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Andro Gauzy SL OFF
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Review of Andro Gauzy SL OFFHard and stiff, must be used with medium-soft bouncy tensors to get the best results. The fastest of any all-wood blades I have ever used.Very good with Xiom Europe, BTY Tenergy or Tibhar Evolution rubbers for instance. Don't use it with Chinese rubbers. Apr 26, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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DHS Hurricane Long 5
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Review of DHS Hurricane Long 5I first tried it with the recommended H3 but didn't like it, it was too fast and lacked control. I changed for H3-50 and it's much better and easier to play with. Maybe when I'll get used to it I'll switch back to H3.If it's your first Chinese-style setup, don't start with the classic, hard H3, but glue someting softer (but still with a sticky top sheet or you'll miss the point). A thing that I like with this HL5 is that despite the ALC layer, it doesn't behave like other ALCs I have tried, it has a much softer all-wood feeling. This is thank to the inner structure and limba-limba outer plys. So if you don't like the feeling of ALC (let alone pure carbon), try this one. Also this blade is a little "difficult" to master because it clearly has 2 distinctive speeds that aren't linear. Slow game and servicing are easy, with huge spin abilities. But when you attack hard, at mid-to-long distance, the blade becomes a wild beast requiring some pretty advanced skill to be tamed. Hence I don't recommend this blade to beginners. Anyway, although not being among the fastest blades around, it's fast enough for Ma Long so I doubt anyone really needs anything faster. A bad point of this blade is the finish: on mine the wings had fibers protruding, and the handle base was almost sharp. I had to sand all that, which is a shame considering the price of the blade. My conclusion: it's one of the few blades designed for advanced players, fast, and still offering an excellent feeling. But I'm pretty sure you can find similar, cheaper options, with a better finish, they just won't have Ma Long's mojo ;) Apr 11, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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Gewo In-Force PBO-PC OFF
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Review of Gewo In-Force PBO-PC OFFWant a perfect clone of the Hurricane Long 5 but with a different handle (anatomic for example)? Here you are.I love the touch, feeling, speed, spin, everything about HL5, except the handle. I'm a user of AN handles for 30+ years, I tried very hard to get used to the HL5's but couldn't (I don't feel confortable - even with the W968 version - and can only play like 90% of my level), so I've been in search for an alternative, offering the same playing experience, but with an AN handle. I have played with dozens of inner blades from Andro, BTY, Donic, Gewo, Tibhar, Yasaka, Yinhe, until the Gewo In-Force PBO-PC, which is a perfect match. I know, you will tell me "but HL5 is ALC, this one is PBO, it can't be the same". I answer, don't trust the marketing speech about fibers. Listen carefully, I'm not saying that "Aryl-Carbon" and "PBO" are the same fibers. Even ALC and ALC can be different! If you compare DHS' Aryl-Carbon with BTY's Arylate-Carbon, they are quite different (both visually and from a game perspective). The same way, Tibhar's Kevlar-Carbon is very different from BTY's Kevlar-Carbon. The molecular composition doesn't really matter for tt players, so manufacturers use various fibers from various manufacturers, and since most names aren't registered trade marks, they can say whatever they want, it doesn't always reflects the way a blade reacts during an actual game. Now, for whatever reason, it happens that the PBO in this Gewo behaves the same exact way as DHS' ALC in the HL5. Same speed, same spin, same control. Yet Gewo is half the price of DHS and offers a better finish. It may not have Ma Long's mojo, but if you don't care, try this Gewo! Apr 28, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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Gewo Alvaro Robles OFF
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Review of Gewo Alvaro Robles OFFClassic clone of the Clipper, nothing special to say, except it has a cool looking Spanish color scheme (yellow-red with a pinch of black). Add a black sponge rubber (Xiom) for maximum visual effect. I use it with Vega China, it makes a cool looking and powerful Chinese style setup (tacky and hard rubber on a hard but flex blade). Build quality is very good, on par with main competitor Tibhar for example.May 01, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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JOOLA Vyzaryz Trinity
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Review of JOOLA Vyzaryz TrinityThis is my daughter's blade, but I play with it from time to time. At first I was worried that it would be too hard to my taste (dense synthetic ply in an outer configuration) but actually the feeling is surprisingly soft. It feels more like ZLC than ALC (despite having both fibers weaved).She paired it with Dynaryz ZGR on FH and CMD on BH. All this works perfectly together, allowing very fast loops on FH (but with very good control) and easy blocks on BH. Sweet spot is huge. Only drawback is the weight, as Dynarys have heavy sponges. Finish is excellent as you would expect at this price point. Apr 12, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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JOOLA Rossi Emotion
