Stiga Carbonado 45

Excellent blade. Popular with some top Chinese players, and a favorite of Coach Lin. A good choice for those transitioning from wood blades, wanting a larger sweet spot and a little more speed (Off- speed with great control). Slower than my Butterfly IF Layer ALC, LSW, or Nittaku Acoustic Carbon, but faster than Acoustic.

The speed is just like Viscaria. However, it offers an enhanced feel, catering to players who may not prefer arylate carbon but still seek exceptional spin. If you fall into this category, this blade is highly recommended, as it promises the perfect feel. Minor adjustments may be necessary to optimize your experience.

I decided to try this blade two weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, I haven’t used it for very long, only twice to be exact. However, overall this is a great blade for a control player with intermediate spinning skills.

Amazing blade! It has a woody feel and excellent control, but it’s not too fast. The edges may need to be sanded, as the top ply can splinter easily. It’s recommended to seal the blade before gluing on rubber to prevent splintering. Overall, it’s a must-try blade.

This is definitely one of the better carbon blades I’ve used. It’s everything you would expect from a top-tier carbon blade: large sweet spot, stable in blocking, enough dwell time for looping, good enough feeling for short shots, and enough power for shots far from the table.

Overall, it’s on par with Viscaria, Ovtcharov True Carbon, Acoustic Carbon, and Ma Long 5. Whether it’s the best blade for you depends on minor characteristics and personal preference.

Here are some minor characteristics that might affect your preference for the blade: It’s medium-light weight (mine is 89g), has a medium throw angle, and is evenly balanced (not head-heavy). Hope this helps you decide which blade to get.

Very nice feeling, high throw, consistent far away from the table, good in almost every shot. Despite the high price, the outer ply (limba) is easy to rip off, so be careful what glue you use. Maybe a thin lacquer would solve the problem.

Sorry guys, while adding this blade I mistakenly exchanged the manufacturing rating.

Manufacturing ratings are: — Control-47 — Speed-147

And no. of plies are 5+2.

My first Stiga blade was the Stiga Offensive Classic WRB (OC). To this day, it remains the blade that provides the best feeling out of all the blades I’ve tried, even surpassing the Yasaka Extra and Yasaka Sweden Extra. I’m solely referring to the feel of the blade, for clarification.

Despite owning several modern blades, I find myself longing for the familiar feeling of the OC, occasionally picking it up when facing high-level players. However, my attacks lack sufficient power against them. This prompted me to search for a blade that replicated the feel of the OC while offering greater power.

My initial choice was the Offensive Classic Carbon. While it delivered impressive speed, surpassing the OC in power, it was overly stiff, compromised on feel, and generated less spin when paired with the same rubber. Despite its优点, it simply didn’t align with my style.

In my ongoing pursuit of a suitable replacement for the OC, I came across recommendations suggesting that the Stiga Carbonado 45 felt similar to an all-wood blade. Upon trying the 45 for the first time, I was thrilled to discover that the feeling was indeed very close to the OC, although it still produced slightly less spin. Its inherent flexibility and softness allowed for excellent ball control during blocking and looping.

Having tried countless blades, over 30 to be exact, I hesitate to rate the Stiga Carbonado 45 as highly as others who give it an 8.7/10. Personally, I would give it an 8.2. I can still distinctly feel the carbon layer, but the control remains commendable. As a penhold player, I find this blade ideal for off-play, excelling in control and looping but falling short in the smashing department. With slight adjustments to its phrasing, the review becomes more coherent and grammatically sound.