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Kokutaku Alnon Review |
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AndySmith
Premier Member Joined: 11/12/2008 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 4378 |
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Posted: 05/17/2017 at 3:51pm |
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For the past few weeks I've been lucky enough to be able to use one of Kokutaku's new blade range - Alnon. KKT are of course probably best known for their 1-ply hinoki blades, but have also got quite an extensive range of all sorts of other constructions - 3-ply, 5-ply, carbon, etc - most of which aren't so well-known outside of Japan. Well, now they have 4 new blades, all Made in Japan: Alnon - Koto/AramidCarbon/Limba/Kiri Zenon - Limba/ZylonCarbon/Limba/Kiri CanonZYC - Hinoki/ZylonCarbon/Kiri CanonTRC - Hinoki/Carbon/Kiri I think it's pretty obvious what kind of market KKT are aiming for here, and which blade archetypes they've decided to produce. Here are some pictures! Initial Inspection The finish is absolutely impeccable - this is a very well-made blade. No blemishes anywhere, with a super-smooth koto top ply. The wings were razor-sharp and needed a light sanding to avoid the need for bloodshed. The aramid/carbon weave is very well fitted with basically nothing poking out (you can see a little bit of fibre extrusion where I've sanded the wings, but that's it). This is essentially as well-made as any other Japanese-made blade you care to put it up against. The cut on the weave layer is much nicer than, say, Xiom's Vega blades, Donic's Baum Spirit, or a DHS cheapo special like the Fang Bo 2. This might not be a problem in practical terms for these blades, but there is a difference in terms of quality of finish. This one is 86g, FL handle, 157x150, 5.8mm thick. Short Review I think it's important not to beat around the bush with this one. This is the most Viscaria-like of any blade I've ever used. I directly compared Alnon to a Viscaria (silver tag, pre-hologram) of the same weight with the same rubbers (Hybrid K1 Plus, Rasanter V42), and I found it incredibly hard to pick the bones out of the comparison. The handle on the Alnon seemed a bit wider and flatter. The basic speed and sweet spot were near-identical. The initial sharp koto feel was present on both. If I had to pull something out of the air, I'd say that the Alnon was ever so slightly softer and stiffer when looping harder - there seemed to be a slightly different feel on harder hits, and a touch lower arc on the Alnon. Alnon perhaps felt a touch more stable/predictable through those middle gears at the expense of some top-end speed. But in all honesty I've had plenty of Viscarias over the years and they've varied to a larger degree than this. In a blind test I doubt I'd be able to tell the difference between the two. As you would then expect, Alnon did a superb job with the tacky K1 Plus - adding a little bit of additional initial speed in comparison with my usual 5-ply all-wood, and removing the need for so much effort with the arm swinging when slightly away from the table. Rasanter V42 was good, but when I switched it out for Rozena I was super-happy with both BH penetration and spin. Rozena shines in this kind of setup IMO. How well KKT does with these blades is probably going to come down to price vs the obvious competition, perhaps helped by having a handle choice and being able to order internationally. But as a Viscaria alternative I can't think of a closer match than this. Many thanks for Chewy over at http://www.rocket-tt.com for offering up the Alnon for early purchase. There is more information over at KKT's website too - http://www.kokukdaku.com/
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This was a great signature until I realised it was overrated.
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BRS
Gold Member Joined: 05/08/2013 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1587 |
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And the box says it is Super Excellent - love the confidence.
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jpenmaster
Platinum Member Joined: 12/24/2008 Location: Chicago Status: Offline Points: 2176 |
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I love it's made in JAPANE .....
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OSP Expert II w DNA Dragon Grip
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stiltt
Assistant Admin Joined: 07/15/2007 Location: Location Status: Offline Points: 1012 |
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Alnon - Koto/AramidCarbon/Limba/Kiri ???
Zenon - Limba/ZylonCarbon/Limba/Kiri MJ CanonZYC - Hinoki/ZylonCarbon/Kiri Amultart CanonTRC - Hinoki/Carbon/Kiri Gergeley carbon The one you review is an original composition; I could not find another blade made out of these plies. The koto outer, limba inner and kri core are the common ones with the Viscaria; I guess aramid carbon and arylate carbon are very close in terms of performance. The Zenon is very tempting but is priced the same than the MJ... Edited by fatt - 05/17/2017 at 4:20pm |
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onehander
Member Joined: 07/17/2015 Location: CA Status: Offline Points: 71 |
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Thank you Andy for the review. It's so useful that you use Viscaria as a reference comparison. Personally, it's even more useful that you're using Hybrid K1+, my favorite forehand rubber since the end of last year.
There is another blade with a very similar construction and is also made in Japan: The Yasaka Alnade. Even the name is close! Could they be coming from the same factory?
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AndySmith
Premier Member Joined: 11/12/2008 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 4378 |
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I initially thought it was a crazy intentional easter-egg shout-out to the misspelling on the original Viscaria, but it turns out it was just a run-of-the-mill misspelling on the first run. I'm going to be very generous and call mine a collector's item.
