Victas Koki Niwa

My setup is Koki Niwa, FH Fastarc G1 2.0mm, BH V15 Extra max. It’s an offensive blade, fast and stiff but not very dynamic. The level of control is amazing for such a fast blade. It really shines with linear medium/hard rubbers; for example, Fastarc P1, T64, or Rakza 9 are too dynamic for the blade and you’ll lose all of its quality. On the contrary, Fastarc G1, D09c, or Rakza X accommodate very well, giving these rubbers a perfect balance between spin and power. It’s not the best blade to serve, backspin second ball, or passive shots, but as soon as you’re active on the ball everything is possible. BH flick is a breeze 95% of the time (V15 Extra helps). FH topspin is very versatile: slow spinny topspin, controlled topspin, power counter topspin, mid-distance, and long-distance topspin are always predictable. One of the best versatile offensive blades I’ve played with.

Niwa vs Acoustic carbon outer: less stiffness and speed, Acoustic is better on flat hit, block; Niwa is better on ball placement and spin. Niwa vs HL5: service is better with HL5, HL5 is a little faster and has more spin potential, but Niwa has more control. HL5 is better for Chinese rubbers, but Niwa is better with European and new hybrid rubbers (Tibhar K3…).

The greatest quality of this wood is that it is playful; it makes you want to make the exchange last and to test things as you feel confident with it. Who is it for? Well, it all depends on the rubbers used. I think that in all cases it needs rubbers with a hardness greater than 45° and linear. Tensors like G1 or Rakza X will be perfect for experienced players, but a good old Donic Vario or other non-tensor rubber will go without a problem to a young player in progression or a less young player of average level. It’s not suited to spin-oriented players, all-round players, and it’s too stiff for beginners.

Great blade. I like it much more than Viscaria. It is slightly stiff and a little hard, but not dead hard. It does not feel disconnected. It is great for today’s fast aggressive looping, blocking, chop blocking, and close to table play.

I agree with the Table Tennis 11 professional review about this blade. It is spinny and very enjoyable to play with. It plays well with harder rubber but also plays well with 43-degree rubbers.

After testing the Koki Niwa and Ma Long blades many times, I liked this one more. Even my partner at the club said that my shots became much more spiny and artistic compared to all the previous blades I used against him. This blade is one of the few that I will always keep.

There is enough control and speed for playing at a high level with different rubbers.

Although it doesn’t seem to be, this blade, in my honest opinion, should be extremely popular.

It’s light, very fast, exhibits excellent control, is spinny, and most of all you can hit any shot with this blade. I find no fault of any kind with this blade. I have owned over 20 blades, and this is without question the best. Until now, I have considered my Nittaku Basaltec Outer the best blade because of its properties. But this Victas blade does everything the Basaltec does, but just better. The one caveat is you have to be at least an intermediate player (1600-1700 level) to really use this blade to your advantage.

I would call this a very offensive blade with great control and still plays like an all-around blade with the full variety of shots and spins.

I have Tennergy 80fx on the forehand, and Barracuda on the backhand. Great combination.

I can’t say that I am a connoisseur of blades. I gradually moved from the All class (the last one was Andro Super Core Cell) to Off (before the current one was Andro Treiber Off-). There is no comparison with the previous ones. It’s a lot better.
Decent speed, ball control with a great margin (forgives many of my handling mistakes), at the moment of receiving the ball there is a slight, let’s call it “flabbiness,” as if playing with a defensive blade, but the ball flies back at a non-defensive speed. Victas V > 15 Extra is placed on both sides (2.0 on the right, max on the left). Perfect for playing close to the table and in the mid-range. So far the best I’ve played with.

I have been searching for a blade with excellent control and speed, and it happened after testing Koki Niwa’s blade, the most important thing is choosing the rubbers. They are individual for different players. I chose Tenergy 05 max on the forehand and Tibhar MX-D max on the backhand, but the choice always remains with the athlete.

I’m using this blade as a replacement for Viscaria since I need a carbon blade. I put DHS Goldarc 8 for the forehand and Victas short pimples for the backhand.

My first impression of this blade is that it’s very good. It has amazing control. I can easily stroke the ball from far behind the table. The blade’s technology helps you to maximize power and control. I really enjoy using this blade. If you are a fan of Koki Niwa and you enjoy playing attacking from far behind the table, and need maximum control, this is the right blade for you.

I will never regret buying this one.

Excellent blade. Very reminiscent of Butterfly’s ALC, but with better control. This is better than Butterfly ALC. I recommend trying it.

Extremely wonderful feel, unparalleled forehand-backhand conversion!

High speed, not control, but you can try.

Fantastic blade with a great wood-like feeling, superb speed, and power. I found it much better than my previous Koki Niwa Wood blade, which has little power for looping. Perfect for close-to-the-table attackers looking for a combination of speed, placement, and spin! Just like Koki Niwa!

This blade provides a good feeling and speed. The sweet spot is a little small, similar to average timbers. For straight handles, it should have a rounded design like the Joola Rossi Fire 07, as a flattened design weakens the grip unless it is square-type, like Butterfly blades designed for larger hands. Personally, I prefer a rounded straight grip because it is more comfortable and adaptable to the hand.

Very powerful blade but with a great, almost wood-like feeling.

I bought this new version and frankly can’t tell any big difference between this new version and the old version. Excellent paddle. You need some skill to control it though, if you put even a medium-hard rubber on it.

I put Ventus spin on both sides and the result is perfect. Also, I found that the overall weight (paddle plus two rubbers) is very light compared to my TT buddy who has a Ma Long 5 with both sides Hurricane 3. TT11 did an excellent job assembling it. Thank you.

Victas Koki Niwa Wood Review

December 11, 2018

As an avid Koki Niwa fan, I was eager to try this blade. It exceeded my expectations, boasting remarkable speed and control. Compared to my Tibhar ALC, this Victas blade outperforms it for my playing style.

The backhand is exceptional with this blade, thanks to its excellent handle. It effortlessly facilitates powerful backhand shots and forehand as well. Its exceptional looping capabilities, combined with its adeptness at blocking, dropping, adding touch, and serving spin, make it an ideal choice for my current skill level.

This blade also exhibits impressive catapult on power shots, allowing for precise execution, and provides excellent touch on delicate net shots. The well-finished surface eliminates the need for sealing. Notably, it allows for the easy regluing of rubbers without damaging the blade. I personally recommend Andro Glue and advise against using DONIC glue due to its inferior quality.

My 89-gram blade is currently equipped with Black Fastarc S1 (max) on the forehand and Donic Bluefire M3 on the backhand. This combination has proven highly effective and may undergo adjustments in the future. The standout feature of this blade is its unparalleled control, ensuring that shots consistently land where intended. It surpasses all other blades in my collection, including Tibhar ALC, Nittaku Acoustic, and Rossi Emotion.

Using it with H3 and Nittaku Flyatt on BH, I am very satisfied.

Previously, I was a Long V addicted person, but this blade provides a lot of power for me and is also great at control. I don’t know why not many people are using it.

The Victas Koki Niwa is a stiff, dynamic and OFF rated blade with a surprisingly high level of control. To me, it feels like an all-wood blade with hard outer plies, rather than typical composite blades, which often result in a somewhat disconnected feel.

While the blade allows for spinny serves and short touch shots, it is clearly geared toward an aggressive loop-driving, smashing, and blocking game style played close to the table and/or from mid-distance.

Players with excellent footwork and technique will be able to really harness the many benefits of this blade. See the full review here: http://blog.tabletennis11.com/victas-koki-niwa-review.