Stiga Carbonado 290 vs Yasaka Ma Lin Soft Carbon: Which Should You Buy?
| Stiga Carbonado 290 | Yasaka Ma Lin Soft Carbon | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.3/10 | 8.1/10 |
| feel | very stiff, hard, crisp and direct carbon feel with a high-pitched sound; fast and linear with a low throw | medium-soft and flexible for a carbon blade, with clear feedback and a large sweet spot |
| handle | FL | FL/ST/AN |
| plies | 5 wood + 2 carbon (7-ply), TeXtreme carbon | 7-ply (5 wood plus 2 very thin carbon layers) — same outer veneer as the Yasaka Extra |
| speed | OFF+ | OFF- |
| thickness_mm | 6.2 | 5.8 |
| type | OFF+ | — |
| weight_g | 95 | 87 |
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The Carbonado 290 and Ma Lin Soft Carbon both use carbon but tune it very differently. The 290 is a stiff 5+2 TeXtreme carbon blade rated OFF+, with extreme power, very stable blocking and long, low loop drives. It is stiff, around 95 grams and throws very low, asking you to adapt your angle, at a premium price.
The Ma Lin Soft Carbon is a 7-ply blade with 5 wood plus 2 very thin carbon layers, rated OFF-. It is medium-soft and flexible for a carbon blade, with an outstanding short game, linear and predictable power and excellent blocking with unusually clear ball feel. A large sweet spot and a strong cost-to-benefit ratio make it a natural, controllable upgrade from premade bats, though its short dwell makes heavy spin harder without good technique.
Choose the Carbonado 290 for top-end OFF+ pace, hard finishing and the most stable blocking. Choose the Ma Lin Soft Carbon for a soft, forgiving carbon blade with an excellent short game and strong blocking rather than raw far-table speed. With a rating around 8.1, the Soft Carbon suits improving and control-oriented players, while the stiff 290 is a premium weapon for advanced attackers.
FAQ
Which is softer and more forgiving?
The Ma Lin Soft Carbon is medium-soft and flexible for a carbon blade, making it more forgiving than the very stiff, hard Carbonado 290.
Which is faster?
The Carbonado 290 is faster at OFF+, while the Ma Lin Soft Carbon is rated OFF- and favors control over raw far-table speed.
Which is better for upgrading from a premade bat?
The Ma Lin Soft Carbon is a natural, controllable upgrade from premade bats, whereas the demanding, stiff 290 suits advanced players.
Which has the better short game?
The Ma Lin Soft Carbon offers an outstanding short game with very decent control on pushes, touches and serves, plus strong blocking with clear ball feel.