World Top 30 Men's Equipment Setups (March 2026)
Updated monthly. Beyond the current world top 30, I add a few well-known names where it helps, and try to include as many blade photos as possible. (For two-color “tricky” blades I tend not to comment.) Any errors are just errors.
With the Singapore Smash wrapped up, our young men’s development has been underwhelming — though the field rises and falls, and the gold has probably not been fully sifted out yet. The foreign F4 and F6 group, by contrast, are mostly improving, which makes the call for Fan Zhendong’s return feel more urgent. We need a talent to anchor the room.
Fan Zhendong: Fan Zhendong ALC custom, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Dignics 09c
Per Zhang Jike, his blade and Fan’s are the same — roughly, they share the same custom recipe. Seen that way, the old silver-label custom looks like decent value, since the new 2024 customs are painfully expensive.
1. Wang Chuqin: Q968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Hurricane 8-20 custom
Generally, inner blades on an ayous core decay faster than outer blades on a kiri core. The former rely on whole-body deformation, so once elasticity drops we feel it more. The latter are not known for overall deformation and absolute late power. This is not to say Butterfly is better than DHS — even Butterfly’s inner customs (ayous core) do not last as long as the outer (kiri core) ones. So from a user’s standpoint, I lean toward buying new.
2. Truls Moregard: Cybershape Carbon CWT (gold label), Helix Platinum 55, Helix Platinum 55
The unconventional Moregard and his Cybershape keep reaching new heights. The Helix series’ remarkable surface grip, explosiveness and spin make it a worthy new German-tensor flagship. On many blades now, grippy or tacky hardly matters as long as the bite is good. The Helix Platinum is clearly an easy series to get along with.
3. Lin Shidong: outer ALC custom, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Dignics 09c
His setup is essentially identical to Fan Zhendong’s, and I doubt the recipe needs changing. As for rubbers, however you look at it there is no real reason to switch. Just train hard.
4. Hugo Calderano: Joola Hugo inner green-fiber, Hugo rubber both sides
At this Singapore Smash, Hugo’s results were ordinary, but the blade looks more potent than the all-wood Xylo 7, with better pop. I do not think his form has much to do with blade or rubber — his level has been so-so since August, probably a fallow or transitional phase.
5. Tomokazu Harimoto: Harimoto SALC, Zyre-03, Zyre-03
Back to Zyre-03 both sides since last October, Harimoto has actually been a lot steadier with decent results. There are issues, but they are technical. I expect no gear changes from him soon.
6. Felix Lebrun: Tibhar Felix, Hybrid K3 Pro, Hybrid K3 Pro
If I had the energy I would buy an extra-hard custom K3 Pro to understand the real thing, because the retail version feels bland on the forehand for support.
7. Lin Yun-Ju: Super Viscaria, Zyre-03, Dignics 05
Word is Lin Yun-Ju’s Super Viscaria is currently a retail piece — he is just trying things and is satisfied with this one for now. Butterfly cannot keep every custom on hand; whenever a player wants one, it ships. Going forward they may build him a proper player-coded Super Viscaria on this recipe.
8. Sora Matsushima: Fan Zhendong ALC custom, Dignics 09c, Zyre-03
9. Xiang Peng: W968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, NEO Orange National Hurricane
In gear direction he is a little Ma Long. Technically he was once Wen Ruibo’s idol — but now Wen Ruibo will replace him at the Macao World Cup.
10. Jang Woojin: W968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Hybrid K3 Pro
Running a semi-tacky tensor on the backhand, he seems to have improved — steadier, able to swing the backhand more freely.
11. Dang Qiu: Duda AFC, V-greater-15 Sticky both sides
V15 Sticky is an affordable stand-in for Dignics 09c — not brutal, but genuinely stable.
12. Qiu Dang: Viscaria custom, Dignics 09c, Dignics 09c
He now uses an unstamped custom Viscaria. Ball-wrapping is better, and the feel and first-ball speed differ a touch from the retail version.
13. Liang Jingkun: Liang Jingkun ADC custom, NEO Blue National Hurricane, NEO Orange National Hurricane
Two-side Hurricane has strong stability; to play it without much effort, boosting is a must.
14. Alexis Lebrun: Tibhar Alexis, Hybrid K3 Pro, Hybrid K3 Pro
Green-fiber-carbon blades are buzzing now. As I predicted years ago, the green-fiber era has arrived.
15. Anton Kallberg-type “Lind”: Donic Lind Carbon, Bluegrip C2 custom, Bluegrip C2 custom
The Harimoto SALC, Lind Carbon and similar builds all major in easy control, easy arc, high margin, and making any technique easy.
16. Darko Jorgic: Shang Kun AC two-color custom, Bluegrip K2, Evolution MX-P Infinity
This blade is no longer on sale. One, Darko’s pull is not that big; two, a one-inner one-outer blade has to solve issues like warping.
17. Patrick Franziska: Franziska ZLC, Dignics 05, Tenergy 09c
The backhand is reportedly Tenergy 09c — perhaps the biggest surprise of the event. Would a semi-tacky-surface Tenergy play springier and stronger?
18. Simon Gauzy: Andro Gauzy, Nuzn 55, Nuzn 55
The blade carrying his name launches this summer.
19. An Jaehyun: W968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Dignics 09c
When a sponsored star does not use his own brand’s blade, we know: the 968 really is that good.
