Table Tennis Blade Selection Guide

1 · Who is it for?

A starting point, not a rule: each choice sets the playing style and build that usually suit that player, and you can change either afterwards. A blade with no recorded build is left out of a choice that sets one.

2 · Or pick how you play

3 · Narrow it down

Budget :

Choosing a table tennis blade? This guide places every blade we carry, 252 blades from Butterfly, Andro, Victas, Donic, Joola, Tibhar and Palio, in the band its own manufacturer gives it: defensive, all-round or offensive. Start with how you play, narrow by grip, build, weight and budget, then open the blades that are left. Some brands also publish a finer class inside a band (OFF−, OFF, OFF+); where they do, it is shown. It is each brand’s own judgement of its own range, not one shared measurement.

4 · The chart

All-wood: more feel, more forgivingComposite (carbon and other fibres): faster, stifferBuild not recordedBar: the brand rates the blade across these classes

Butterfly TB5 Alpha FLButterfly Petr KorbelButterfly Timo Boll J FLButterfly FalcimaButterfly Falcima CSButterfly PrimoracButterfly SK7 ClassicButterfly SK7 Classic CSButterfly Korbel SK7Butterfly Hadraw 5Butterfly Hadraw 5 CSButterfly BalsaCarbo X5 22Butterfly BalsaCarbo X7 22Butterfly SK CarbonButterfly SK Carbon CSButterfly Timo Boll CAFButterfly Timo Boll CAF CSButterfly Timo Boll TJ FLButterfly Primorac CarbonButterfly Timo Boll SpiritButterfly Outerforce CAFButterfly Outerforce CAF CSButterfly SardiusButterfly Innerforce Layer ALCButterfly Innerforce Layer ALC CSButterfly Innerforce Layer ALC.SButterfly Innerforce Layer ALC.S CSButterfly Outerforce ALCButterfly Outerforce ALC CSButterfly Fan Zhendong ALCButterfly Ovtcharov Innerforce ALCButterfly Timo Boll ALCButterfly ViscariaButterfly Fan Zhendong ALC CSButterfly Freitas ALCButterfly Harimoto Innerforce ALCButterfly Viscaria CSButterfly Harimoto Innerforce ALC CSButterfly Timo Boll ZLFButterfly Innerforce Layer ZLCButterfly Innerforce Layer ZLC CSButterfly Outerforce ZLCButterfly Outerforce ZLC CSButterfly Fan Zhendong Super ALCButterfly Fan Zhendong Super ALC CSButterfly Harimoto Innerforce Super ALCButterfly Harimoto Innerforce Super ALC CSButterfly Timo Boll ZLCButterfly Viscaria Super ALCButterfly Apolonia ZLCButterfly Fan Zhendong ZLCButterfly Fan Zhendong ZLC CSButterfly Franziska Innerforce ZLCButterfly Harimoto Innerforce ZLCButterfly Harimoto Innerforce ZLC CSButterfly Mizutani Jun ZLCButterfly Viscaria Super ALC CSButterfly Revoldia CNFButterfly Fan Zhendong CNFButterfly Fan Zhendong CNF CSButterfly Fan Zhendong Super ZLCButterfly Fan Zhendong Super ZLC CSButterfly Harimoto Innerforce Super ZLCButterfly Harimoto Innerforce Super ZLC CSButterfly Lin Yun-Ju Super ZLCButterfly Mizutani Jun Super ZLCButterfly Xstar VButterfly Maze AdvanceButterfly Diode VButterfly Diode ProButterfly Innershield Layer ZLFButterfly Maze MagicButterfly Andrzej GrubbaButterfly Boll MezzoforteButterfly publishes the band only, so its blades take no position inside a band.Butterfly labels its penhold (CS) versions “Quick Attack”; each is placed with the shakehand version of the same blade.Not classed: 3 blades (Butterfly calls them Combination / Topspin-Minded, which is not a band) ›Butterfly77 bladesAndro Timber 5 DEF FLAndro Inizio ALL Green FLAndro andro Timber 5 ALL/SAndro Gauzy BL5 ALLAndro TP Ligna ALL FLAndro Inizio ALLAndro Unity 5 ALL FLAndro Timber 5 ALL BlackAndro Timber 5 ALLAndro Kanter FO ALL/SAndro andro Novacell ALL/SAndro Inizio OFF Blue FLAndro andro Timber 5 OFFAndro Unity 7 OFF FLAndro andro Timber 7 OFFAndro andro Timber 7 OFF/SAndro Gauzy BL7 OFFAndro andro Novacell OFFAndro andro Novacell OFF/SAndro Gauzy SL OFFAndro TP Ligna OFF FLAndro TP Ligna OFF/S FLAndro andro Kanter FO OFFAndro andro