Actually you would be surprised at how many people there are who their sole purpose is not just becoming high skill players.
For those whose purpose is becoming high skill players, EJ will hurt more than help. But as I said, want is different. Many people want to try new blades and/or rubbers for many various reasons. If they have the money for them, doesn’t hurt. It’s one of the entertainment or release, or enjoyment or whatever you want to call it. We do this with various parts of our lives as well.
We eat at various places despite that the simple food will do just fine. We have more than one watches, more than one pair of shoes, different kind of clothing of the same category. Etc. But, also, some of use only have one watch, one pair of shoes for each function, same kind of clothing or color. To each their own.
I only have one pair of sandals and one pair of shoes (for when sandals couldn’t be worn). I hate trying out clothes, so I buy them once a year or two. Same model of trousers with 3 different colors. Same kind of shirt with 3-4 different colors. Same black underwear, same boxers with 2-3 different colors. All bought in one store/brand. I still use good clothes I bought in year 2000 (or even before that).
I use same one model of TT shoes for about 10 years.
I don’t need a dozen watches to tell time, but I want them. I like changing color or style of watches when I like it. Some days I like orange watch, some days I wear black, some days I like blue, white, automatic watch, dress watch, g-shock watch. Sometimes I change watches every day. Sometimes I only wear a watch when I go out of the house. Sometimes I use the same one for months straight 24x7 without taking it off (shower, swimming, sleeping, have sex, taking a dump). Longest I wear one straight was a little over 6 months.
All I need is one blade and two rubbers. Longest I use and stay with one setup was two years. During which was also my highest level of play. That was the EJ is dead period. I had over a hundred of blades before that. I have over a hundred of blades after that.
I have over a dozen or two or more blades I bought and had not even tried.
Currently I like playing with children size blade, slightly smaller head size and handle size. I like it so much, I had one normal size blade cut down to the same smaller head size so I can have normal size handle. How’s that effect my play? Lower than normal. For serious play with higher skill players I switched to normal/oversize blades. For same level and lower, I stick with the smaller blade. I had to work harder, change my game some, and accept some more losses. But I don’t mind because I’m having fun.
Before the small blade phase, I was in defense blades phase. Trying out several defense blades 980, defplay, Firestarter, Zeus, JSH, Defense Alpha. Still have some other defense blades untried, but got suspended when I accidentally entered small blade phase.
Currently I play best with Zeus oversize blade, and lower with the smaller blades (currently with the cut down blade). These two I carry to the club for the last few weeks. The regular normal blade is having a vacation.
For me I don’t need to EJ. I want to.