Downgrade blade back to all-wood?

[Manto76]

Regardless of how we want to spin it, a Camry is miles behind a Lambo when it comes to performance. Yes, you don't really need a Lambo for your objectives but it's more powerful. That's the way I see it.

It's not really debatable when it comes to performance just how superior carbon blades is.

Okay, we can agree to disagree. Your argument is 'more power = greater performance', and I accept that that's the way you see it.

For sure that argument is debatable though!

 

[Wrighty67]

Regardless of how we want to spin it, a Camry is miles behind a Lambo when it comes to performance. Yes, you don't really need a Lambo for your objectives but it's more powerful. That's the way I see it.

It's not really debatable when it comes to performance just how superior carbon blades is. I think there is a table about the equipment pros used ten years ago and today. Most top ten have changed their blades from all wood to carbon. Ma Long used to play with Acoustic and his career high is with carbon blade. Gauzy has also moved on to carbon blade. Even TTD Tom is now using carbon blade.

But a Camry is clearly miles better than a Lamborghini at carrying 4 people - so the definition of better depends on the functionality required. Performance doesn‘t just mean speed. Carbon blades are generally faster - yes, but do they perform better in all situations - no. Pro‘s using a blade is a long way from meaning it is superior for all players.

 

[latej]

I wish we'd stop talking about the change to all wood blades as a "downgrade."

When someone changes from an 'inner' carbon to an 'outer' carbon, or vice versa, we just talk about the "change" they've made—not the "downgrade."

If we really believe what we all say, i.e. that finding the equipment that works best for you is the goal, then discovering that an all wood blade is best for you shouldn't be spoken of as a "downgrade." At worst, it's just a change and, at best, it's a successful change.

Since this is now about words and definitions, let's play devil's advocate for a moment ;-)

If you are flexible about the meanings of "performance", why not also about the meanings of "downgrade"? We don't have to attach that negative connotation to the word "downgrade", and then "downgrade" is fine again, even desirable ;-)

 

[IB66]

Carbon blades were first brought into the game during the speed glue / old 38mm ball era, rubbers hadn’t really changed for a while during that period, Mark V / Sriver were the, in general go to rubbers (Perhaps in Europe and Japan) So if you wanted more speed (other than speed glue) carbon was the way to go, but most people wanted both!! also at that time the newly evolving carbon and composite fleece materials were in their infancy. All wood blades were basically all that was available, and performed very well with the smaller ball.
Things were pretty well balanced as it were.

Since then the various ball changes, banning of speed glue etc aimed at slowing the game down resulted in manufacturers concentrating on rubber development. The combination of a Tamca type carbon blade with fast modern tensor rubber with high catapult is a monster!!

The original Tamca carbon is still very fast, this can be seen by taking a look at Butterflies blade chart, the Tamca carbon blades are still amongst the fastest available. The more modern ‘carbon’ fleeces now available ALC, ZLC etc have a different role and characteristics.
I’m pretty sure that if manufacturers wanted to go faster with their blades, they could, there are now more material / fibre options available. But they haven’t

The original Tamca Carbon fibre is Tech that is about 45+ yrs old!!!

If max speed was that important, then you would be seeing pros using the Tamca type carbon blades, I think T Boll had a period with the Primorac carbon blade, I’m not sure if he is still using it? But now the inner and outer ALC / ZLC variations are way more popular, balancing out speed, with control etc with the use of modern rubbers.

Hybrid rubbers are also more popular / available these days. When you listened to the blurb from players promoting D09C they were talking about, spin, safety, control, not speed, well they couldn’t because it isn’t as fast!! But again it’s about balance.

If you have played with fast blades, be it inner / outer ALC, ZLC etc for a good length of time then moving to an all wood blade is going to be ‘different’. As would moving from wood to ALC

I think the main thing to take from this thread and others about equipment, is that it’s about personal preference!!!
Finding the right BALANCE for YOU regardless of what others say or report.