Help returning player choose equipment

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Hello!

I'm returning to table tennis (and also ttdaily) after a 4 year hiatus. The last time i played the celluloid ball was still used. I did a couple of training sessions with the new ball and found harder to generate speed and spin so i´m looking to upgrade my old bat. I played with waldner senso carbon, mx-p on th BH and LKT rapid sound on the FH. I like the blade but after reading some reviews got curious about the DHS 301. I also like the mx-p but it can be a little fast for my BH so i'm looking for something a little slower/more controllable. The LKT is just terrible, is used to play H3 (boosted) so i have no ideia why it was glued on there. Next training session i will try the H3 to see how it feels. I think i can describe myself as a 2 winged looper, and like to play close to mid distance.

Any thoughts? I'm looking for cheap solutions if possible and didn't want to use booster.

Edit:
After reading some reviews i'm interested in these:
Blade - Sanwei F1
- DHS 301
Fh - 729 Battle 2
- Palio Ak47 Yellow/red
- Big Dipper
- Target National
Bh - Palio Ak47 blue/yellow
- 729 Battle 1
 
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Try the sanwei fextra and use the taiji for forehand and ultraspin for backhand.

The Fextra seems a good option. Is it stiff? I played with a PG7 back then which i didn't like very much because of that. However those rubbers seem slow, at least that's what you said in your review.

Buy em all and try em all... then tell us formers all about it.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Guess i will have to take a few chances but there are so many options now it's confusing
 
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301 is more a peculiar blade. It can go very very slow but also very fast.
It is better for more advanced players, I think, who don't need a 'tensor like' constant boost.
I personally would avoid ESN rubbers on it because I think it'll be too fast overall, except with perhaps linear rubbers like Vega Pro.

I think it works great with B2, but it also requires robust technique, because both the rubber and the blade have a lower throw.
 
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Ok, so flextra is out of the question, i don't like stiff blades. The lkt sound was just the rubber that was in the blade and i didn't have any glue, after 4 years it had dried. So i'm looking for something similar/better than a H3 boosted, without the need to boost (preferably). By the positive reviews i guess Battle 2 fits the bill.

The H301 seems a good choice. How does it compare to maybe a timo boll spirit? I remember playing with one but found it too stiff. The 301 should be more woody as the alc is next to the core, right?

Lightzy, what about the ak47 yellow? How would you compare it to a mx-p. I might end up with the same setup as you :)
 
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Ok, so flextra is out of the question, i don't like stiff blades. The lkt sound was just the rubber that was in the blade and i didn't have any glue, after 4 years it had dried. So i'm looking for something similar/better than a H3 boosted, without the need to boost (preferably). By the positive reviews i guess Battle 2 fits the bill.

The H301 seems a good choice. How does it compare to maybe a timo boll spirit? I remember playing with one but found it too stiff. The 301 should be more woody as the alc is next to the core, right?

Lightzy, what about the ak47 yellow? How would you compare it to a mx-p. I might end up with the same setup as you :)
I can only compare H301 with Butterfly ZJK ALC (which is slightly faster than Viscaria).

H301 has the ALC layers below the top two plies. The top ply is koto. At low to medium impact it feels like a fast 5-ply such as Rosewood. At high impact the ALC kicks in and it can go as fast as a bullet.

Overall H301 has more feel and dwell time than ZJK ALC. ZJK and Boll Spirit are more responsive due to higher speed at low to medium impact.

Passionate about TT
 
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I can only compare H301 with Butterfly ZJK ALC (which is slightly faster than Viscaria).

H301 has the ALC layers below the top two plies. The top ply is koto. At low to medium impact it feels like a fast 5-ply such as Rosewood. At high impact the ALC kicks in and it can go as fast as a bullet.

Overall H301 has more feel and dwell time than ZJK ALC. ZJK and Boll Spirit are more responsive due to higher speed at low to medium impact.

Passionate about TT

Thanks SFF_lib, sounds like the H301 is what i'm looking for :)
 
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Try the Xiom Feel AX blade because it is a good and controllable alc blade. Also koto outer plies. For Stiga, Carbonado 45 or 90 has been used extensively by Chinese women's team.

Thanks yogi_bear, those seem good suggestions, especially the Fell AX which is not very expensive. However, i decided to take a shot on the H301 and it's already on it's way. Now i just need to decide on the rubbers.
 
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Thanks yogi_bear, those seem good suggestions, especially the Fell AX which is not very expensive. However, i decided to take a shot on the H301 and it's already on it's way. Now i just need to decide on the rubbers.
Good on you. H301 has really good value for money. It's just slightly heavier than other blades. If you play shakehand and use lighter rubbers then no problem.

In many Chinese forum H301 is said to be better than the legendary Long V for amateurs. That's because with koto top ply you can execute deadly power shot with H301 without too much effort. Long V requires more efforts, and costs far more.

Passionate about TT
 
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he H301 seems a good choice. How does it compare to maybe a timo boll spirit? I remember playing with one but found it too stiff. The 301 should be more woody as the alc is next to the core, right?

Lightzy, what about the ak47 yellow? How would you compare it to a mx-p. I might end up with the same setup as you :)

AK47 yellow is ultra light (much lighter than comparable rubbers), and probably like half the weight of the mx-p or something.
It's fast and spinny and the most cost-effective rubber you're likely to find.

I would suggest first sticking 2 AK47s on the 301 before going with Battle2 because Battle2 is a bit hard to play if you're out of shape or tweaking your technique back to place. It will not forgive technical shortages.



The 301 as I said in my review of it is probably the perfect design as far as I'm concerned. Koto for the magic (that wood is magic as top ply), ALC near the core for speed when you need it and not with every shot (a lot easier to control), thin blade that's still somewhat flexible (though very direct, low throw), and elongated head which helps spin the ball, while also being supremely cost effective.

I guess I have a think for cost effective stuff. The Jew in me.
 
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Today i trained with a lightly boosted H3 on the FH. It felt much more confortable. I was able to generate more speed and spin on top spins but had to adjust the block because they were hitting the bottom of the net. Service was also much better. So i will stick with something similar to H3 on the FH, maybe try a H3-50 next training just to see how it feels.

It's nice that the AK47 is light, to compensate for the extra weight of the 301. I will order one for the BH, the H3 still has some life left so i'm not in a hurry.

Just for reference, this is a video of me doing a multiball back then

 
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Well, i got a DHS 301 and two AK47 (red and blue) in the mail yesterday. It's going to be torture because i can't try the setup until late August because the club is closed. However, i have a few first impressions:

Blade: I think i will love this blade. It doesn't feel stiff and has "good vibrations". Comparing to my Waldner senso carbon the feeling is very crisp. I can already tell that it has many gears just by bouncing the ball. The only downside seems to be the handle which is very small.

Rubbers: The AK47 red feels much harder than the blue. The bounce is lower and less springier but i think it generates more spin. Maybe it will need some boosting but first i will try without boster.
 
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