NITTAKU Latika Review by Tommy Zai

Nittaku Latika Review by Tommy Zai 

INTRO

I’m a longtime fan of Nittaku blades, and in my humble opinion they are mostly underrated (Violin and Acoustic aside). During my extensive campaign of EJ Madness, I overlooked Latika . . . until now. Here’s my brief and hopefully useful review.

CHARACTERISTICS

• Plies:  Five Wood (not sure what kind of wood . . . not as hard as Violin)
• Head Thickness:  157 (measured from top of the handle) x 152.
• Head Size:  5.8mm
• Flex/Stiffness: 4.5/10 (0 being rubberband and 10 being impossible to bend)
• Hardness:  6.0/10 (0 being mush and 10 being diamond hard)
• Speed:  8.5/10
• Control:  7.5/10
• Weight:  88g (approx.)
• Rating:  OFF (it is often listed as OFF-, but IMO this blade is slightly faster than the Violin)
• Passive Ball Drop Test from 40mm with blade lying un-clapped on a wooden table = 26mm bounce, which is surprisingly low re-coil as compared to other OFF blades . . . not sure why.
• Ball Sound:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/p3aqbmynf0c8sgh/Nittaku%20Latika.mp3
• Esthetics:  Latika looks a bit generic compared to many other Nittaku blades
• Head:  Although the classical instrument gluing technique is not used when assembling this less expensive blade, it still has a good quality look and finish. It’s much cleaner looking Stiga and other brands. Latika top ply is fairly smooth, but with obvious grain. I would highly recommend sealing to fill-in the porous areas and prevent splintering during racket cover removal.
• Handle (FL):  Much better than the Violin, which seems to be designed for little people. I prefer the extra 2-mm of handle length.* You could easily sand the handle shorter for comfort if you’re a wee little fellow.
• Balance:  Slightly head heavy. This is not an issue for combination players or those who use thinner sponges. This may also not be an issue for two-winged loopers as the extra head weight translates into more spin on serves and loops. This is an issue for blockers that have heavy rubbers.
• Feel:  There’s a bit of a hollowness and vibration, which helps to create “talk” and touch.
• Dwell:  Longer than average, partially due to weight distribution and partially due to increased flex.
• Distance:  Close to Mid is good. Not enough power for players who like to move off the table and blast away.
• Gears:  I do not notice any boost into a faster gear . . . more of a smooth transition between touch and blast.

FAVORITE FEATURES

• Standard head-size, unlike Violin, which is slightly compact.
• Nice stiffness, which falls somewhere between Violin and Acoustic.
• Fine craftsmanship for the price.
• Excellent balance between feel/control and speed.
• Works well with combination play due to the great feel and power absorbing qualities (LP on BH).

OTHER THOUGHTS

• For those looking to transition from Violin to something a little stiffer, please note . . . Latika is often heavier. I’ve seen Violins as light as 75g.
• Matched well with H3-Neo, and not bad with T05 and 999t. I suspect the old school rubbers like Mark V and Sriver would match well. In short, medium and Hard rubber will fit Latika.
• I really like Latika, but not enough for me to abandon my Nexy Hannibal at this time. It should be noted . . . I’m not a looper.
• Other blades to consider: Nexy Spear, Nexy  Color, or a few of the Yasaka blades.
• Reminds me of the YEO.
• I’d like to see a carbon version of this. 

SUMMARY

I’ve tried so many blades over the past eight years. How did I miss this one? No sense crying over spilt milk; I got it now and I’m enjoying the opportunity to hit with it. This blade excels in the short game and with looping. You can block with it, and it’s very stable and consistent, even with some extra vibration; however, there are better blocking blades out there. Keep in mind, some blockers prefer vibration in order to “feel” the ball; however, many blockers like myself want a brickwall for power. This blade absorbs power more than it catapults. I highly recommend Latika to any intermediate players (1300 – 1800+), who have an all around attacking game that features aggressive pushes, small top, and loop drives. If that’s your game, you can’t beat it for the price. It’s a great option for players on a budget, especially for those looking for characteristics that fall between Acoustic and Violin, but cost about half the price or so. In short, I would say this is a Poor Man's inbetweener of Violin and Acoustic. Tommy Zai gives Latika two serves up. Good blade. Great price!

Racket Coverings used for demoing:  Tenergy 05, DHS H3-Neo, and 999t.