Nittaku Hina Hayata H2 Review

[NextLevel]

Nowadays ir is wise ro take whatever the handle of a blade a pro is using with a grain of salt. Sponsorship contracts are related to such and you never know what the real plies are. You only know the facts if you have the facts.

 

[andzejgolot]

You right and they didnt care.
But I found her offensive strokes has more arc and goes higher, and when we talk about composition the inner premium alc will be still consider as safe, slow and higher throw blade than 3+2 primorac carbon
( Groth -Timo Boll 2019-20)
Her ex model with Red handle for me played like my nittaku septear carbon 7+2, no arc, low throw, more speed,you must be very aggressive after bounce, the hinoki top ply gives you better spin feeling when you service and push but counter shots were crazy low and aggressive and that's how I see Hayata gameplay when she used her old blade.
SHE counter the ball after the bounce and was very fast and low but of course the ball goes long because margin of error was low. Right now she play more safe and clear for opponent but she can use more spin and placement over raw power

 

[S-Pin]

You right and they didnt care.
But I found her offensive strokes has more arc and goes higher, and when we talk about composition the inner premium alc will be still consider as safe, slow and higher throw blade than 3+2 primorac carbon
( Groth -Timo Boll 2019-20)
Her ex model with Red handle for me played like my nittaku septear carbon 7+2, no arc, low throw, more speed,you must be very aggressive after bounce, the hinoki top ply gives you better spin feeling when you service and push but counter shots were crazy low and aggressive and that's how I see Hayata gameplay when she used her old blade.
SHE counter the ball after the bounce and was very fast and low but of course the ball goes long because margin of error was low. Right now she play more safe and clear for opponent but she can use more spin and placement over raw power

No arc, low throw, more speed,... spin feeling when you serve and push - what you described was pretty much how H2 plays.

 

[andzejgolot]

So maybe she used the same blade but different handle? Maybe she used w968 with handle SWAP. I dont know but I tried screenshot her Red handle blade and for me the blade looks thick
I can say the same about my xiom an jaehyun tmxi pro.
Low throw, special sweet grabbing the ball feel in low gear, sharp feeling in higher impact, the harder I shot the lower throw I received but ball goes ballistic after passing the net
I saw some players with w968 korean version An Jaehyun or Woojin and they forehand is going very low

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

I really do think Hina switched because as andzejgolot pointed out, the red Gyo En blade that she was using before is definitely thicker than the blade she is using now. I don't know about more speed than before because I don't think H2 is a particularly fast blade (slower than my previous Acoustic Outer Carbon). I think OFF- speed is accurate. I think the arc will depend on your rubber.

 

[andzejgolot]

If you choose the same rubber on different blade, you will see the different arc... Top Players didnt change rubbers too much. Hayata used blue sponge sticky rubber since Liu Shiwen ZLF.
So Hayata H2 is Off+ or Off-? Stiff or flexy? Hard or soft? I found very different type of answers about Hayata H2.

 

[S-Pin]

I really do think Hina switched because as andzejgolot pointed out, the red Gyo En blade that she was using before is definitely thicker than the blade she is using now. I don't know about more speed than before because I don't think H2 is a particularly fast blade (slower than my previous Acoustic Outer Carbon). I think OFF- speed is accurate. I think the arc will depend on your rubber.

I only tried an Acoustic Outer once, and it felt fast, less stable and with a lower margin for error, compared to a H2. OFF- ? I happen to have a So-Ten as well which may be qualified as upper OFF-/OFF, H2 is more direct and feels just a bit faster.
As for the arc, I have Rakza Z on my BH, known for its' crazy high arc, and it's not the case here. But we all play differently, of course.

So Hayata H2 is Off+ or Off-? Stiff or flexy? Hard or soft? I found very different type of answers about Hayata H2.

