would love this setup.
Andro R42
Lightweight, and bouncy enough to counteract the blade’s slowness. This gave it the perfect blend of speed and control to me! So close to being the perfect setup...The rubber surfaces are not very grippy though, so I wasn’t a huge fan.
Xiom Vega Europe/Baracuda
A good combination with a high arc, and lots of spin/control potential. Great for blocking and looping. Not so much for flat hits, and just generally not a very ‘wow’ combination. Still very functional and affordable!
Xiom Vega X both sides
The prime time. Absolute spin MONSTER that I have never come close to recreating. The control, spin, and feeling are excellent. But wowza is it a brick. So heavy!!!
