Looking for a new faster blade

[Anders]

I was thinking you might do well with something like T05FX or Evo FX-P.

Either of those should help you spin the ball more with your backhand.



It's true. But what I saw was, I through out a bunch of blade recommendations within a speed range and Richie gravitated to one of the higher end ones. I think the one he seems most interested in would be a fine option. And I think there is something to be said for when someone wants something really nice after having played with something solid but very basic for a long time.

I have hit with a Rosewood XO many, many times. It is a great option. It might be high end. But it is a darn good blade.

If he was going to be interested in the Stratus Power Wood, he would have also been interested in the Stiga Tube Offensive and the Stiga Allround Classic which are in pretty much the same blade class in terms of price and speed rating. Those two would even be a hair faster than be Power Wood.


Sent from the Oracle of Delphi by the Pythia

I agree with Carl on this one + I would also like to add that it is often safer to go for a blade from the same brand, as it would have sort of the same feel.. Almost all STIGA blades have the same "type" of feeling, such as the Butterfly blades have their type

 

[NextLevel]

The Rosewood is good for what it does, but it is a harder outer ply. As long as he realizes that, all is well.

 

[Richie]

So many options.. it's going to take me a while to decide. When I'm back at the club I'm going to see if I can find some different blades that I can try out. Some of the blades I've looked at seem to be quite a bit heavier, if I also use a different rubber on my backhand it might add quite a bit of weight which I'm not used to.. however I feel like my current setup is way too light at only 158g.

Interesting about the pro player using an allround blade. I'm not really complaining about what I've got, I feel like I can spin well with my current blade and rubber on my forehand, backhand too sometimes but not as good. I guess I'm just looking for something different and want a faster game.

Are the all wood blades more forgiving than the carbon blades? I also see most of the all wood blades suggested are more stiff and harder than the allround, so does this also mean less spin and that they are less forgiving? I've been looking a bit at the OSP Virtuoso Plus which seems decent too and from what I can gather has more flex.

And thank you again Carl, T05FX is what I was thinking.. but if I went with a new blade should I go with the 1.9 or just stick it out and get used to 2.1? I'll take a look at the evo too.

Edit: After looking at the Tibhar Stratus Powerwood it is looking pretty good too, other than looking at numbers and reviews I'm unsure on how to compare it to what I'm currently using.. making it pretty difficult.

The info here is gold though!

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

More info:

1) The first thing, you can get the new setup with the same rubbers you are already used to and then switch the BH rubber after you are used to the new blade. That might make sense. That being said, if you get the new rubber with the new racket, it really won't take very long to get used to it.

Just be prepared to spend your first day or two with the new setup doing training drills and game simulation drills but not real matches. You will get to grove your game with the racket faster if you do that than if you try to play matches. Because you will be more comfortable feeling out how things really work with your new setup.

2) Any time you make a change like slower to faster, there is a trade off. Usually more speed means less dwell time, less spin and harder to control.

None of those blades I listed is too much harder than the Allround Classic. The Rosewood is harder but they have done something where it does not have the kind of hard feel that a lot of blades with a Koto top ply would have. And it has a nice BIG CRUNCH feeling on impact. There is definitely something you will recognize in that classic Stiga feel.

3) The softest blade of all the ones I mentioned is the Virtuoso Plus. That is because it has two plies of Limba on each side: one on top of the other. So 4 of the 5 plies are Limba. It is actually softer than the Allround Classic.

Truthfully, that is the one I would recommend most. It is a pretty darn amazing blade.

4) Don't worry about weight. Whatever the weight of your new setup is, after a few good training sessions with it you will adjust to the weight.

There is an advantage to lighter: more bat speed.

There are other advantages to heavier: more inertia behind your stroke and into the ball. That one would be enough for me. But this next one has me comfortable with the idea that I may never think of using a "lighter" blade again. IF YOU GET TWO OF THE SAME KIND OF BLADE, say two Stiga Allround Classic blades, and one weighs 80 grams and the other weighs 90 grams, everything else is the same, the head size, the thickness, the handle, but one weighs 10 grams more, the one that weighs more, the one with the denser more solid wood WILL ALWAYS (well 99.99% of the time) FEEL BETTER.

And I feel I am strong enough to swing a baseball bat and a tennis racket. A table tennis racket that weighs 90-100 grams, a full setup that weighs 200-220 grams is not going to be anywhere near "too heavy" for me.

So I would recommend not worrying about the weight. You will adjust and get used to whatever you get.

