Upgrading from 7 ply to carbon. Feedback please

[Techm4n]

Hello everyone.
I want to upgrade to a carbon blade. My blade is currently nostalgic vii, which is a 7ply all-wood blade, fun fact: according to ttgearlab, it has a ep higher than viscaria super alc, with z1 on both sides. My playside is off+. So like 60% forehand-based but have a quite strong backhand too. Preferably, i find my blade too stiff, hardly any feeling. I have tried some carbon blades (fzd super alc, lin gaoyuan alc, all having a super nice feeling). I couldn't really decide between innerforce alc or viscaria alc. My forehand is extremely fast, sometimes even too aggressive, so a friend of mine (an equipment nerd, not a coach) advised me to go with innerforce with fast rubbers(d05). However, I am thinking of viscaria with t05 on both sides.

What are your opinions?
Currently: Nostalgic vii / z1
Option A) Viscaria alc / t05
Option B) Innerforce alc / d05
What i want: I a little bit more feeling than my current blade. It is also "hard" to generate quite a bit of spin even with a big elbow/wrist motion. I want more speed too. The speed is not an issue because I have quite a nice weight-transfer and a strong arm too.
Also, how would the speed/spin change in each racket compared to my current combo.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading this. Please give me some feedback.

 

[SFF_lib]

Assuming everything is the same

Close to table speed: inner < Vis
BH power: Inner < Vis
Top spin: Inner > Vis
Spin/speed ceiling: Inner > Vis
Feeling with low impact(short push, close to table hit etc): Inner < Vis

Do you want more feelings or more speed?

How often do you play away from the table?

 

[Techm4n]

Assuming everything is the same

Close to table speed: inner < Vis
BH power: Inner < Vis
Top spin: Inner > Vis
Spin/speed ceiling: Inner > Vis
Feeling with low impact(short push, close to table hit etc): Inner < Vis

Do you want more feelings or more speed?

How often do you play away from the table?

I don‘t really think the speed will be an issue unless that blade is way slower than my current one. Feeling is my first choice. Also, can you add my current blade into your comparison as well? Would be a great help! Thanks a lot

 

[Tyce]

Assuming everything is the same

Close to table speed: inner < Vis
BH power: Inner < Vis
Top spin: Inner > Vis
Spin/speed ceiling: Inner > Vis
Feeling with low impact(short push, close to table hit etc): Inner < Vis

Are you sure about this one?

Do you want more feelings or more speed?

Good question. For more feeling, I wouldn't switch to carbon at all. Yes, there are good and bad feeling wood blades, but also good and bad feeling carbon blades. In general though, switching away from all-wood is not likely going to increase feeling (unless they mean something else than what I think).

How often do you play away from the table?

 

[Techm4n]

Are you sure about this one?

Good question. For more feeling, I wouldn't switch to carbon at all. Yes, there are good and bad feeling wood blades, but also good and bad feeling carbon blades. In general though, switching away from all-wood is not likely going to increase feeling (unless they mean something else than what I think).

Generaly 70% of the time i play mid range fh spin. However my current blade is feelless and i really like the “feedback” that the carbon blade gives off. I need to really hard to brush compared to an other blade to generate the same spin.

 

[SFF_lib]

Are you sure about this one?

Good question. For more feeling, I wouldn't switch to carbon at all. Yes, there are good and bad feeling wood blades, but also good and bad feeling carbon blades. In general though, switching away from all-wood is not likely going to increase feeling (unless they mean something else than what I think).

I've played with a number of Vis versions. The newer Vis has clear feedback even compared to inner ALC. I am referring to low impact such as short push, service, passive blocking etc.

 

[SFF_lib]

I don‘t really think the speed will be an issue unless that blade is way slower than my current one. Feeling is my first choice. Also, can you add my current blade into your comparison as well? Would be a great help! Thanks a lot

I've only played with Nostalgic 5. But I have played other 7-ply blades they all have muted feeling vs 5-ply. The feeling of 7-ply can be worse than Vis which is 5.6mm

 

[Colestt]

feedback will be higher, like tink tink tink

sorry, there's a joke in there somewhere

 

[Matteones]

From what you wrote, I would lean more on an inner than an outer, but keep in mind that I am surely a bit biased as I don't really like outers, to me they have no feeling. I also think feeling is subjective.
I am a power player who has always played with flexible blades and hard to very hard rubbers. My favorite blades were always 5 plies woods when I played decades ago (I.E. Avalox p-500); when I came back to serious play 2-3 years ago I slowly transitioned and I am now very comfortable with Long 5. Feels like it retains as much as possible that woody feeling on short game and it adds that very much needed "kick" when you play strong and hard.

