Stiga AC vs Stiga OC for beginners

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Hey guys, I'm new to this forum.

I'm not so beginner, I used to play SH for 4 years, then switched to PH in the last 2.5 years.

I played with a Yinhe N8s for 1.5 years (in my PH) then switched to a Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive due to the thickness of N8s killing my wrist.

However, this Yasaka blade made my strokes weird, and I have been losing too much for the last year, more than with my Yinhe N8s, my consistency with my FH loop has gone down a lot, even with extensive time for training in the pandemic. It is as if I were back to a beginner again.

I think that's because this Yasaka blade is too fast for me.

I'd like to relearn all the techniques with a classic Stiga blade.

Which blade should I get?
- Stiga Offensive Classic
- Stiga Allround Classic
- Stiga Offensive CR
- Stiga Allround CR

Any opinions would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

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If you are a penhold player, and want to slow down a bit, I think Yasaka Sweden Extra is a good option.

In fact, Ma Lin and Wang Hao used the blade (was named Yasaka Gatien Extra back then) for a few years before switching to another blades.

Stiga Offensive Classic is too flexible for current 40+ plastic ball. (thickness is only 5.4 - 5.5 mm if I am not mistaken).
Stiga Allround Classic is too soft / slow for the current 40+ plastic ball. (thickness is around 5.5 - 5.6 mm if I am not mistaken).

The CR variants only give harder feeling (compared to the original) due to varnished top-ply.

They are not bad, but I think Yasaka Sweden Extra is more suitable (thickness is 5.9 - 6.0 mm).
 
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Thank you!

I will be soon ordering it via Aliexpress!

I'm going to get back for comparison in 30-45 days (shipping)

I do sincerely think 5.8-6 mm is the perfect thickness for Inverted both sides penhold

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Thank you!

I will be soon ordering it via Aliexpress!

I'm going to get back for comparison in 30-45 days (shipping)

I do sincerely think 5.8-6 mm is the perfect thickness for Inverted both sides penhold

Sent from my M2102J20SG using Tapatalk

tt-store. eu has better prices for Yasaka stuff than Aliexpress.

 
If you are a penhold player, and want to slow down a bit, I think Yasaka Sweden Extra is a good option.

In fact, Ma Lin and Wang Hao used the blade (was named Yasaka Gatien Extra back then) for a few years before switching to another blades.

Stiga Offensive Classic is too flexible for current 40+ plastic ball. (thickness is only 5.4 - 5.5 mm if I am not mistaken).
Stiga Allround Classic is too soft / slow for the current 40+ plastic ball. (thickness is around 5.5 - 5.6 mm if I am not mistaken).

The CR variants only give harder feeling (compared to the original) due to varnished top-ply.

They are not bad, but I think Yasaka Sweden Extra is more suitable (thickness is 5.9 - 6.0 mm).

Yes , this post is IMHO very invormative.
 
says Rozena! You complete me.
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If you are a penhold player, and want to slow down a bit, I think Yasaka Sweden Extra is a good option.

In fact, Ma Lin and Wang Hao used the blade (was named Yasaka Gatien Extra back then) for a few years before switching to another blades.

Stiga Offensive Classic is too flexible for current 40+ plastic ball. (thickness is only 5.4 - 5.5 mm if I am not mistaken).
Stiga Allround Classic is too soft / slow for the current 40+ plastic ball. (thickness is around 5.5 - 5.6 mm if I am not mistaken).

The CR variants only give harder feeling (compared to the original) due to varnished top-ply.

They are not bad, but I think Yasaka Sweden Extra is more suitable (thickness is 5.9 - 6.0 mm).
It may be deemd too soft if your play-style is looping far from table. However, if one's play-style is close to table quick counter-attack, then this blade, when paired with hard sponge rubber, is a deadly weapon due to its good control. Don't underestimate this little gem.

 
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It may be deemd too soft if your play-style is looping far from table. However, if one's play-style is close to table quick counter-attack, then this blade, when paired with hard sponge rubber, is a deadly weapon due to its good control. Don't underestimate this little gem.

No, I don't say that Stiga AC is a bad blade. Being slow, it has very good control.

However, I am saying that the new plastic ball (40+) makes a lot of changes in my perception on "balanced all-round" blades. What I meant by "balanced all-round" is that the blade is capable of doing many types of strokes with ease. Our play does not depend on looping only. There are serve, serve return, short game, drive, block, flat hitting (smash), etc.

Let me just give examples:

Stiga AC, OC and Avalox BT 550 are very good blades (back then with 38 mm ball). They are considered looping blades. Thickness of these types of blades are usually around 5.4 - 5.7 mm. Being thin and flexible, they have this "catapult" characteristic: thus good for looping. However, it is not too easy to block with them (well, you can block with any blades, just one is easier than the other). Plus there are strong vibration and feel of hollowness (because they are thin). For blocking, you need a rather stiff blade, but then you sacrifice the easiness of looping. So it is always a trade off.


On the other hand, Stiga Clipper (~6.8mm thick) is very good for blocking and flat hitting. It is good for looping as well, but still it is easier to loop with Stiga AC and Avalox BT550. Being a much thicker (stiffer) blade, Clipper only shows "catapult" characteristic when you are looping with great power. When you are close to the table, it behaves more linear. In contrast, Avalox BT550 is non-linear in speed. It is slow in short game, serve return, but once you crank the speed, it accelerates quickly (act like catapult).

