Applegreen Allplay or Timo Boll ALC? (+ rubbers?)

[Nemo]

At 25 years old/young I am currently taking up TT again after a break of 6+ years.
I played some 5 years before the break on a relatively low to medium level.

I need some new equipment now. I'd consider my self sort of a beginner right now, but am very eager to practice seriously to get better as fast as I can with training 2 times a week (can't do more atm).

Now, the thing is that I read in many places that people recommend the Donic Applegreen Allplay, but I also have a friend who has a Timo Boll ALC that he doesn't use.
So I could buy an Applegreen Allplay or get a Timo Boll ALC cheaply.

My question is: Is the TB ALC blade too much for a (sort of) beginner who is practicing seriously? Should I still go with an Applegreen Allplay?


As for rubbers, I heard Vega Pro are a good choice for building technique. Would you agree?


Some more info if relevant: I want to play close-mid range attack and play with lots of spin.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

[Kuba Hajto]

You are comparing an 9mm pistol and AK47. Which do you think is easier to use in continous fire.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Yeah, if you are considering yourself in a beginner category, the Timo Boll ALC would prevent you from improving. I would not get that.

Appelgren Allplay would be good.

There are other blades that would also be good. But the Appelgren Allplay is excellent.

 

[thomas.pong]

Yeah, if you are considering yourself in a beginner category, the Timo Boll ALC would prevent you from improving. I would not get that.

Appelgren Allplay would be good.

There are other blades that would also be good. But the Appelgren Allplay is excellent.

+1 for the Appelgren Allplay.

As for rubbers, maybe start with Xiom Vega Europe in 2.0mm on both sides rather than Vega Pro. It'll give you more feel and control.

 

[Baal]

Allplay for sure. Great blade.

Vega Europe is good choice too.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I also agree, Vega Europe on both sides with an Appelgren Allplay would be a good setup for where you are.

 

[burhanayan]

When I first started to use Timo Boll ALC after a Butterfly AL blade(5+2 without carbon), it felt great at blocking but for topspin too stiff. Then I realized that my partner started to return my topspins easier than before even though my pace was quicker. It took my 1 and a half year to get used to its characteristics.

Based on training two days a week, I think you would be much happier with Allwood blades(All+, OFF-) like Appelgren.

As you said, you are just back to table tennis, you might avoid spinniest, fastest or hardest rubbers on market. I think Vega pro is also a good match maybe little bit hard but you don't feel the hardness with a flexible blade.

CLT-L09 cihazımdan Tapatalk kullanılarak gönderildi

 

[Nemo]

Thank you all! I appreciate all the helpful feedback.

Applegreen Allplay + Vega Europe/Pro it will be then.

There is a table tennis store sort of close to my town. Will go there next week and test both Vega rubbers with the blade and then get one of them. As it seems right now that'll likely be the Vega Europe.

 

[Brs]

What do you consider a low to medium level? If you played for five years as a kid you may be pretty good. If I were you I would buy the timo alc cheaply. To me your OP sounds like you are a modest person. Most people at a medium level after five years play would be more likely to use an alc than an appelgren. This is especially true with the new, bigger, slower ball.

 

[piligrim]

Waldner Allplay good blade too

 

[PickleRick]

Not my experience. A big majority of the intermediate players I know play with an allwood blade. And rightly so, a flexible allwood blade is a lot easier to handle than a stiff carbon blade for most players.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

What do you consider a low to medium level? If you played for five years as a kid you may be pretty good. If I were you I would buy the timo alc cheaply. To me your OP sounds like you are a modest person. Most people at a medium level after five years play would be more likely to use an alc than an appelgren. This is especially true with the new, bigger, slower ball.

I think Brs is actually bringing up a good point. It is not possible to tell the level from words on the internet.

Faster all wood blades could be better like: Xiom Offensive S, Butterfly Primorac Off-, Tibhar Stratus Power Wood, Stiga Offensive Classic......

I am sure any of those blades would be good choices as well regardless of whether Nemo is more on the beginner side or is a higher level than he is representing in his first post of the thread.

Also, Brs is correct that a lot of mid-level players use blades like TB ALC. But it is also true that a lot of mid-level players use equipment that is too fast for them and that they cannot handle so well.

