OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Achim mailed me. He'd read the review and was quite pleased with it, except that the outer plies are not Mahogany but Koto, he said... I guess that's a reflection on my ability to read wood, so to speak. Sorry. I edited the review accordingly. The rest of it stands, however. Achim called the blade "Preference 2016", to distinguish it from its (11-ply) predecessor "Preference 2014" that RadeB described and reviewed (see earlier posts in this thread).

Meanwhile, after having played with it last night in competition matches, my youngest son (20 yrs) has decided to use this Preference 2016 for the rest of the competition season. It is remarkable, for since November 2013 he has played with a custom-made (for testing purposes) blade, labelled T200, but which now would be best described as a Re Impact Swift44 with larch outer plies, and he wouldn't part with it. It was simply the absolute best playing Re-Impact blade we'd ever had for testing and in my opinion Achim should have made it available for sale, but of course I have no say whatsoever in the matter. Anyhow, my son loved his T200. None of the later models, even if he would admit they were quite good, could convince him to change, although last year the Rapier came close. This new Preference, however, plays very similar to his T200; it feels a little less lively - in the T200 he'd feel the 4 plus 4 mm balsa core, of course, and in the Preference the feeling is largely determined by the thinner 2 mm intermediate balsa plies, as the 4 mm core ply is sandwiched in cork - but it also plays a bit easier/safer, and that makes it slightly more effective. As a rule, this kind of change is really inadvisable during the competition season, as you need some time to get used to a new blade and play effectively with it. But apparently it is safe with the Preference: he played very well with it last night.

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Without opponent, no match.

Dear Kees, you are writing with much more feeling than before you had your stroke. Suffering has clearly made you gentler and more sensitive and your review is perfectly briljant; it is written so perfectly in English that even its translation in German by Google conveys expression and coherence - that is a truly a poetic effort, informing others exactly how you feel about and experience table tennis. Simply magnificent. Thank you for this. Best wishes, Achim.

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Re-Impact GmbH. 49448 Lemförde "24 years of Rendler blades".
Re-Impact, Balsa for the soul, write or contact me! My business is to make sure
that you will be one class better! If this is true for you, then we would love to have
your recommendation. mailto://[email protected]/ http://www.re-impact.de/

how does this blade perform when blocking at the table with LP-OX? I am switching to LP-OX both wings and this blade is tempting.

I don't see this blade (Preference 2016) in re-impact.de website yet. Dear Achim, when can this blade be ordered?

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The Dark Side: "Quicker, easier, more seductive" - Yoda

I guess one can play in that double-sided LP style with any kind of blade, depending on your ability and training. I knew someone who very successfully used a Galaxy T-11 for it ( a very thick balsa-cored blade with carbon plies under Limba outer plies) - that blade is very fast, OFF+++, and has a tremendous kick, but this player used it effortlessly, because he always had it at the right angle. The Preference is much slower and much more controlled, so should be far easier; but even so, it wouldn't be my choice to use it with LP in OX - that is of course my personal preference . We didn't test it with LP, so this is all I can say about it .

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Without opponent, no match.

My son did some fine-tuning to his set-up with the Preference. The FH (KTL Rapid Sound 2.0 mm) needed a little more speed, so he changed to Friendship Sky-Wing 2.0 mm (black). He feels it now perfectly suits his style of close to the table looping and attacking. Loops have really sufficient speed and heavy spin, making the ball hard to control for the opponent when it is placed to his transition point (placement is excellent, very precise, as I mentioned before). He also can hit balls that bounce even ever so slightly high, which makes his game more agressive. Blocking is still so highly controllable that he hardly ever has to leave the table, even when under pressure. After having played 6 matches now in two weeks, he still thinks this blade is absolutely the best Re-Impact blade for allround loop-attack play. Apart from its qualities concerning spin, speed and control, its overal use is so easy and efficient that he feels significantly more comfortable behind the table, which makes him play better than before, both technically and tactically.

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Without opponent, no match.

Dear Kees

Normally, I can asked it in Dutch but this would not be fair for the other persons. So, I will try it in English.

Three years ago, we were setting my bat for the next competition after I have quit for a few years. A friend of my ttc-club gived me his frame: the Taipan and told me to try it. He was a really good defender but had because of his injuries stopped. I was totally not a defender but more an agressive attacker looper. But my backhand was weak. So we tried this setup: Taipan, Chop and drive backhand, Andro impuls speed or Vari-spin.

