DHS W968 Hurricane Long 5 National

This is one of the best blades, for sure. But is it really a 10/10 blade? No blade is. This blade requires good fundamental techniques. A problem for this blade is that the price is ridiculously high and it is hard to buy authentic ones. It’s supposed to be made for China national players only. For USATT 2000 and below players, a DHS PG7 might let you play better. I intentionally give a lower rating to it to subdue the hype on this blade. I think it’s a 9.6/10 blade.

Updated 10/04/2022: Using T05/T05FX makes the W968 an excellent blade, great for short touch and powerful from middle away from the table. If you use Hurricane rubbers, make sure to boost them well.

Exceptional blade, but quite expensive, like a handmade piece of furniture. DHS used the best pieces of wood from each tree in its production. I like the narrow throat and handle overall. Excellent control and enough power to overcome slower rubber (Max H3 National and 09C). The slower, hard sponges help me control the opponent’s hard shots close to the table. My game emphasizes looping, blocking, and pushing, which the blade does well. I don’t recommend the blade for flatter hitters and smashers.

Ma Long uses this blade, and it is the best.

The best blade here offers both all+ and off++ capabilities, allowing you to effortlessly overspin your opponent while simultaneously blocking their shots with ease. It creates the impression that your opponent is not even using their full arm strength to generate spin on the ball. However, it’s important to note that this blade may not be suitable when paired with soft rubbers.

This review compares the W968 to the Hurricane Long 5 Commercial blade.

Upon initial examination, the W968 Long5 feels vastly different from the commercial Long 5. Its handle is larger and thicker, and the first stroke reveals a noticeably slower blade compared to the HL5. The W968 feels softer and has more flex, with the vibration or feel being more pronounced in the head than the handle. This allows for a more refined touch on the ball.

Despite its apparent slowness, the W968 offers exceptional control due to its extensive gear range. The W968 has a broader range of gears (30, from 1 to 30) compared to the HL5 (20, from 5 to 25). While gears 1-5 contribute to the slower feel, activating gears 25-30 enhances both speed and power. This versatility allows the W968 to adapt to various playing styles, offering both control and raw power when needed.

This blade is incredibly hard and powerful. It is ideal for offensive play, as it can generate a great amount of spin and power. However, it is also relatively heavy, so it may not be the best choice for players who prefer a lighter blade. Overall, it is a great choice for players who want a blade that can generate a lot of spin and power.

WOW is the adjective that comes to mind when describing this blade. I own several high-end blades from various brands, but this one stands head and shoulders above the rest. Its exceptional craftsmanship and performance make it a true standout.

I’ve been using this blade for three years. I’ve tried three different DHS w968 Long 5s. The simple version for the European market is not worth the cost and offers poor control. The superior blade is the one made for the Chinese national team, which Ma Long uses. There’s a series with a gold DHS logo rather than Ma Long’s image. This is the fastest and most controlled W968 available in Asia. I use this blade, which weighs 93 grams. My setup is BH Tenergy 05 and FH DHS National blue sponge Hurricane 3. The blade provides explosive power in attack and is stable in blocks and counterspins. I highly recommend this blade for players seeking something special. However, it’s not for beginners. It’s expensive, around $1000, and fast, requiring skill to handle. Strong ball rotation and speed define this blade.

Best blade ever. I play for fun with this one because my main style is modern defensive.

How do I know it’s great? Because it has a great feeling, consistency, and accuracy in shots. It also has several speeds depending on what you want to do with it.

I have tried almost everything that Butterfly has that’s considered better (I give them as an example because they are a standard in this field), but this blade is on another level.

I had hoped this blade would be like the Ma Long 5 on steroids- a best version of this classic blade. I hoped for more of the flex that allows the blade to have an extra gear over stiffer blades. This was not to be the case. With 2 sheets maximum thickness 09c and a DHS grip tape the weight was 207 grams. Took off the grip and tried lighter rubber(T05) and even one side T05 and one side 09c to keep the weight down.

Even with lighter rubbers it was very head heavy. I like a little extra weight in the head of the racket but this was too much for me. Can’t really see much difference between this blade and the DHS Long 5X. Both have good power and feel very stiff. The flex of the Ma Long 5 is almost completely gone. Felt like I was playing with a Butterfly blade. Build quality was average with strands of carbon sticking out of the blade in several places.

The larger handle that many have mentioned with the W968 was barely noticeable. Cannot appreciate anything this blade can do better than the Ma LongLong 5X. I competed at the national level in the USA as a young adult and owned a large table tennis equipment business for several years. I will continue playing with a Ma LongLong 5X and will revisit the W968 from time to time in the future.

I had truly believed that having artisans pick out the best quality pieces of wood would make a significant difference. Unfortunately, not in this case. I would recommend you buy the Ma LongLong 5X and then invest in the highest quality of rubber. Hope this helps you make a decision.

Amazing blade to play with. Well worth the price.

I was hesitant to buy this blade, partly because of the cost and because I thought it was overrated. But after years of deliberation, I finally decided to buy it.

To my surprise, I’m loving the blade. It has good control, great feeling, and is fast enough to produce powerful shots. I have tried many blades, and so far, this is one of my favorites. I think I will stick with this blade for a long time.

I paired this blade with a DHS H3 Neo National 42-degree rubber on the forehand and a DHS Hurricane 8-80 Provincial 38-degree rubber on the backhand.

Since the construction wasn’t very different from my previous blade, adjusting to this masterpiece didn’t take long. However, reaching its maximum potential will require a lot of time and practice. The blade is solid and suits me perfectly in every way. Despite this, the quality doesn’t quite match up to European blades. Removing strong glue like FineZip requires caution to avoid damaging the sensitive top sheet. DHS Verification confirmed that it is indeed a genuine product.

Дерево очень хорошее, спору нет. Немного похоже на иннерфорс, но с гораздо более улучшенным чувством мяча и скоростью. Очень хорошо подходит на нее Dignics05, для левой стороны идеально, 09с не понравилось.

С права конечно нужно клеить hurricane 3 42 градуса, это дерево создано для этой накладки. За эти деньги могли бы и поработать над верхним слоем, он очень мягкий и сыпится, у меня после 5 переклеек очень много уже отвалилось по краям, обидно. Цена на мой взгляд завышена процентов на 40, красная цена этому дереву 250-300€.

I have over a dozen other blades, all top-name brands (yes, I’m an equipment junkie). But after hitting the first few balls with the W968, I knew my search for the Holy Grail was over.

It is, without a doubt, the best blade for me. Now I can focus on my game instead of searching for the best equipment.

Awesome looking blade and perfectly manufactured in every aspect.

It is an authentic blade, verified by its code.