It is OFF in my book, not OFF+. It is rather hard (medium-hard), harder than a typical limba innerforce carbon blade. It feels crisp. It has short dwell. It has medium throw. It is flexy and that's why it can generate heavy spin despite lack of dwell. There's good feedback, you can feel the ball. Serves are spinny and controlled. It is not bouncy, feels direct, but it is not particularly forgiving compared to softer, slower and more dwelly innerforce blades where you have more time with the ball. You may need to recalibrate your openings against backspins. You BH may suffer a bit depending on your technique and rubbers. Aggressive topspin rallies and active offensive game close to/on the table is where it shines and where you start to appreciate its' control. It is not made for an intermediate/developing game in my opinion.
Just my 5p.

 

[andzejgolot]

I enjoy your opinion, thanks

 

[S-Pin]

Just a short Nittaku Hina Hayata H2 appreciation post, having played with it for about a month.

What a blade, it hit the bull's-eye in so many ways. It is supremely balanced, in terms of speed, spin, hardness, dwell, flex it sits right in the middle for my game. It is very linear, the PKC layer comes into action smoothly, I just can not detect the exact moment it kicks in. I also can not detect a single obvious H2 weakness. The ball feeling is very nice, the ball quality is very high. A very smooth and balanced blade overall.

Nittaku took Limba-Limba outer/medium plies, tried and tested on so may of their blades, and added their new elastic carbon-kevlar PKC layer which complements it really really well. Hina Hayata sits right in the middle between an all-wood Acoustic and an Acoustic Carbon Inner.

I bought a So-Ten with its' almost identical composition, out of sheer curiosity. It plays very similarly in a short game, but looses the H2 smoothness when you transition to higher gears. The So-Ten carbon layer seems to be harder, you can feel the kick, the blade feels a bit crisper, less woody. It is just a fraction faster than an H2 as far as I can feel, and produces a higher arc. The wood is the same, the difference is the carbon layer. Still a very good offensive blade as well. These two blades are indeed quite close, and I can see some developing players could even prefer a So-Ten, but in my view, in the long run, an H2 is a better investment.

 

[andzejgolot]

Yeah this blade has perfect price on tt11 imo.

 

[TheProfessor]

Hi all, this is my first review so please bear with me. Like many of you, I’m sort of an EJ and have been rotating through a wide variety of blades and rubbers lately. I usually have about 10 blades that have rubbers and I’ll often switch the rubbers between blades. Some of the blades I’m rotating through include the DHS W968, Nittaku Soten, Nittaku Gyoen, Xiom TMXi Pro, Joola ZQH 90, FZD ALC, and most recently the NIttaku Hina Hayata H2. I tried looking up reviews for this blade but there aren’t really any besides Gan’s Youtube review. I’ve gotta say, this is probably one of the best hidden gems out there and now currently one of my top 5 blades. If I had to describe it, it has somewhat the flexibility of the W968 on FH shots while retaining the stiffness and stability of the FZD ALC on BH shots. It’s pretty amazing.

My blade stats:
88g, FL
FH: Dignics 05 2.1
BH: Dignics 05 2.1
Head size: 158 mm x 152 mm

For background, the Nittaku Hina Hayata H2 blade is an oversized inner carbon blade designed for players who want a combination of power and control. It’s your common Limba – Limba – Carbon – Ayous – Carbon – Limba – Limba archetype. The carbon is a new material called "PKC", which combines Kevlar with high elastic modulus (PET) and carbon. For me, the two biggest takeaways from this blade were sheer ball quality, especially on low power shots, and stability. In close to the table play, the blade feels like a wooden blade and is very controllable, slightly bouncier than a W968. A huge strength of this blade are the flicks and flips. My balls were going across the net with high speed and quality, while being very very controllable – something that is a lot harder for me to do with the W968. I’m not sure how Nittaku did it or if it’s the combination with the rubbers, but I felt confident in all my shots. I believe it’s because the carbon layer engages really early, even with low power. However, the flexibility of the blade allows you to control your shots. My balls rarely went off the table. Far away from the table, the carbon layer give you more than enough power and the blade creates a nice arc that makes the balls land consistently. This combination gives the blade a soft hitting feel with a delicate ball touch, while also providing explosive power. The large blade shape maximizes the flexibility that creates a sense of rotation and stability.

