Tibhar Felix Lebrun Off-

Quite an interesting model. I planned to purchase the Tibhar Stratus Power Wood, but it was unavailable, and this new model was offered as an alternative. The FL handle is very comfortable and fits nicely in the hand. My blade weighed 89 grams.

I tested it in two variations:

1. FH Donic Bluefire M1 2.0mm, BH Donic Acuda S2 2.0mm
2. FH Xiom Vega Japan 2.0 mm, BH Xiom Vega Europe Df 2.0 mm

The first setup felt entirely new and difficult to control; it was too bouncy. It requires a few sessions to adjust to the sponge. The second option felt much better, but the Vega Europe Df was not a suitable rubber. The total weight of the second setup was 180 grams.

This blade is suitable for beginners and advanced players transitioning from 5-ply to 7-ply blades. The blade is not very fast, but it offers excellent control, allowing for good spin generation. Since it’s a wooden blade and not super stiff, the throw angle is medium to high, making it ideal for close-to-the-table play.

An important feature is the two layers of polymer fiber. This fiber isn’t stiff like that of the Xiom Hugo Hal, so it doesn’t provide an extra kick on hard hits. On the contrary, it appears to decrease power, making it difficult to achieve speed using wood alone. With the first setup, the speed was great. However, with the second setup, everything felt very sluggish, especially with the Vega Europe Df. Because it’s a very soft rubber and the blade absorbs energy, attacking becomes challenging. At the same time, the fiber helps block strong attacks from opponents, even those with high ball spin.

With the right rubber selection, this is a very interesting blade that allows for comfortable play up to an intermediate level. At a higher level, opponents will easily return mid-speed balls. As an intermediate blade, it’s very good.