Weekly Equipment Watch 243: Japan's 2026 Table Tennis Expo
On March 10 and 11, in Tokyo Shinjuku, the table tennis makers’ expo. We mainly discuss new blades and rubbers. (Most images here are from the world-tt site.)
Butterfly
This spring, Butterfly released only one new blade. And after you see it, you will be shocked. Butterfly officially released a new blade on March 1, 2026: the penhold Innerforce Layer ALC. Meaning this blade previously had only shakehand, no penhold. Now it has. Wow, I thought this was a parallel-universe affair? This penhold I played back in 2016 — a P-code then. Butterfly’s move is simply baffling. The bat case is nice-looking, though.
Nittaku
A new carbon-black-sponge rubber BLASTAC, designed for intermediate players. Plus kiso hinoki Japanese single-plies: A1X, A2X, A3X. But Nittaku products are not much promoted domestically, so just glance. Decently-selling ones like Nittaku G-1 and Nina Hayata H2 have many domestic substitutes.
Victas
Chinese-made slightly-tacky rubber, XEGNA and XEGNA SPIN, highlighting ease of use and a sense of power. I tried them early this year — decent. Launching March 21. On blades, in April a Koki Niwa 10th-anniversary limited blade, four versions. Plus an inner-structure MAGNASS, launching June. And next month’s single-ply hinoki DYNAM Spirit 10.5.
Yasaka
Because Ma Lin went to Tibhar, the Ma Lin series blades became the MYTH series. Then the 50-degree hardened Rakza 7 Hard appeared.
XIOM
The new blade worth noting is mainly the INDEED, with inner and outer structures. The fiber resembles ZLC.
Stiga
The most outstanding new rubber is clearly the HELIX Platinum, with better friction and spin ability, used by Moregard. The blades are the long-awaited Destiny Carbon and the LUMA hybrid carbon launching around May-June at the earliest.
Tibhar
Blades: one is the inner-green-aramid-carbon Miyu Kihara. And the Darko new blade launching late May or early June — heterogeneous, one side outer, one side inner, ayous core.
Andro
Besides the original NUZN 55 (used by the most Andro stars) and NUZN 50, newly added NUZN 48 and NUZN 45. Softer, for the backhand. New blades PROSPIRE CO OFF and PROSPIRE CI OFF. As the names suggest, CO’s O is Outer, I is Inner.
Donic
At the Singapore Smash, the 17-year-old Kedun beat Zhou Qihao and Duda. Before, his blade was the Nailiwen. Now the Donic Kedun is out. Then there are other beginner blades or value-focused ones.
Joola
Besides the two articles I wrote before, the main new products are in the image below. Blades ARY-X and ARY-C (Hugo’s current). Plus two new rubbers Trinity Dynamic and Trinity Charged. For news on our Chinese makers’ new products, wait for May’s Xiamen Sports Expo.