Stiga Clipper Wood vs Yasaka Ma Lin Soft Carbon: Which Should You Buy?
| Stiga Clipper Wood | Yasaka Ma Lin Soft Carbon | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.4/10 | 8.1/10 |
| feel | solid, medium-stiff, hard fast all-wood with a big sweetspot | medium-soft and flexible for a carbon blade, with clear feedback and a large sweet spot |
| handle | FL/ST/AN/PEN | FL/ST/AN |
| plies | 7W (all wood) - limba outer plies over an ayous core, no carbon or synthetic layers | 7-ply (5 wood plus 2 very thin carbon layers) — same outer veneer as the Yasaka Extra |
| speed | OFF | OFF- |
| thickness_mm | 6.3 | 5.8 |
| weight_g | 90 | 87 |
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These blades take different routes to control. The Clipper Wood is a 7-ply all-wood blade with a big sweet spot, confidence-building control, rock-solid blocking and outstanding short-game touch. Its real-world speed sits in OFF, it asks you to generate power, it runs heavy, and it shows Stiga’s known splintering tendency.
The Yasaka Ma Lin Soft Carbon is a 7-ply blade with two thin carbon layers that stays medium-soft and forgiving. It delivers an outstanding short game, linear and predictable looping with no uncontrollable kicks, excellent blocking, clear ball feel and a large sweet spot at strong value. Its short dwell makes heavy spin harder, it can feel sluggish off the sweet spot, and aggressive far-table attackers may want more raw speed.
Choose the Clipper Wood if you want a pure all-wood feel, a big sweet spot and strong blocking, and are happy pairing faster rubbers. Choose the Ma Lin Soft Carbon if you are an improving, control-oriented player upgrading from a premade bat who wants a soft, forgiving carbon blade with a great short game.
FAQ
All-wood or carbon?
The Clipper Wood is 7-ply pure all-wood, while the Ma Lin Soft Carbon is a 7-ply build with two very thin carbon layers that keeps a medium-soft, forgiving feel.
Which has the better short game?
Both are strong here. The Clipper Wood offers outstanding short-game touch, and the Ma Lin Soft Carbon delivers an outstanding short game with decent control on pushes and serves.
Which is heavier?
The Clipper Wood runs heavier at around 90 grams and 6.3mm thick, which can cause fatigue over long sessions. The Ma Lin Soft Carbon is around 87 grams and 5.8mm.
Which is better for an improver moving up from a premade bat?
The Ma Lin Soft Carbon is described as a natural, controllable upgrade from premade bats. The Clipper Wood is more demanding because it asks you to supply the power.