On FH loops and drives, the blade is more than flexible enough for nice loops. It’s definitely a lot easier than my Viscaria and FZD ALC. You won’t get the monster spin and amazing ball quality that you see with the W968, but the sheer ease of getting a sufficient quality shot makes up for it. When I play with the W968, I feel like I have to have amazing footwork and position myself correctly most of the time to get a very high quality shot. The BH was probably one of my biggest surprises. Because the carbon engages really early, the blade mostly feels like a stiff and stable outer ALC blade on BH to BH rallies. I would say it’s probably 90% BH quality that I usually get with my FZD ALC.

Overall, I would say the W968 probably has a higher ceiling and lower floor for ball quality. But if you’re an amateur like me, this blade is probably the better option, primarily because of the consistency of the quality of your shots. Using an arbitrary measurement, I would say the ball quality of my W968 would range from like 20%-100%, whereas with this blade, it’s more like 50% - 90%. The Hina Hayata H2 is a great blade for players who want to play an aggressive game. It is very good for looping and blocking, and it also has enough power for attacking. The blade is also very forgiving, so it is a good choice for players who are not very experienced.

Lovely review, very in-depth!

 

[andzejgolot]

I still see Limba ayous woven Kevlar with carbon- ayous as composition and this blade plays really great. It is slow and crispy but when you swing the ball gets perfect quality and ok speed. For me feeling of the ball it is harder than classic Butterfly inner alc but it is less stiff and grippy than zlc . It is better to use bouncy rubbers with catapult. Hurricane 3 provincial 39 was spinny but not
Simple. I must work on every angles

 

[Silver Server]

I bought a So-Ten with its' almost identical composition, out of sheer curiosity. It plays very similarly in a short game, but looses the H2 smoothness when you transition to higher gears. The So-Ten carbon layer seems to be harder, you can feel the kick, the blade feels a bit crisper, less woody. It is just a fraction faster than an H2 as far as I can feel, and produces a higher arc. The wood is the same, the difference is the carbon layer. Still a very good offensive blade as well. These two blades are indeed quite close, and I can see some developing players could even prefer a So-Ten, but in my view, in the long run, an H2 is a better investment.

Im seriously debating between these 2 as an upgrade to an Acoustic in the future, and just to be clear the So-Ten feels harder/stiffer, less woody, and less flexible than the H2? Price being the major factor I guess you’re paying more for the special carbon & Hina’s sponsorship.

 

[S-Pin]

Im seriously debating between these 2 as an upgrade to an Acoustic in the future, and just to be clear the So-Ten feels harder/stiffer, less woody, and less flexible than the H2? Price being the major factor I guess you’re paying more for the special carbon & Hina’s sponsorship.

Having played for two more months with H2, I tried So Ten again recently, and it struck me as nothing special. H2 is a much better blade, with a better feel, for me at least. I might have just got used to H2 or it might just run in nicely, but it feels softer, with more dwell and control, it gives good feedback, it is grippy, excellent close to and over the table and has enough power when hit hard.
I used to play with an Acoustic for a long time, and H2 feels like a natural progression: same great quality limba-limba outer plies, same great feel and versatility with slightly more power reserves when needed.
So Ten - not so much, just your run-of-the-mill carbon blade, don't get me wrong. It's a good blade, but there's lots of cheaper similar quality blades around.
Be aware that the handles for both H2 and So-Ten are identical and both are very thin (reminded me of TB), but if you like a standard Acoustic handle (not SG or LG), then it will be absolutely fine. A great handle for serves.
H2 is more expensive, but it is a good investment imho. So-Ten - I doubt if it is worth its' price.
Take it with a pinch of salt, I played with a H2 a lot, and only occasionally with a So-Ten.

 

[S-Pin]

Im seriously debating between these 2 as an upgrade to an Acoustic in the future, and just to be clear the So-Ten feels harder/stiffer, less woody, and less flexible than the H2? Price being the major factor I guess you’re paying more for the special carbon & Hina’s sponsorship.

