Racket recommendations

[JJ Ng]

Never played with X soft, I think X normal is a bit hardish and fast. I like 7 normal a lot more. I used to use the same on both sides but lately I started to specialize FH and BH sides.

One thing I found is that soft ESN rubbers tend to have a lot of catapult at a low engagement level. (The same goes for Tenergy05 FX. It’s the worsts). On BH I need a little catapult but soft ESN rubbers give too much, and feels too mushy.

On FH today I like to stay above ~45 shore O. On BH I like to stay below ~47 shore O.

That said I have yet to try X soft.

Cheers
L-zr

I don't like Tenerg 05 Fx. My pushes always go long. But that's why I like Rakza 7 soft. On my pushes, I can still impart a lot of backspin but yet the ball stays o nthe table.

I like Razka 7 normal ok. I have it on my spare blade. I am waiting until I get my backhand loop down before I transfer Rakza 7 from the spare blade to one of my 4 regular Gambler carbon blades.

All in all, that's why I do feel that it is not that important to hear what people have to say on equipment. You have to try them yourself.

And that's why I don't participate in the thread about pros' equipment because it does not concern me.

First of all, Ma Long has special hurricane 3 made for him. I am not going to play well with his blades and his rubber. I don't have opportunity to get his special hurricane 3 anyway.


Second, the pro's equipments are too fast anyway. I don't want my equipment fast. It is not like I cannot play with fast equipment but my progress will be soooooo stuck.


Three, everyone plays differently. Ma Long likes hurricane 3 softer on the BH side. Good for him. I like ESN on the backhand side. Yes I like hurricane on my forehand side but I am not ready to put hurricane on my backhand side anyway.

Four, the newer might not be better. I have played with C-1, G-1, Rakza 7, Rakza X, K1 European version, K2, Rasanter R47, MX-S, EL-S, FX-P, T05 fx, T64 fx, T80 fx, etc. etc. and I came back to Rakzy 7 soft, which came out 10+ years ago! Well, it works for my BH at this point of my career. Newer is not necessarily better.

And my forehand? It does not matter. Just as long it is H3, H3 neo or H3 skyline, I can play with it. Anything else, my forehand and my serve go to crap. And I always use the commerical version. Never felt the need to upgrade.

 

[JJ Ng]

Would the nittaku acoustic be a good choice of blade aswell? Or maybe a comparison between the innerforce layer alc and the nittaku acoustic.

I imagine Innerforce layer ALC will be faster.

Nittaku Acoustic will probably be about the same speed as your current blade, Tibhar Samsonove Pro Black edition. For an all wood blade, I will be frank; Nittaku Acoustic is a bit expensive.

For a carbon blade, I will honest, Butterfly is a bit more expensive.

If you are ok with an inner carbon blade and you have played with Tibhar equipment, I own a Tibhar Fortino Performance. I really really like that blade. It is $86.20 on TT11. And if you get a bunch of people to order together and make it to $300, it is 30% off. Yes the blade handle is not as nice as Butterfly innerforce alc but $86.20 plus 30% off = $60 and change.

I am the type who likes to try different blades to find something I like and I don't want to break the bank to accomplish that.

I think it is clear that you are not sure what you want to get. If so, don't break you bank. There are a lot of different blades and rubber combo you can try. At least try a couple of them. You never know what you like the most.

My Gambler carbon blade is $40. And I can tell you, I like it better than NIttaku Acoustic carbon and Butterfly Viscaria (both of them are now my spare blades).

 

[Fshtt]

So should I just stick with Innerforce layer alc, rakza 7 on fh and fastarc c1 bh

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

When did you get on the Tibhar Stratus Power Wood bandwagon?

Yes I own like 8 of them. I highly recommend that. Tibhar Stratus Power Wood is 5-ply all wood. Solid OFF-. It does not have a lot of vibration (I don't like vibration). The handle is very comfortable. Of note, the face is bigger than other rackets so the rackets (with two rubbers stuck on it) will be heavier. But it is well balanced. During the four years I used it, I never though my set-up wa heavy.

