Friendship/729 Hao Shuai Champion Carbon
Blade description:
This is an asymmetric 6-ply blade featuring a composite construction, specifically integrating a carbon layer into the forehand side while leaving the backhand side as wood. This unique design results in a lightweight blade with a physical head size that is slightly larger than standard dimensions. Due to the carbon placement, the blade behaves differently on each side, offering a distinct performance gap between the forehand and backhand surfaces.
Playing Characteristics
- Forehand Performance: The carbon-enhanced forehand is optimized for speed, supporting aggressive flat hitting, loop driving, and pushing. It provides a generous sweet spot that aids in consistency even when the player is out of position.
- Backhand Performance: The wood-only backhand side is noticeably slower and less powerful than the forehand. While it is not suitable for passive blocking, it is effective for active long-pips play, though it requires more effort for looping and can be inconsistent for delicate defensive chopping.
- Feel and Handling: The blade is noted for being lightweight, which facilitates quick maneuvers. The overall feel is dependent on the specific rubber pairing, as the carbon layer significantly amplifies the speed of high-performance rubbers while leaving slower, defensive rubbers largely unaffected.
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Recent Reviews
#1 — March 2023
The blade is no longer in production. It offers good control and is not as fast as one might anticipate. However, it can be quite fast when paired with the appropriate rubber. Moreover, the blade is lightweight and of high quality.
I have equipped the blade with a Yasaka Rakza X on the forehand side and a long pip with sponge (1.0) on the backhand side (without carbon). While the blade is too fast for passive blocking, it performs well in an active long pip game. The head is slightly oversized compared to some other standard blades.
I was fortunate enough to acquire a second blade from Malaysia. It is intriguing why there are not more asymmetrical 6-ply blades like this one being manufactured.
#3 — March 2010
I have recently upgraded to this blade and I love it! It is very light but still gives great power. I am currently playing with Gambler Outlaw on my forehand and Gambler Reflectoid on my backhand. The carbon layer on the forehand side adds to the speed of the Outlaw, but does not speed up the slow Reflectoid backhand rubber. Great blade!
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