Looking for a Budget-Friendly Replacement for Yinhe V-14

This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Apr 2024
24
10
39
At the end of last season, my beloved Yinhe V-14 (non-pro) unfortunately collided with the floor, and that ended its career. Since I can't find the V-14 on Aliexpress anymore, I’m looking for a suitable replacement.

My playing style is very forehand-oriented, with a fast antispin on my backhand for counter-blocking. On the forehand, I use a mix of drives, smashes, topspins, counters, and fast blocks, mainly focused on finishing points with fast spins or smashes. I also like to throw in spinny openings occasionally to change the rhythm.

In terms of rubbers, I plan to use DHS GoldArc 8, FastArc G-1, or hybrids like Bloom Power and Big Dipper, which I’ve been falling in love with lately.

So far, I’ve tested the Sanwei Flextra and Tibhar BSS1 (both all-wood blades), which are good, but they didn’t quite click with me. I’ve also tested the Stuor Nobilis ZLC, which works very well with Bloom Power on the FH side, but I feel it's too bouncy for close to the table play, and I struggle to control backhand blocks with it.

Some blades I’m considering are:

  • Sanwei F3 Pro
  • Sanwei 75 In/Out
  • Yinhe Pro 01/05
  • Yinhe 437s
  • Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon
  • Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive
  • DHS PG7 (regular/H)
  • DHS Fang Bo B2
  • XVT ZLC Koto
Nowadays, the blade market is so large that it’s really difficult to choose which one to buy. Please suggest blades from other budget-friendly brands like Friendship/729, Stuor, XVT, etc.

I’ve read a lot of threads here about these blades, but most of them focus on which one is closest to the Viscaria or another expensive Butterfly blade, which doesn’t really help me since I haven’t played with any of those. I’d appreciate it more if you could recommend a blade that fits my game rather than focusing on its similarity to Butterfly blades. I’ve been playing table tennis for over 20 years, so I'm not a beginner.
 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Active Member
Nov 2019
595
509
2,061
Read 1 reviews
If an outer carbon blade like the V14 worked well for your playing style than I would stay with outer carbon. Either Pro01 or 75 Outer but also the V14Pro should work. 729 Blue Arylate could be an option. It's a bit slower than V14Pro and a bit spinnier, handle is longer and thinner compared to V14Pro but if sanded/filed down allows me to use my wrist better. 729 Blue Advance: thinner so should flex more but seems to have a thicker handle, not played myself. Loki Telson Speed: also thinner than 729 Blue Arylate with more flex and a bit bouncier but has a thick handle like the V14Pro, construction is a bit different too with limba instead of ayous around the kiri core, didn't have the time for an extensive comparison but has definitely high quality and comes factory sealed.
Ma Lin Extra Offensive might work but definitely holds the ball much longer when hitting hard. Great for close to the table attacks. Quite stiff for a 5-ply blade but not as stiff and fast as these outer carbon blades.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TTAntiPlayer
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Apr 2024
24
10
39
Indeed.
V14 Pro seems the most relevant replacement. If it's too expensive, then 729 Blue ALC would fit your needs.

I was thinking of giving the V-14 Pro version a try, but I’ve read that it’s faster and bouncier than the regular V-14. I’m actually looking for something similar or maybe even a tad slower than the V-14 in terms of speed. It also worries me how my YAP anti will fit the blade, it was good with my old blade, but sometimes when I tried to hit hard, the ball would fly 1 meter behind the table with a weird trajectory. My FH isn’t an issue in terms of speed, but I’m concerned about how the BH will perform with a fast bouncy blade.

Right now, my top candidates are:
  1. Yinhe Pro 05
  2. Yasaka Extra Offensive (YEO)
  3. Yinhe V-14 Pro
  4. Sanwei F3 Pro
  5. 729 Blue ALC
Just for fun, I asked ChatGPT to recommend a blade to me, and here is the list:
  1. Butterfly Timo Boll ALC
  2. Stiga Infinity VPS V
  3. Tibhar Samsonov Force Pro
  4. Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive
  5. Donic Ovtcharov True Carbon
  6. Sanwei Fextra 7
  7. DHS PG7
  8. Yinhe T-7S
  9. XVT ZL Hinoki Carbon
  10. DHS Fang Bo B2
 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Apr 2024
24
10
39
Pro 01 looks like a good fit, and I’ve been watching it on Aliexpress, where it can be bought for €37-42 on sale days, which seems like a good price. Since I don’t want to change my blade in the middle of the season, I still have about 6 weeks to explore other options.
Recently, I came across the Butterfly New Balsa Carbo X7, which is designed for close to table play, and with its balsa core, it seems like it could work well with antispins.
Does anyone here have experience with this blade?
 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Mar 2022
21
12
37
At the end of last season, my beloved Yinhe V-14 (non-pro) unfortunately collided with the floor, and that ended its career. Since I can't find the V-14 on Aliexpress anymore, I’m looking for a suitable replacement.

My playing style is very forehand-oriented, with a fast antispin on my backhand for counter-blocking. On the forehand, I use a mix of drives, smashes, topspins, counters, and fast blocks, mainly focused on finishing points with fast spins or smashes. I also like to throw in spinny openings occasionally to change the rhythm.

In terms of rubbers, I plan to use DHS GoldArc 8, FastArc G-1, or hybrids like Bloom Power and Big Dipper, which I’ve been falling in love with lately.

So far, I’ve tested the Sanwei Flextra and Tibhar BSS1 (both all-wood blades), which are good, but they didn’t quite click with me. I’ve also tested the Stuor Nobilis ZLC, which works very well with Bloom Power on the FH side, but I feel it's too bouncy for close to the table play, and I struggle to control backhand blocks with it.

Some blades I’m considering are:

  • Sanwei F3 Pro
  • Sanwei 75 In/Out
  • Yinhe Pro 01/05
  • Yinhe 437s
  • Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon
  • Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive
  • DHS PG7 (regular/H)
  • DHS Fang Bo B2
  • XVT ZLC Koto
Nowadays, the blade market is so large that it’s really difficult to choose which one to buy. Please suggest blades from other budget-friendly brands like Friendship/729, Stuor, XVT, etc.

I’ve read a lot of threads here about these blades, but most of them focus on which one is closest to the Viscaria or another expensive Butterfly blade, which doesn’t really help me since I haven’t played with any of those. I’d appreciate it more if you could recommend a blade that fits my game rather than focusing on its similarity to Butterfly blades. I’ve been playing table tennis for over 20 years, so I'm not a beginner.
I have one flared. The yellow and black one right?
 
says nothing
says nothing
Active Member
Apr 2021
715
709
2,462
Read 1 reviews
My Pro 01 is way faster than my Pro 05, it makes sense : Koto + outer carbon + Kiri core is supposed to be faster than Limba + Inner carbon + Ayous core. So unless I don't have the same definition of punch than you, I think you're biased.
yeah that's just my assumption because I only have the Pro 01, I don't have the Pro 05 but based on my experience with inner and outer ALCs, outer ALC is fast close to table, mid distance the inner ALC is more powerful. So that's why I said "Pro 05 may be better choice"
 
Top