New Equipment for (Modern) Defender with some infos and a twist

[Kinay]

Hello,

So I like chopping a lot more than playing offensive with a topspin. I feel safer and not so much pressured if I can just push or chop instead of attacking. Maybe it's a mental thing, but that's okay. Like I said, I like chopping.

So now I want to change equipment after the last game in April.

My TTR in Germany is 1250-1300. It went up after I switched to long pips.

I don't have a problem chopping and pushing a lot. I am patient, and I think I need to do this in my class, but this is okay for me.

I played with blades like Boll ALC, Innerforce ALC, Cybershape.

For defense, I also tried almost everything with carbon, but I think an all-wood blade would be better.

I chopped with a Dawei 388-1 in ox on a Cybershape, but there are always 1 or 2 gears too much if I am not in position. Same if I play topspin, it is just too hard or so.

That's why I think an all-wood blade would be better.

I thought of one of:

Victas Koji Matsushita, but I don't know which one, the normal one or the defense one?

Tibhar Timber DEF

Tibhar Stratus DEF

Tibhar CO-S-3

But I don't know which one of these would be good.

I don't choose the defensive play because of the Senso handle.

Now to the rubbers, one needs to be a pink one xD

At the moment, I have Tibhar Quantum X Pro Soft in 1.8mm.

I don't know if I should stick with this rubber or get the normal one, and also in which thickness is better for chopping, pushing, and more control.

And for long pips, I think a sponge with 0.5mm would be good, but I don't know which one, the Dawei 388-1 or maybe a Friendship one?

I think i will need to push at the table a lot, so it should also be good for chopping and pushing. Offensive with the pips i dont think i need to be that much but i guess it is possible with all long pips

I know it is a lot of text and i hope everything is clear xD
and you can help me with my equipment choice and thanks in advance.

 

[Ultravisitor]

I liked the Koji matsushita (normal one) very much. I tried for just one session, but it felt really good. It was just to expensive for me at that time.

Donic defplay senso is also really good, don't get a really light one (heavier than 80gr.) That was my mainblade, when I played defense.

Can't go wrong with 388d-1. But it's hard to really push with backspin like you can with inverted rubber.

Butterfly feint Long 2 is really safe and can push. I think it's the best choice if your really want to play defense.

Victas curl p1v is less controlled, but but more grip, push is a little bit better.

Yinhe neptune works really well for chopping, but not for pushing, gives more backspin while chopping topspins than 388d-1.

 

[Kinay]

Okay thank you, yeah the victas koji matsushita is expensive sadly xD

Than i guess it will be the feint long 2 in 0.5mm?
And for the forhand rubber is the Tibhar Quantum X Pro or Soft better and which sponge thickness?

 

[piligrim]

Try Palio CK531A in OX. It cost only $5 and you get much more control and much easier to chop then other rubbers

 

[Ultravisitor]

Okay thank you, yeah the victas koji matsushita is expensive sadly xD

Than i guess it will be the feint long 2 in 0.5mm?
And for the forhand rubber is the Tibhar Quantum X Pro or Soft better and which sponge thickness?

I can't give you advice there. I play hard tacky chinese rubbers on FH. Most defensive players play with a Tensor on forehand. I think anything works if you feel comfortable with it. Also I didn't chop on FH so I don't know what's good there.

 

[Ultravisitor]

Try Palio CK531A in OX. It cost only $5 and you get much more control and much easier to chop then other rubbers

But it can't generate backspin near the table on its own

 

[piligrim]

But it can't generate backspin near the table on its own

There is no rubber can do everything. For low level player consistency more important

 

[ZFT]

There are a grippier type of long pimples that you can push with great control and create somewhat of your own moderate to moderate-heavy backspin close to the table without much of a technique change from inverted.

It simplifies the short game which would be helpful to you especially if you plan on incorporating some twiddling.

Grippy type LP with soft sponge: Bty Feint Long III & Victas P4V. Suitable for harder feeling stiffer defensive blades - think Bty JSH, Diode V, Victas Koji Offensive, DHS 08x, Stiga Defensive Pro.

Grippy type LP with hard sponge: Ilius S. Suitable for softer feeling more flexible blades - Victas Koji, Defplay Senso and should pair nicely with the newly released Diode Pro.