And Der_Echte has one blade that he added 35 grams to, it started out at 85 grams and he made it 120 grams and it feels great. Look at the thread in the link he posted. It really does play great. Hahaha.

Good luck.


Sent from the Oracle of Delphi by the Pythia

 

[Ilia Minkin]

I guess I'm just looking for something different and want a faster game.

But what do you mean by a faster game? For example, when you do a standard loop against block drill, what happens when you're hitting at your highest "gear", i.e. powerlooping? Do I understand correctly, that you're not satisfied with speed of your shots in that case? Or you feel that it takes too much power from you?

P.S. I'm not claiming that you don't need anything new, I'm just trying to understand table tennis better

 

[Ilia Minkin]

Interesting about the pro player using an allround blade.

You may find review interesting.

Notice how Paul plays with an ALL blade, he can generate a lot of power without gigantic swings. The rubbers are high end, though.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

But what do you mean by a faster game?

Actually, I would be interested to hear how you like a Stiga Allround Classic. That may have been a good blade for you. But your blade is a good blade too. I think the Xiom Fuga is a bit faster than the Allround Classic but it would be interesting to feel what a softer Allround blade plays like. I recommend it.

That being said, Richie will probably do well trying something new. Even if it is just for trying. Nothing wrong with trying different equipment. Over time and with experience you really get to know what you want from a racket or a set of rubbers.

 

[Ilia Minkin]

Actually, I would be interested to hear how you like a Stiga Allround Classic. That may have been a good blade for you. But your blade is a good blade too. I think the Xiom Fuga is a bit faster than the Allround Classic but it would be interesting to feel what a softer Allround blade plays like. I recommend it.

That being said, Richie will probably do well trying something new. Even if it is just for trying. Nothing wrong with trying different equipment. Over time and with experience you really get to know what you want from a racket or a set of rubbers.

I would like to play with Stiga Allround. Maybe the next time I order new rubbers, I will include it, since the blade is not expensive. It is true that it is OK to try something new, unless it destroys your budget It is also interesting to feel how different equipment affects the game. I think that with rubbers I more or less understand what is going on, while blades are kind of mystery to me. Apart from premade bats, I only used Yinhe Y-4, an ALL+ five ply carbon blade and Fuga. At some point I thought that Y-4 was a bit too fast and too stiff, and then I switched to Fuga that I enjoy very much now. Actually, if I was to make that transition now, I'd go for an ALL blade, but I think that Fuga is not too far from it.

 

[Richie]

I will probably get the new blade with the new rubbers and keep the classic as a back-up. I read one review saying that the Rosewood XO is head heavy with two T05 on it if this might be an issue I'm looking more at the virtuoso and liking the sound of it being a bit softer.. on the other hand if it's just a marginal difference I may just go with the rosewood.

Really solid advice and I read some of Der_Echte's thread haha.

Ilia, it's mainly from when I've tried a few different blades from other people, I think I've tried primorac off-, my friends TBS and a few others that I can't remember and just remember feeling how much more responsive they felt.

Sometimes when I block and others loop my block will bounce twice on the table unless I punch forward more, having more speed in my blocks felt better even though it's not massively important and really I should just put in the effort. Then I also feel that maybe a faster blade will help me develop more feel with time than I will with the allround because I've used it for quite a long time.

When I loop to block I don't feel like there's a lack of power, especially not spin and I'm doing well in league games. It's just not as responsive, from what I can gather as those other faster blades. I've just thought then that why not take the risk and if I start to lose more oh well, hopefully I can get used to the blade and end up with a faster game but still focus on good technique.

My short game isn't very good as I don't practice it much and also because many in my division don't always loop or hit off of long or high pushes. If I go up a division which I most likely will next year I'll probably have a very hard time as the standard is much higher, having used a faster blade and a new backhand rubber for next half of the season before I go up and getting used to it may be good for me.

I also don't want to get ahead of myself it may be that I'm overestimating my ability which is why I'm doing research and asking questions so I can be brought down to earth and not make silly decisions .

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I read one review saying that the Rosewood XO is head heavy with two T05 on it if this might be an issue I'm looking more at the virtuoso and liking the sound of it being a bit softer.. on the other hand if it's just a marginal difference I may just go with the rosewood.

Almost all Stiga blades are head heavy. There are two I know of that are less so. They are the Rosewood XO and the Allround Classic. The RXO is probably the best balanced blade from Stiga. As you can see from Der_Echte's thread, most Stiga handles, including the handle on your blade--unless it was made before 2000--are hollow. The RXO and the AC are light enough that the head doesn't outweigh the hollow handle by much.