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Review of JOOLA Rossi EmotionThis is a blade I have a complicated relationship with.It's fast. Not the fastest, but speed isn't an issue, if you hit hard enough the ball will be speedy don't worry. It's stiff. It has great control and spin thank to the hinoki outer ply and inner carbon. It's not expensive (especially compared to the newer PBO-c version). Finish is very good. Overall, it's a balanced blade without weaknesses (beside the handle that is a bit thin to my taste but that's personal). Great choice for any advanced player (I don't think it's recommended to beginners). Actually most local and national players I know have had one at a moment in their life. When I play a match, I am able to score great points. But, I can't explain why, I have no pleasure playing with it. Maybe because of the carbon ply that somehow "mutes" the feedback? It's a great tool but to me it lacks soul, it lacks mojo. Apr 13, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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JOOLA Nobilis PBO-c
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Review of JOOLA Nobilis PBO-cThis is a blade I am conflicted about.On the paper, it has everything I appreciate: a thick hinoki layer and PBO. Those are my favorite materials. Beautiful construction. But when I had it in my hand, I didn't like the weight, the thickness, the handle (very wide at the base). It took me a long time to find a good rubber to match. I tried V>22, V>15, VJC>07, H3-50, Vega Europe, Vega Japan, MX-P, Quantum X pro, K3, and hated playing with all of them... But I wanted to like this blade so hard that I kept trying. Tibhar Speedy Spin 1.0 was a pleasant match, the light and thin sponge compensated for the thick and heavy blade. It offered an amazing control and feedback, but it was VERY slow (Speedy Spin isn't speedy anymore in the age of P-ball). My usual partner just laughed at my shots. Now I have found a good combo with Nittaku Hammond Z2, I have only played a couple of hours but the results are encouraging. I will update my review according to my findings. Apr 13, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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Nittaku Septear Feel Inner
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Review of Nittaku Septear Feel InnerAnother blade that I would love to love, but I just can't.Finish is excellent, actually the handle is so smooth it's slippery! What disappointed me is that the hinoki doesn't really feel like hinoki (I guess the plys are to thin. Joola Nobilis feels much more like hinoki for example). Also the carbon ply is a bit too stiff to my taste. Yet I can't say it's a bad blade, paired with the right rubber (I recommend Hammond Z2) it can do wonders. The experience just wasn't pleasant to me. Apr 13, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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Soulspin Basalt New Era Anatomisch
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Review of Soulspin Basalt New Era AnatomischBeautifully crafted blade. Handle is very confortable for large hands. It's like wearing sneakers when regular blades are lace-up shoes.II ordered mine with P12 1.8. The rubber is a good Japanese rubber but not the best IMHO. I have replaced it with Hammond Z2 and it's perfect. Considering it's almost the same price, I strongly recommend buying a pair of Z2 instead of P12. I wanted to try the hard P16ST as well but it was out of stock at the moment (and still is). So meanwhile I have also tried with my favorite Chinese rubber (Victas TDE) but wasn't convinced by the pair. Loops were easy to engage and quite forgiving but as soon as I wanted to accelerate the ball went out. So for now I don't recommend tacky Chinese rubbers with this blade, Japanese rubbers work better. I guess a medium hardness tensor would be good too but I haven't tried. Excellent control and very long dwell time. The touch is woody most of time, until you hit very hard and engage the basalt layer, then it becomes crispy (but less than carbon or ALC). Anyway, it's not a blade made for flat hits. Basalt isn't revolutionary, it behaves similarly to mainstream "slow" fibers (like glass fiber or ZLF). It just sounds cooler when you say your blade is made of lava. Overall it's a great experience. it's not cheap but if you think it's not more expensive than mid-range BTY, and you can be sure you won't see clones anytime soon... Apr 26, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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Tibhar Dynamic JC (Darko Jorgic)
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Review of Tibhar Dynamic JC (Darko Jorgic)I was looking for a blade similar to HL5 but with AN handle. This Tibhar Dynamic JC isn't exactly the same (it's a little faster and less vibrations) but the control is similar. Handle is on the large side although Tibhar offers even wider handles on some blades (Stratus and Nimbus series are good for very large hands for example). It works well with hard ESN rubbers like MX-D, Dynaryz ZGR, Omega VII Tour, but also with tacky rubbers like H3.Dynamic JC is similar to Fortino Pro DC inside, they have the same composition and behave in a similar way, but Fortino is more expensive, which can be explained by a better finish (made in Germany) and less sample variation (better QC). But JC has a cooler design. I own both. Anyway, this Dynamic JC is very pleasant to use, well balanced and it offers good speed, good spin and good control at the same time, without being too expensive. Great QPR and really underrated (poor communication by Tibhar maybe). May 21, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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Tibhar Bernadette Szocs Signature 1
