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Nexy Yoo Nam Kyu Pro ALC - review

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    Posted: 02/03/2020 at 1:47am

Nexy Yoo Nam Kyu Pro ALC

Thank you to Nexy for the opportunity to evaluate the Yoo Nam Kyu Pro ALC blade

Background:  I have a balanced spin-offensive FH style and use short pips in my BH mostly for blocking and driving. My USATT rating sits at ~2180. 

Introduction: Nexy’s marketing material for this blade can be found here (http://nexyttstore.com/blade/664-yoo-nam-kyu-pro-alc.html) and includes high-quality images of the blade. The Yoo Nam Kyu Pro ALC blade, was tested and recommended by - and named after - the first Olympics Men’s Singles winner. It is a 5+2 ply composite blade with anisotropic ALC (combination of vertical Arylate fiber and lateral Carbon fiber) placed between the middle and central plies. The outer ply is made out of limba wood. The blade was developed in Korea and manufactured in China.  

The blade comes in a sturdy, blue, and glossy cardboard box that looks pretty sharp. No blade-specific information is provided on the box. The blade looks quite modern and has the following dimensions: 158 mm x 149 mm (length x width), 5.8 mm thickness and a weight of 86 g. The blade has a thick core ply, followed by a thin ALC layer, a thin penultimate ply and a very thin outer ply of limba (for close-ups of the ply composition see the Nexy page or this video: https://youtu.be/D6yVXiyrATw). The blade seems to be very well made. The wings have been sanded and the playing surface is very smooth. There are no sharp edges. Bouncing a ball on the naked blade produces a high pitch of ~1399 Hz, suggesting that this is a blade in the OFF range. The playing surface has limba’s characteristic golden straw color, with beautiful vertical wood grains. The FH side has quite a bit of descriptive text, i.e., the blade name and technical details:

Speed: 92 med fast

Additional hold/kick -11% hold

Feeling: 88 Mid soft

Rel. feeling at wing: +14% sharp

The SQST handle has the following dimensions (length x width x height): 100 mm x 27.8 mm x 21.0 mm. The FH side of the handle is mostly dark grey with salmon-colored vertical stripe and a white stripe running diagonally across the lower part of the handle. The FH side of the handle also features a thin silver oval lens bearing the name of the blade. The BH side of the handle has a design that resembles that of some Donic blades, being mostly salmon-colored, with a single thin dark grey vertical stripe and a tiny white rectangle. There is a round silver tag on the bottom of the handle, with Yoo Nam Kyu’s signature.

Unboxing: https://youtu.be/OxC880lyKdc

Testing procedure: I attached well-used sheets of DHS Hurricane 3 Neo (black, 2.2 mm, 40-degree orange sponge, provincial version) and Spinlord Waran II (red, 2.0 mm) short pips on the FH and BH side, respectively, using the Revolution 3 normal viscosity glue. I evaluated the set-up over ~4 sessions, playing a mix of simple drills and matches against my regular practice partners using Nittaku J-top 40+ plastic balls.

Playing impressions: While the set-up is comfortable to hold, it is slightly head-heavy, which typically is not my preference. However, the head-heaviness did not really bother me during play. The blade produces little in terms of vibrations. FH drives feel crisp and slightly “pingy” as the presence of the ALC layers is clearly felt in every stroke. The speed close to the table feels relatively fast (lower OFF range). BH drives with the comparatively softer Waran 2 short pips also feel crisp and produce a hint of a cracking sound. BH drives were stable with minimal “glassiness” that I sometimes get with thin blades that have carbon plies underneath the surface ply. Contrary to the information offered by Nexy (“hold -11%”), the dwell time, in my opinion, is no more than average. Consequently, the throw angle on FH loops against backspin is medium to medium-low, with a greater-than-usual proportion of loops catching the edge of the net. I was able to compensate for this by using a slightly more open bat angle (but this slowed down my FH-to-BH transition). Paradoxically, the Yoo Nam Kyu Pro ALC seems a little slower far from the table for the effort put into it (e.g., FH-to-FH loop rallies), which consequently requires well-executed strokes with an open bat angle. It feels as if the ALC ply has an absorbing rather than kicking effect (disclaimer: I have only tested few ALC blades - perhaps this is a normal characteristic for this composite type). FH and BH fishing shots from mid-distance, on the other hand, worked well and were facilitated the blade’s stability and stiff feeling. BH hits through backspin using the Waran 2 short pips are fast and direct but more prone to mistiming than with most other blades. In other words, the margin for error is smaller. Blocking, which is one of the blade’s highlights, is crisp, direct, and controlled, especially on the FH side. Presumably, this is again linked to the dampening effect of the inner ALC ply. Flat hits and smashes are plenty fast and enabled by the blade’s stiffness and medium-low throw angle on high-impact shots. Drop shots and short pushes are easy to play, except that the relatively low levels of vibrations produced render it a little bit difficult to feel the ball. However, other composite blades feel far more detached. Long pushes can be played fast, low and deep, but seem to have lower-than-normal spin levels. Flicks are another highlight, as the blade’s stiffness and low range OFF speed work well to enable deep well-placed shots. Spin levels on serves are average due to the shorter dwell time.  

