Tibhar Lebesson

I have been an ‘equipment junkie’ for a year or more looking for the right setup. So I have tried several blades and rubbers. But now I have returned to this blade, which has an exceptionally good feeling and dwell time, while also having good speed. I have tried Falck Carbon, Harimoto innerforce, and DHS 301, to mention just a few. However, they all have much less feeling for the ball, although Falck and DHS 301 are faster when you hit the ball.

But what is the use of a faster blade if you lose confidence and feeling in the game?

In short, I highly recommend this blade. It is excellent for developing your game and gaining confidence. I use DHS 8 2.2 in my FH and Aurus Select 2.0 in my BH.

I purchased the blade with a weight of 85 grams. However, I am not particularly fond of it. If you have been practicing the sport for an extended period (10 years or more), you may also find it undesirable. The build quality is unsatisfactory, giving it the impression of an inexpensive Chinese blade. The sensation of capturing the ball is minimal. It might be suitable for beginners. Additionally, the handle is narrow. Despite being 5mm longer, this does not pose any disadvantage. I do not recommend this product.

This blade offers a medium speed and control, making it suitable for a wide range of playing styles. However, the FL handle is very thin, which may not be comfortable for all players. Despite being flexible and inexpensive, it is not a blade that I would recommend purchasing again. It lacks any outstanding features and provides a rather unremarkable playing experience.

This blade is quite peculiar. It lacks both speed and control, rendering it comparable to an unbranded product with low-quality wood construction. Avoid purchasing this blade.

Soft base, very flexible — wasted time — for playing in the backyard — money down the drain! Proceed with caution for kids.

Really good bat for those developing their technique. It is not too fast nor too slow but very consistent. Nice feeling too. The flared handle I got is a bit small, unfortunately. It might be better to get a straight handle.

You can defend with it quite nicely as well due to the control. It is good for both attack and defense but leaning towards attack. Really good blade for its price. Recommended for beginners to intermediate.

Mine is 89g (FL) and definitely OFF-. Wood composition is limba/mahogany/ayous. I would rate speed as 8.5, control 9, stiffness 5 and hardness 5.5+, due to its hard mahogany 2nd ply. You can feel the hardness of the mahogany, but it isn’t as extreme as the outer walnut ply in the Yasaka Extra Offensive, which is very hard and stiff feeling. This feels more dwelly and woody than the YEO, but not as soft and flexible feeling as typical limba/limba/ayous blades.

It plays like a synergy of the Primorac OFF- and the Yasaka Extra Offensive. Or, plays like the Nittaku Acoustic, but a touch harder and stiffer, without the Acoustic feeling. I paired it with Evo FX-P to replicate the setup used by Lebesson himself, and can certainly see why he uses this combo. It blocks, flicks and counters well, with no obvious issues in short game. Looping with the FX-P is really nice too, with lovely click from the FX-P and a fairly standard amount of dwell. It doesn’t have the dwell time of a thin/soft ZLF blade, however still has plenty enough imo.

This is a really nice blade for an intermediate (or better) player, not wanting something painfully slow, or uncontrollably fast either. The blade has a longer handle length (5mm longer) and smaller blade face size, which makes for a perfect 50/50 weight balance - no head heaviness, relatively speaking. For the price on special (around $30 USD) it’s great value for money.

Excellent blade, all+/off-. It has a great feel, with light vibrations and a high arc. It is great for close to mid distance.

Limba-Mahogany-Abachi-Mahogany-Limba: This combination is perfect for control, elastic topspin, and blocks.

The table tennis blade has excellent control and enables a wide range of shots. It boasts a comfortable handle, providing an exceptional touch play experience. While not particularly fast, this blade excels in control, making it suitable for blocking and smashing. I have paired it with Tenergy 64 and Andro Rasant to enhance its performance.

Very similar feel to Alpha. I like the wide wings near the handle. A lot of control with ox long pips on the backside, and chopping is very spinny. I’m making more backspin with this than with Defplay, which is surprising. A little stiffer than I’m used to and probably better with max rubbers. I will increase the flex by sanding the throat to enable use of my 1.9mm rubber for more arcing.

Amazing blade. It works very well with all rubbers. I have used tacky rubbers and tensor rubbers. It feels amazing!

Great for touch and topspin! It is perfect for controlling rallies.

It is an excellent choice if you want to play a controlled topspin game. It is my second blade. My weapon of choice is Tibhar Stratus Power Wood, but the Lebesson blade has better control. SPW is harder, stiffer, and much more powerful, but Tibhar Lebesson gives you a very good ball feeling and helps you use your hitting power instead of relying on the raw power of a fast blade. Paired with fast medium hard rubbers, the Lebesson blade works wonders for the intermediate looper. And this blade is cheap as hell!

Samsonov Alpha is a more spin-focused version of the original Alpha.

If you love the Alpha but want more spin, then this is the blade for you. It plays in a similar way to the original Alpha, but with a slightly softer feel. This makes it a great choice for all-around players who want to generate more spin with their shots.

This blade was initially disappointing to me, being slower than expected. However, after using it for 3 months, I’ve found that it can generate plenty of speed in my topspins, and my control has also improved substantially.

The most remarkable aspect of this blade is its spin generation. Despite being slower, it produces noticeably more spin than any blade I’ve used before. I initially used it with an old Boost TX but later switched to a Calibra Sound. The percentage of successful topspins increased significantly once I made that switch.

On the other hand, I’ve found that the Tenergy 64 on my backhand does not suit me well because I prefer hitting to blocking. I’m also not a fan of passive blocking with this blade, as it feels too slow and soft. However, I’ve discovered that it excels at active blocking.

Despite the handle being somewhat small, I’ve found it surprisingly comfortable. The blade weighs 88g and is relatively thin (around 5.5 or 6mm, though I haven’t measured it).

Comparing it to previous blades I’ve used, this one ranks as follows in terms of speed: Tibhar Black Carbon > Tibhar IVS > Tibhar Lebesson ~ Andro Kinetic Supreme Off.

Although this blade seems less precise in placing the ball and finding angles compared to my Kinetic Supreme, I feel that it offers superior spin capabilities. The blade is also highly flexible, as evidenced by the fact that I can easily bend it by pushing against its top.

This feels very similar to the Samsonov Alpha. It looks to have the same construction, but with a slightly thinner handle (comparing both flare handles) and a slightly larger head size. That second point is nice if you switch rubbers around a lot - the Sammy Alpha has a compact head, so standard cut rubbers overhang somewhat.

It offers fantastic quality and value for money. There is plenty of speed for a stiff 5 ply, and it matches well with most rubbers.