Slight step up from appelgren allplay?

Based on recommendations on this forum when I started out a couple years ago, I picked up an appelgren allplay with 2.0 Mark V on both sides.  I've come a long way playing matches once a week and tournaments about 4 times a year, but I'm still developing strokes like backhand loop and still consider myself beginner-ish, so I'm not looking for a major change.

When practicing smashes, I feel tempted to "upgrade". I recently acquired a donic waldner senso v1 5-ply (limba ayous) all wood for a few weeks and it was more precise, but had less dwell and I ended up hitting more off the end of the table.   I missed the extra dwell and spin that I'm used to (so I sold that blade).  Smashes and hits were much better though.  With the allplay, I sometimes need to add wrist snap just to get sufficient power into the smash and feel like it just requires 100% effort.

I'm offensive minded and love to kill the ball, but would rather do it with power looping than hitting.  My goal is to become a two-winged looper, but I still need to be able to put away high balls with authority.  I love doing that against defensive players.

I've been looking at the yasaka extra (not YEO), primorac (not primorac carbon), and w-6 but I'm not sure if these will feel more like the waldner senso v1 or the appelgren allplay.

Should I try a heavier appelgren allplay?  With the exception of smashing, I do really like this blade.

Is this just a case of you can't have it all in one blade. 

If I threw some aurus on there would I notice a big difference in smash without taking away from loops close to the table?

These are a lot of questions but I just wanted to put it all out there since there is so much knowledge on this forum.

I'd like to hear any recommendations from blade, to rubber, to technique.  I just don't want my overall setup to be significantly faster yet because I'm not fast

cole_ely wrote: smashes are where you DON'T need a faster blade.  You ought to be able to come flat through the ball with any setup.  it's only when you're brushing the ball that you might need more speed.

Edited by JacekGM - 05/08/2015 at 2:15pm

I think I'm putting my body into it.  The ball does get going and my feet start coming off the floor when I smash hard like I've seen in Fan Zhendong clips.  It's just a lot of effort and seemed much easier with the other blade.

JacekGM wrote: cole_ely wrote: smashes are where you DON'T need a faster blade.  You ought to be able to come flat through the ball with any setup.  it's only when you're brushing the ball that you might need more speed. Cole, you are one of my preferred vendors... however, is flat hit not reflecting most directly the blade's speed? I mean e.g. we have Schlager carbon, which is hardly a looping blade, right?

I'd advise you to stick to your allround blade and change your rubbers to for example Rasant Powergrip 2.1 on fh and JP3 1.8 or Rasant Beat 2.1 on bh. You are going to have the effect - power and spin - you need. You'll see yourself.


Edited by igszoctan - 06/03/2015 at 3:27pm

Keep the blade and change the rubber first

I agree with these guys saying change the rubber before the racket. I changed blades a week ago, to try out the Allplay and the Grubbs while keeping the same offensive rubbers. There is very little change in speed during offensive strokes compared to my former offensive blade.

I second the vote to get an OSP Virtuoso, then work with your rubber set-up.  There is a reason there are very few Virtuoso on the used blade market!  People love them.

JoeB thanks.  I may still want to try out a blade like virtuoso.  

Hi slowmover,I tried Barracuda on Stiga allround and the throw angle was the highest of any blade rubber combination I have seen and this was difficult to manage coupled with the slow speed of the combination.The Appelgren is a bit thicker but I suspect the result may be similar.After I put 4 layers of Falco on the Barracuda the combination was good,the throw was medium high and the speed was a little faster than t05,I think Barracuda will be nice on the Appelgren with boosting using Falco long

STIGA Energy Wood is also a very nice feeling moderate speed blade when on the topic of STIGAs