If you want to maximise your looping game, then you need to choose the right table tennis blade. In this article, I’ll give you a list of some top blades for looping and explain what characteristics you need to look for in a blade.
Best Blades for Looping
- Stiga Offensive Classic
- Yasaka Sweden Extra
- Nittaku Violin
- XIOM Offensive S
- Butterfly Timo Boll Spirit
What Makes a Good Looping Blade?
A good looping blade should have the following features:
- High spin
- High throw angle
- Not too fast
In order to get the most out of your stroke, the blade should allow the ball to dwell for a long time on the paddle to give it plenty of time to generate spin. Having a blade which prioritises spin over speed will make it easier to control and usually results in a higher throw angle.
The throw angle refers to the angle at which the ball leaves the paddle after being struck. A high throw angle means the ball will have a more curved trajectory and go higher in the air. This is a good thing if you’re main game is looping.
Here’s a guide to throw angles and why they’re important.
Physical Characteristics of a Looping Blade
So what physical characteristics does the blade need to have if it is designed to offer a lot of spin and a high throw angle?
Blades which are designed primarily for looping should be flexible and soft to maximise the amount of dwell time that the ball has on the paddle in order to generate more spin. This also means the blade will vibrate more in the players hand and give them more feedback which loopers often find useful.
It’s important to note here that stiffness and hardness are not the same thing.
- Hardness refers to the properties of the outer layers of the blade.
- Stiffness is affected by the overall composition and refers to how much it can flex.
There are several characteristics which affect how flexible and hard a blade is including the materials used, thickness and number of layers.
Material
Table tennis blades are made from either wood, or carbon and wood combined. Wooden blades are often preferred for looping because they are softer and more flexible than carbon and wood blades.
This means the ball has more dwell time on the paddle for spin to be generated and makes it easier to control as it feels slower. That’s why it’s a good idea to look for an all-wood blade if looping is your focus.
Here is a link to my comparison between carbon and wood blades with more info.
Thickness
Thinner blades are more flexible than thicker blades, and hence better for looping because they allow spin to be generated more easily. The disadvantage here is that the blade is less powerful, so you may not want to go for something super-thin if you still want a decent bit of speed.
Most blades are between 5.5 mm and 6.0 mm thick. I’d recommend avoiding thick blades over 6.5 mm as these tend to be a lot stiffer and hence make it harder to generate spin.
Here is a comparison between thick and thin blades with more advice.
Number of Layers
Most table tennis blades have either 5 or 7 layers and are described as being either 5-ply or 7-ply blades. A blade with a 5-ply construction is usually thinner and hence more flexible compared to a 7-ply blade meaning it will be better for looping. Of course, it does depend on the material used and thickness of each layer as well though, so don’t always assume that a 5-ply blade is more suitable.
Check out my comparison between 5-ply and 7-ply blades for more information.
A Note on Blade Weight
It is often the case that “looping” blades are fairly lightweight. This allows the player to move their arm and wrist more freely so they can really focus on their technique. However, some players prefer a heavier and hence, more powerful blade if they want speed as well as spin.
It’s also worth noting that the weight can be distributed differently between blades. Some are “head heavy” others are “handle heavy” and the rest are considered “balanced”. Often, either head-heavy or balanced blades are preferred for looping as they are better for generating spin compared to handle-heavy blades which feel more stable and are preferred for blocking.
List of the Best Blades for Looping
Okay so now we’ve discussed the characteristics to look out for, let’s go through some top picks for looping.
Stiga Offensive Classic
- Composition: 5-Ply All-Wood
- Thickness: 6 mm
- Weight: 85 g
The Stiga Offensive Classic is a great blade for attacking players who are looking for a looping blade. It is pretty flexible but not super thin so still has a decent bit of speed. It offers plenty of feedback which is really useful for beginners but performs excellently for more experienced players as well.
Check out the Stiga Clipper blade on Amazon.
Image links to Amazon
Yasaka Sweden Extra
- Composition: 5-Ply All-Wood
- Thickness: 5.6 mm
- Weight: 84 g
The Yasaka Sweden Extra is a good all-round blade to consider if you prioritise looping. It has a soft-touch and is easy to control, plus its flexibility allows it to generate plenty of spin. It may feel a little too weak for some players, but using the right combination of rubber can give it a bit more power.
Check out the Yasaka Sweden Extra blade on Amazon.
Image links to Amazon
Nittaku Violin
- Composition: 5-Ply All-Wood
- Thickness: 5.3 mm
- Weight: 85 g
The Nittaku Violin blade is excellent for loopers because it is very thin and flexible which allows the ball to dwell for longer so more spin can be generated. It offers excellent feel for less experienced players and suits an all-round style of play.
Check out the Nittaku Violin blade on Amazon.
Image links to Amazon
XIOM Offensive S
- Composition: 5-Ply All-Wood
- Thickness: 6.1 mm
- Weight: 87 g
The XIOM Offensive S blade is a bit thicker and heavier than the other blades on the list and suits players with a more attacking style who don’t want to sacrifice too much speed in their quest to find a good looping blade. It generates plenty of spin but has quite a stable feeling so it’s pretty good for blocking as well.
Check out the XIOM Offensive S blade on Amazon.
Image links to Amazon
Butterfly Timo Boll Spirit
- Composition: 5+2 Ply (Wood and Carbon)
- Thickness: 5.8 mm
- Weight: 89 g
Being the only carbon and wood (7-ply) blade on this list, you can expect it to feel stiffer and harder than the other blades mentioned. This gives it more speed but makes it a bit harder to control. It’s still excellent for looping, but suits players who are looking for a fast-attacking blade and find all-wood compositions to be a bit too slow.
Check out the Timo Boll Spirit blade on Amazon.
Image links to Amazon