The compromise is these pips are more sensitive to incoming spin though still much easier to handle than any attacking inverted rubber.

This is not such a bad thing as it will force you to learn to read and reply to spin properly.

Also don’t expect much disruption or funkiness.

Stability, correct form, shot selection and MOST IMPORTANTLY a strong mental capacity and fortitude to never say die is key to using a grippy type LP.

 

[Kinay]

Well i want at least a little sponge, so i think feint long 2 in 0.5mm

but still i dont know which forhand rubber and spong thickniss from the two and which blade, the victas is sadly too expensive.

 

[piligrim]

Well i want at least a little sponge, so i think feint long 2 in 0.5mm

but still i dont know which forhand rubber and spong thickniss from the two and which blade, the victas is sadly too expensive.

Take DHS 08X

 

[Kinay]

Take DHS 08X

i dont want a carbon blade and it should be not to fast more on the slower side

 

[piligrim]

i dont want a carbon blade and it should be not to fast more on the slower side

Then Defplay Senso

 

[Kinay]

Then Defplay Senso

Like i also said in my first post i dont like the senso handle.
And balsa is also out

 

[pong99]

My reasonably priced modern defender paddle that I use for fun:

Nittaku Endless DEF blade, 388 LP 0.6 sponge, Palio Blitz - older ESN rubber that chops well on FH

 

[piligrim]

Like i also said in my first post i dont like the senso handle.
And balsa is also out

How about Tibhar Powerdefence?

 

[Kinay]

this could be an option yes

 

[Jan_]

I've played some defense, 388d-1 is basic and good, same with neptune. Palio ck531a is a gem and one of the most popular in China.

If you want more European venom, then curl p4 and for stability curl p1v. I wouldn't recommend feint long, maybe 3, but under no circumstances the feint long 2.

For blades avoid carbon like the plague, unless it's specifically made for defence like the DHS 08x.

Defensive blades are the go to, koji def, defplay senso, diode v, palio chopper 1, sanwei defence alpha, yinhe 980, etc...

The upgrade from there would be something like a butterfly korbel, but many players stick to the defensive blades. Filus uses a "custom" all wood, as specified by butterfly and Gionis uses petr korbel.

Upgrading to a korbel would take years, because for defense even that is very fast.

 

[Kinay]

I've played some defense, 388d-1 is basic and good, same with neptune. Palio ck531a is a gem and one of the most popular in China.

If you want more European venom, then curl p4 and for stability curl p1v. I wouldn't recommend feint long, maybe 3, but under no circumstances the feint long 2.

For blades avoid carbon like the plague, unless it's specifically made for defence like the DHS 08x.

Defensive blades are the go to, koji def, defplay senso, diode v, palio chopper 1, sanwei defence alpha, yinhe 980, etc...

The upgrade from there would be something like a butterfly korbel, but many players stick to the defensive blades. Filus uses a "custom" all wood, as specified by butterfly and Gionis uses petr korbel.

Upgrading to a korbel would take years, because for defense even that is very fast.

Okay even the def version of the koji okay.
What do you mean stable, more grippy and harder to use? so the p4 in 0.5mm?

 

[Ultravisitor]

Like i also said in my first post i dont like the senso handle.
And balsa is also out

Defplay senso has no balsa, overread that you don't like the senso handle.
Tibhar stratus powerdefense has a hard top ply, low throw. Might be weird for your FH.

 

[Jan_]

Okay even the def version of the koji okay.
What do you mean stable, more grippy and harder to use? so the p4 in 0.5mm?

Koji def is fine then.

A harder to use long pip will be faster with harder pips. Usually more grip in the pips will make chops easier but may suffer on the table, and less grip will make chopping less effective but recieve and spin reversal will be really easy.

Tsp p1r is known for being soft and grippy, 0.5 mm is very easy to use for chopping while tibhar grass d.tecs is hard with less grip and plays great with no sponge on the table for blocking and attacking.

P4 is somewhere in between, a bit harder than p1r but softer and a bit grippier than grass d.tecs.

Personally I love p1r as a high level but easy to use, spinny defensive long pips and grass as a blocking/attacking long pip. I found that 0.5mm neptune can do a bit of both, because even though it's very soft and grippy, it's good for defence, but it's also very slow and can behave like an ox sometimes.