That being said, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE WEIGHT OR THE BALANCE IN THAT WAY. Whatever you get, you will adjust to. Our systems are so much more adaptable than you realize. After a week or two of playing with the new racket, even if you got a 95 gram crazy head heavy Clipper, it would start feeling normal and your old blade will start feeling too light.

But, the reasons to get a Virtuoso+, a Stratus Power Wood, a Tenor or a Stiga Offensive Classic still may outweigh the reasons you would want a RXO.

But another quick question: when you hit with the Primorac Off-, how did that feel to you? Speed? Spin? Weight? Balance? Control?

I am not curious about feeling. All the blades I recommended have a crisper more lively feel. Primorac has a sort of dull feel. But the rest of those categories I would be interested to hear how it performed for you. It would help know which of the blades I just mentioned would be better for you.


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[NextLevel]

I will probably get the new blade with the new rubbers and keep the classic as a back-up. I read one review saying that the Rosewood XO is head heavy with two T05 on it if this might be an issue I'm looking more at the virtuoso and liking the sound of it being a bit softer.. on the other hand if it's just a marginal difference I may just go with the rosewood.

Really solid advice and I read some of Der_Echte's thread haha.

Ilia, it's mainly from when I've tried a few different blades from other people, I think I've tried primorac off-, my friends TBS and a few others that I can't remember and just remember feeling how much more responsive they felt.

Sometimes when I block and others loop my block will bounce twice on the table unless I punch forward more, having more speed in my blocks felt better even though it's not massively important and really I should just put in the effort. Then I also feel that maybe a faster blade will help me develop more feel with time than I will with the allround because I've used it for quite a long time.

When I loop to block I don't feel like there's a lack of power, especially not spin and I'm doing well in league games. It's just not as responsive, from what I can gather as those other faster blades. I've just thought then that why not take the risk and if I start to lose more oh well, hopefully I can get used to the blade and end up with a faster game but still focus on good technique.

My short game isn't very good as I don't practice it much and also because many in my division don't always loop or hit off of long or high pushes. If I go up a division which I most likely will next year I'll probably have a very hard time as the standard is much higher, having used a faster blade and a new backhand rubber for next half of the season before I go up and getting used to it may be good for me.

I also don't want to get ahead of myself it may be that I'm overestimating my ability which is why I'm doing research and asking questions so I can be brought down to earth and not make silly decisions .

You are doing this for all the right reasons. I think though that equipment optimization is never easy and without a coach telling you what to use, can get really expensive if you over do it. Since you are using an Allround blade, you have three options, all with various subsets - a faster 5 ply, a faster 7 ply, or a composite. Don't get too worried about the first choice - just make it a quality and reasonable blade and it will have some resale value even if you don't like it . But more likely than not, you either will like it, or you will have a better idea what you are looking for, both of which are good things in the long run.

 

[Kenny Lindsay]

If you're looking for a faster blade that's still very controllable and not too expensive then I recommend the Donic Baum Esprit blade for about £35. It's like a softer, slower Boll Spirit with a slightly different feel. An excellent blade at the price.

 

[Ilia Minkin]

Sometimes when I block and others loop my block will bounce twice on the table unless I punch forward more, having more speed in my blocks felt better even though it's not massively important and really I should just put in the effort. Then I also feel that maybe a faster blade will help me develop more feel with time than I will with the allround because I've used it for quite a long time.

When I loop to block I don't feel like there's a lack of power, especially not spin and I'm doing well in league games. It's just not as responsive, from what I can gather as those other faster blades. I've just thought then that why not take the risk and if I start to lose more oh well, hopefully I can get used to the blade and end up with a faster game but still focus on good technique.

My short game isn't very good as I don't practice it much and also because many in my division don't always loop or hit off of long or high pushes. If I go up a division which I most likely will next year I'll probably have a very hard time as the standard is much higher, having used a faster blade and a new backhand rubber for next half of the season before I go up and getting used to it may be good for me.

Yeah, actually getting a faster blade to get some more kick on blocking makes sense. Strangely, I never thought about, though blocking is very important for me.

 

[NextLevel]

Yeah, actually getting a faster blade to get some more kick on blocking makes sense. Strangely, I never thought about, though blocking is very important for me.