After three years: I can say this:

It's a blade who has a very good feeling with an amazing good control. You can make a lot of spin with service. With my chop and drive, I have a lot of control on serve and blocking goes extremly well. (Blocking with andro Impuls is more difficult) Attacking, you have to wait until the ball drops down. With backhand smash the ball is flat! People of my club, said that this is very strange. You can easily stay on your table, although it's possible to attack or control the ball on the second line. But there is one disadvantage: SPEED.

When I'm attacking (forehand, backhand) or want to open (fh, bh), the ball is slow. I have to put all my strength into my strokes. When I'm blocking, the placement goes easily but also slow. I play with soft rubbers, that's maybe the reason? Or should I buy a new frame? Maybe there are better than the taipan. But which one?

Now you can say I am more a contra-block player but I still love and want to attack although I'm almost 40.

Achim, is Dumber lake really the correct expression for the Dümmer zu Lembruch, behind Lower-Saxonies Güllegürtel?

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Red is blogging here >> http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=30522

As for the latter: I am almost 60, but still feel the same when I play (which isn't often anymore).

Your rubbers are slow, so faster rubbers may be an option. But if you find blocking with Andro Impuls difficult, I'm afraid fast rubbers may not be the best option for you.
A different option is to buy a blade that blocks slow when you want to and makes speed when you want to. A number of Re-Impact blades containing thick balsa plies do that; the Preference is probably the best among them. You could keep the rubbers you are used to.

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Without opponent, no match.

Note:
Hello, for all customers who have already searched or searched for our online shop

My marketing is unfortunately not so fast, but I'm going to create the new on-line page. The competition wood is however already on special request with Luna & Alex or with me orderable. The delivery time is currently 14 - 20 days + the shipping time from the German border .. Thank you

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Re-Impact GmbH. 49448 Lemförde "24 years of Rendler blades".
Re-Impact, Balsa for the soul, write or contact me! My business is to make sure
that you will be one class better! If this is true for you, then we would love to have
your recommendation. mailto://[email protected]/ http://www.re-impact.de/

I've ordered a re-impact Preference 4 weeks ago, and I'm waiting for the delivery.
I'm going to test it with Yasaka Mark V 1.5 mm in backhand, and Donic Acuda Blue P2 1.8 mm in forehand.
I'm also going to test it with Spinlord Keiler OX or 1.2 mm in backhand.
I'm curious how it plays, and I hope the delivery will follow soon so that I can test it .

That's great! Please let us know how it plays for you.

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
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How do you play with Keiler 1.5, on the B/H i.e. defence with chop/block or more attack with fast block and hit. I have tried it in 1.8mm and found it a bit to variable/mushy on hitting due to the thick fast sponge whilst at 1.2mm it is quite hard and more difficult to block with due to less dwell but good for hitting. What makes you want to try thinner than 1.5mm?

I've played competition the last 2 months of the competition season with Keiler 1.8 mm, and I also tested the 1.5 mm. Before that time, I played with the inverted rubber Butterfly Bryce FX 1.9 mm. After 3 training sessions I played allready competition with Keiler 1.8 mm (I never played with pimples before), and I beated directly 2 players with 1 rank higher, and lost 1 player with 1 rank higher with 3-2. With the Keiler (BH) I attack with (sometimes) controlled and (sometimes) fast block and hit. I never chop. I find chopping with Keiler difficult. The 1.5 mm is a little bit slower then 1.8 mm, and has a little bit more control. Mostly, the control of the Keiler by blocking or hitting is OK. Sometimes they fly far over the table, but that's sometimes, especially by players with a very fast deep topspin on the backhand . The deception of the Keiler is also good, especially when the other player plays with good technique.

I'll try Keiler thinner then 1.5 mm on the re-impact blade, because Achim told me that 1.2 mm is the maximum for this blade (re-impact blades feel allready soft, work like a sponge).

I think the reason you have transitioned from inverted to Keiler 1.8mm so easily is that the Butterfly blade is quite hard and fast. On my TSP balsa blades and an Andro temper tech all+ it has not worked well but on a friends fast 7 ply carbon titanium Chinese blade (85gm) it played really well for both hitting and blocking, just a bit too heavy overall for me. Might try and find a lighter carbon blade but will be interested how you get on with the Re impact blade and Keiler

I think you are right. That's why I need to try OX or 1.2mm on Balsa I think. Otherwise it is much to soft. First I'm going to try Mark V 1.5 mm.
But before testing, I need to wait until the delivery of the Preference. Delivery time was 4 weeks and they passed yesterday... I sended Achim yesterday a mail when it is ready, but I haven't had a response yet. I think he's to busy at the moment.
My current setup (Butterfly Michael Maze + Tenergy 05 2.1 mm + Keiler 1.5 mm) weights 173 grams.