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Composite/carbon
I had a Yinhe Y13 blade but found it lacking in power. The Rozena rubber didn’t fit well on it. So, I decided to buy the Fang Bo ALC B2 blade. The Rozena rubber fits well on this blade. I will buy a new Rozena rubber to balance my play. My backhand rubber doesn’t fit well with my Fang Bo ALC blade. It’s Sanwei Taiji Plus. According to my playmates, my game has improved using the Fang Bo ALC B2. I am also satisfied with my play using this blade.
My DHS Fang Bo B2X arrived at 91.3g, 1442Hz, and 6.1mm thick from princett.com. This blade surpassed all other contenders (out of approximately 40) to become my personal favorite.
To compensate for reduced stamina during competitions against younger opponents (at 60+ age), I sought a blade with greater speed than the 7-ply clipper-like setup I was using. The Limba top layer enables me to execute serves with ample spin and control, while the inner carbon provides exceptional acceleration from 3-6 ft behind the table.
My blade is equipped with Yinhe Moon rubbers: medium sponge for forehand and soft sponge for backhand (non-tacky). These moderately catapulty rubbers complement the blade’s performance. Prior to gluing the rubbers, I coated the blade with varnish (recommended for Limba top layers) and sanded the edges. I also applied Tannius grip tape (purchased from Amazon).
In comparison to other blades, the DHS Fang Bo B2X: - Exhibits a lower speed than the external carbon Yinhe Pro 01 (a Viscaria clone). - Offers more dwell time than the Yinhe Pro 01 and Yinhe Pro Feeling. - Boasts a higher speed than the Yinhe PD-437 (7-ply with Limba top and 1400Hz). - Provides greater dwell time than the Yinhe PD-537 (7-ply with walnut top and 1400Hz). - Surpasses the speed of the Yinhe 970 xx-A (1291Hz).
While the handle is marginally thinner than those found on newer Sanwei blades (such as the HC-5s), the grip tape effectively addresses this difference.
Ultimately, for my playing style, this blade represents an upgrade in speed over the 7-ply clipper structure, while maintaining a comparable level of control.
This is a blade that I have wanted to upgrade to. Coming from the Ma Lin Extra Offensive, I felt as though I had to work extremely hard to get the amount of power to kill people during loops. The Fang Bo B2X is an impressive blade.
Due to the thicker core layer, it pushes the carbon out, and it makes activating the carbon a lot easier. That being said, I have hit with a Long V and I found that it was very night and day difference when the blade has wood feeling, and when hitting hard, a nice click. With the Fang Bo B2X, you don’t have to work that hard to get the carbon. I think that it is the best combination since it has the feeling of inner carbon and outer carbon at the same time.
This blade excels at mid distance rallies. Short to the table deliveries the ball at a deadly speed during 3rd ball attacks with minimal effort. Touch game with pushes is a bit tougher given how the carbon is easily activated. Flicks with both backhand and forehand are superb with the right amount of speed.
Looping is great with this blade, and essentially has a large sweet spot. If you hit the regular sweetspot of the blade then the ball will be near unreturnable. Blocking is great with this blade, no issues whatsoever. Since it is stiff in nature, blocks are consistent. Service is not as strong as the Ma Lin in this aspect, and that is expected with carbon.
In my opinion, this blade has medium high to high throw, and provides safety, although forehand technique must be solid, otherwise the ball will shoot out. I am using this with DHS Hurricane 8 Medium Hard 40 deg, Skyline 3-60 Medium Soft 37 deg. I recommend this to players who want to take control of the point immediately and want to pressure the opponent at the very start.
The price of this table tennis blade is reasonable. It offers a good balance of control and power, making it suitable for offensive playstyles. Additionally, its weight is not excessive, which enhances its maneuverability. Overall, I find this blade satisfactory.
Used with both Rakza 7 soft rubbers, this blade provides excellent control. It’s enjoyable to play with and performs effectively for both short and long play. The handle is comfortable and well-suited for attacking spin/flat drive play.
This blade is incredibly fast, even for skilled players. I find it works well for me, but I kid. It’s so fast that I have to stand one meter back just to serve. I serve with a forehand side/underspin, and I’m quite aggressive in my serving. As for the play, it’s very fast. Among the 10 fastest blades I’ve tried, it still offers control. Once you master this blade, it will become a reliable and long-lasting companion.