So in the era of 40+ plastic ball, I am thinking of "new" allround blades: slow to medium in speed, excellent in looping, yet still retains "backbone" for blocking and smashing. From my experience: Donic Waldner senso v1 (5.8 mm, yet rather stiff), Donic Persson Powerallround (6.0 mm), Stiga Allround Evolution (6.0 mm), and Yasaka Sweden Extra (6.0 mm) are good blades for these criteria.

 
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says Rozena! You complete me.
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No, I don't say that Stiga AC is a bad blade. Being slow, it has very good control.

However, I am saying that the new plastic ball (40+) makes a lot of changes in my perception on "balanced all-round" blades. What I meant by "balanced all-round" is that the blade is capable of doing many types of strokes with ease. Our play does not depend on looping only. There are serve, serve return, short game, drive, block, flat hitting (smash), etc.

Let me just give examples:

Stiga AC, OC and Avalox BT 550 are very good blades (back then with 38 mm ball). They are considered looping blades. Thickness of these types of blades are usually around 5.4 - 5.7 mm. Being thin and flexible, they have this "catapult" characteristic: thus good for looping. However, it is not too easy to block with them (well, you can block with any blades, just one is easier than the other). Plus there are strong vibration and feel of hollowness (because they are thin). For blocking, you need a rather stiff blade, but then you sacrifice the easiness of looping. So it is always a trade off.


On the other hand, Stiga Clipper (~6.8mm thick) is very good for blocking and flat hitting. It is good for looping as well, but still it is easier to loop with Stiga AC and Avalox BT550. Being a much thicker (stiffer) blade, Clipper only shows "catapult" characteristic when you are looping with great power. When you are close to the table, it behaves more linear. In contrast, Avalox BT550 is non-linear in speed. It is slow in short game, serve return, but once you crank the speed, it accelerates quickly (act like catapult).

So in the era of 40+ plastic ball, I am thinking of "new" allround blades: slow to medium in speed, excellent in looping, yet still retains "backbone" for blocking and smashing. From my experience: Donic Waldner senso v1 (5.8 mm, yet rather stiff), Donic Persson Powerallround (6.0 mm), Stiga Allround Evolution (6.0 mm), and Yasaka Sweden Extra (6.0 mm) are good blades for these criteria.

Don't forget Butterfly's Primorac All-Wood. She is a well-behaved beauty which can be aggressive when it need be.

 
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No, I don't say that Stiga AC is a bad blade. Being slow, it has very good control.

However, I am saying that the new plastic ball (40+) makes a lot of changes in my perception on "balanced all-round" blades. What I meant by "balanced all-round" is that the blade is capable of doing many types of strokes with ease. Our play does not depend on looping only. There are serve, serve return, short game, drive, block, flat hitting (smash), etc.

Let me just give examples:

Stiga AC, OC and Avalox BT 550 are very good blades (back then with 38 mm ball). They are considered looping blades. Thickness of these types of blades are usually around 5.4 - 5.7 mm. Being thin and flexible, they have this "catapult" characteristic: thus good for looping. However, it is not too easy to block with them (well, you can block with any blades, just one is easier than the other). Plus there are strong vibration and feel of hollowness (because they are thin). For blocking, you need a rather stiff blade, but then you sacrifice the easiness of looping. So it is always a trade off.


On the other hand, Stiga Clipper (~6.8mm thick) is very good for blocking and flat hitting. It is good for looping as well, but still it is easier to loop with Stiga AC and Avalox BT550. Being a much thicker (stiffer) blade, Clipper only shows "catapult" characteristic when you are looping with great power. When you are close to the table, it behaves more linear. In contrast, Avalox BT550 is non-linear in speed. It is slow in short game, serve return, but once you crank the speed, it accelerates quickly (act like catapult).

So in the era of 40+ plastic ball, I am thinking of "new" allround blades: slow to medium in speed, excellent in looping, yet still retains "backbone" for blocking and smashing. From my experience: Donic Waldner senso v1 (5.8 mm, yet rather stiff), Donic Persson Powerallround (6.0 mm), Stiga Allround Evolution (6.0 mm), and Yasaka Sweden Extra (6.0 mm) are good blades for these criteria.

mightymouse, you seem knowledgable about this blade. I started table tennis one year ago by using Stiga Offensive Classic with soft max rubbers (Yasaka Rigan). My loop didnt really develop untill I put slow sticky rubbers on forehand (H3). After that it was like a dream. Which blade would you recommend me to upgrade into that still has some flex to it, albeit a little less than Stiga OC? I find it very hard to be consistent with backhand loop with Stiga OC because you hit the ball furter toward the tip of the blade and there is even more flex there. Currently I use Rakza Z on FH and Mark V on BH. So far, it seems like Stiga Infinity VPS V is a good upgrade, but is there a middle ground in stiffness between these two blades that behaves similarly? I am afraid that I stunt my development by going into too fast gear.

PS! I am an adult (38) learner who never played any racket sports before. If you want to check my development and give me feedback, check out my youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@z0uLess
 
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