Racket upgrade - welcome all thoughts and advice!

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Looking for thoughts, advice and a sounding board for a new racket setup. My club coach and members have noticed changing my setup might improve my game.
While consistency, technique, fame strategy remain the most important, I've notice while trying other rackets I was able to feel the ball and making better contact for my stroke play.

My current setup -
Blade - Xiom HX feel
FH - Donic Blue fire JP-01 turbo
BH - Donic Blue fire M-02

I tend to be more confident with my backhand, attacking placement, and blocking. My forehand is slightly lacking accuracy and believe I'll generate more power and speed from technique and footwork. I'm attempting to play closer to the table to middle while I'll try to avoid playing too far when possible.

Blades I've tried
- Butterfly Timo Boll ALC - Dignics 05 both
- Butterfly Innerforce ZLC - (a hurricane Chinese rubber...)
- Butterfly Harimoto ALC - FH Rozena, BH Stiga DNA Pro M
- A range of 5 ply and 7 ply Stiga all wood blades.

My thoughts are the ALC feeling and speed is what I'm after while the wood feeling is exceptional but I do want to hone my offensive play with a carbon blade.
I'm sitting on either Timo Boll ALC or Xiom 36.5 (new blade haven't seem much reviews). Obviously a huge saving on Xiom blade (buying from tabletennis11) so am debating on which blade to buy. Open to all suggestions in this price point!

For rubbers I'm think FH - MX-P, BH - Xiom Omega 7 Euro, I was suggested Rozena for backhand which is extremely forgiving but not sure.. I'm staying away from Chinese rubbers as I don't have the best stroke play to fully appreciate the rubber.

Understanding I have a period of adjustment but I moved from a prasidha wooden blade to the HX Feel. It took me about 2 years with no formal training to adapt and but now I know what I'm looking for in my game I guess?

Sorry for the word vomit, any ideas thoughts are welcome and appreciated :)

AL
 
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Hi,

I'm never played with Harimoto ALC,- I've heard/read that it's good for close-to-the-table play .. However, I think it's over-priced ... Innerforce Layer ALC is similar'ish in composition and a cheaper too .. The Harimoto is faster than Innerforce ALC ..Some other blades, I've tried, and would recommend are ..
  • DHS Hurricane 301 / 301x
  • Tibhar Drinkhall Powerspin Carbon

As for rubbers - Rozena is indeed quite forgiving, and offers excellent value-for-money performance.. Since you mentioned your FH lacks accuracy, you could use probably use the Rozena on your FH .. For your BH, you could also look @ The Omega VII Pro
 
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How come you want to change? And why do they think you game will be improved by changing blade?
 
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says toooooo much choice!!
says toooooo much choice!!
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Hi,

See if you can find someone that owns or uses a Nittaku Acoustic inner or outer blade, these blades are known to retain the ‘woody’ feel.
I have the all wood and inner versions, these ‘feel’ pretty much the same to me, the difference in speed is noticeable, by this I mean that the inner version plays about 450mm longer than the all wood version (for a similarly played FH topspin stroke).
It could be that the outer version may play about 300 - 450 mm longer again which would put it closer to a Viscaria.
 
says toooooo much choice!!
says toooooo much choice!!
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How come you want to change? And why do they think you game will be improved by changing blade?
Yeah!!! Good question!!!!
Faster blade will need the USER to have better control, so there could be a drop in a players performance short term and long term if they are unable to ‘improve’ their technique using a faster blade.

 
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Hi,

See if you can find someone that owns or uses a Nittaku Acoustic inner or outer blade, these blades are known to retain the ‘woody’ feel.
I have the all wood and inner versions, these ‘feel’ pretty much the same to me, the difference in speed is noticeable, by this I mean that the inner version plays about 450mm longer than the all wood version (for a similarly played FH topspin stroke).
It could be that the outer version may play about 300 - 450 mm longer again which would put it closer to a Viscaria.

Awesome, was considering this but no one in my club has any Nittaku blades. I'm in a really small club so less variety available. Was pretty interested in these blades but will make a comparison with others I've been reading 😊

 
says toooooo much choice!!
says toooooo much choice!!
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The Acoustics are great blades, as are the BTY TB ALC, Viscaria and loads of blades by other manufacturers!!! Xiom ice cream, etc etc etc

Ask your coach what changes he/she thinks you should make.
Blade only?
Rubber only?
Both?

Blades are, for a lot of people more ‘personal’ than rubbers. By this I mean some keep a blade for years and will only change it if it’s damaged!! But there’s a good few members on this forum that have a shed load of blades!!

We change rubbers far more often because they wear out much much quicker, whether we change rubber brand or try a new rubber by the same manufacturer or stick to our ‘tried and tested’ favourite, is our

As far as equipment is concerned, always remember that the INDIVIDUAL has control, some equipment is easier to be CONTROLLED BY THE INDIVIDUAL.

Also, equipment can slot into certain categories, ALL, OFF-,DEF - etc, usually for blades, fast, spinny, hard/soft rubbers, but again these are ‘ball park’ ESTIMATES, reviews are a persons PERSONAL evaluation. Manufacturers differ in how they ‘rate’ their equipment as well, nothing is really tested by a totally ‘independent’ source under the same testing conditions.

Read up by all means, remember to keep a level head regarding manufacturers ‘HYPE’ and personal opinions. A good guide can be the ‘best selling’ piece of equipment from a manufacturers range,
That many people can’t be wrong!!!!
How to find this info is a little harder!!

If you want that ‘woody’ feeling with some carbon added, then the Acoustic range is a good choice, (also different handle sizes available)
There are other Woody/Carbon offerings out there, hopefully some other members can make some other recommendations in this ‘ball park’ catagory. 😀
 
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Yeah!!! Good question!!!!
Faster blade will need the USER to have better control, so there could be a drop in a players performance short term and long term if they are unable to ‘improve’ their technique using a faster blade.

A very good questions indeed! I know an improvement with my foot work and stroke play will add to my accuracy. While trying out different blades, I've felt the lack of feeling or vibration with my current blade. That's just what I'm experiencing with the HX feel.

Very true, in the long term this is a bet but am looking at the other suggestions you guys are firing through!

 
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