Calderano Signs with Joola (#139)

[po-stit]

JOOLA Hugo Calderano ARY-X blade buy online

JOOLA Hugo Calderano ARY-X ✓ table tennis blade with ARY-X technology ✓ control, spin and precise touch

www.contra.de

Finally!

Must compare it to my Hugo HAL ASAP

230€

 

[biaxialerzug]

Bummer!

 

[doppelmoral]

Hi @Matt Hetherington
seems like the Joola Hugo blades will soon be available here in Germany.

I was previously using the Xiom Hugo HAL and currently use a Butterfly Innerforce style blade. If I understand correctly, the Hugo Ary-C is somewhat similar to the HAL in terms of composition, while the Ary-x is somewhat similar to an Innerforce blade.

According to a local shop nearby, the price of the new Joola Hugo blades will be similar or slightly higher than those BTY/Xiom models.

Would you be able to speak more about the compositions of the new Hugo Ary blades, and how they differ from the competition? Feel free to speak about the strengths and advantages of the Joola models, what makes them better, and why its worth to try them out

Thank you very much

 

[TTWiz]

Hi @Matt Hetherington
seems like the Joola Hugo blades will soon be available here in Germany.

I was previously using the Xiom Hugo HAL and currently use a Butterfly Innerforce style blade. If I understand correctly, the Hugo Ary-C is somewhat similar to the HAL in terms of composition, while the Ary-x is somewhat similar to an Innerforce blade.

According to a local shop nearby, the price of the new Joola Hugo blades will be similar or slightly higher than those BTY/Xiom models.

Would you be able to speak more about the compositions of the new Hugo Ary blades, and how they differ from the competition? Feel free to speak about the strengths and advantages of the Joola models, what makes them better, and why its worth to try them out

Thank you very much .

To my knowledge:
Ary-X = HAL
Ary-C = Innerforce ALC

 

[biaxialerzug]

So better buying an old HAL from Xiom because its not 230€ but around 160€ and from the same manufacturer and probably same composition?

 

[Scarfed Garchomp]

So better buying an old HAL from Xiom because its not 230€ but around 160€ and from the same manufacturer and probably same composition?

They do look nearly identical in terms of composition. But I'm guessing that the ARYX has to be tweaked a bit to differentiate it from the HAL otherwise folks would just buy the HAL.

Heres a very rough side by side I mocked up using google image photos:

Depending on the total thickness of the two blades the ARYX might have a thicker core and thinner outer plies. But this is really just speculation at this point until someone can get them both side-by-side

 

[Matt Hetherington]

Hi @Matt Hetherington
seems like the Joola Hugo blades will soon be available here in Germany.

I was previously using the Xiom Hugo HAL and currently use a Butterfly Innerforce style blade. If I understand correctly, the Hugo Ary-C is somewhat similar to the HAL in terms of composition, while the Ary-x is somewhat similar to an Innerforce blade.

According to a local shop nearby, the price of the new Joola Hugo blades will be similar or slightly higher than those BTY/Xiom models.

Would you be able to speak more about the compositions of the new Hugo Ary blades, and how they differ from the competition? Feel free to speak about the strengths and advantages of the Joola models, what makes them better, and why its worth to try them out

Thank you very much

The Ary-c is the inner carbon, the Ary-x is the non carbon composite weave. These two blades are effectively the two styles of blades that Hugo liked and wanted to sample, so we made upwards of about 40 blade samples across both styles and these are the two that he chose that felt best to him

 

[doppelmoral]

The Hugo Ary blades are now available. Price is 230€, so even more expensive than Butterfly ALC and Super ALC blades

JOOLA Holz Hugo Calderano ARY-C

Das JOOLA Hugo Calderano ARY-c Tischtennisholz kombiniert Inner Fiber ARY-c Technologie mit Limba-Außenfurnier für starken Spin, kontrollierte Power und präzises Ballgefühl. Ideal für offensive Topspinspieler, die Dynamik, Kontrolle und Durchschlagskraft suchen.

joola.de

JOOLA Holz Hugo Calderano ARY-X

Das JOOLA Hugo Calderano ARY-x Tischtennisholz bietet dir ARY-x Technologie, Koto-Außenfurnier und großen Sweet Spot für präzise Kontrolle, starken Spin und ein direktes Spielgefühl. Ideal für technisch starke Offensivspieler mit Fokus auf Platzierung.

joola.de

 

[zeio]

The MSRP of ARY-C is actually lower than that of ARY-X in China.