Kanter CO OFF FLAndro Gauzy HL CO OFFAndro andro Treiber CI OFF FLAndro andro Treiber FI OFFAndro TP Ligna CO OFF FLAndro TP Ligna CI OFF FLAndro Synteliac VCO FLAndro TP Ligna Basalt Inner OFF FLAndro Synteliac ZCO FLAndro Inizio OFF FLAndro Unity 5 OFF FLAndro Achanta Legacy OFFAndro Eloi Legacy OFF/SAndro Heister Legacy OFFAndro Wosik Legacy OFFAndro Achanta CI OFFAndro Synteliac VCI Gauzy EditionAndro Synteliac VCI FLAndro andro Treiber FO OFF/SAndro andro Treiber CO OFF/SAndro43 bladesVictas Koji Matsushita DefensiveVictas Balsa 3.5 FLVictas Black Balsa 3.0 FLVictas Koji Matsushita ZC FLVictas Balsa 2.5 FLVictas Balsa 4.5 FLVictas Koji Matsushita Special FLVictas Award Allround Light FL-SmallVictas Award Allround FLVictas Black Balsa 5.0 FLVictas Euro Classic All+ FLVictas Koki Niwa RegiasVictas Balsa 5.5 FLVictas Dyna Five FLVictas Euro Feeling Off- FLVictas Koji Matsushita OffensiveVictas Fire Fall FCVictas Award Offensive FLVictas Award Offensive Light FL-SmallVictas Dyna SevenVictas Euro Power Off FLVictas Balsa 6.5 FLVictas Swat Carbon FLVictas Hino-Carbon Power FLVictas Koki NiwaVictas Swat FLVictas Black Balsa 7.0 FLVictas ZX-Gear Fiber FLVictas Koki Niwa Wood FLVictas Fire Fall ACVictas Gladias AR FLVictas Gladias EX FLVictas Gladias HA FLVictas ZX-Gear In FLVictas ZX-Gear Out FLVictas MagnassVictas Benedikt Duda AFC FLVictas Koki Niwa ZC FLVictas Koki Niwa ZC InnerVictas Balsa 8.5 FLVictas Swat 5PW FLVictas Dyna Carbon FLVictas42 bladesDonic Zentra F1rst AllroundDonic Appelgren Exclusive ALL–Donic Zentra N2xt CarbonDonic Waldner Exclusive AR+Donic Burn ALL+Donic Appelgren ALL+ WC89Donic Persson Exclusive OFF (FL)Donic Waldner OFF FLDonic Impuls 7.5 FLDonic Impuls 7.0 FLDonic Waldner Legend CarbonDonic Whiper Outer Carbon FLDonic Waldner OFF WC89Donic Zhang Jike Original Carbon FLDonic Balsa Carbo FleeceDonic Defplay Inner Carbon FLDonic Waldner DiconDonic Classic OffensiveDonic RelevantDonic Original CarbospeedDonic Waldner Senso Ultra Carbon FLDonic Anders Lind Hexa Carbon FLDonic Original No. 1 FLDonic Zhang Jike NEW ERA FLDonic JO Waldner Gold Edition FLDonic Original No. 1 Senso FLDonic Waldner AllplayDonic Appelgren AllplayDonic Classic Power AllroundDonic Coton RelevantDonic Waldner Senso CarbonDonic Original True Carbon Inner FLDonic Original Senso V1 FLDonic Balsa Carbo Centran Fibre FLDonic Persson OFF+ WC89 FLDonic Persson Power AllroundDonic Impuls 6.5 STDonic Classic AllroundDonic Original True CarbonDonic Whiper Inner Carbon FLDonic40 bladesJoola CWX Chen Defender STJoola BASELine All (FL)Joola BASELine OFF (FL)Joola Hugo Calderano KL-c OuterJoola Vyzaryz Freeze HRD FLJoola Vyzaryz Hybrid FLJoola Hugo Calderano ARY-CJoola Hugo Calderano ARY-XJoola BASELine JrJoola BASELine Carbon (FL)Joola Hugo Calderano KL-c InnerJoola Proline AW5 FLJoola Xylo 7Joola Tezzo WarriorJoola Proline OAC FLWhere Joola calls a blade only offensive or all-round, it takes no position inside the band.Not classed: 9 blades (no class published) ›Joola24 bladesTibhar Samsonov Premium Contact ANTibhar Samsonov Premium Junior FLTibhar Alexis Lebrun ALL+ FLTibhar Samsonov Pure Wood FLTibhar Samsonov Alpha FLTibhar Dynamic J7 FLTibhar Felix Lebrun OFF- FLTibhar Samsonov Force PRO FLTibhar Alexis Lebrun OFF FLTibhar Alexis Lebrun Krypto Carbon FLTibhar Dynamic JC FLTibhar Felix Lebrun Hyper Carbon FLTibhar Darko Infinity CarbonTibhar AK 23Tibhar Samsonov Force PRO Black Edition FLTibhar Samsonov Premium Carbon FLTibhar Samsonov Stratus Carbon ANTibhar OH JunsungTibhar18 bladesPalio KA ALLPalio CAT ALLPalio R57 ALLPalio B11 ALL+Palio C-2 OFFPalio TNT-1 OFFPalio B21Palio C87 OFF+Palio8 bladesDefensiveChop and blockAll-roundControl and placement, attack when it is onOffensiveTopspin and speedDEF / DEF+ALL−ALLALL+OFF−OFFOFF+← more controlmore speed →

