What blade would you recommend for someone stepping down from carbon?

[canonFH]

My experience with 5-ply blades

- Xiom Offensive S : Fatter handle, comfortable grip, great for BH
- Nittaku Latika: Thinner handle, amazing feeling, great for my serve technique
- Tibhar Stratus Powerwood: Handle is too snug, needed to change my serve technique, also very head heavy
- Nittaku Acoustic: Expensive, amazing feeling, slightly faster than Latika, bigger sweet spot

If you're on a budget, I would recomment Nittaku Latika. The availability is an issue though. I got it from Japan and it still only cost me about 50$ from amazon jp. You may be able to find it even cheaper. Its 90% of what Acoustic is and I've never met anyone that hated Acoustic.

 

[impluse101]

For OP: xiom offensive S, tibhar stratus powerwood, or the given slow neottec voodoo classic.

Not sure on this, putting it here since I am still curious, how about a Falcima

 

[ttarc]

There are some 7-ply blades that could work:
TSP/Victas Swat (thinner than many 7-ply blades) or Sanwei Fextra (One) if they are not heavy (e.g. <= 87 g).

5-ply blades:
- Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive. Try to get a YEO below 90g
- Xiom Fuga overlooked 5-ply with koto, spruce, ayous, spruce, koto same as Avalox P500
- 729 Z-1 same construction as Stiga Offensive
- Donic Persson Powerplay (PPP) technically a 5+2 but these two damping foil layers are made of compressed paper (koto, foil, 3x ayous, foil, koto). Get a normal one, the Senso versions with hollow handles can get quite head heavy with todays rubbers but the hollow handles are easy to fill

Speed with similar weight should be: Falcima >= YEO > Fuga = PPP > Z1
PPP, Korbel, Swat and most other blades can vary a lot i.e. weigh anything from 80g to 100g.

Falcima (koto, koto, kiri, koto, koto): base speed similar to YEO but speeds up when hitting hard (reminds me a bit of balsa blades in this regard)

 

[d3nium]

Acoustic G-Revision.

The new handle is perfect.

 

[WingTT]

There's always Yasaka Sweden Extra for something cheap, decent and controllable.

 

[NextLevel]

Bernadette Szocs Signature One.

 

[Brs]

Acoustic G-Revision.

The new handle is perfect.

Kind of OT on my part, but must second this. I'm using g revision carbon, love the handle and head shape. No difference in play whatsoever, waaay more comfy in hand.

 

[riemsesy]

Sorry cant compare. I had Korbel many years and short time. Handle was too thin and I sold it.

Korbel with thin Handle? Was it a FL? I do not think the handle is thin.. but of course.. your miles hands may vary

 

[piligrim]

Korbel with thin Handle? Was it a FL? I do not think the handle is thin.. but of course.. your miles hands may vary

Yes FL. for me its thin. you can read reviews on Revspin, many people complain for handle its thin and small

 

[riemsesy]

Yes FL. for me its thin. you can read reviews on Revspin, many people complain for handle its thin and small

You’re right. It’s more flat than the Sanwei 75 and other FL blades. 1 - 1.5 mm thinner.
The flare is actually wider

 

[impluse101]

Bernadette Szocs Signature One.

oh... personally interested with this blade, if it is the same as force pro special edition - since both blades as I reckon are a stepdown from sfpbe

 

[MatterOfTime]

Outer hardwood blades have the same kind of "pop" as carbon blades, but with more feeling and control. Ma Lin Extra Offensive is a good one.

Neottec Voodoo Classic is pretty similar to Korbel, but a bit slower.

I had a YEO two years ago and got to try one recently, it's just too hard for me, I can't feel much of the flex feeling that I like.

 

[MatterOfTime]

Buy a Korbel, when I stepped down from Viscaria to Korbel it was - and is - a great choice, making my game better and safer. Korbel is such a special blade.

Got a joola classic all to try this week, it's exactly what you've said. Even though the blade is definitely slower, I feel more confident to use more power. I don't really know if I want the korbel only because the handle is kinda thin for me... that said it's also expensive here in Brazil (around $120)

 

[MatterOfTime]

Was in a similar boat, clipper wood worked great. Korbel and Infinity would be really good too.

The clipper could be a good option actually, but after trying an 5-ply from joola, I think the clipper may be too fast for me

 

[MatterOfTime]

My experience with 5-ply blades

- Xiom Offensive S : Fatter handle, comfortable grip, great for BH
- Nittaku Latika: Thinner handle, amazing feeling, great for my serve technique
- Tibhar Stratus Powerwood: Handle is too snug, needed to change my serve technique, also very head heavy
- Nittaku Acoustic: Expensive, amazing feeling, slightly faster than Latika, bigger sweet spot

If you're on a budget, I would recomment Nittaku Latika. The availability is an issue though. I got it from Japan and it still only cost me about 50$ from amazon jp. You may be able to find it even cheaper. Its 90% of what Acoustic is and I've never met anyone that hated Acoustic.

gonna take a look at the Latika, but the other ones have a pretty good price here. If I decide to spend more, I may get the new acoustic version.

 

[MatterOfTime]

For OP: xiom offensive S, tibhar stratus powerwood, or the given slow neottec voodoo classic.

Not sure on this, putting it here since I am still curious, how about a Falcima

I think I kinda like the speed of the stratus power. I remember that I got to try one with 2 t05fx and it was a breeze even though I was using hurricane at the time. I may endup getting that one (if the handle stayed clean it would be a no brainer with that design)

 

[MatterOfTime]

Korbel with thin Handle? Was it a FL? I do not think the handle is thin.. but of course.. your miles hands may vary

For me it was almost unbearable. The only handle that I hated more was the acoustic one.
That said, the flex feeling the korbel had with h3n on the fh was unmatched.

 

[MatterOfTime]

I recently stepped down from outer carbon to Victas Koki Niwa Wood (7 ply all wood) and I love it.

My only fear of getting a 7-ply blade is to be too hard. I think I really like the flex feeling and I don't think something like the Koki Niwa or the Clipper will be that good for. Tbh, I may be wrong on that take, but I don't know anyone here with a spare 7-ply blade to lend me.

 

[MatterOfTime]

Kind of OT on my part, but must second this. I'm using g revision carbon, love the handle and head shape. No difference in play whatsoever, waaay more comfy in hand.

I really hated the OG handle, it's really small...
The g-revision costs about $145 here, which isn't bad, but it's kinda expensive for me right now. I may be able to extend my budget, but it'll be on the limit.

 

[Jan_]

The clipper could be a good option actually, but after trying an 5-ply from joola, I think the clipper may be too fast for me

Nah, clipper is really controllable and has a lower throw compared to the others. That's why I have 2!