I think aramid and arylate are going to be pretty close in most of the ways that matter, but this could be what results in the slight difference in feel between the two. If I'm not imagining that difference. Or it could be the glue used, or the thickness/density of the weave, etc. The price is crucial with these blades if they're going to get a foothold. I'm hoping that we're looking at KKT's retail prices and stores will be "allowed" to discount, if you know what I mean.
I don't know. I was hoping to see some reviews of Alnade myself at some point, or add it to an order or something.
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This was a great signature until I realised it was overrated.
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SmackDAT
Platinum Member Joined: 01/01/2012 Location: London Status: Offline Points: 2231 |
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Viscaria Light lookalike! Maybe it will be what the Viscaria Light never was...
Edit: You got a lot of money to EJ my man Edited by SmackDAT - 05/17/2017 at 6:36pm |
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Johnny Erasure
Platinum Member Joined: 07/08/2013 Location: România Status: Offline Points: 2698 |
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Blade: JM ZLC
Rubbers: FH Dignics 09C BH Dignics 05 Feedback: http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=63937&KW=Johnny+Erasure&PID=764628&title=feedback-for-j |
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AndySmith
Premier Member Joined: 11/12/2008 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 4378 |
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These few months are probably my last hurrah. Moving house soon so spare cash will be rare. Will have to review different socks or edge tape from now on.
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This was a great signature until I realised it was overrated.
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Chewy
Super Member Joined: 05/10/2016 Location: South East Asia Status: Offline Points: 209 |
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Thank you very much for the Review Andy! Glad you like the blade, and the good experience to the land of "Japane"
@Fatt, we actually do provide some discounts from the listed price in that website. Kindly send your questions to [email protected]. |
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onehander
Member Joined: 07/17/2015 Location: CA Status: Offline Points: 71 |
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Not to worry Andy.
With the high quality of your reviews, people will send you blades just to get your take!
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AndySmith
Premier Member Joined: 11/12/2008 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 4378 |
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Would that it were so simple. Yogi is the master of that - his networking skills are second to none. I bought my Alnon at a slightly discounted price. It isn't often that I get stuff for free, and I always feel lucky when I do.
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This was a great signature until I realised it was overrated.
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AndySmith
Premier Member Joined: 11/12/2008 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 4378 |
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Just a quick update - had a few more sessions with the alnon, this time with Rasanter R47 FH and R42 BH. It's still incredibly close to Viscaria in terms of the way it plays. I tend to prefer limba outer plies, but there's something about a sharp koto feel that helps direct play. R42 was excellent and was hard to pick fault with (preferred it to V42 on this blade), whereas R47 was a bit more of a handful in the short game than my previous, much slower, limba 5-ply. None of which is a surprise of course - it would likely be the same if I moved to any of the many other koto-ALC category of blades.
I find that it's hard to beat this kind of blade in combination with K1 Plus on my FH side though. It has just the right combination of real-world performance for my level without going overboard, or without falling into the trap of using a traditional chinese tacky rubber and then wishing you could boost.
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This was a great signature until I realised it was overrated.
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shinshiro
Super Member Joined: 09/21/2016 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 243 |
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Andy, have you played with Ovtcharov True Carbon? OTC is also said to play very similar to Viscaria (I think Baal said this). Can you notice any difference between OTC and Alnon? Wich feels more similar to Viscaria?
Edited by shinshiro - 05/23/2017 at 1:40pm |
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onehander
Member Joined: 07/17/2015 Location: CA Status: Offline Points: 71 |
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Nice follow up, and thanks!
Andy, if you were forced to choose only one blade between the Alnon and the Adidas Hypertouch, which would you choose, and why would it be your preference? |
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AndySmith
Premier Member Joined: 11/12/2008 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 4378 |
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I haven't used the OTC. I wonder if Baal would want to try my Alnon out? No one knows Viscaria like Baal.
That's a tricky one. The Hypertouch is a great blade - one of my favorites. The HT isn't as linear as the Alnon (gets bouncy when under stress - probably the spruce at work), but has an amazing ability to sling the ball out with good arc when looping from distance. I'd probably go with the Alnon for ease-of-use and because I spend a lot less time looping from distance these days.
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This was a great signature until I realised it was overrated.
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Tinykin
Platinum Member Joined: 10/30/2003 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 2336 |
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I would love to see a review on socks |
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Blade:
Darker Speed90 Rubber Fh and Bh DHS Hurricane 3, 39/38deg Delusion is an asset |
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AndySmith
Premier Member Joined: 11/12/2008 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 4378 |
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Look at these bad boys at Bribar! It's like they know what I want. |
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This was a great signature until I realised it was overrated.