With good technique, Appelgren Allplay can still produce powerful shots. And if Appelgren Allplay makes you have to work a little harder, there is a real advantage to that as you develop your technique. Whereas, a blade that is very fast makes it so you do not have to do as much. Which also can slow the development of good technique.

Someone who already has fairly high-level technique won't have to compromise their technique to use faster equipment. But someone who has mid-level technique, will usually compromise their strokes to get the ball to land on the table when they use faster equipment.

In the end, I would stick to an all wood blade.

 

[jefftberg]

Vega rubbers are excellent. Maybe try Vega Pro or Vega X on the FH and Vega Europe on the BH. +1 on the 5 ply wood blade.

 

[TTW]

Yeah, if you are considering yourself in a beginner category, the Timo Boll ALC would prevent you from improving. I would not get that.

Appelgren Allplay would be good.

There are other blades that would also be good. But the Appelgren Allplay is excellent.

I also agree with Carl on Appelgren.

Also @Nemo, I will give a suggestion to try Palio expert racket for sometime (premade racket) since you are a beginner and also get a good coach. A coach will suggest you a better equipment based on how your skills are developing.

 

[mr. tom]

I think the Appelgren Allplay would be too slow...it's a blade from the past, except maybe for pure beginners, which you are not (and even then...it's slow). The Timo Boll ACL on the other hand would be too fast I think. It's not like I want to empty your wallet, but I think a 7-ply OFF or OFF- well known blade would suit you better. The rubbers you mentioned are a good choice I think.

 

[Kuba Hajto]

I think the Appelgren Allplay would be too slow...it's a blade from the past, except maybe for pure beginners, which you are not (and even then...it's slow). The Timo Boll ACL on the other hand would be too fast I think. It's not like I want to empty your wallet, but I think a 7-ply OFF or OFF- well known blade would suit you better. The rubbers you mentioned are a good choice I think.

Don't totally agree. Kind of.. Sort of. Appelgren is slow, but it is as slow as any other allround blade. I do actually think it's faster than Stiga Allround clasic. It also depends on rubbers too. When I used my friends Appellgren with Hidden Dragon and 9000D, then yes it was painfully slow. When used with Bid Dipper it was fast (ish) (my memories are a bit blurred though). Also when learning speed is not a property you want. I would rather vote for slower blade that is very easy to use (high control?).

 

[russell]

I haven't a clue what level I would be classified as on here. I'm 74 years old and have played on and off since I was a teenager. I currently play in the top division in my town in a league which has 4 divisions but I'm one of the weakest players in the division whereas I was an over 80% player in Division 2. The top player in the division I play in is ranked around 100 in England but he never loses a match when he plays in this league and even players who would thrash me would be lucky to get more than 5 or 6 points in a game off him. Does this make me a beginner or an intermediate player? I haven't the slightest idea! I certainly wouldn't class myself as an advanced player even after playing for many years. As many people have said it's difficult to advise anybody what equipment would suit them without actually seeing them play. I only started playing again 7 years ago after a 20 year break and I've been playing with Yasaka Sweden Extra and using several different soft rubbers such as Xiom Vega Europe, Tibhar Aurus Soft, TSP Ventus Soft and Yasaka Rakza 7 Soft mostly 2.0 but a couple 1.8. However, I'm also currently sometimes playing with a much faster blade, a Yinhe T10+ with Yasaka Rakza 7 Soft 2.0 on the forehand and a Yasaka Rakza 7 1.8 on the backhand and I'm playing as well if not slightly better than with my other blade/rubber combinations.

 

[lasta]

5 years, you should be pretty consistent!

I would recommend going with the Boll. The Allplay is soft, flexible, hollow and all in all flimsy. A real pain to play with if you already have good fundamentals. Boll ALC is far from "too fast".

 

[piligrim]

5 years, you should be pretty consistent!

I would recommend going with the Boll. The Allplay is soft, flexible, hollow and all in all flimsy. A real pain to play with if you already have good fundamentals. Boll ALC is far from "too fast".

He is 74 years old! you know many players at this age who use blades like TB ALC with smooth rubbers?

 

[lasta]

Sorry, I was replying to Nemo, he said 25!