XIOM Solo, discontinued?

[mightymouse]

Hi,

I am just curious, since I own Xiom Solo. It is a good blade but Xiom Offensive S is more popular. However, if I look at Xiom Global site (https://xiom.global/), they don't have Xiom Solo listed in their blades selection. However, at Xiom Europe site, they still list Solo as part of Novus family. To be exact, you can see it here --> https://www.xiom.eu/solo.

So, is Xiom Solo discontinued?

Or is it only offered in Europe?

Thank you.

 

[Scarfed Garchomp]

I can't find it from USA-based sources but I can find it on TT11, so I assume that it is indeed not stocked anymore at least for the US.

 

[mightymouse]

I can't find it from USA-based sources but I can find it on TT11, so I assume that it is indeed not stocked anymore at least for the US.

Thank you for your answer.

Yes, it is still being offered by Tabletennis11. However, I am curious why it is not listed in their global website, so I assume that it is discontinued.

At least they are still keeping Offensive S in their list of products. It is a good blade as well, considering the price.

 

[ajosse]

Hi,

I am just curious, since I own Xiom Solo. It is a good blade but Xiom Offensive S is more popular. However, if I look at Xiom Global site (https://xiom.global/), they don't have Xiom Solo listed in their blades selection. However, at Xiom Europe site, they still list Solo as part of Novus family. To be exact, you can see it here --> https://www.xiom.eu/solo.

So, is Xiom Solo discontinued?

Or is it only offered in Europe?

Thank you.

I also own both. I find Xiom Solo much more powerful and I use it. It seems discontinued indeed. Some stocks in Europe with retailers ?

 

[turbozed]

Decided to research your question and came up with an interesting page here: https://ttgearlab.com/2020/01/01/xiom-novus-series/

Looks like TT Gear Lab was hired by Xiom to design a bunch of blades in the "Novus" line. According to the page, at least 16 blades were designed by them. They feature the 'old handle' style which was designed by them and were separated into different groups.

Xiom Solo was in the "Tourwood" series, and the initial specs of 1.76 primary elasticity and 1.67 central elasticity means it's about as fast as a Samsonov Force Pro Black, but with slightly less dwell. For comparison to other popular models, this falls in between the speed of a DHS Long 5/Butterfly Innerforce Layer ALC (1.62-1.64 elasticity) and an Innerforce Layer ZLC (1.9).

I'm not sure if those specs have changed or not because I expected from reviews for it to be slower and softer than something like a Force Pro Black.

More interesting to me is that the Xiom Offensive S (or at least the version that TT Gear Lab designed) is listed as having less dwell and more kick than both the Xiom Solo and the Samsonov Force Pro Black. At a Ec/Ep ratio of 0.94, it has less dwell than a Clipper, a DHS Long 5x, and even a Stiga Carbonado 190.

Either the readings are off somehow on that particular Offensive S, or something is very off with TT Gear Lab's general methodology. How does a 5 ply like the Offensive S with it's composition have less dwell/hold than an outer carbon like Carbonado?

Anyway here are links that I used to make these comparisons:

Xiom Novus series [TTGearLab Works]

Work of TTGearLab for theses equipments : (1) The concept of blade family (2) Designing the constructions of plywoods (except for one model) (3) Providing the early performance indices for performa…

ttgearlab.com

Tibhar Samsonov Force Pro Black Edition vs. some 7-ply wood blades [Comparison by Lab Test]

[Update on 13th October 2023] The values of Nittaku ‘Adelie’ has been modified a bit. [Update on 18th January 2024] The data of ‘Ebenholz NCT VII’ has been replaced with new…

ttgearlab.com

Stiga Cybershape Carbon & Cybershape Wood [Lab Test Report] (updated on 12th October 2023)

Update Notice (12th October 2023) : The data of ‘InnerForce Layer ALC’ has been changed from that of 2018 version to newer 2023 version. ‘InnerForce Layer ALC’s measured in …

ttgearlab.com

 

[NextLevel]

Decided to research your question and came up with an interesting page here: https://ttgearlab.com/2020/01/01/xiom-novus-series/

Looks like TT Gear Lab was hired by Xiom to design a bunch of blades in the "Novus" line. According to the page, at least 16 blades were designed by them. They feature the 'old handle' style which was designed by them and were separated into different groups.

Xiom Solo was in the "Tourwood" series, and the initial specs of 1.76 primary elasticity and 1.67 central elasticity means it's about as fast as a Samsonov Force Pro Black, but with slightly less dwell. For comparison to other popular models, this falls in between the speed of a DHS Long 5/Butterfly Innerforce Layer ALC (1.62-1.64 elasticity) and an Innerforce Layer ZLC (1.9).

I'm not sure if those specs have changed or not because I expected from reviews for it to be slower and softer than something like a Force Pro Black.

More interesting to me is that the Xiom Offensive S (or at least the version that TT Gear Lab designed) is listed as having less dwell and more kick than both the Xiom Solo and the Samsonov Force Pro Black. At a Ec/Ep ratio of 0.94, it has less dwell than a Clipper, a DHS Long 5x, and even a Stiga Carbonado 190.

Either the readings are off somehow on that particular Offensive S, or something is very off with TT Gear Lab's general methodology. How does a 5 ply like the Offensive S with it's composition have less dwell/hold than an outer carbon like Carbonado?