Extremely fast and stiff blade with a VERY VERY LARGE SWEETSPOT. Pairs well with softer (45 degree?) rubber for backhand and harder rubbers for forehand (only if you are a hard hitter).
FH: Hurricane 3 Neo Provincial Blue Sponge. BH: Xiom Vega Asia. Really gives so much spin when looping. However, it requires a lot of power and footwork, or else the ball will go into the net.
This blade is truly a gem. A must-have because of its performance. I switched from the DHS PG9 and feel this B2X has the control of the PG9, with much more balance but with more power. I tried the DHS Long 5 but found it very hard to perform a flat hit; you have to loop everything (unless you have good footwork and techniques, Long 5 will never suit you). All of them are 89 grams, with rubbers: FH H3 Pro 40°, BH H3-50 mid. With the same layers construction, the FB series is always stiffer than the Long series, and the price is just about 1/3. I think the PG9 and B2X have the same stiffness, but the Limba outer makes the B2X have more dwell time, and the ALC inner makes it more stable. The thicker core, compared to the PG9, gives the B2X more power, more than the PG9 with Koto outer. Overall, it is a very well-balanced blade, so switching between FH/BH feels very natural. If your style is quick attack plus loop (Long 5 is loop plus quick attack), this blade is for you.
Very nice blade. I used DHS Hurricane Fang Bo B2. This blade is a bit stiffer and really better in hand than the old version (BO B).
The new version B2X adjusts the thickness. The structure is the same as the old version, with fiber inner to core.
I’m a beginner to intermediate level player who wants good control rather than speed equipment. My combination of Fang Bo B2X is 729 Battle II for forehand and Butterfly Rozena for backhand.
Firstly, the grip and weight are amazing for me. It makes my forehand topspin easier and more precise than my recent blade.
Secondly, the speed is not too fast, but it’s enough for both sidespin attacks with good control and placement. Also, blocking or driving against topspin is very good.
To summarize, I’m happy about everything and I’m sure I will use this blade for a long time with experimentation with other rubbers. I will make another review after that.
I love the innerfiber technology, so this Fang Bo blade is a great choice. I previously used the Harimotto ALC, and these two blades are almost identical. They both use a limba wood outer layer and ALC carbon, giving them a longer dwell time and providing excellent spin. However, the difference lies in the thickness of the core. With the thicker core that the Fang Bo has, it provides more power and minimum vibration. I find myself more comfortable using the Fang Bo.
Furthermore, I feel that this blade has a heavier forward center of gravity, which makes me more comfortable swinging spin in the middle distance. Overall, I love this blade!
Great blade.
However, I would argue that the speed rating of 9.3 is slightly inflated and is more realistically around 8.8-9.0.
The control of this blade is remarkable.
It bears a strong resemblance to the Timo Boll ZLF in terms of feel and overall playing characteristics. Notably, it is somewhat stiffer than the ZLF.
The sweet spot is exceptionally large.
Considering its price point, this blade offers excellent value for money.
This blade offers a pleasant backhand experience with a touch of crispness. Equipping it with Mantra Pro M on the backhand side enhances its speed and spin capabilities.
As for the forehand, after experimenting with DNA Pro H, I found it lacking in firmness. However, once I switched to Hurricane 3 bs 40°, the blade transformed and provided an exceptional feel.
Overall, this blade stands out as a remarkable choice. Its build quality is impressive, which is not always a given with DHS products. This blade possesses a well-rounded profile without any noticeable shortcomings.
This blade is really good. It feels a little bit harder than the original Hurricane Long 5 (HL5), but it doesn’t have the hollow feeling that the HL5 sometimes exhibits. The HL5 feels more elastic in comparison.
In terms of power, I think this blade is a little slower than the HL5, but it feels faster than my Viscaria.
For the price, you can’t go wrong with this blade.
This blade is excellent. When paired with XIOM Omega 7 Pro, it becomes a very effective weapon from medium and long distances.
It shares the same structure and technology as the DHS Hurricane Long 5x. I am very pleased with it.