If you want vibration, then get DHS Power G7 or G8. I have a G8. Neither G7 or G8 is OFF+. That is marketing. I think either is about OFF-. There is vibration to the all wood paddles. Some people like vibration because it helps guide them to a better shot (i.e. better feedback). Again, I personally don't care for vibration.

Rubber: if non-tensor. Neottec Katana on both sides. If you want to try tensor, either Xiom Vega Intro or Xiom Vega Europe on both sides.

I have Katana. It is a well built Japanese non-tensor rubber. I would NOT pay up for Sriver or Mark V. Katana is very good.

I have Xiom Vega Europe. No doubt it is tensor and gives you the catapult effect., But very soft sponge so easy to control.

Hello @ JJ Ng,

I managed, by chance, to play with my old flame, i.e., Tibhar Stratus Powerwood with two Donic Baracuda yesterday. The player whom I sold my old blade to was at my old club and I was rekindled with it for a game or two out of nostalgia sake.

I am writing to record my personal feeling towards it. Here goes:

I remembered her as an all-round easy to loop set-up. She was like the friendly Alice the girl living next door. However, yesterday when I played using her again, she seems like a lame duck. The wood feels hard / stiff and with vibrations too, even though she is plastered with two pieces of soft Baracuda both side. There is hardly any trampoline effect. I had to do all the brushing work. Its like driving your dad's old 1.8 liter naturally aspirated SUV from the 90's whereas you've been driving a turbo-charged Mustang for many a years.

Coming back to One Ply Hinoki. It is often said that it is addictive and once one is hooked on the feelin', there is no turning back. Those who said that, they are speaking the truth. One Ply Hinoki inherently has that in-built catapultish feeling. That is undeniable.

For comparison, I also played with another player's Jun Mizutani ALC blade. The player by chance also has the same rubber as I, that is, Donic Bluestorm Z1 on the Jun Mizutani ALC blade. Again, the catapultish feelin is masively reduced. I mean, JM ALC is a fast blade so it is just not a matter of fast or slow, but the unique Hinoki feel that is missing.

Oh no.... I am hooked / addicted to Hinoki. #Hinoki4Life

 

[JJ Ng]

Hello @ JJ Ng,

I managed, by chance, to play with my old flame, i.e., Tibhar Stratus Powerwood with two Donic Baracuda yesterday. The player whom I sold my old blade to was at my old club and I was rekindled with it for a game or two out of nostalgia sake.

I am writing to record my personal feeling towards it. Here goes:

I remembered her as an all-round easy to loop set-up. She was like the friendly Alice the girl living next door. However, yesterday when I played using her again, she seems like a lame duck. The wood feels hard / stiff and with vibrations too, even though she is plastered with two pieces of soft Baracuda both side. There is hardly any trampoline effect. I had to do all the brushing work. Its like driving your dad's old 1.8 liter naturally aspirated SUV from the 90's whereas you've been driving a turbo-charged Mustang for many a years.

Coming back to One Ply Hinoki. It is often said that it is addictive and once one is hooked on the feelin', there is no turning back. Those who said that, they are speaking the truth. One Ply Hinoki inherently has that in-built catapultish feeling. That is undeniable.

For comparison, I also played with another player's Jun Mizutani ALC blade. The player by chance also has the same rubber as I, that is, Donic Bluestorm Z1 on the Jun Mizutani ALC blade. Again, the catapultish feelin is masively reduced. I mean, JM ALC is a fast blade so it is just not a matter of fast or slow, but the unique Hinoki feel that is missing.

Oh no.... I am hooked / addicted to Hinoki. #Hinoki4Life

Lol, glad that you dumped your old girlfriend and you do not want her back!

By the way, I just set up a wood blade DHS G8. And it has a LOT more vibration than Tibhar Stratus Power Wood. So if you don't like Tibhar Stratus Power Wood for its vibration, you will hate DHS G8 (and probably all the G series too like G7).