OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Recently I've been shopping for a Chinese Penhold Blade, as I am getting into RPB and have developed my technique enough to warrant a proper penhold blade. I've narrowed down (not really) my choices to these 4:
Yasaka Goiabao 5
Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive (Called YEO?)
Stiga Offensive Classic
DHS Di-18 (Dipper 18)
I am a player who tends to back away from the table and move around a lot, jumping around to get a loop in, or just plainly for showmanship. I really admire CNT player Xu Xin's playstyle, and sometimes try to implement some of his style into my play. Close to the table, I like to make my opponent move around with fast, spinny, short-stroke rpb. I have relatively weak arms, so something light is preferable. I'm so sorry for such a vague question, but which of the given blades would you guys recommend? You aren't necessarily limited to those choices, so if you have something else in the around or below $50 that you prefer, feel free to say it. Also, are my rubber choices okay for my playstyle? I'm planning to have DHS Skyline TG3 on forehand, and DHS Hurricane 3 on backhand.

Thanks!

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Mr. Ji e-disciple

YEO or Malin Soft Carbon

Sent from my MI MAX using Tapatalk

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instagram: rokphishtt

I'd skip the stiga OC. I've never really liked them.

If your bat ends up too heavy investigate a japanese or german rubber for the rpb - double chinese rubbers will make most bats reasonably heavy.

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Chasse Patate

Do you have any recommendations for Japanese/German rubbers thst wouldn't make a bat too heavy?

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Mr. Ji e-disciple

Really, anything softer should be lighter. A cursory glance at the weight tables the newer german tensors are heavier than the earlier versions. Mark V and Sriver FX are fine, older tensors like Donic Acuda S3 or S2, softer chinese rubbers too. These should be up to 5g lighter than a sheet of H3.

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Chasse Patate

YEO should work. I have one but haven't played it much. I love xu xins stiga intensity but it's outside your price range.

For what it's worth YEO isnt great at away from table. Think ma lins game. Though probably more psychological for us amateurs.

I once weighed my tg2 and acuda s2 of same size and the tg2 was actually a bit lighter. I'm using hurricane 3 for rpb now and it's definitely more tolerant and spinnier than s2. Xu xin has a softer h3 neo for rpb to increase consistency. I think h3 neo is worth a try if blade isnt heavy

Or swap the tg3 and h3 on fh/bh depending on preferences...

Disclaimers: i use an anti on fh so its lighter than double inverted. And i tpb more than rpb

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USATT 1502.
Long pips pushblocker, inverted RPB.

Blog (Ramblings of an ordinary penholder...): http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=32694

A simple set up to try, for close to the table play:
-Blade: YEO
-FH: one of the DHS rubbers you mentioned.
-BH: 729 Focus 3 snipe, or Bty Sriver EL, or even good old Mark V.

You mention that the YEO isn't great for away from the table... Would anything else on my list or another blade in the price range work, or is the YEO my best bet?

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Mr. Ji e-disciple

I wouldn't worry about it. Unless you are frequently stepping back and doing massive loop to loop rallies...

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Chasse Patate

True.

At this price range, YEO is kinda a must-try.

A few more points about YEO:
* Composition of the 5 plies is the same as Intensity, which I believe is great for penhold
* It's a little harder than Intensity. It has a flatter trajectory and requires better technique, but also more deadly.
* Very good for RPB.

The Stiga OC is too slow for the new ball. I'm not familiar with the other 2 blades listed.

I forgot...another good blade is Hurricane 301, which has two arylate carbon layers. This (well, the more expensive 301N) is used by all CNT penhold guys now except XX. Basically like a Hurricane Long 5 but way cheaper, because it doesn't have a player repping it. I personally find arylate carbon a bit too hard, though. But the 301 is said to be very good.

_________________
USATT 1502.
Long pips pushblocker, inverted RPB.

Blog (Ramblings of an ordinary penholder...): http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=32694