Okay, this is going to be a long review. I’ve tested this blade in comparison with the Hurricane Long 5X (HL 5X). I prefer the power of the HL 5X, but the BO B2X still has a lot of power. It’s not too bouncy and offers much more control than the HL 5X.
The BO B2X works well with European rubbers. With the HL 5X at a higher level, I struggled to make short enough balls due to its bounciness. I solved the bounciness problem on the forehand with a Hurricane 3 National (H3N) 2.2 40 degrees and on the backhand with a Dignics 80 (D80). However, the HL 5X is a very demanding blade, not suitable for intermediate-level players, only for advanced players.
The BO B2X is a much more universal blade. Good rubber combinations include hard rubbers like the MXP 50 or Bluestorm Z1 Turbo on the forehand and T05 on the backhand, or Dignics 05 (D05) on the forehand and D80 on the backhand. Even with very hard tensors, this blade gives you good control and power. Do not pair Chinese rubbers with a blue sponge with this blade, as the trajectory will be too direct and have a low throw, and the power still won’t be the same as with the HL 5X.
Spin capabilities are similar, but the footwork required for the HL 5X needs to be better. Still, both blades produce an extreme amount of spin, certainly higher than Butterfly (BTY) blades. In the end, the new HL 5X feels more like a Viscaria with more spin but less control, and the BO B2X feels like the old HL 5, but not as flexible and with a little more power.
The downside of both of these blades is the very soft limba wood. If you change rubbers every month, the blade needs to be lacquered, otherwise, micro-splintering starts from the sweet spot.
I switched from using a Mazunov blade to this one, and it was an excellent change. I am completely satisfied with having chosen this blade.
This blade is very good. It’s fast, yet still has good control. The blade needs to be lacquered, otherwise, splinters will come off the surface when you remove the rubber.
Good price for excellent performance. Shots are fast, with a noticeable jump in power when the carbon is engaged.
The flared handle and head-heavy weight distribution help me spin the ball with confidence on topspin strokes. It feels more stable than the Bo Carbon.
Switching from the Andro Novacell OFF/S, this blade was a very nice upgrade. Having primarily played with an older carbon Andro OFF+ for several years, this was my first experience with a modern carbon/ALC paddle.
Loops are spinny, fast, and feel very safe, offering a nice ball feel. Blocks exhibit good control while still retaining some speed. I found that a slightly more closed paddle angle was needed overall as balls tended to go long. Smashes can be hard to land due to the more direct ball travel.
Serves initially came off very high, but once I focused on brushing the ball, they stayed low and spinny.
My biggest complaint is the handle, which is quite thin in the middle and a little too long for me. Given that I don’t have very big hands, this was surprising. The flare is a bit much; I found the bottom pressed into my hand/wrist when winding up for backhands.
Overall, this is a great blade and available at a reasonable price.
Pros:
Cons:
The handle needs sanding. It has edges that are bothersome.
This blade is much better than I expected!
Coming from a Stiga blade with European rubbers, it took a while to get used to this blade. However, after some hours of playing, it has made my game a lot stronger.
I use it with Chinese rubbers, and there’s loads of control and speed, especially on longer balls. I have to be more intentional in my close game with this blade, but there’s still lots of control and spin available.
My long game has become more accurate; it really shines and kicks into gear on counter topspin. It’s very controllable, even at high speeds. It feels like the harder you hit, the more control you have. Happy!
The blade has a great feel. However, the handle’s quality is only average. I had to sand it a little.
The feel of the ball on the B2X is very similar to my Donic Persson Powerplay (one of my favorites). However, the B2X has more reserve power at higher intensity plays.
Looping with the B2X is very enjoyable. Flat smashes are probably not recommended; spin drive it instead. I use Hurricane 3 Hard on both sides.
Some on the internet say the B2X is just like the Hurricane Long 5 but “without the quality control.” I don’t know about that. The craftsmanship in my B2X is fine, the same quality as my Donics and Yasakas. No craftsmanship issues whatsoever.
There are those who think the pink color of the handle is too girly. But it’s more like salmon pink, and after a few months it gets darker (from sweat, I guess), so it’s not a problem at all. If I were to buy a second blade to one that I already have, it would probably be the B2X. But that will be a while, as there are others I want to try (Donic Carbospeed, Andro Gauzy BL7).
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