Conclusion: The Nexy Yoo Nam Kyu Pro ALC is a blade for advanced players. It is relatively fast and requires good technique and footwork. The inner ALC ply is clearly felt on every shot, providing stability in the blocking and mid-distance looping game. The longer I played with it, the more I liked it. The closest comparison I have to the Nexy Yoo Nam Kyu Pro ALC are the Butterfly Apolonia ZLC and the Hurricane Long 5. The build quality of the Nexy Yoo Nam Kyu Pro ALC is higher than either of those blades, and it also offers a crisper feeling than lends itself well towards today’s more physically demanding playing style.



Edited by patrickhrdlicka - 02/03/2020 at 1:48am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02/15/2020 at 12:17am
the way the reviews had been grouped is kind of chaotic - i am going to put my review here since this was the first one posted.

i won the Nexy YKN Pro Alc blade as  a lucky member.

My blade weights 92 g and has Gewo Nexxus EL Pro 50 2.1 FH and Stiga Mantra H 1.9 BH.

The blade is of very high quality and comfortable right out of the box.

Feel of the blade: some vibrations but very short and controlled - giving it feel plus solidity ; the top ply or plies is somewhat soft: cushions the ball before bouncing it off (reminds me of the Acoustic Carbon in that respect).

in play: loop drives are somewhat fast and very consistent (compared to my other setups);flat hit and smashes felt indirect and lack crispness with the Gewo / when I used the Mantra H it was better and is on par with other blades that I liked. Blocking was consistent and well controlled. Serves were able to be kept short.  Power was more than adequate from all distances.  i would rate the speed a high OFF minus. Overall I would group this blade with my favourites.

Compared to a similarly structured blade that I have, the DHS Fangbo Carbon which has a still effective Andro Powergrip on the FH, the YKN plays better in every category (for an offensive player) except flat hit where it might be equal or a little below.  I have a ML5 which is also similar, but I am too lazy to take off the H3s and mount some hard ESN rubber for a comparison.

Will add to my review if I make more observations.



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote lasta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02/18/2020 at 8:46am
Hi guys,

I received the Nexy Yoo Nam Kyu Pro ALC (that's a mouthful) a few weeks ago, but only recently had the chance to play. This is my impressions of the penhold version of the blade after 2 ~2 hour sessions.

For those who don't want to read text, I hope the chart I made will give a detailed comparison in as many aspects of a blade's feel and performance as I can gauge. I tried to be as objective as I can, but understandably, I don't exactly have the tools or knowhow to measure Ec/Ep and Vp/Vl as the guys at TTGearLab. I hope having a bunch of other "subjective" opinions is enough for you to form your own conclusion. *Note, all blades are compared to the Stiga Clipper Wood and not a numerical measurement, ie a 2 in density does not imply a "hollow box" but simply significantly less substantial vs a Clipper, if you move the control variable to a Primorac, the results would be much different. Some of these are popular blades, so most people should be able to relate.


Fit and Finish: Patrick has done as detailed description as possible so I won't add much. Build quality is overall excellent, on par with Xiom and Butterfly. Although the ball bounce frequency on my example measures 1331 rather than his 1399, so "technically" a bit less stiff.

Construction: Nexy didn't provide the specific composition of this blade other the the outer being limba and composite being vertical fiber and horizontal carbon. Comparing with my 30 or so blades of known design, I would guess the intermediary layers to be limba and the core ayous. This would "theoretically" be the first difference between the Pro ALC and Butterfly's Innerforce (whose second layer is ayous rather than limba), but don't quote me on this.

Weight: 84g, about average by modern standards, but featherweight considering I mostly use 100g+ antique blades nowadays.

