Primorac and Korbel question

[ashm4n]

Hello there!

I would like to ask you about the Primorac and Korbel. Hoping someone here has had them both and could clear some things up for me.

I am looking to buy my first custom paddle. Tons of research have led me to 5 ply all wood blades and then onto those two (Japanese versions).

Budget-wise buying both won't be feasible for me. Instead my goal is to get 1 5plywood blade and then maybe a few years down the line, if I remain consistent, I'll consider an Innerforce. I understand that the Korbel is a bit faster. The speed doesn't worry me that much, its not like its a carbon blade. And I am also not a total newb.

What does worry me is that several people have said its handle (FL) is pretty thin and some have even called it uncomfortable. I am relatively tall and worry that it might be the case for me too. I recently played with my friend's Yasaka Silver 9 Wood, and it was horrible. It's handle was too thin for me to the point where I was struggling to balance the blade in my hand and was reluctant to play more than 1 game with it. Also it had a center of mass that felt further towards the head (or maybe it was just the uncomfortable handle) that further put me off.

Unfortunately my local Butterfly supplier has gone out of business and my only option is to order from another country, so I will not have a chance to go to a store and hold them in my hand to compare. Else it would be a piece of cake choice.

Could someone who has played them both compare the handle size/feeling of the two blades and their balance (regarding center mass)? Or anything else you'd like to add as to how the blades play?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Scarfed Garchomp]

Consider the Gewo Zoom Pro, it is very similar to the Korbel and Primorac but more affordable, though the Primo is a bit thinner and I believe the Korbel is a hair thicker. I found the handle on the Zoom Pro larger and more comfortable than the Korbel as well.

 

[june]

Hello there!

I would like to ask you about the Primorac and Korbel. Hoping someone here has had them both and could clear some things up for me.

I am looking to buy my first custom paddle. Tons of research have led me to 5 ply all wood blades and then onto those two (Japanese versions).

Budget-wise buying both won't be feasible for me. Instead my goal is to get 1 5plywood blade and then maybe a few years down the line, if I remain consistent, I'll consider an Innerforce. I understand that the Korbel is a bit faster. The speed doesn't worry me that much, its not like its a carbon blade. And I am also not a total newb.

What does worry me is that several people have said its handle (FL) is pretty thin and some have even called it uncomfortable. I am relatively tall and worry that it might be the case for me too. I recently played with my friend's Yasaka Silver 9 Wood, and it was horrible. It's handle was too thin for me to the point where I was struggling to balance the blade in my hand and was reluctant to play more than 1 game with it. Also it had a center of mass that felt further towards the head (or maybe it was just the uncomfortable handle) that further put me off.

Unfortunately my local Butterfly supplier has gone out of business and my only option is to order from another country, so I will not have a chance to go to a store and hold them in my hand to compare. Else it would be a piece of cake choice.

Could someone who has played them both compare the handle size/feeling of the two blades and their balance (regarding center mass)? Or anything else you'd like to add as to how the blades play?

Thanks in advance!

Butterfly Primorac was one of my first blades and many people who go to my TT clubs use Petr Korbel. The handle on the Korbel definitely is thin, both in thickness and width. Whether or not it's uncomfortable depends on how you prefer to hold the handle and what areas of your hand you want it to contact or fill. It's of comparable size to the handle on Stiga Allround Classic (Master) and DHS PG7, but they're all different in their own ways. However, it is definitely smaller than average.

The Primorac handle is larger than average, even on an old blade that has worn down a bit. It has a rather square-ish shape, similar idea to Timo Boll handles but even larger. It definitely will fill your hand more than almost any other blade handle without overgrip.

This difference in the handle also has an effect on the balance of the blade. Given that it has a huge handle and 157x150mm head size, the Primorac will have the balance shifted towards the handle almost irrespective how heavy the rubbers are. The Korbel with its larger 158x152mm head and smaller handle will tend to be more head-heavy, though if you use light rubbers like Sriver it will still be quite balanced.