I might sound too critical about the So Ten,it may not deserve it, but it is all relative to H2. I had an idea of having it as a backup for H2, but realised it won't work. Thought about buying another H2 from TT11, who have it on sale, but all their H2s are over 90g and mine is 85, same as my Acoustic. I prefer a light blade, rubbers got too heavy these days . And I agree, the full price for a H2 is a bit too steep.

 

[Dstea]

Having played for two more months with H2, I tried So Ten again recently, and it struck me as nothing special. H2 is a much better blade, with a better feel, for me at least. I might have just got used to H2 or it might just run in nicely, but it feels softer, with more dwell and control, it gives good feedback, it is grippy, excellent close to and over the table and has enough power when hit hard.
I used to play with an Acoustic for a long time, and H2 feels like a natural progression: same great quality limba-limba outer plies, same great feel and versatility with slightly more power reserves when needed.
So Ten - not so much, just your run-of-the-mill carbon blade, don't get me wrong. It's a good blade, but there's lots of cheaper similar quality blades around.
Be aware that the handles for both H2 and So-Ten are identical and both are very thin (reminded me of TB), but if you like a standard Acoustic handle (not SG or LG), then it will be absolutely fine. A great handle for serves.
H2 is more expensive, but it is a good investment imho. So-Ten - I doubt if it is worth its' price.
Take it with a pinch of salt, I played with a H2 a lot, and only occasionally with a So-Ten.

Have you ever tried the acoustic inner carbon? I am deciding between those three blades.

 

[S-Pin]

Have you ever tried the acoustic inner carbon? I am deciding between those three blades.

I tried it briefly, it was faster and harder than H2, but the rubbers were different (Tibhar K2), so I can't say much. It was ok, nothing really special, but that's me. If budget allows, I would definitely prefer a H2 to a So-Ten, between H2 and Acoustic inner - it makes sense to try both before buying. If you can not try them, in my view a H2 is a safer bet. Acoustic Inner struck me as a more offensive racket requiring a certain level of technique to maintain shot stability, H2 also rewards solid technique mightily and is geared towards a good player, but is more forgiving. Bear in mind the weight, a an 90g+ H2 would be quite a weapon, mine is 85g and quite soft. Also, the H2 handle is quite thin, and it is more squarish compared to an old Acoustic. G-Rev handle, I guess, is closer to H2.

 

[Dstea]

I tried it briefly, it was faster and harder than H2, but the rubbers were different (Tibhar K2), so I can't say much. It was ok, nothing really special, but that's me. If budget allows, I would definitely prefer a H2 to a So-Ten, between H2 and Acoustic inner - it makes sense to try both before buying. If you can not try them, in my view a H2 is a safer bet. Acoustic Inner struck me as a more offensive racket requiring a certain level of technique to maintain shot stability, H2 also rewards solid technique mightily and is geared towards a good player, but is more forgiving. Bear in mind the weight, a an 90g+ H2 would be quite a weapon, mine is 85g and quite soft. Also, the H2 handle is quite thin, and it is more squarish compared to an old Acoustic. G-Rev handle, I guess, is closer to H2.

Thank you so much for your informative response. How about comparing the so ten and the acoustic? Which one of the three would you say has the most feeling and control? What rubbers were you using in the h2 and so ten during testing? I might have missed that

 

[S-Pin]

Thank you so much for your informative response. How about comparing the so ten and the acoustic? Which one of the three would you say has the most feeling and control? What rubbers were you using in the h2 and so ten during testing? I might have missed that

Hurricane 3 NEO 39 FH and Rakza Z BH
If you mean all-wood Acoustic, So-Ten feels a bit harder and a bit faster, with less dwell.
In terms of feel I'd say Acoustic and Hayata are both very good.
Control - I can't say, it's all individual, all three are reasonably controlled.

 

[Dstea]

Hurricane 3 NEO 39 FH and Rakza Z BH
If you mean all-wood Acoustic, So-Ten feels a bit harder and a bit faster, with less dwell.
In terms of feel I'd say Acoustic and Hayata are both very good.
Control - I can't say, it's all individual, all three are reasonably controlled.

sorry I meant the acoustic inner, i also use the h3 39. thanks so much