Xiom 36.5 ALX

Simply the best blade I’ve tried, a softer and more balanced version of Viscaria.

The rounded handle (Free Angle) is pleasant to hold, and the finishes are perfect. The design is modern, but the plates on the neck are the only negative aspect. The sound is nice, and the Sweet Spot is wide and consistent.

Far from being too fast, the transition to carbon is natural.

This is a very nice blade with fine craftsmanship by Xiom. Mine is 86g and paired with V>15 Extra on both sides. The construction is similar to Bty ALC blades. It features a medium-hard touch, great speed, and enormous spin. I think it is faster than TB ALC but offers a fine touch for topspin players. It is one of the best looping blades and is excellent for mid-distance play.

Review:

This is a very good blade for beginners who want to improve their table tennis skills. It gives me a lot of confidence when playing.

What an amazing blade, weird but in a good sense. The finishing is above everything I’ve grabbed my hands on. The koto surface and handle are nice and smooth. Too bad they’ve used cheap lens/logos. Mine came in 87 grams, with a flared handle.

This is my first impression - only one session - in comparison with Viscaria. Upfront it is needed to say that comparing the two, in a sense that they have similar behavior, doesn’t make justice to neither, IMO. They are two different species! I will refer to Viscaria as it is a benchmark blade.

1. XIOM 36.5 FH: DHS H3 Provincial Orange 39 degrees, 2.2 mm + booster BH: DHS Gold Arc 5, 2.1 mm DHS 15 Glue 194 GRAMS

2. VISCARIA U code FH: DHS H3 Provincial Orange 39 degrees, 2.2 mm + booster BH: TIBHAR MX-S, 2.1-2.2 mm 192 grams

For me, the most outstanding difference between the two is speed (elasticity). I didn’t expect the ALX to be so fast! According to the reviews I’ve read, I was expecting a more captive blade, higher dwell, more oriented towards FH strokes, resembling inner carbon structures, with a good kick provided on higher power strokes by the composite layer, these respectively to Viscaria.

In reality, the blade provides a fast spiny kick upon contact, even at relatively low power strokes (warm-up drives). The kick is not a heavy type (Amulart/Photino) but a crispy one with very good conversion to speed, with balls landing deep on the table. Even stranger is that one can easily tame this wildness, decelerating the ball in an automatic manner. If you go slow, it goes slow; if you ramp up, it becomes really crazy. Bottom line, I cannot say it is linear.

This is an alternative to Viscaria. If you like Viscaria but want a little more soft touch, control and a little higher arc, try this blade. It is very good, fast if you hit fast, and gives you a nice feedback, increasing your control. I’m very happy with it.

Important: The speed is not 8.5 at all!! It is 9 to 9.2, I’m sure.

Works very well with Hurricane 8 Soft on forehand, providing excellent control. Drive, loop, and counter techniques perform exceptionally well with this blade. It is also effective for receiving serves. However, the ball occasionally shoots out of the table. Playing from the second zone can be challenging, so it is best to stay close to the table.

In comparison to Carbonado 45 and 145, I find this blade to be superior. It is slightly slower than Viscaria on light touch but faster on power play, which can lead to occasional shots going out of the table.

On the backhand, I used DHS G555, which excelled at blocking and flicking. I am still searching for a more suitable rubber for backhand play.

Unlike Viscaria, which is more suitable for backhand-oriented players, this blade is better suited for forehand-oriented players. I hope this review is helpful. I apologize for any grammatical errors.