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Hi all
Just thought I would share some initial thoughts on these two based on my initial experiences.
Some context on the blade - I was a Viscaria user for a fair amount of time before following a few coaches advice to use a slower, inner carbon blade. I immediately missed the feel of my Viscaria (immediacy, crispness, linearity) and struggled to really feel at home with any of the inner carbon blades I tried (JRE / Butterfly inner force) I really liked my W968 but always felt it was a little too much for me - too reactive and also a little hard to control. When I saw this blade I decided to give it a try, based on the very limited reviews I could find, that seemed to indicate it was a slower and easier to access outer blade. I have been using it now for about a month and early indications are that it is a great option for me - it has the overall feel of an outer carbon blade that I like. It's crisp and direct and it also feels very balanced in my hand (Anatomic handle - 88g) but it is notably softer than my Viscaria and notably easier to control when playing both topspin and close to the net. Despite being fairly thick (over 6mm) the Ayous outer layers give it a really nice feel. So far, for me, it is a very good compromise. I have an older Maze that I have always liked - this feels a little closer to that I would say.
The rubbers - I am a long time user of Yasaka Rakza Z (BH) and Rakza Z extra hard (FH) I also enjoy Bluestar A1/A2 - both very spinny with the RZ offering a little less speed but more control. A friend of mine said he had heard Psych dragon was a good alternative to RZ, and potentially better so I ordered two sheets of the med-hard from Ali to try.
It is pretty tacky like RZ but notably a little lighter (which is good news) - the hardness feels like it is about 50 deg (and I have read this too) so similar to RZ standard (although to me, the red feels a little softer than the black, but according to the seller it is the same) So far I would say I like it very much - it is maybe a tad faster than RZ but not by much, and has very similar feel in terms of bite and spin levels. The feel on contact is really nice, as is the sound it makes when you make a good contact. No idea yet on durability but at circa £20 a sheet it is very good value and I have just ordered 4 more sheets at £18/sheet in the sale.
Anyway - neither of these products have had much airtime in terms of reviews so this may be helpful for anyone considering them.
Just thought I would share some initial thoughts on these two based on my initial experiences.
Some context on the blade - I was a Viscaria user for a fair amount of time before following a few coaches advice to use a slower, inner carbon blade. I immediately missed the feel of my Viscaria (immediacy, crispness, linearity) and struggled to really feel at home with any of the inner carbon blades I tried (JRE / Butterfly inner force) I really liked my W968 but always felt it was a little too much for me - too reactive and also a little hard to control. When I saw this blade I decided to give it a try, based on the very limited reviews I could find, that seemed to indicate it was a slower and easier to access outer blade. I have been using it now for about a month and early indications are that it is a great option for me - it has the overall feel of an outer carbon blade that I like. It's crisp and direct and it also feels very balanced in my hand (Anatomic handle - 88g) but it is notably softer than my Viscaria and notably easier to control when playing both topspin and close to the net. Despite being fairly thick (over 6mm) the Ayous outer layers give it a really nice feel. So far, for me, it is a very good compromise. I have an older Maze that I have always liked - this feels a little closer to that I would say.
The rubbers - I am a long time user of Yasaka Rakza Z (BH) and Rakza Z extra hard (FH) I also enjoy Bluestar A1/A2 - both very spinny with the RZ offering a little less speed but more control. A friend of mine said he had heard Psych dragon was a good alternative to RZ, and potentially better so I ordered two sheets of the med-hard from Ali to try.
It is pretty tacky like RZ but notably a little lighter (which is good news) - the hardness feels like it is about 50 deg (and I have read this too) so similar to RZ standard (although to me, the red feels a little softer than the black, but according to the seller it is the same) So far I would say I like it very much - it is maybe a tad faster than RZ but not by much, and has very similar feel in terms of bite and spin levels. The feel on contact is really nice, as is the sound it makes when you make a good contact. No idea yet on durability but at circa £20 a sheet it is very good value and I have just ordered 4 more sheets at £18/sheet in the sale.
Anyway - neither of these products have had much airtime in terms of reviews so this may be helpful for anyone considering them.