 

[rbtitco]

I strongly encourage OP to just find someone with a Viscaria and hit with it. It shouldnt be hard to find one, the rubber may be different but it will give him an idea. Inner alcs are common, too. People are giving good advice but nothing compares to just feeling it yourself

 

[WingTT]

If you are able to hit the ball hard and fast, I would suggest not going with Tenergy 05 but something more modern and harder. The D05 works great for the BH and D09C for the FH. Harder rubbers give you better control when you are able to hit hard.

 

[Robo345]

I’m about to get my Stiga inspira ccf tomorrow, coming from a Stiga clipper all wood. I will report back next week. For those who don’t know, the inspira ccf is the non cybershape version of the cybershape carbon

 

[SorryForTheEdge]

You can't have more feeling with carbon blades as they reduce the vibration on impact. If you want a more softer touch, then the easier way would be to swap your Z1 with softer Z2 rubbers. For more spin, a hybrid (semi-tacky) rubber like Donic Bluestar A2 or A3 would help with RPS while staying in similar sponge hardness. Ask yourself if you want to play soft and brush the ball with your loops or add more bite and variate between smashes.

 

[Robo345]

Ok so my update

I’m about to get my Stiga inspira ccf tomorrow, coming from a Stiga clipper all wood. I will report back next week. For those who don’t know, the inspira ccf is the non cybershape version of the cybershape carbon

For feeling, the inspira ccf compared to the clipper wood just feels rubbish. It has a hollow indirectness. Super annoyed to be honest… I did change rubbers though so technically it could be the rubbers are also much worse. On my clipper I had Donic Acuda blue p1 turbo on forehand and Stiga DNA platinum xh. These are non tacky rubbers with a lot of touch and feeling... the dna platinum xh has a thin top sheet and 2.3mm sponge while the Acuda has tall flexible dense pimples. On the inspira I have the xiom omega 8 China and Stiga’s new dna helix platinum xh. These rubbers are more “hybrid” and personally I used to play with DHS rubbers on a thin carbon blade which has extremely good feeling - namely the Stiga offensive classic carbon with DHS H2 Neo on forehand was absolutely godly with feeling provided you have the athleticism to have big swings and hit hard.

Honestly I am extremely happy with the clipper but just wanted a little more kick on the forehand mid distance loop which is the clipper’s weakness being a thick blade with no flex on the big shots and a slight low pitch feel that isn’t “crisp” as they say, but for the backhand punching and blocking, touch on the receives, the clipper absolutely is the best blade I’ve ever used.

I may actually look into trying my offensive classic carbon again. I hear the newly released Stiga destiny is like the nicer new version of that

 

[Robo345]

Update no.2

I got rid of the xiom omega 8 China (too soft and dead feeling / super indirect, compared to an actual China rubber). Swapped to helix platinum xh on my forehand and bought a new sheet of dna platinum xh with the thick 2.3mm sponge for my backhand. I played some local league matches and suddenly I’m really loving the feeling of this blade (inspira ccf). It feels dead on small and medium shots but there is just enough for flicks and pushes… on the big forehand drive shots it is incredible. It has a nice crisp feeling and large sweet spot which is what is missing on the clipper (a thick 7 ply all wood blade with soft outer veneer).

I think though if you are a beginner or intermediate you will never be able to be consistent with big forehand drives so just avoid carbon until you have developed your touch and feeling…

A good compromise between wood blades and carbon if you have the money is the butterfly innerforce layer alc with dignics 09c on both sides, it has very good feeling and spin, but honestly you will stifle your own growth if you are not an advanced player. You can see most club players get the butterfly carbon and rubbers etc and they have these very conservative swings because they are not ready to use them… They will be way better off with the wood blade. I think the feeling of the clipper is insanely good for all shots except for the really low arcing forehand winners where the carbon actually adds a real stability element to the blade.

