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.

I had been using Xiom paddles for a while. I originally used the Zetra Quad, which is a great paddle. Then I switched to the Vega Euro and loved it. After that, I tried the Feel HX PRO, and it was just okay. So, I decided to stay with the Vega Euro, although it was discontinued (you can still buy it from Amazon at a decent price, and the XIOM US store still has it).

When I saw this 36.5 and a review from a XIOM expert in a forum saying it was the best XIOM he had ever had, I decided to try it. I have Rakza X on my forehand (FH) and TSP Ventus Spin on my backhand (BH). I tried Rakza X on a Timo Boll ZLC and it was really good.

I was quite disappointed with this paddle. It is very different from the Xiom Vega Euro. It is too slow close to the table, and when you try to hit hard, the ball just flies off the table with no control. The speed of the ball coming off the paddle is not linear to the power you put into the shot.

I’m not saying it’s not a good paddle, but switching from the Vega Euro (a copy of Zhang Jike ZLC) to this ALC will take some time. That’s actually quite weird because I tried the Koki Niwa Carbon (an ALC paddle also), and it is close to the Vega Euro, just much faster. I switched from the Zetro Quad to the Vega Euro with no problem at all.

So, I’ve decided to stay with the Xiom Vega Euro.

This is a clean, offensive blade. It offers excellent control and maneuverability. I’m currently using it with Xiom Vega Europe on my backhand and Xiom Vega Japan on my forehand. I didn’t find the Vega Europe to be to my liking; it felt too soft. I plan to switch to Andro R47, 2.0mm thick, on my backhand.

Quality, good control.

This is an excellent blade. The control is amazing. Well done to the Koreans for making such a thing. The feeling for the ball is stunning. In my opinion, for those who have only used Butterfly blades, Xiom is currently in first place in terms of value for money.

And the Tabletennis11 store is great, a discount plus a gift, what more could you ask for? Thank you!

Plays like a Viscaria, but with a better feel. I prefer this blade over the Viscaria.

A blade with precise bounce and excellent balance. Provides a good feeling during play.