The various defensive blades compared in this review are:
1. Matsushita Pro Special
Weight: 96 gm
2. Joo Se Hyuk
Weight: 102 gm
3. Joola Chen Weixing
Joola Chen Weixing defensive+ blade is always my favorite blade. I’m using my third Joola Chen Weixing which I have bought at the Joola Rockville club where the Chen Weixing table tennis training camp took place in June, 2008. I’m sure Joola has revised this blade. The Joola Chen Weixing blade that I had bought in 2007 was little slower than the current version. I have also asked Chen Weixing about this. He has told me there was some improvement made to the blade including the forehand is made faster than the backhand. I’m sure I have noticed the same. Chen Weixing uses the previous year version of Chen Weixing. He speed glue his forehand rubber so a forehand with higher speed does not make much difference for other players.
Joola Chen Weixing blade has 7 layers. It is for an active modern defensive player. What I like about this blade when compared to any brand is its very cool handle – I use the Flared handle version.
A slow version of this blade is available from Joola. The blade is called Chen Defense.
Weight: 84 gm
4. TSP Balsa GlassFiber 3.5
The TSP Balsa GlassFiber 3.5 is slower than Joola Chen Weixing or any blade that I have compared here. It suits close to the table defense and attack game. The fiber layer generates a great sweet spot, so hitting with this paddle at any spot generates the same stroke. It has great control. I have found it to be effective for hitting, chopping and blocking. It is not suitable for a game further away from the table.
Weight: 78 gm
5. XIOM Professional Classic Aigis
The XIOM Professional Classic Aigis is a very stable cut blade suitable for a variety defensive game. The blade is faster and close to the speed with Joola Chen Weixing. The main difference of this blade from other blade is that this blade generates very low throw andle while spinning the ball. I have tried with different rubbers, and the ball go with low throw angle.
Weight: 86 gm
6. Dr.Neubauer Combination Effect
I had four Dr.Neubauer Combination Effect paddles. It is my favorite blade. I have got maximum wins in tournament with this blade. Six months ago, I have decided to move on by considering its price and some new strategies I wanted to try out.
It is the lightest blade that I have seen in the market – it weighs only 60 gm. It is not a defensive blade. It is an allround blade with faster forehand and slow backhand.
The Dr.Neubauer Combination Effect paddle is a defense and attack blade. It does not suit a top spin game. The rebound speed of the forehand is faster.
Weight: 60 gm
7. XIOM Orlando DEF
The XIOM Orlando DEF+ is a 3 plies blade with a carbon layer. It is a semi large blade. It has a soft feel like Butterfly Matsushita Pro Special.
I have not used this blade for more than few hours. The reason? The blade has a lot of vibrations. I also hated its weight.
The XIOM has discontinued this model. In its place, you will see their professional classic Aigis.
Weight: 95 gm
8. Butterfly Defense II
The Butterfly Defense II is a popular blade among the defensive players. The Joola sponsored player Chen Weixing used to use this blade.
I have test driven this blade for few hours. The Butterfly Defense II is a blade for close to the table defensive game. The blade has 3 plies with a willow ply as the other layer.
The blade could not generate much power for a power loop further from the table. I felt the blade suits for power attack close to the table – it does not suit a modern defensive game. The blade suits well for a blocking game.
After using many high end blades, I have felt the blade is lacking quality in the handle – it has a fresh wooden touch rather than a smooth feeling. The Butterfly Defense II with a FL handle is not available in the United States. The version I have used was imported from Japan.
Weight: 92 gm
9. TSP Reflex 50 Award Defensive
The TSP Reflex 50 Award Defensive is a popular blade among many defensive players in Asia and Europe. I have not seen anybody using this blade in the United States, but I know that this blade was in circulation in the United States for a while.
I have used TSP Reflex 50 Award Defensive with XIOM Guillotine 1.2 mm long pips on the backhand and XIOM Yanus DF 1.5 mm on the forehand. I knew very well that my forehand would be so weak because of a low sponge rubber on the forehand and the lack of power from the blade. That was true.
However, this blade lead me to win a match against a 2000 rated player through complete defense. I have felt the TSP Reflex 50 Award Defense favored me more in a game close to the table than a game I enjoy normally with Joola Chen Weixing. Countering the top spin was very hard with this blade – I could not keep the ball low how hard I tried. I realized later that the story would have been different if I had tried a rubber having a sponge size of 2.0 or higher.
The TSP Reflex 50 Award has zero vibration.
Weight: 88 gm
Sponsor Ad: TableTennisStore.US - 1000 XIOM, TSP, JOOLA, CHAMPION table tennis products!