Your shortlist

Done choosing your blade? Now choose your rubbersWould rather not assemble a racket? See our racket selection guide

How to choose a table tennis blade

Start with the band. A defensive blade is built to chop and block with control. An all-round blade puts control and placement first and still has the speed to attack when the chance comes, which makes it the usual place to learn. An offensive blade is built for topspin and speed. They are collections too: all-round blades and offensive blades.

Then the finer class, where a brand gives one. ALL−, ALL and ALL+ step from more control towards more speed inside the all-round band, and OFF−, OFF and OFF+ do the same inside the offensive band. Andro, Victas, Donic, Tibhar and Palio publish a class for their blades, and Donic often gives a range such as ALL+ to OFF−, drawn in the chart as a bar. Butterfly publishes the band only, so its blades are not placed inside one.

Why there is no single speed number. Each manufacturer rates speed and control on its own scale, so a 9 from one brand is not a 9 from another. This guide compares blades only on what the brands have in common: the band, the class, the build, the weight and the price. Butterfly’s own reaction and vibration figures are on our Butterfly blade specifications chart.

Build, weight and handle. An all-wood blade gives more feel and is more forgiving; a composite blade adds a carbon or other fibre layer for speed and stiffness. Lighter blades are quicker to move, heavier ones carry more through the ball. Flared (FL), straight (ST) and anatomic (AN) are handle shapes of the same blade, and penhold blades are made for the penhold grip. A blade needs two rubbers to become a racket; shop all blades.

Every blade, by playing style

Defensive blades (11)
All-round blades (52)
Offensive blades (186)
Not classed by the manufacturer (12)