When you switch from LPs, you have to radically change your technique to tame much faster pips. In my experience a slow blade is not necessary better to reprogram reflexes.

In my own experience I had more problems to block power shots with Dornenglanz ox rather then KO Pro with sponge. Blocks and long aggressive pushes just settle to the endline perfectly most of the time somehow after a few hours of adaptation with any blade and sponge thickness of my Dr. Neubauer KO Pro. But I had very hard times for 6 month and even longer to return my previous LPs consistency. Faster speed is not critical change but longer ball contact time is. I think defensive blade can worsen longer dwell time technique shift problem.

With my experience it is easier to begin with thinner sponge under medium pips rather then slow blade. Even 0.2 mm sponge thickness difference is noticeable in playing. Passive shots are somewhat easier with thinner, flicks and pushes against backspin are much better with thicker. But just coming from LPs ox the thinnest the much easiest to control.

Equipment choice depends on playing style and previous experience. I personally do not like lightweight blades.

Some kind of rubbers highly depend on the used blade. I think medium pimples (or just me playing with them) are not very sensitive to the blade choice.

A good budget blade is Sanwei Fextra 7 (discontinued but should be still widely available). It is a close clone of Stiga Clipper Wood. Original Clipper is also not very expensive.

I generally do not buy blades with "defense" in their name. Most of the time they are classical choppers blades.

What low-cost, light-weight blade would you recommend for someone who just recently made/making a foray into Medium Pips

Stiga Clipper -any version- , Primorac OFF - ,Stiga Infinity off .

bty SK Carbon worked beautifully with Spinlord Gipf 1.8! My blade is 78 gr, not too much rigid, a lot of control, good speed. Now I use Nittaku Barwell, less control in my MP backhand, but I gained speed in my inverted FH.
Hope this helps.

Thanks for the suggestion - SK Carbon has Tamca Carbon .. I've owned 2 TAMCA blades (Primorac and Gergley), and played several others (Timo Boll T5000, Garaydia T5000, Sardius etc) and they've all been OFF+ or even OFF++ ... Also, at $100, this falls on the outer outer limits of my budget..

Hi, SK Carbon is an OFF blade, definitely not OFF+