Friendship/729 Bomb

Blade description:

The Friendship/729 Bomb is a versatile and dynamic table tennis blade, renowned for its unique blend of speed, control, and touch. Constructed from seven layers of wood, including a cork core and a secondary balsa layer, the Bomb delivers an exceptional playing experience. Its medium weight of approximately 85 grams and thickness of 6.4mm make it comfortable for players looking for a balance between offensive power and finesse.

The blade exhibits a moderate level of flexibility with a stiffness rating of 5.1, allowing for good dwell time on the ball, which enhances spin and precision on loops and drives. Players frequently commend the Bomb’s control, particularly in situations requiring touch and placement. This characteristic makes it suitable for a variety of playing styles, from aggressive looping to defensive chopping. However, some users suggest pairing it with softer rubbers to maximize its performance, as the cork core provides a lively spring sensation that can be a bit tricky with harder sponges.

Among its alternatives, players often compare the Bomb to higher-priced blades, emphasizing its remarkable value given its performance characteristics. Despite minor complaints about the handle being too thin or unimpressive finishes, its affordability (often around $20) positions it as an excellent option for intermediate players looking to advance. Overall, the Friendship/729 Bomb stands out for offering a competitive edge without a hefty price tag, making it a worthy consideration for players at varying skill levels, particularly those focused on loop-heavy, spin-oriented play.

Recent Reviews

#1 — November 2019

Recently bought this blade. Very flexible and definitely produces variations. It requires medium hard to play decently. The blade quality is acceptable for the price; it is a cheap intermediate blade.

The ball doesn’t bounce more than 2 or 3 times on the blade, giving it a dead feeling, probably due to the cork core. So this might work for modern defenders. With rubbers, the ball bounces less with a soft touch but skyrockets with even a little harder touch.

Update: After 4 years of getting this blade on Amazon.in, I can’t find this blade for sale; very high demand but no supply. Mid-Hard and Super-Soft rubbers work like magic on this blade. Very hard rubbers are “unpredictable”…. You want deception, you want touch play, you want super-spinny surprise loops, extra deep-cut, short drop shot / heavy-cut, but don’t expect to smash to the heavens though. I haven’t tried Pips-Out rubbers on this yet…I suspect it will work out great: -D Maybe I will update about more things later on. On/Off I play on a very casual level with this blade, but it produces results like anything!

#2 — August 2017

People say that the handle is narrow, but mine isn’t. Maybe they have changed it to a Stiga Semi Legend type handle. I attached a Hurricane 3 Neo rubber and a Friendship 802-40 Red rubber to the blade. It has a lot of dwell time and a nice feel. It is a fast and aesthetically pleasing blade. I will provide more impressions soon.

Update No. 1: I replaced the medium pips with Boost TS, a very soft sponge tensor. The hard top veneer helps the ball sink deep into the Boost’s sponge, absorbing the incoming spin at the right angle. It is a good combination. I then replaced it with a 729-5 rubber. The speed is now reduced, but the control is a little better.

Overall, it is an easy blade to use that matches well with different types of rubbers. Weight is always an issue with this blade, so be careful if you decide to use heavy rubbers like Hurricanes and Skylines.

#3 — March 2017

Unfortunately, the wood layer peeled off when trying to remove my old rubbers. This was not something that I expected. I liked the blade, but this is just not okay….