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Tinykin
Platinum Member Joined: 10/30/2003 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 2336 |
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Hmmmm. Those look good. I have bought these before and look like good value.
http://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor-2-pack-running-socks-mens-415254?colcode=41525403 |
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Blade:
Darker Speed90 Rubber Fh and Bh DHS Hurricane 3, 39/38deg Delusion is an asset |
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AntSj00
Super Member Joined: 07/19/2017 Location: 3rd Continent Status: Offline Points: 136 |
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ericd937
Gold Member Joined: 06/01/2012 Location: Saigon, Vietnam Status: Offline Points: 1191 |
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Where can you buy those blades? I did a quick search online and didn't see anyplace to buy them. I would be interested in zylon ones.
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Current Setup: TBS FH T80/BH D80
Official USATT Rating 1815 Current estimated level: 1800-1900. |
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AntSj00
Super Member Joined: 07/19/2017 Location: 3rd Continent Status: Offline Points: 136 |
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In Indonesia store's still available couple pieces. You still can buy it.
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AndySmith
Premier Member Joined: 11/12/2008 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 4378 |
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Here's a little bit more official info about the KKT blades:
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This was a great signature until I realised it was overrated.
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AntSj00
Super Member Joined: 07/19/2017 Location: 3rd Continent Status: Offline Points: 136 |
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Can anybody tell me why this Alnon has no J.T.T.A.A.tezt ??
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Chewy
Super Member Joined: 05/10/2016 Location: South East Asia Status: Offline Points: 209 |
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Hello Ant,
To answer your question. They (KKT Brand) has no intention to register for J.T.T.A license yet, for this particular series. However it may be a possibility in the near future. It is entirely up to them, when it comes to us. We only distribute the product(s) in our regions. (Our region in S.E.A. does not require the JTTA stamp on blades in order to play). Hope I have cleared your doubts. Cheers. |
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proSpin
Gold Member Joined: 07/15/2012 Location: Asia Status: Offline Points: 1427 |
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Hi Chewy, May i know who you are and what is your relation to KKT. Which country are you from and who is 'we'. From which country? |
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Chewy
Super Member Joined: 05/10/2016 Location: South East Asia Status: Offline Points: 209 |
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PM reply sent to ProSpin as content may contain some confidential information.
@Ant yes Ant. I see now, that you are from Indonesia, there is already a Distributor for these blades there. Edited by Chewy - 07/29/2017 at 11:47am |
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AntSj00
Super Member Joined: 07/19/2017 Location: 3rd Continent Status: Offline Points: 136 |
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@Chevy. This is a strange. A traditional trademark such as KKT but the issue of approval from JTTAA is not considered.
Of course your opinion is 100% wrong. This is not about selling only in S.E.A region or not but about JTTAA certification. Just so you know, All the blade & rubber from Japanese brands that circulated in Indonesia already have certified from JTTAA except this blade family. Now I also wonder who are you? Edited by AntSj00 - 07/29/2017 at 2:21pm |
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Chewy
Super Member Joined: 05/10/2016 Location: South East Asia Status: Offline Points: 209 |
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@Ant
I too apologise if I caused any confusion. And respect your opinions. All I can say is, I am a Table Tennis Equipment Distributor based in Thailand. In the forums, with fellow members; try to give reviews so users can get an idea of certain products. If you would like to know more as to who am I, please visit my website rocket-TT.com I think you might have mistaken. I was told, the current plan was that there isn't any JTTA stamp on these blades. However in future, if KKT decides to go for the stamp. That is their decision, KKT does not have to ask me for approval. From what I know, for this series of blades. It is controlled. I know the dealers in indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and myself in thailand. Our controller is in Singapore. Who has ties with KKT. As to how and what, I am not sure if I am at liberty to reveal. However, if you would like to verify authenticity. Please PM me, and I would gladly direct you to our Controller. I am sure, everything goes back to KKT with their knowledge of these ongoings and products. I emphasise these blades are exported from KKT to us. Out of Japan. We can do sales in S.E.A. as there is no regulation to have a JTTA stamp for a blade to be used in competition here? I just hope you can take some time to verify the facts. Before jumping to conclusions. If I made a mistake after your verifications. I would gladly admit. 100% that I am wrong in opinion. All Japanese brand Blades & Rubbers in indonesia have the JTTA Stamp - this I quote from you. As I am not there, I cannot say if you're right or wrong with your statement. Kokutaku 868/Blutenkirsche Rubbers. Kokutaku Super Series eg B3008,B3xxx Series etc. Yasaka Blades that are made in Sweden. Do these Japenese Brand items have JTTA stamp in your market? As you mentioned only "this Blade family"(our blades in subject) did not have JTTA Stamp? I really do not know what answer you are looking for. But the options are all open for you to verify facts. And I can direct you to the relevant in-charges/brands/companies. Edited by Chewy - 07/29/2017 at 4:16pm |
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AntSj00
Super Member Joined: 07/19/2017 Location: 3rd Continent Status: Offline Points: 136 |
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@Chevy. Of course you're right about blades that are not Made In Japan don't have JTTAA stamps but these are KKT and on head blade printed very clearly "Made In Japan". In Indonesia is very clear if the blade is made in Japan then it certainly has JTTAA stamp.
I am just a consumer who has bought this blade and has been harmed by it. |
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