Shape: Slightly more rounded than Butterfly/Stiga blades (amongst most others), similar to Xiom. If you use a rubber cut for another blade, there might be overhangs on the 4 rounded corners. The neck is noticeably thinner than Butterfly/Stiga and once again similar to the Xiom. Now, neck shape is completely subjective, some people like thinner necks so then can wrap their fingers around easier, but my opinion on the matter is that blade makers should provide fatter necks to start. Any self-respecting penholder would sand/file that area, so you can always make it thinner yourself, but there's no way to add girth. The handle is also thinner than Butterfly/Stiga, and once again, the same as Xiom. This is not a major complaint, but keep in mind that thinner necks and smaller handles could mean more chances of slippage for those who use a wider or more relaxed grip. My setup with Xiom Omega VII Asia and Vega Asia weighs 173g, so this isn't a big deal.

Feel: This is the most important aspect for me.

I would say the Pro ALC is relatively hard (although not so much as the TBS), fairly dense/substantial (more than the TBS, perhaps even more than a clipper!), has a moderately sharp impact sensation (closer to the TBS than an all wood), with signifcant vibration dampening (but less than the TBS). While I said there is signifcant vibration dampening, the blade does wobble a bit on high impact, but the sensation is short lived and not as reverberating as all wood blades. Deformation/flex is noticeable, but somewhat reduced due to the composite dampening properties. Low impact speed (bounciness) is higher than the Clipper, but less than the TBS. High impact speed suffers a bit due to the noticeable flex, but defintely fast enough and overall a fairly linear blade. The sensation of smashing "power plateau" is less noticeable than the TBS (if Pro ALC is indeed -11% hold, then the TBS would easily be -20%), but all in all, closer to reponse characteristic to the TBS than the Clipper. The ~80% effort deadness/dullness of TBS is less noticeable, however it is still harder to achieve that crack-bam feel of a stiff 7-ply (more click, less crack). If Nexy had made this blade a tad thicker, it would likely hold up better for hard hitters, but then again, it won't be as easy to achieve the "balanced/tuned" performance the designers are apparently going for. I don't like descriptions of dwell time and throw angle, but if forced, I would say medium-low, more than the TBS, but far less than all woods (7-plies included).

I am impressed by the overall "balanced" nature of this blade. If you are looking for something a little more toned down from the TBS types, yet relatively linear (thus good control), there is a lot of balancing going for this blade. The blade is quite a bit softer than TBS, but offers a more solid/dense feel (due to the harder core) which makes the in play feel signifcantly more substantial.

However, personally, I would love to see Nexy try to produce something with even more density and perhaps push the design from "mild hold" to "mild kick" while preserving the moderatley sharp impact sensation. If that is even possible, that would definitely fill a niche where I personally associate with.

Please note that this is only impressions from 2 sessions. Due to the virus situation in China (which is where I'll be stationed this year), all TT clubs are closed. I'll be adding more hopefully in the weeks to come.


Edited by lasta - 02/19/2020 at 8:25am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02/19/2020 at 10:10am
off topic: does anyone know why TT11 does not carry Nexy?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BH-Man Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02/19/2020 at 12:01pm
IDK, but I think there is already a Nexy distributor kinda near there already...

Edited by BH-Man - 02/19/2020 at 12:04pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ericd937 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02/19/2020 at 7:34pm
Originally posted by lasta lasta wrote:


Feel: This is the most important aspect for me.

I would say the Pro ALC is relatively hard (although not so much as the TBS), fairly dense/substantial (more than the TBS, perhaps even more than a clipper!), has a moderately sharp impact sensation (closer to the TBS than an all wood), with signifcant vibration dampening (but less than the TBS). While I said there is signifcant vibration dampening, the blade does wobble a bit on high impact, but the sensation is short lived and not as reverberating as all wood blades. Deformation/flex is noticeable, but somewhat reduced due to the composite dampening properties. Low impact speed (bounciness) is higher than the Clipper, but less than the TBS. High impact speed suffers a bit due to the noticeable flex, but defintely fast enough and overall a fairly linear blade. The sensation of smashing "power plateau" is less noticeable than the TBS (if Pro ALC is indeed -11% hold, then the TBS would easily be -20%), but all in all, closer to reponse characteristic to the TBS than the Clipper. The ~80% effort deadness/dullness of TBS is less noticeable, however it is still harder to achieve that crack-bam feel of a stiff 7-ply (more click, less crack). If Nexy had made this blade a tad thicker, it would likely hold up better for hard hitters, but then again, it won't be as easy to achieve the "balanced/tuned" performance the designers are apparently going for. I don't like descriptions of dwell time and throw angle, but if forced, I would say medium-low, more than the TBS, but far less than all woods (7-plies included).