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Review of Tibhar Bernadette Szocs Signature 1This is a classic Clipper-like, 7 ply all-wood blade, on the thin side.It's a good example of a blade that will grow with you, it can be used by a beginner as well as an advanced player, because it's very versatile: add a slow rubber and you get a control monster, add a fast rubber and you can compete with high level players without issues. My favorite pairing is with Vega Europe 1.8 when I play ALL (training), it's consistent with a large window, all my shots magically finish on the table. But any faster Vega or Omega will push you to the OFF side. I mention especially Xiom because the blade looks totally gorgeous with a black sponge (and no band), the striped pattern matches the handle and it looks cool (for those who value the look beside performance, it's a winner). Another good (and beautiful) combo is with Victas Triple Extra, that way you have a Chinese, HL3+H3 feeling but a bit slower and more controllable. A fast option I enjoyed is Hammond Z2. But I didn't like it with MX-P (too fast and heavy to my taste). Construction is excellent considering the price point. Handle (I use AN) is on the large side, which is perfect for my large hands but my 11 years old son likes it too. Actually he likes it so much he even stole that blade from me... Apr 11, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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Tibhar Nimbus Allround
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Review of Tibhar Nimbus AllroundVery good blade for beginners, highly recommended for training. Good feeling and versatile, it can be used to learn every technique around. I use AN handle, on this blade it is quite wide (oval) and incredibly pleasant for large hands like mine.The blade is light (mine is 81g) and easy to pair with rubbers. Actually I use it to test rubbers thank to the vivid feedback and neutral touch it provides. Tibhar recommends pairing it with Nimbus rubbers but I don't, they have a rather old design and aren't efficient enough with plastic balls. According to my findings, it pairs well with Xiom Vega (Intro, Euro) rubbers and Tibhar Evolution (FX, EL) and Quantum X series. I haven't tried harder rubbers yet but will on occasion. Build quality is decent, as expected in that price range. You get what you pay for. I must specify that it's not typical of Tibhar quality, I own 4 other Tibhar blades and all have a better finish. Yet the fact that it's still sold 15+ years after its release says a lot. Apr 17, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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Tibhar VS Unlimited
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Review of Tibhar VS UnlimitedAn interesting product from Tibhar as we have an outer ALC with Limba as first ply, which is quite unusual. Most outer ALC blades, like the Viscaria, have a koto outer ply. Limba is softer, but the blade is overall harder than an inner blade. VSU is halfway between a Viscaria and an Innerforce, allowing for good control and good speed. Nothing extreme, just a good balance. Hence the blade is versatile, although aimed at advanced players (it's not a beginner's blade). Very confortable AN handle. Finish is good, similar to JC but less polished than Fortino Pro. The box it came in is a shame considering the price point. I recommend putting a K3 rubber on FH, and a BH from Evolution series (I like MX-D but MX-P or EL-P would be as good) or Quantum X pro. Now that my first K3 is worn out, I put Victas V>22 on both sides, it works wonderfully too.Aug 02, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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Tibhar Fortino Pro DC Inside
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Review of Tibhar Fortino Pro DC InsideI really like the Tibhar Dynamic JC so I wanted to try this Fortino Pro DC inside as it has a similar composition. Playing characteristics are the same, but build is a clear upgrade from JC. The box is classier, the handle is slightly larger and has a better finish, the wings are rounded. The wood itself is visibly of higher quality than any other blade I own. Better build quality than any BTY. In the box is included a small sample of Dyneema fibers, that's a nice detail! Fortino Pro is made in Germany (same factory as Soulspin and German-made Nittaku blades). I paid it only 20 euros more than JC so really a good deal, but full retail price is too expensive unless you value the German making.Aug 02, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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Victas Fire Fall VC
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Review of Victas Fire Fall VCI have the KIHARA MIYU 90th limited edition, which is a FireFall VC with a special blue & purple FL handle.I use it to train my "Chinese style" game, with VJC>07 Sticky Extra on both sides. The result is very similar to HL5 + H3-50. Victas is slightly slower, offers more control, has a lower arc, but the feeling is really close. In short game VJC>07 is quite forgiving (ball goes rarely out), after a couple of hours of adaptation I am able to loop easily, either brushing on the top sheet or driving through the sponge (when both the sponge and the carbon are activated the result is blazing fast). Feedback is good with a woody touch. Victas provides here a very good alternative to DHS. I tried with pair of Triple Double Extra to get even closer to the "Chinese style", and the result is faster and spinnier, but less forgiving. Since it's a training setup, I will revert back to VJC which is more versatile. May 01, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
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Xiom AJH TMXI
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Review of Xiom AJH TMXIMy daughter plays with a Joola Vyzaryz Trinity, and my son wanted a similar blade, but a bit slower. He thought the Xiom TMXi would be a perfect fit. He likes Vega rubbers, so he paired it with Vega Japan on both sides.I have tried it with high expectations but I am quite disappointed (and so is my son, we have the same impression). Compared to the Trinity (with Dynaryz ZGR + CMD), the TMXi seems muted, soft (like a 5 all-wood-plys), almost mushy, and suprisingly it has less feedback and less control. Handle is too thin and slippery to my taste. Maybe some glue issue or a need to break in. We will see in the next weeks but for now the blade is unimpressive. EDIT: 3 weeks later, still not convinced by this blade. Beside that, build quality and finish are good, as expected in that price range. May 01, 2023 | |||||||||||||||