Yes, but it depends on how you play. If you block close to the table or base your game on blocking short and hitting angles, a faster blade might not be good thing. If you stand a bit further back and like to block and punch from about 3 feet out, then the faster blade makes its feeling felt. In general, the principle is that because the faster blades rebound better, the feed short strokes better. They do tend to make third ball loop driving against backspin worse, so as one astute player put it, faster usually really means faster flat/drive strokes.

I went to a faster setup recently because I wanted to get more from my punches away from the table. But I went to rubbers that were a bit too fast. Now I have a medium speed offensive high spin rubber and an offensive blade because I place a premium on third ball control and close to the table rallying but with enough power to hit the ball if I step back a to mid distance. But I had to slow down the rubber, something I tried not to do initially.

 

[urbanzakapa]

But normally if you are looking for a faster blade, a 7-ply blade is the answer.

I have a Clipper, but ever since I feel the blade is too hard and not that great for looping (based on my style of playing), it has been my reserve bats.

So im totally agree with @Paccheco, try out your friend's kit to discover what blade suits you before you get one.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[sspark80]

Yes, but it depends on how you play. If you block close to the table or base your game on blocking short and hitting angles, a faster blade might not be good thing. If you stand a bit further back and like to block and punch from about 3 feet out, then the faster blade makes its feeling felt. In general, the principle is that because the faster blades rebound better, the feed short strokes better. They do tend to make third ball loop driving against backspin worse, so as one astute player put it, faster usually really means faster flat/drive strokes.

I went to a faster setup recently because I wanted to get more from my punches away from the table. But I went to rubbers that were a bit too fast. Now I have a medium speed offensive high spin rubber and an offensive blade because I place a premium on third ball control and close to the table rallying but with enough power to hit the ball if I step back a to mid distance. But I had to slow down the rubber, something I tried not to do initially.

Next Level,
Not trying to derail this thread, but I'm just a little curious about your comments. Is Baracuda max much slower than MX-S 1.9? More controllable?
Thanks.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

urbanzakapa has put his finger on why the recommended blades have been 5 ply blades for the most part.

Also to understand the term faster, which is a conditional term, you have to consider the question: "faster than what?"

Richie is not looking for a blade that is faster than an Off or Off- blade. He is not looking for a blade that is even All+. He is looking for something faster than a Stiga Allround Classic.

A 5 ply All+ blade would be faster. A 5 ply Off- blade would be faster.

A 7 ply blade like a Clipper may be faster than a 5 ply Off- blade but it would be slower than some other blades as well. So the term faster is dependent on what that question noted above.

And Richie seems to have decided he would like a blade that is faster than his Allround Classic but not faster than a Timo Boll Spirit.


Sent from the Oracle of Delphi by the Pythia

 

[Richie]

About the primorac, if I can recall you're correct that it felt more dull, probably felt like I got less feedback than from my allround, which I'm not sure if I'm bothered about.
I can't really comment on it much, it just felt faster and I felt like I got about the same amount of spin, keep in mind that the rubbers on it were a bit different.. hurricane 3(?) on the forehand and T05FX on the backhand. I still really need to try these blades out more each opportunity I get.
Something I'm curious about, what would be the main difference between TBS and for example Rosewood XO?

On another note, just got back from a league game and played a coach who had just dropped down from division 1, lost 1-3 unfortunately.. saw that he had I think a maze offensive blade and was telling him that I'm thinking about getting a faster blade and he agreed with me which is good I suppose. He also let me know that my touch-play needs improving haha, which was shockingly bad tonight.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Carbon makes it harder to feel what you are doing. TBS has carbon. Based on the issue in touch play, I, personally, would not recommend that. RXO is slower, lighter, has much more feeling.

But if the Primorac felt like a good speed--especially if it felt faster with H3 on it--then, based on your touch game needing work, NextLevel's earlier statement about the Stratus Power Wood looks like a better suggestion.

I am going to amend my recommendations:

In no particular order:

1) Tibhar Stratus Power Wood
2) OSP Virtuoso (Off-)
3) Nittaku Acoustic
4) Stiga Offensive Classic

If you got a blade that is faster than one of these it would hinder the development of your touch game.

For you, blades like the TBS and the RXO would feel great for rallying, but then you would play matches and lose more often because you need a decent amount more skill to do the touch play of the first 3 balls with a blade in that speed class. You would be giving away free points with pushes that did not have sufficient touch giving your opponent many more free kills. And it would make it harder for your backhand to develop the skill of looping with more touch and power.


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[Der_Echte]

We ought to confuse him with a double blonde test of him hitting with two doctored Der_Echte specials... that outta throw him for a loop.