What happened to Darker?

[Bilge Dogan]

What happened to Darker?

It appears that they have entirely redesigned/reduced their product line and are going through a major transition. Their marketing (who would have thought that Darker had any marketing) is full of transitional messages like "leap forward" and "aggressive orthodox evolution" and even "Carry on our wayword!" (Hope they don't mean the Aberdeen WayWORD Festival ).

The new 7p-2A series blades (now 7P-2A.Ri) have an outer ply made of "European wood" that "is more supple than Japanese cypress" and has "more speed and power". I have no idea what 'European wood" they use, it looks like spruce to me and if that's the case that's a leap backward in my humble opinion, having played with both hinoki and spruce blades. Or maybe it's just some European cypress. I'm not an expert, so I may be mistaken.

There's also a new S&W 5-ply wood line made of willow and, again, some unnamed "European wood".

Most popular kiso hinoki blades, including 1-ply, have vanished from their 2024 catalogue.

The 2024 internet catalogue is currently somewhat brief. It's worth noting the odd (or should I say even, as there are only even numbers) pagination, which makes it appear as though half of the catalogue is missing (I know they also have a new 5P-2A.Ri blade that is absent). So there's still hope that they will keep some of their old hinoki blades.

Nevertheless, it appears that Darker are running out of their premium kiso hinoki wood, I'm afraid, as most Darker blades are currently out of stock for months in online retailers and some vendors informed me that they do not anticipate seeing specific kiso hinoki Darker blades any time soon.

I do hope it's a false alarm, so if you have any info, please share it with us here.

http://www.darker.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/webyoudata.pdf

View attachment 30279

I got this blade from Japan. Really like it. It has nice feeling with good power and speed. Spin generation is very high.

 

[biaxialerzug]

Can you compare it to the older 7P-2A model? Or can anyone compare it? I will fly to Japan in april and I dont know if its worth to buy a 7P-2A.Ri (because I dont know the different compared to the model without te .Ri).

 

[Bilge Dogan]

Can you compare it to the older 7P-2A model? Or can anyone compare it? I will fly to Japan in april and I dont know if its worth to buy a 7P-2A.Ri (because I dont know the different compared to the model without te .Ri).

It is not very bouncy as the 7p-2a, a bit heavier 88gr and has more power and spin. I will buy from you if you dont like it.

 

[boretennis]

it seems Darker made a new pips-in rubber?

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

it seems Darker is now making a rubber?

View attachment 40281

rubber from the sap of Cypress tree?

 

[jbvttcc]

it seems Darker made a new pips-in rubber?

View attachment 40281

This would be quite unexpected. Darker had a very low profile last year emphasized by the fact that they didn’t offer a 2025 catalog

 

[biaxialerzug]

Anyone knows where to buy Darker stuff online?

 

[J-fed]

What happened to Darker?

It appears that they have entirely redesigned/reduced their product line and are going through a major transition. Their marketing (who would have thought that Darker had any marketing) is full of transitional messages like "leap forward" and "aggressive orthodox evolution" and even "Carry on our wayword!" (Hope they don't mean the Aberdeen WayWORD Festival ).

The new 7p-2A series blades (now 7P-2A.Ri) have an outer ply made of "European wood" that "is more supple than Japanese cypress" and has "more speed and power". I have no idea what 'European wood" they use, it looks like spruce to me and if that's the case that's a leap backward in my humble opinion, having played with both hinoki and spruce blades. Or maybe it's just some European cypress. I'm not an expert, so I may be mistaken.

There's also a new S&W 5-ply wood line made of willow and, again, some unnamed "European wood".

Most popular kiso hinoki blades, including 1-ply, have vanished from their 2024 catalogue.

The 2024 internet catalogue is currently somewhat brief. It's worth noting the odd (or should I say even, as there are only even numbers) pagination, which makes it appear as though half of the catalogue is missing (I know they also have a new 5P-2A.Ri blade that is absent). So there's still hope that they will keep some of their old hinoki blades.

Nevertheless, it appears that Darker are running out of their premium kiso hinoki wood, I'm afraid, as most Darker blades are currently out of stock for months in online retailers and some vendors informed me that they do not anticipate seeing specific kiso hinoki Darker blades any time soon.

I do hope it's a false alarm, so if you have any info, please share it with us here.

http://www.darker.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/webyoudata.pdf

View attachment 30279

I only vaguely remember having a Darker spalbird, can't remember if it was a blade or a rubber, and a black power on the backhand. Black power was my first ever reverse rubber too. I thought it was Yasaka but it wasn't. Checked it on Ali and it's still available!.

 

[biaxialerzug]

Tabletennis11 and Nishohi used to have Darker blades but now there are barely available

 

[J-fed]

I do not know Japanese law, but hinoki has been a problem and will become a bigger problem, since Japan also have the same goals that EU has.

EU already has laws relating to sustainability - linked to that of the UN 2050 target.
already, table tennis as an Olympic sport to be in EU, which is subjected to meet the same EU target, has table tennis blades as complicated subject too.

ie, if Butterfly blades are using x amount of wood - they need to be either planting x amount of trees, or the product is not allowed to be imported into the EU.

so, solution is to change the x amount of wood, and/or to change material.

so if TT companies are not planting trees, we are due to see huge changes in blades in the coming few years.
this will warrant its own thread when news break out. I first shared this here, I think in 2023, or 2022. it will happen one day

Not true. Japan has a massive hinoki surplus and needs to use it. I ride MTB in these forests every week and it's under managed. Japan's Forestry Agency and local municipal planning systems actually encourage logging and systematic thinning of these mature plantations to promote forest health and prevent soil erosion.
Honestly they could do better, but hinoki shortages are not a thing. Don't worry.
It will get more expensive though coz Japan has quit being meek on money.

 

[Metaxa]

Not so long ago, a new 2026 catalogue was posted online: http://www.darker.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ダーカーカタログ2026.pdf

 

[Silver smasher]

What about furniture companies and houses builders? They don't have to plant trees?

Builders tend to use wood that is easy and cheap to grow. Furniture makers look for quality hardwood and some woods are very expensive and difficult to grow. Rosewood furniture cannot be sold in England because it is endangered. If you have some at home and want to sell it you have to prove it was made a long time ago. Possibly soon we will have to prove our exotic bats were not recently made!

 

[rbtitco]

The darker liberta glorious got a little hype for a while. Anyone ever play one? It has some unuusal outer ply like peach tree wood or something that was mottled looking and people just couldnt handle that

 

[Lando]

Not true. Japan has a massive hinoki surplus and needs to use it. I ride MTB in these forests every week and it's under managed. Japan's Forestry Agency and local municipal planning systems actually encourage logging and systematic thinning of these mature plantations to promote forest health and prevent soil erosion.
Honestly they could do better, but hinoki shortages are not a thing. Don't worry.
It will get more expensive though coz Japan has quit being meek on money.

I hope you're right!

 

[SDC]

Not true. Japan has a massive hinoki surplus and needs to use it. I ride MTB in these forests every week and it's under managed. Japan's Forestry Agency and local municipal planning systems actually encourage logging and systematic thinning of these mature plantations to promote forest health and prevent soil erosion.
Honestly they could do better, but hinoki shortages are not a thing. Don't worry.
It will get more expensive though coz Japan has quit being meek on money.

I don't think the problem is Hinoki in general, but Kiso Hinoki... I have Hinoki from other reagions and it's much denser than the Hinoki from Kiso. Feeling wise it's not the same, but the main problem is the weight.