Anyway here are links that I used to make these comparisons:

Xiom Novus series [TTGearLab Works]

Work of TTGearLab for theses equipments : (1) The concept of blade family (2) Designing the constructions of plywoods (except for one model) (3) Providing the early performance indices for performa…

ttgearlab.com

Tibhar Samsonov Force Pro Black Edition vs. some 7-ply wood blades [Comparison by Lab Test]

[Update on 13th October 2023] The values of Nittaku ‘Adelie’ has been modified a bit. [Update on 18th January 2024] The data of ‘Ebenholz NCT VII’ has been replaced with new…

ttgearlab.com

Stiga Cybershape Carbon & Cybershape Wood [Lab Test Report] (updated on 12th October 2023)

Update Notice (12th October 2023) : The data of ‘InnerForce Layer ALC’ has been changed from that of 2018 version to newer 2023 version. ‘InnerForce Layer ALC’s measured in …

ttgearlab.com

By having more even rebound through all points on the blade. Composites tend to have relatively even rebound but they can be made to bend relatively more based on various features of how they are lined up with the grain of the plies of wood and even the choice of wood. And wood can be made to do similar things based on how the plies are lined up and their relative thickness, the gluing etc Remember, it is relative dwell based on the difference between a hard hit that may cause more bending vs a spinny hit that may just cause less, and not so much about the speed of the blades or the vibrations - it is a feeling based on comparing two different kinds of impacts and their speed relative to each other.

That said, it would be nice to hear a real expert answer the question.

 

[damszelfly]

I have two specimens of Xiom Solo, I ordered them both from TT11. I tend to like Xiom Novus design very much, and I can say, that Solo is a pure jewel of its kind. It feels a little bit more powerful than the classic 7 ply all-wood blades (with Limba top and Ayous inside) because of the Koto top ply (relatively thick compared to usual top plies), but it has enough flex for me to be comfortable with it (only significant on powerful loops), and the vibrations are also not too pronounced (for me, Offensive S vibrates too much, and it flexes more, than I'd want).

 

[mightymouse]

Decided to research your question and came up with an interesting page here: https://ttgearlab.com/2020/01/01/xiom-novus-series/

Looks like TT Gear Lab was hired by Xiom to design a bunch of blades in the "Novus" line. According to the page, at least 16 blades were designed by them. They feature the 'old handle' style which was designed by them and were separated into different groups.

Xiom Solo was in the "Tourwood" series, and the initial specs of 1.76 primary elasticity and 1.67 central elasticity means it's about as fast as a Samsonov Force Pro Black, but with slightly less dwell. For comparison to other popular models, this falls in between the speed of a DHS Long 5/Butterfly Innerforce Layer ALC (1.62-1.64 elasticity) and an Innerforce Layer ZLC (1.9).

I'm not sure if those specs have changed or not because I expected from reviews for it to be slower and softer than something like a Force Pro Black.

More interesting to me is that the Xiom Offensive S (or at least the version that TT Gear Lab designed) is listed as having less dwell and more kick than both the Xiom Solo and the Samsonov Force Pro Black. At a Ec/Ep ratio of 0.94, it has less dwell than a Clipper, a DHS Long 5x, and even a Stiga Carbonado 190.

Either the readings are off somehow on that particular Offensive S, or something is very off with TT Gear Lab's general methodology. How does a 5 ply like the Offensive S with it's composition have less dwell/hold than an outer carbon like Carbonado?

Anyway here are links that I used to make these comparisons:

Xiom Novus series [TTGearLab Works]

Work of TTGearLab for theses equipments : (1) The concept of blade family (2) Designing the constructions of plywoods (except for one model) (3) Providing the early performance indices for performa…

ttgearlab.com

Tibhar Samsonov Force Pro Black Edition vs. some 7-ply wood blades [Comparison by Lab Test]

[Update on 13th October 2023] The values of Nittaku ‘Adelie’ has been modified a bit. [Update on 18th January 2024] The data of ‘Ebenholz NCT VII’ has been replaced with new…

ttgearlab.com

Stiga Cybershape Carbon & Cybershape Wood [Lab Test Report] (updated on 12th October 2023)

Update Notice (12th October 2023) : The data of ‘InnerForce Layer ALC’ has been changed from that of 2018 version to newer 2023 version. ‘InnerForce Layer ALC’s measured in …

ttgearlab.com

@turbozed, thank you for your extra effort to research XIOM Solo.

I remember that the reason I bought Solo long time ago is that it is designed to be "Korbel" like, which is good for any shots but not excel in anything. If I remember correctly, the graphs printed on the face of the blade indicate its characteristics are exactly in the middle for hardness, stiffness, rebound, etc. So it is supposed to be a neutral blade, thus the performance depends more on the skill of the player.

Regarding TTGearLab, I have found that the reviews do not always reflect the reality, based on several blades that I have tested. Even TTGearLab once corrected the performance of a blade (too bad I don't remember which one) because he/she found that the sample of the blade reviewed was higher in weight. Later on, based on the lighter sample, the numbers were all corrected. And I remember that those new numbers are closer to the reality (I do not mean the exact numbers, but the implication of those numbers on the playing characteristics of the blade).

Anyway, thank you again for presenting your findings.