I am impressed by the overall "balanced" nature of this blade. If you are looking for something a little more toned down from the TBS types, yet relatively linear (thus good control), there is a lot of balancing going for this blade. The blade is quite a bit softer than TBS, but offers a more solid/dense feel (due to the harder core) which makes the in play feel signifcantly more substantial.


It’s interesting that you compared Nexy Pro ALC blade to both TBS and Clipper Wood. I have two blades in my bag currently: Nexy Yoo Nam Kyu Pro ALC and TBS. I also own two Clippers, Clipper Wood and Clipper CR. Both my TBS and my Nexy Pro ALC are about 89 grams, ST handles. My Clipper Wood is 92 grams. You said you found the TBS to be harder than the Nexy Pro ALC. I felt it opposite. My Nexy Pro ALC seems way harder and stiffer than my TBS. In my opinion, my Nexy Pro ALC feels more similar to my Clipper Wood than it does to my TBS. I also found the Nexy Pro ALC to be much faster than my TBS. The Nexy Pro ALC also has a dull/muted feeling to my hand. In addition, my Nexy Pro ALC is less bouncy than my TBS, but Nexy Pro ALC is significantly faster. The Nexy blade has a very direct feeling when top spinning. Very interesting that my findings are opposite of yours. What is the weight of your blades?

Current Setups:

On my TBS:    Forehand = DHS H3 #20 Provincial Orange (boosted), Backhand = Dignics 05

Nexy Pro ALC: Forehand = DHS H3 #20 Provincial Orange (boosted), Backhand = Donic Baracuda



Edited by ericd937 - 02/19/2020 at 7:40pm
Current Setup: TBS FH T80/BH D80
Official USATT Rating 1815
Current estimated level: 1800-1900.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lasta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02/19/2020 at 9:35pm
Hi Eric, not completely opposite, but I agree, sample variations make a lot of difference. My Nexy is only 84g, my Clipper Wood is 85g, and the TBS is 91g.

I tried to differentiate between low impact hardness and high impact density. As mentioned, the Nexy is noticeably softer, but much more solid, so the definition of "hardness" is subjective. It is still a hard blade by all means.

I do agree with the "direct" feeling. The separation between surface hardness and core density is lower, so more linear, more substantial feeling than the TBS.

Another thing of mention is I play penhold wth extended fingers on the back (similar to Xu Xin's grip), so the nuances of impact sensation is felt more clearly than shakehands. Also, the "palm feeling" is less relevant, but there is a clearer distinction between how hard and how dense a blade feels.

As for stiffness and speed, my example measures 1331hz (TBS is 1421), so fairly low. Also even bare blade comparisons show it to be not as fast as the TBS (I don't think that's Nexy's inention either).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ericd937 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02/20/2020 at 4:07pm
Quite interesting anyhow. The weight of your TBS is closer to the weight of my Clipper Wood. I also think even between the same model of blades, there is a lot of variation in the way they feel. For instance, I had two Zetro Quad blades, one quite fast with good feeling and the other felt dead and muted. I sold the later blade. A guy in my club has a Clipper CR. His feels like a dream compared to mine. Mine somehow just feels slightly cheap when I hit, I don't know how else to describe it. His blade is just better. I prefer my Clipper Wood to my Clipper CR. However, I prefer his Clipper Cr to both my Clipper Wood and Clipper Cr. My Clipper Cr sucks actually. My Clipper Wood is pretty good. The fact that you play penhold probably also makes a difference. Anyhow, I wasn't disputing your findings. I just thought it was interesting.


Edited by ericd937 - 02/20/2020 at 4:12pm
Current Setup: TBS FH T80/BH D80
Official USATT Rating 1815
Current estimated level: 1800-1900.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ericd937 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02/22/2020 at 7:47pm
The first five years of my table tennis life I played with short pimple on my forehand. I had a hunch that Nexy Yoo Nam Kyu Pro Alc would work well with short pimple, it does. TSP Spectol Blue on forehand of this blade is a great combination. I liked it so much that I may actually go back to short pimple of forehand. I honestly didn't like H3 provincial or H3 commercial on this blade. It could just be personal preference, but it felt brick hard with H3. 
Current Setup: TBS FH T80/BH D80
Official USATT Rating 1815
Current estimated level: 1800-1900.
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