Plastic ABS Ball Review - STIGA Perform

[Dan]

Alryt guys, in our latest review we test the new ABS ball from STIGA and compare it to other popular balls in the market including the current DHS ABS ball used in the World Tours.

We found some great results with the new ABS ball, watch the review in the video below for more:

Have you tried the ABS ball yet?

 

[Baal]

I have been commenting positively on ABS balls for quite some time now. A few points:

It is quite likely this Stiga ABS ball is made in the same factory as DHS D40+. DHS made the Stiga branded celluloid balls. It iis also possible that they now get their balls from Double Fish, who make an ABS ball called the V40+. Moving forward, it is possible that Stiga may set higher QC standards for the balls they allow to be put in the box.

These various ABS balls have always been much better than the horrible cellulose acetate 40+ balls we have for the last few years. And as for roundness testing, I think people have forgotten that we did not have 100% perfectly round balls in the celluloid era. These newer seamed ABS always bounce higher -- like celluloid. But not too high, which some people thought was a problem with seamless balls (which actually bounce a bit higher than celluloid).

The consistent bounce is also something I have been noting with the ABS balls since Nittaku came out with theirs a couple of years ago.

Another thing about the new ABS balls is the consistency of weight.

People have complained these balls have "no spin". I am glad that you agree with me that this is not really a problem.

The one big difference between Nittaku and the DHS and D40 balls is weight. Nittaku is consistently about 0.04 grams lighter. That is noticeable but one adjusts easily. Because of that my preferred ball between the two is whichever one I have been using the most lately. And on the basis of price, I therefore prefer DHS.

 

[TTHopeful]

Really new style of reviewing, well done tom and dan. I use the nittaku premium balls often. Lets hope tournaments start using these type of balls than the awful ones out there.

 

[Zaid323918]

A little off topic but TT11 is selling the Nittaku SD 40+ (another name I guess for the premium based on the ball's looks and description) for $3.82 (3 pcs) which is basically half the price of the Nittaku Premium which they sell for $6.78 (3pcs). Anyone know if there's any difference between the premium and the SD?

 

[langel]

The first seamless generations really bounced higher, but its not the case with the 2016 and 2017 gen. at all. Even the recent 1* marked /3* 2016/ have a very close to cel. bounce, pleasent sound, spin as expected to be and very natural and logical rebound. If the new ABS lack the spin, I'll never go to them no metter what ather they have in plus.
Please don't consider me an ABS hater. The only ball I hate is the german Butter.

 

[JHB]

A little off topic but TT11 is selling the Nittaku SD 40+ (another name I guess for the premium based on the ball's looks and description) for $3.82 (3 pcs) which is basically half the price of the Nittaku Premium which they sell for $6.78 (3pcs). Anyone know if there's any difference between the premium and the SD?

Well, the Premium is stamped "Made in Japan" whereas the SD ball says "Made in China" - my guess would be that the SD ball is made by someone else on Nittaku's behalf, whereas they make the Premium ball themselves as we know. It looks like the SD ball may be an ABS replacement for the SHA, which is/was also made in China.

 

[Tinykin]

Nice video, much improved production especially with the audio

 

[ajtatosmano2]

Anyone knows about if Joola will have an ABS ball? The Hungarian Association is sponsored by Joola, the tournaments are played with Joola Flash, therefore we have to use these. Joola Flash is a pretty good ball, but it breaks very easily and it's very expensive: the club spends a hell lot of money for balls. Also, the round ones are good, but most of them isn't round.

 

[langel]

I've played recently with Yasaka Superior and Friendship 729 and I can't say they are more consistent than XSF at all.
Faster - yes.

 

[garbol]

i'ma defender...
POLY has around 30% less spin, those ABS has even less spin than POLY...
new ABS is good for hitters
Ma long was injured after plying these balls 2 days ago..

 

[yogi_bear]

tried both the new dhs ball and the stiga abs ball. the new dhs ball sound very different and more "plastic". the stiga ball bounces almost as good as a nexy ball but cheaper. it is also durable. i like it second to the sanwei abs balls.

 

[Baal]

I've not tried the Stiga ABS but I am starting to think from descriptions here that they are made by Double Fish.

 

[Jaffar Lone]

Alryt guys, in our latest review we test the new ABS ball from STIGA and compare it to other popular balls in the market including the current DHS ABS ball used in the World Tours.

We found some great results with the new ABS ball, watch the review in the video below for more:

Have you tried the ABS ball yet?

Thanks for the review Dan and Tom. Insightful as always. i am currently using the Joola flash 40+ ball for my practices and training, will be interesting to see how this ABS ball compares with that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ajtatosmano2]

i'ma defender...
POLY has around 30% less spin, those ABS has even less spin than POLY...
new ABS is good for hitters
Ma long was injured after plying these balls 2 days ago..

DHS D40+ is used for a while now... relating ML's injury to the ABS material is nonsense. It's true that the plastic balls required more effort from the players (=more chance to injury), but ABS is said to be faster by everyone.

I would be interested in your playing level, as higher level players probably can estimate the spin difference better.
Do you play with OX long pips, long pips with sponge or short pips?

 

[Baal]

Nobody can extimate actual spin on the ball. Without a very high speed camera, people can only see the effect spin has on arc, bounce off the table, and effects on opponent's racket. All of those phenomena sre complex because they don't just depend on the rotations per second. Same with the feel, which is very deceptive (how many times have I read that the Nittaku Premium 40+ is heavy).

So when you see statements like "30% less spin", never take it seriously because it means nothing more than "I like this ball 30% less". These statements most typically come from people who have only played with them a handful of times, but even if someone is a high level player experienced with the balls, the ball spins too fast to see the revo,utions directly.

ABS balls represent the end of the crisis that started around 2014.

 

[Baal]

As for injuries, in sports players get injured. One injury to one player cannot be attributed to an ABS ball. For all we know he got hurt in the gym or opening the door to his car. Ma Long won WTTC with an ABS ball. Perhaps the intense and grueling schedule of Chinese National Games had more to do with it.

 

[JHB]

Anyone knows about if Joola will have an ABS ball? The Hungarian Association is sponsored by Joola, the tournaments are played with Joola Flash, therefore we have to use these. Joola Flash is a pretty good ball, but it breaks very easily and it's very expensive: the club spends a hell lot of money for balls. Also, the round ones are good, but most of them isn't round.

Table Tennis England have also just jumped into bed with Joola and have announced that the Joola Flash will be the official ball for all competitons in the coming season. I've never seen a Joola ball of any kind so far as I can remember, not even the celluloid ones, so I have no opinion on this.

 

[Jaffar Lone]

Table Tennis England have also just jumped into bed with Joola and have announced that the Joola Flash will be the official ball for all competitons in the coming season. I've never seen a Joola ball of any kind so far as I can remember, not even the celluloid ones, so I have no opinion on this.

The flash is a great ball. Bounce is quite decent and it is quite hard too. You can take gambles on your strokes while playing with this ball..worth the price in my opinion.


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[ajtatosmano2]

The flash is a great ball. Bounce is quite decent and it is quite hard too. You can take gambles on your strokes while playing with this ball..worth the price in my opinion.

Not when the club simply runs out of money. Every edge hit kills a ball. And 70% of them is egg-shaped.

 

[Jaffar Lone]

hmm! in my experience so far and i have used like 6 or 7 dozen Flash balls by now, 2 out of 12 might break due to edge shot. It depends on the lot that you get i guess.
As for the cost, i guess if the club members can contribute to getting a big lot of the flash 3 star balls it should work out ok.

Not when the club simply runs out of money. Every edge hit kills a ball. And 70% of them is egg-shaped.