I just received this new blade from paddlepalace yesterday and took it out for a spin today at a local tournament. Ever since I sold off my entire collection, thanks to Cole (
http://colestt.com), I've been on the lookout for a blade that fits my style (which generally consists of trying to loop whenever possible) and I think I may have found it.
Specs:
plies: 5 ply wood, 2 ply aramid/carbon
feel: medium
speed: ALL+ as rated by juic
weight: 87 grams
price: $90
handle: Flared (only option)
other: Made in China
Photos:
http://picasaweb.google.com/robjkc/JuicHybrid
http://juic.oneofakindtrading.com.au/JUIC-Hybrid.php
First impressions:
The plies look very similar to the Maze blade I used to own and the center ply looks to be the same wood (kiri?) while the top ply looks similar to limba but not exactly (if anyone can tell from the photo, let me know). My first impression of just bouncing the ball on the bare wood was that it had pretty good bounce. After putting on two IQ rubbers and taking a few hits it definitley did not feel like an ALL+ blade, it felt a lot faster than that, maybe OFF- to OFF. There is not a whole lot of vibration probably thanks to the aramid and there isn't the "pong" you get from most carbon blades. The blade just feels really solid and comfortable.
The finish on the blade is very nice and the surface seems to be pre-sealed from the factory. It only comes in flared, but the handle is very comfortable much like the Maze flared. The blade could use a little sanding around where the handle meets the blade to make it more comfortable in the hand.
The face of the blade is fairly large, about the same size as the Stiga and Yasaka blades that I've owned.
How it plays:
Granted I only played with it one day but I did get to use it for 6 matches, ending up going 4-2, losing to the same guy twice.
This blade is definitley very good for looping. It has a lot of gears and it played better the harder I would swing. My left-handed side spin loop was very good with it. The blade seems about as stiff as my Maze and the blade seemed to catch the ball when performing a loop. It could both slow loop and power loop very well. When really getting into the ball you could hear a distinct "crack" of the bat. The feeling was very crisp.
Another great feature of the blade was blocking. It was very stable on blocks. It seemed that the harder the opponent hit the ball the better it blocked. A lot of times I would just dare my opponent to hit just so I could block it back.
On serving and the short game it has very good touch around the table. The blade does seem a little bouncy so it was a little hard to keep it short. I figure that this will comes with time and practice. These two areas are probably the weakest of my game so I can't blame it all on the blade.
Overall, I would difinitley recommend this blade to anyone who likes carbon blades similar to the Maze. It is also highly recommened by Stellen Bengtsson, who had the following to say about the blade:
"There is another blade that I like a lot that is faster than the Texalium.
It is called JUIC Hybrid. It has that crisp sound that I like. Speed and control in a great combination."
Granted he is sponsored by Juic, but he was right on with his description.
Well I hope you all enjoyed my first blade review. If anyone else happens to own one or purchases one let me know what you think.
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