Ok so my update

For feeling, the inspira ccf compared to the clipper wood just feels rubbish. It has a hollow indirectness. Super annoyed to be honest… I did change rubbers though so technically it could be the rubbers are also much worse. On my clipper I had Donic Acuda blue p1 turbo on forehand and Stiga DNA platinum xh. These are non tacky rubbers with a lot of touch and feeling... the dna platinum xh has a thin top sheet and 2.3mm sponge while the Acuda has tall flexible dense pimples. On the inspira I have the xiom omega 8 China and Stiga’s new dna helix platinum xh. These rubbers are more “hybrid” and personally I used to play with DHS rubbers on a thin carbon blade which has extremely good feeling - namely the Stiga offensive classic carbon with DHS H2 Neo on forehand was absolutely godly with feeling provided you have the athleticism to have big swings and hit hard.

 

[Ninja26Go]

Hello everyone.
I want to upgrade to a carbon blade. My blade is currently nostalgic vii, which is a 7ply all-wood blade, fun fact: according to ttgearlab, it has a ep higher than viscaria super alc, with z1 on both sides. My playside is off+. So like 60% forehand-based but have a quite strong backhand too. Preferably, i find my blade too stiff, hardly any feeling. I have tried some carbon blades (fzd super alc, lin gaoyuan alc, all having a super nice feeling). I couldn't really decide between innerforce alc or viscaria alc. My forehand is extremely fast, sometimes even too aggressive, so a friend of mine (an equipment nerd, not a coach) advised me to go with innerforce with fast rubbers(d05). However, I am thinking of viscaria with t05 on both sides.

What are your opinions?
Currently: Nostalgic vii / z1
Option A) Viscaria alc / t05
Option B) Innerforce alc / d05
What i want: I a little bit more feeling than my current blade. It is also "hard" to generate quite a bit of spin even with a big elbow/wrist motion. I want more speed too. The speed is not an issue because I have quite a nice weight-transfer and a strong arm too.
Also, how would the speed/spin change in each racket compared to my current combo.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading this. Please give me some feedback.

get a budget clone of each one, then see which clone you like more. yinhe pro 01 is viscaria clone, you could try cheaper versions before buying the expensive one to see which one you like more

 

[merlin el mago]

Hello everyone.
I want to upgrade to a carbon blade. My blade is currently nostalgic vii, which is a 7ply all-wood blade, fun fact: according to ttgearlab, it has a ep higher than viscaria super alc, with z1 on both sides. My playside is off+. So like 60% forehand-based but have a quite strong backhand too. Preferably, i find my blade too stiff, hardly any feeling. I have tried some carbon blades (fzd super alc, lin gaoyuan alc, all having a super nice feeling). I couldn't really decide between innerforce alc or viscaria alc. My forehand is extremely fast, sometimes even too aggressive, so a friend of mine (an equipment nerd, not a coach) advised me to go with innerforce with fast rubbers(d05). However, I am thinking of viscaria with t05 on both sides.

What are your opinions?
Currently: Nostalgic vii / z1
Option A) Viscaria alc / t05
Option B) Innerforce alc / d05
What i want: I a little bit more feeling than my current blade. It is also "hard" to generate quite a bit of spin even with a big elbow/wrist motion. I want more speed too. The speed is not an issue because I have quite a nice weight-transfer and a strong arm too.
Also, how would the speed/spin change in each racket compared to my current combo.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading this. Please give me some feedback.

Are you sure you want to change from 7 plies all wood to fiber blades?

7 plies all wood blades have more feeling depending the brand & model can compete with the same power & speed than fiber blades, also are more flex than fiber blades allowing to made more spin. If you want to follow the path of all wood try Nittaku Acoustic, this blade was used by ML before to use his DHS blade is a monster looping blade and if you play close to mid distance from the table is enough.

Fiber blades have more sweep spot, less dwell time so less feeling than all wood blades, also exist fiber blades with a very good feeling. If you want fiber blade with feeling try Nittaku Acoustic outer carbon, not ultra fast but very nice touch with very good control is the fiber blade more similar to use an all wood and have flex.

It all depends your skills & how do you play & your needs. As you explained your needs I feel you don't need an OFF++ blade nor hard or stiff fiber blades be care for because also there are 7 plies and 5 plies all wood that are hard & stiff, isn't all white or black, there are more colours....