Donic J.O. Waldner [Limited JO Shape]

All-wood
$54

Blade description:

The Donic J.O. Waldner Limited JO Shape is a high-quality table tennis blade designed for professional players seeking exceptional speed, control, and consistency. Here’s a detailed description based on information and forum reviews:

Speed and Control: With a speed rating of 9 and a control rating of 8, the Donic J.O. Waldner blade is a perfect balance of power and precision. It provides effortless power for offensive shots while maintaining excellent control for delicate touches and spin variations. The blade’s responsiveness allows players to execute fast and accurate strokes with ease.

Stiffness and Hardness: The blade has a stiffness rating of 3.7 and a hardness rating of 5.2, indicating a moderately stiff and hard construction. This combination provides a solid feel and good feedback, making it suitable for players who prefer a direct and dynamic playing style. The blade’s rigidity enables efficient energy transfer, resulting in powerful shots and precise placement.

Consistency: The Donic J.O. Waldner blade is renowned for its exceptional consistency. With a rating of 10, it ensures a uniform and reliable performance. Players can expect consistent ball feedback and predictable shot outcomes, allowing them to maintain a high level of control and accuracy throughout the game.

Construction and Materials: The blade features a 5-ply construction, utilizing a combination of limba, spruce, and ayous wood. Limba provides a hard and dense outer layer, contributing to the blade’s speed and power. Spruce and ayous in the core layers offer flexibility and stability, enhancing the blade’s control and consistency.

Weight and Thickness: The Donic J.O. Waldner blade has a weight of approximately 82 grams and a thickness of 5.5mm. The moderate weight and thickness allow for good maneuverability and a comfortable feel in the hand. Players can maintain a fast and aggressive playing style without compromising control or precision.

Playing Style: This blade is well-suited for players with an offensive playing style who prioritize speed, power, and precision. It excels in executing fast loops, drives, and smashes. The blade’s balance and control also make it a versatile option for all-around players seeking a high level of performance in various playing situations.

Overall, the Donic J.O. Waldner Limited JO Shape is a premium table tennis blade that offers exceptional speed, control, consistency, and a balanced feel. Its high ratings and positive reviews reflect its popularity among professional players seeking a high-performance blade for competitive play.

Recent Reviews

#1June 2025

Mine weighs 85.5g. Its speed is approximately as suggested, around 8.8.

It’s faster than an Xiom Offensive S, but feels stiffer than its ratings indicate. I anticipated that the spruce layer would make it more flexible than the Offensive S (Limba/Limba/Ayous/Limba/Limba), but this wasn’t the case. It is stiffer, resulting in less dwell time for looping.

However, the spruce, limba, and ayous layers also mean it is softer than the Offensive S in some ways. It works well for a modern game style, with both hitting and looping. I tested it with Vega Europe (softer) and Vega X (harder). Both rubbers performed well, whether soft or hard, depending on your preference.

#2September 2023

Many moons ago, there was the epic and now the iconic Donic Waldner OFF JO Shape blade. There are two variations, the tenso carbon and this one.

This one (the Donic Waldner OFF JO Shape) is slightly slower than the tenso carbon one, but not that much slower.

I really like this blade. I think I found the perfect blade, having used Viscaria, Stiga Carbonado series - these two were too fast at the expense of good control/speed, and also I used the Donic Epox series - which seemed a bit slower than this blade.

What I like about this blade:

  1. The sweet spot is amazing; the control it provides allows me to place the ball very close to the net even when the ball is coming at a lot of speed. It’s something I could not do with Stiga Carbonado with the same rubber.

  2. The grip of this blade is unlike any others. For a straight shape, it has a unique JO Shape that no other blades have. It is slightly bigger, round, and very soft in the hand. I just love it.

Caution: if you do not like a wider handle width, this might be a bummer for you.
(By comparison with Stiga Carbonado, which has a much thinner width in the blade handle for the same Straight type)

But if you have previously used any Donic handle, for example, the Donic Epox, then you will feel amazing.

  1. The quality of this blade is 10/10. Good craftsmanship.

  2. It is much lighter in the hand compared to Stiga Carbonado, with both rubbers being a Tenergy.

  3. I can make very good blocks with this blade. It has been able to handle quite a few different types of attacks so far, and everyone seems amazed. But I, for one, know that the blade gives me a notch there for a clean block return.

  4. Smashing is clean and impactful.

  5. (Bias) I feel the inspiration of Waldner when using this blade. :)

Rubbers that I saw were good with this blade:

DHS rubbers did not feel good on this blade, and not even Tibhar Quantum.

#3July 2023

Racket is well built.

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