Yinhe Venus V-4
Blade description:
This blade is a composite model featuring a 5+2 construction, utilizing Zylon-Carbon (ZLC) layers. It is designed with Limba outer plies, which provide a soft, wood-like feel and excellent grip on the ball. The blade is recognized for its high power, significant springy action, and a trajectory that remains consistently low during aggressive topspin loops.
Performance Characteristics
- Speed and Power: The ZLC composition grants the blade substantial inbuilt power, enabling effective play from mid-to-far distance from the table. It is particularly effective for offensive two-wing looping and high-speed flat hitting.
- Feel and Control: Despite its high speed, the construction retains a high degree of sensitivity. Users report medium-high vibration, providing clear feedback that helps differentiate between off-center and clean, well-struck shots.
- Stiffness and Flex: The blade offers a unique blend of stiffness for power and enough flex to support spin-heavy play. It maintains effective control in the short game and defensive maneuvers.
Physical Attributes
- Weight: Generally results in a heavier overall setup compared to lightweight all-wood alternatives, often necessitating adjustment for those accustomed to lighter equipment.
- Handle Design: The shakehand version features low-sitting wings that may make the handle feel shorter or thinner in the hand compared to standard blade geometry, potentially requiring additional grip tape for some players.
- Versatility: The blade is compatible with a wide range of rubbers, including both tacky Chinese-style rubbers and modern tensioned European-style rubbers, making it a flexible choice for experienced offensive players.
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Recent Reviews
#1 — February 2022
This is my third blade. My first blade was an all wood Joola Falcon Medium with Mark 5 on both sides. Then I upgraded to the lightest weight Andro Kanter FO Off blade, which had a fiber ply with R47 on the forehand and R42 on the backhand. The Andro ply was damaged, which prompted me to experiment with my next blade. I had been gradually moving up with blades and rubber over time. My next step was to try a carbon blade, so I decided to pick up a top-of-the-line ZLC-based blade. Before investing in Butterfly, I wanted to test a less expensive blade, so I picked up the Yinhe V4.
Initially, I struggled with the weight because my older setup was only 156 grams. With Earth 2 medium rubber on both sides, the new setup weighed 188 grams, which required me to do some strengthening exercises.
As a two-wing looper, I noticed a clear speed difference when performing backhand flicks and topspins. My opponents had a hard time returning my backhand. While I didn’t experience a significant speed difference on forehand topspins, I felt the ball went much further forward with a lower arc. Close to the table, I was able to effortlessly execute topspins.
The blade has medium-high vibrations, which helps me sense when I’m executing a great shot.
Flat shots are now much faster. Previously, one of my opponents could counter my flat hits, but now he has to block them due to the lack of time for a counterattack.
I plan to transfer the R47 from my previous blade to the forehand of this one and will update my review accordingly.
Cons:
The handle is a bit thin, so I had to apply tape for a better grip.
The blade is heavy, but this is subjective as I had previously been using a very light blade weighing approximately 65 grams.
Thanks.
#2 — September 2019
The wings start very low/early on the handle (shakehand), which makes the handle feel short and uncomfortable.
#3 — June 2018
Inconsistent blade, nice for spin, but not so good at everything else. Drives are especially inconsistent which happens sometimes with zlf based blades.
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