雨果出了。 (Hugo is out.)
https://tieba.baidu.com/p/10882016910
朵拉爱吃猴 -x是外置吧？这玩意虚标了多少啊，纯木不才200多吗
IP属地:黑龙江来自Android客户端3楼2026-07-20 20:44收起回复
(-x is outer, right? How much is this thing marked up? All-wood is only 200+, right?)

拿人手断 内置那个标的1599，实际入手880
IP属地:四川来自iPhone客户端6楼2026-07-22 07:29回复
(The inner one says 1599, but actually 880)

几号K 我去一大堆，话说纤维命名好乱啊，有种雷神的感觉
IP属地:广东来自Android客户端7楼2026-07-22 12:09回复
(WTH, a big bunch! The fiber naming is so confusing, it feels like Loki)

FelixH ary-x是外置纯纤维，不知道为啥定价最贵，估计走量还是雨果自用那个结构
IP属地:北京8楼2026-07-22 14:49回复
(ary-x is outer pure fiber. I don't know why it's highest priced. I guess the main sales volume will come from the structure that Hugo himself uses)

 

[tomahawk11]

I'm excited about the ARY-C, but I've learned my lesson, and will wait for some reviews before blindly buying a new blade.

@Matt Hetherington There seems to be a mistake under the technical data section, it shows the outer veneer as koto.

Is the trinity vyzaryz completely discontinued?

 

[Matt Hetherington]

I'm excited about the ARY-C, but I've learned my lesson, and will wait for some reviews before blindly buying a new blade.

@Matt Hetherington There seems to be a mistake under the technical data section, it shows the outer veneer as koto.

Is the trinity vyzaryz completely discontinued?

Just checked, I see that's on Germany's website, will get them to fix that thanks for spotting.

It's coming back as part of a new blade series in 2027 Q1 hopefully at a nice retail price

 

[NoSpin]

@Matt Hetherington any chance Joola can make Xiom IceCream AZXi clone?😅 I would buy one.
These guys keep to discontinue banger blades...

 

[Matt Hetherington]

@Matt Hetherington any chance Joola can make Xiom IceCream AZXi clone?😅 I would buy one.
These guys keep to discontinue banger blades...

We had a blade called the Hybrid which had pbo-c (zlc) and super pbo-c on opposite sides, but it didn't really do so well in the market so it was discontinued. If blades don't take off and get a good pick up it's hard to keep them going because the suppliers require fairly high minimum orders to sustain a product long-term.

 

[scousebr]

I've managed to get an ARY-X at the WTT venue! Thanks @Matt Hetherington for the expected release date.

I didn't have time to assemble it yet, but I'm excited about it! Maybe after the tournament ends I'll get to it.

 

[Matt Hetherington]

I've managed to get an ARY-X at the WTT venue! Thanks @Matt Hetherington for the expected release date.

I didn't have time to assemble it yet, but I'm excited about it! Maybe after the tournament ends I'll get to it.

You are ahead of the game!

 

[TTWiz]

I have just ordered the Joola Hugo Calderano ARY-x with Helix Platinum (XH/H). I have an equivalent setup, just with Xiom Hugo HAL. I’ve played with the Hugo HAL for many years, so I’m excited to see how the ARY-x compares to it.

I’ll come back with a description once I’ve received the blade and played with it in training and matches.

 

[kindof99]

We had a blade called the Hybrid which had pbo-c (zlc) and super pbo-c on opposite sides, but it didn't really do so well in the market so it was discontinued. If blades don't take off and get a good pick up it's hard to keep them going because the suppliers require fairly high minimum orders to sustain a product long-term.

Maybe they were priced too high? I would have tried them if they had been not that expensive.

 

[Matt Hetherington]

Maybe they were priced too high? I would have tried them if they had been not that expensive.

It’s possible, we are making some adjustments in that area for 2027, so will have to see how that goes 😇

 

[The0rigina1]

It’s possible, we are making some adjustments in that area for 2027, so will have to see how that goes 😇

Feels like pitchy's blade is also a bit too much to ask for, maybe 90-100 would be easier to swallow

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Nowadays, the going rate for a premium blade from any brand is anywhere from 130-180 dollars/Euros on average. So why would someone not go for a TBALC/FZD ALC/Viscaria/Ovtcharov/Harimoto ALC which all cost basically the same price as their "competition"?