Yasaka Extra Special

In terms of feeling, this blade offers a perfect blend of the Clipper and YEO. However, it is faster than both, making it a more viable option in today’s game. I own two of these blades, one weighing 96 grams and the other 88 grams. I recommend purchasing from TTEUstore as they provide exact weights. The heavier blade feels incredible but will likely be used primarily for training. It offers a low throw, crisp but not overly hard feel, and minimal flex with a slight amount of give. While I have not tried the Barwell blade, if I were to create my own blade, I would utilize the same materials as this one.

Amazing all-wood blade with great control. It is suitable for an offensive playing style and has more power than the YEO blade.

This blade excels in all aspects, particularly in looping and topspins. Its control is exceptional.

Comparable to Nittaku Barwell, Yasaka XS is slightly firmer and stiffer. Yasaka XS shares 95% of the renowned Nittaku Barwell’s characteristics.

Despite being heavier and firmer than Yasaka XS, Barwell has a softer feel and medium hardness. Nittaku Barwell also offers slightly higher dwell and spin.

Yasaka XS is faster than Barwell, potentially due to its heavier weight (around 90g-93g) compared to Barwell’s 85-89g.

Overall, Yasaka Extra Special is an exceptional performance blade available for under £55, earning it a well-deserved 9.7/10 rating.

I bought this blade on sale as a spare/training blade. I’m pleasantly surprised by the quality and performance. It has a lot of gears and plenty of speed. It also has great feeling, so you can easily execute any techniques with it.

As a 7-ply blade, it’s fairly stiff. It’s great for blocking, but you also get enough dwell for high-quality loops. This blade provides good control, but it’s not for beginners. You need to have some power and proper technique to unleash this blade’s potential.

I recommend medium-hard to hard rubbers. Both tacky Chinese rubbers and tensors are good.

Nice blade for loopers. It has good dwell time, speed away from the table, and excellent control. It pairs well with medium-hard rubbers like Xiom’s Omega IV Pro. However, it is a bit heavy.

I needed to sand quite a bit of the neck to make it comfortable for my fingers while playing CPEN. This isn’t necessarily a negative aspect because it allows for more customization. The top ply appears to be quite fragile, as it gets damaged even with a slight hit on the table. I’m not sure if this is due to the wood properties or poor finishing.

Good speed, control, and spin. My Rakza 7 Soft rubber is on the backhand side. I get super spin and control for my backhand. The Rakza 7 is on the forehand side and provides cool speed and spin. I have full control at the back table. :) I would not recommend this blade for beginners. This blade provides experience for professional players. I play with a style similar to Chinese player, Zhang Jike. I have no problem playing backhand and forehand shots. It is an absolutely cheap and very good racket. Try the racket yourself. I am deaf, so I apologize for any mistakes in my English. ;) Bye for now, table tennis players :))))).

Same composition and quality as Barwell for a much more affordable price. It is more than great value for money; it is getting a premium blade for a fair price.

This short review is the same for Barwell and Extra Special. Certainly one of the best clipper-based blades. The Walnut outer gives amazing control and power, and the touch is great. Throw is medium high, and speed is off+. The blade is a topspin monster close and mid-range, and the short game is very good thanks to amazing touch. The speed/spin/control ratio is amazing. The solid feel is amazing for blocks. I tested both Barwell and Extra Special with Bluefire M2 on both sides. I sold my Barwell and bought two other Extra Specials (91 grams each; the blade has good balance and feels much lighter than my Butterfly IF ZLC of 89 grams with the same rubbers).

I commend this blade for those who want a premium clipper-based blade with a hardwood outer. If you liked Ebenholz VII, Rosewood VII, Barwell, Timo Boll W7, Stiga CRW VII, etc., you will also like the Yasaka Extra Special and you will love its price compared to the previously listed blades.

If you liked Yasaka YEO and want somehow even more power, you can consider the Extra Special as a great choice, but you can also think about the Extra Offensive 7 Power.

For those who love their Barwell, give a try to the Extra Special. It’s the same but much cheaper, same quality.

I’m a rookie in table tennis (6 months) and I started using this blade (CH version). Wow, I felt so much difference in control, spin, and smashes. I’m using Stiga Calibra LT Plus FH, Calibra LT Sound BH. I think my forehand is still too fast, but my backhand control is superb (for my level). So I think if you use a soft sponge on both sides, it would be the best.

I tried Rakza 7 Soft as Forehand yesterday and it was marvelous. The throw angle was medium-high but always hitting the table, whether it was looping a backspin (3rd ball) or counterloop as the 4th ball.

To all my rookie fellows, I highly recommend this blade with medium/soft sponge rubbers. No mistakes!

This table tennis blade offers great control, enabling precise shot placement. Its speed allows for both controlled and powerful shots. The comfortable handle provides a secure and stable grip, making it ideal for hitting. However, if you prefer chopping or blocking, you may want to consider a different blade more suited to those techniques.

My hobby is trying blades and rubbers. I am an 1850 US player. I have tried many blades, and this is one of my top picks. I use Tenergy 80 FH and Nittaku anti BH. The only thing they could improve on is the handle length.

The blade is on the faster side but still maintains control. Looping and flat hitting are excellent, and close and mid-distance hitting are a breeze. I recommend this blade for an offensive style of play.

It’s very light and has a comfortable hand. :)

This table tennis blade provides excellent control for its speed. When paired with Yasaka Rakza 9 and Stiga Neos Sound rubbers, it weighs 187 grams.

Medium soft, too soft for me. Good for play away from the table.

Some flex and head heavy, some trampoline effect not at p700 but more than Clipper.

The control is very good, and the speed is quite fast. Overall, this is a good blade.

It’s a very nice blade! Great feel and control. It has perfect control but also good speed. It has the following plies:

* Walnut * Limba * Ayos * Ayos * Ayos * Limba * Walnut