Top Penhold Blades and Rubber Setups for Amateurs, Reread Part 2
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Fan Zhendong ALC. This is the best-selling penhold blade in Japan itself, which says a lot. Whether you play shakehand or penhold, would you not try the blade of the strongest current grand-slam winner? I am not saying how strong this blade is — it has a powerful pulling force that tempts you.
The Fan Zhendong ALC penhold represents a style where looping and fast-attack run side by side. Like the Zhang Jike ALC (once used by Zhao Zihao and Wong Chun Ting) and the Lin Gaoyuan ALC (once used by Zheng Peifeng), give or take. With the Lin ALC discontinued, the equally ball-wrapping Fan ALC naturally became first choice. More precisely, it still suits a two-winged looping style. If your game leans on fast-attack technique, there are better blade choices.
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Like this one, the Texim. Riding the fame of the “Butterfly King” name, it sells wildly — practically the best-selling Butterfly blade in our country. However much you stock, it sells. True, no pro really uses it now, so you might say it does not count as top-tier, but with sales like that, how is it not top-tier?!
It is the mark of an era. For single-side push-attack penhold, nothing fits better. The feel is clear and crisp. The paulownia big core sheds power extremely well. Its explosiveness is outstanding, and paired with Hurricane, that one drive really is fast enough. Of course, if you want to pull a longer arc with less effort, I still think the Chongmingniao fits better — a slightly thinner blade body raises spin ability and controllability.
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Swat represents an “older but tougher” attitude and pursuit. Why not write the Victas Ni Xialian? Granted, the main blade Ni Xialian names now has more flair. But I always feel that micro-tuning some differences by carbon-roasting different wood layers is not that attractive. By sales, the all-wood 7-ply Swat better earns the top-tier label. For years its penhold sales in Japan have often ranked top three.
Top-tier need not mean expensive — it can mean more recognition. Of course this blade can play two wings too, but like today’s Stiga CL, it is balanced and mediocre. You always have better options. More often it suits being a practice blade. Still, I had to write one high-value blade. And from the angle of two-side pips play, it really fits, handling variation with ease.
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Super Zhang Jike. The intervention of Super ZLC fiber is not just a gimmick, nor just about the Super Zhang Jike name. By actual effect, while keeping high speed and a big sweet spot, it avoids spin interference as much as possible. That is, its spin-making ability is ordinary (unless the rubber is good at adding spin), but it lands and accelerates very easily, with a spin-canceling efficacy.
Representative users: Wong Chun Ting, Chuang Chih-Yuan. In the amateur penhold field, though pricey, it is one of Butterfly’s best-selling blades in China.
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Innerforce Layer ZLC. The all-around king, nicknamed “the Minion.” Representative users: Li Jiao, Felix. Once, a 4,000-yuan Minion penhold player-issue sat in front of me, but because I play shakehand I did not treasure it, and only regretted it after I missed the chance. Two-time European Championships women’s singles champion Li Jiao, who once dominated European women’s table tennis, gave the loop-and-drive-friendly Minion its best ad through her results. And before signing with Tibhar, the younger Lebrun used this penhold too.
The shakehand Minion structure was once the blade of the great Zhang Yining, World Championships women’s singles champion Liu Shiwen, plus Lee Sangsu, Niwa Koki, Matenet, and others. Honestly, the penhold is great too.