Weight and Balance Point
1
On blade weight, what is best — there is no unified standard. More, just whatever is comfortable for you. Even national players choose different weights. I have seen Wang Manyu’s 84g Viscaria, heard Yan An say he likes 88g, and heard that Zhou Qihao and others bought several 94, 95g gold-label Vis. Anything — get used to it.
2
So, the difference between light and heavy? I played two Maharu Yoshimura Limiteds of different weights at once — one 85g, one 90g. Because Butterfly made only that one batch, the material can be said to trend identical, so I can more accurately sense the difference from weight. Indeed, the 90g one is more solid, with bigger power, and you can feel a harder feel. The 85g one is soft, more easily deforming, but a bit flighty. Experts who played both said the 85 inevitably feels hollow, and only the 90 is the gem. Generally, with nearly identical thickness, the heavier one’s wood density may be higher, with a firmer feel — natural. Theoretically, the lighter drives through more easily; the harder performs better in pace-borrowing, power-adding, fast-attack and hitting. Pips players who play fast-attack generally lean heavier too. But ultimately, unless especially heavy, all are adaptable, even with feel softness or hardness.
3
On blade weight choice, national players seem to be leaning heavier. In the plastic ball era, striving to raise power a bit is understandable. Yinhe, making these customs, also tends to make them a bit heavier. The Yinhe customs I played, national team or North Korean team, in shakehand I never played under 90g. In the brand’s understanding, too light seems to make the striking quality a bit worse. Of course, down to us individuals, it all depends on yourself. If the blade feels a bit hollow, adjust the rubber’s solidity, change the rubber or raise the hardness. If you feel a lighter blade hurts ball quality, change the thinking: a light blade has faster quick-exchange — that too is an aspect of striking quality.
4
Besides the weighed weight, the balance point is also key. It affects both the perceived weight and the forehand-backhand switching and backhand technique deployment. A W968, even if not that heavy, because of the thin handle and the resulting head-leaning balance point, easily feels heavy. This is why, designing the Heima-tuned, I strongly emphasized the handle leaning toward the Viscaria direction. Because that handle grip needs little adjustment in transitions, and stability in flicking and driving is higher.
5
People always note the weight difference between blades but easily ignore the rubber weight difference. For the same rubber, a seven-or-eight-gram difference is normal; I weighed regular Hurricane and Hurricane 8-80 at once. Since then I am more sensitive to rubber weight. I have to say Butterfly flagship rubber’s weight difference is not that big. Rubber itself is a low-yield product. (If you think it is high, that is just some brands being slapdash, not demanding of themselves.)
6
The rubber’s weight also greatly affects the bat’s overall balance point. Penhold, because of the grip, can have a bigger forehand-backhand rubber weight difference. But for shakehand, if the forehand and backhand weights differ too far, the forehand-strike balance point easily leans more toward the head and feels heavy.