Donic Classic Power Allround

It is a blade that falls between a 5-ply all-wood blade and a carbon blade. It does not have the top-end speed or crispness of a carbon blade, but it is stiffer and faster than many 5-ply blades. Compared to the Yasaka Sweden Extra, it is harder to control, faster, and stiffer. You will need to adjust your blade angle to close the face quite a bit more to keep the ball on the table.

The advantage is that once you make that adjustment, the ball is quite a bit deadlier, faster, and low-arcing. Don’t get this blade unless you can handle carbon blades, but for some reason, do not like the feel of carbon. It’s also OFF or OFF-, not ALL+.

This blade fills a unique niche in the table tennis world.

If you’re looking for more speed without a stiff carbon blade, this is a great option. It offers greater speed than most 5-ply blades and many 7-ply blades, making it ideal for an all-around offensive player. This is particularly suitable for beginners seeking a controllable bat at a reasonable price, one that delivers more speed than traditional all-wood setups.

The flared version also feels comfortable in hand, showcasing the high quality typical of most Donic blades.

Personally, I have tried it with Tibhar K3 Hybrid and D-Tecs Grass 1.6mm sponged long pips. Surprisingly, the pips are quite controllable, though they are faster than what many players typically use. The K3 provides excellent speed with this blade, perhaps more than I would recommend for most intermediate or beginner players.

It leans more toward OFF- than ALL+. The control is fine for its speed, although it might require some adjustment if you’re switching from ALL+ blades. The ball simply leaves the blade faster.

It doesn’t lack power away from the table (unlike my Grubba). The blade feels noticeably harder than my Grubba All+ (the old version from the 90s).

For me, it’s almost acceptable, but I’m not entirely convinced, so I’ve switched back to my Grubba for now.

Regarding the build, the wings are a bit larger than I’m accustomed to, and the handle overall is thicker. However, one can adapt to that.