20. Shunsuke Togami: Fan Zhendong ALC custom, Zyre-03, Zyre-03
For years Butterfly’s site listed Togami’s blade as an outer ALC custom. Now, to push sales, even if he uses a Fan A custom they write Fan A.
21. Chen Yuanyu: gold-label Viscaria, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Hybrid K3 Pro
Backhand Hurricane, or Hurricane C55.0, or K3 Pro — I thought brands were fighting over him, but it turns out he is just testing rubbers.
22. Zhou Qihao: Double Fish Project Z, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Dignics 05
Another green-fiber-carbon blade.
23. Pereira: Andro ZCO, Nuzn 55, Nuzn 55
24. Oh Junseong: Tibhar outer green-fiber custom, Hybrid K3 Pro, Hybrid K3 Pro
25. Coton: Donic Nairone, Bluestar A1
Among Donic-sponsored players, the most-used in Asia is the Bluegrip C2, while in Europe it is the Bluestar A1.
26. Ovtcharov: inner SZLC custom, Dignics 09c, Zyre-03
In retail terms this blade is close to the Harimoto SZLC.
27. Wen Ruibo: Luma Hybrid Carbon, NEO Blue National Hurricane, DNA Hybrid 55
The doubts about Stiga all reduce to four words: when does it launch? The Luma is another green-fiber blade.
28. Kanak Jha: Boll ALC, Zyre-03, Zyre-03
Jha gave up the Super Viscaria for the Boll ALC, saying the Boll A has a softer touch than the Super Viscaria.
29. Yukiya Uda: Innerforce ZLC custom (G-Fless handle), Dignics 09c, Zyre-03
30. Puka: Tibhar Alexis, Hybrid K3 Pro both sides
The above is the world top 30. Below are some well-known players, in no particular order.
Kallberg: Boll ALC, Dignics 09c, Dignics 09c — quite a few use the Boll ALC this issue.
Shinozuka: Boll ALC custom, Dignics 09c, Zyre-03 — the site says Boll A, but obviously not retail, since he uses an unstamped custom.
Groth: Boll ALC, Dignics 09c, Dignics 09c — a skillful, placement-aware style that this setup suits.
Aruna: GEWO Aruna Hinoki Carbon OFF, Venom 53, Venom 53 Green — Venom 53 has big power, though Venom 48 plays more like T05.
Omar Assar: Butterfly Omar, Dignics 09c, Dignics 05
Forehand moved from D05 to D09c. This Omar is also a custom, same construction as the limited Omar.
Kao Cheng-Jui: Taiwan Jerry, Tenergy 05 Hard, Dignics 09c — out of recent events with injury; this is his October setup.
Lin Gaoyuan: Yuanjian, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Zhan Tian
Zhao Dacheng: W968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, NEO Orange National Hurricane
Robles: Tibhar Fortino inner, Hybrid K3 Pro, Hybrid K3
Yuta Tanaka: Ovtcharov ALC, Dignics 09c, Dignics 09c
Mizuki Oikawa: Inspira Hybrid Carbon, DNA Gold Dragon 57.5, DNA Platinum XH
Chuang Chih-Yuan: outer ALC custom, Dignics 05, Dignics 05 — still not retired.
Lin Chung-Hsun: Butterfly Lin Chung-Hsun custom, Dignics 09c, Dignics 09c
Sun Yu-Cheng: Yinhe 520L, NEO Blue National Hurricane, NEO Orange National Hurricane — today’s Yinhe, outer or inner, has won national-team-level approval, and reorders of my Heima builds are high too.
Wong Chun Ting: Zhang Jike ALC custom, Dignics 09c, Dignics 09c — for a balanced two-winged player, the same rubber both sides is fine.
Pitchford: Zhou Qihao S-ALC 90, Dynasty ZGR, Dynasty ZGR
Maharu Yoshimura: outer SALC custom, Zyre-03 both sides
Karlsson: Korbel SK7, Dignics 09c, Tenergy 05 Hard
On a soft blade, even a hard rubber feels easier to compress.
Koki Niwa: Niwa Koki ZC, V-greater-22, V-greater-15 Sticky — yes, V15 Sticky is genuinely stable on the backhand.
Falck: Falck Carbon, Rakza PO short pips, Rakza X
Yuya Oshima: Synteliac VCI OFF, Nuzn 55, Rasanter C53 — the inner green-fiber VCI has become the most-used Andro blade after the Loki.
Kenta Matsudaira: MK Carbon, MK Pro, Hybrid K3 Pro — he likes a harder rubber on the backhand than the forehand.
Freitas: Freitas ALC, Dignics 09c, Zyre-03
Aramian: Viscaria, Dignics 05, Dignics 05 — the Aramian brothers run the same setup.
Eduard Ionescu: Tibhar outer green-fiber custom, Hybrid K3, Hybrid K3 — said to launch this year, though Tibhar promises are hard to bank on.
Yuto Muramatsu: Gangli Men, MK Pro, Speedy Soft
Huang Youzheng: W968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, NEO Orange National Hurricane
Yuan Licen: Loki Yuan Licen custom, NEO Blue National Hurricane, NEO Orange National Hurricane
Xu Yingbin: Carbon 190, NEO Blue National Hurricane, DNA Hybrid 55 — backhand moved from Gold Dragon 57.5 to Hybrid 55.
Geraldo: Fan Zhendong ALC, Zyre-03 both sides — he swaps blades and rubbers extremely often.
Jarvis: Cybershape CWT, DNA Hybrid XH both sides