NO.1 table tennis review site

I've been waiting for a racket like this.
At 5.3-5.5mm thick with special inner material and koto wood on the surface (ideally a balanced-ply construction), this is perfect for anyone who isn't a fan of the feel of willow wood. It also seems to pair really well with tacky rubber - almost too satisfying.
It's so good that if this series ever comes out with a KVC version instead of Kevlar, I'd definitely want one.
The ratings below compare it to the Escudo 2, using the Matsushita Koji ZC as the baseline of all 8s for chopping.
Chops land beautifully.
The ball comes off the blade a bit slower, it feels like.
As for the Irius S's cutting ability, it cuts more than the Matsushita ZC, and for pushes, the feel of the long pips doesn't get lighter - there's a real sense of grip, which makes it very easy to use.
Also, unlike the sharp "thwack" feel of the Matsushita ZC, it has a character more like arylate, which feels great.

Using the Matsushita ZC as the baseline of all 8s for attacking, the Escudo 2 comes out to around 6-7 overall.
That said, the control is really good, so it's still excellent.
I'd recommend it as a second blade for choppers who've learned the basics, but it's good enough that you could use it as your first blade and keep using it forever - even if you buy other blades, you won't want to let this one go. It's the kind of blade you can stick with for life.

See original review Hide original review