Stiga Cybershape Blade Review

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   Stiga
Cybershape Blade

Weight: 84
grams

Thickness:
6.1mm

Blade head
Size: 155mm x 157mm

Plies: 7
(Koto Outer -2^nd layer ayous? – CCF layer – Ayous?)

Speed: Off
to Off+

Now I have
it in my hands! I had the new Stiga Cybershape blade 2 weeks ago and I spent a
lot of time testing this and also showing it to other people. Stiga has spent a
lot of effort for this product. For the first time, I have seen they have
doubled their efforts even just the packaging. The box itself has instructions
on how to care for the racket and the box design is out of the ordinary
packaging for a Stiga blade. The packaging really stands out from the rest of
their blade boxes because this one is unlike any other blade box they have made
and it is beautiful to look at.  The
Blade itself is unique. Actually, I did not expect Stiga to gamble on this
design because it is unconventional. I was doubtful at first to be honest.
There are types of players like me who are bothered by certain blade designs
maybe on the little obsessive-compulsive side but I really wanted to give the
Cybershape a try. Afterall, it is the way a blade plays and the performance
that makes it a great blade. Aesthetically speaking, the hexagonal shape is not
for everybody but the more you look at the Cybershape blade, the more it
becomes pleasant to watch. In my own opinion, this looks better than the Damien
Eloi Blade which looks like a violin or a Madara character accessory from
anime.

The Cyber
shape has a 155mm width and a 157 length when I measured it. The measurement
for its width was measured on its widest bilateral pointed parts. The sides
measure each 8cm and 7 cm alternately starting from the top of the blade. For
years, I have been bothering Stiga about the neck or wing part of their blades
because we all know Stiga blades need sanding on their blades. The Cybershape
on this area has a good feature because due to the angled designed on the
bottom part of the blade, the neck or wing part is much smaller and it does not
bother my middle finger anymore. I do not think you would need sanding of the
neck part anymore for this blade. The top koto ply is lacquered but the seal is
thin so I suggest you would still seal the blade before gluing rubbers onto it.
The metal logo is a first too from Stiga. The changing of colors when vexposed
to light at different angles reveals a bluish or purple hue and this is
beautiful to look at. I would say the construction of this blade is very
detailed and impressive. 

The speed
of the Cybershape is actually not too fast. Although it inclines more on the
off+ side, it is still not that fast compared to previous Inspira, Legacy or
Dynasty blades. It is plenty fast but despite having a 6.1mm to 6.2mm
thickness, it is not on par with the previously produced blades by Stiga. In my
opinion, Stiga made this blade as a more controllable blade because of their
DNA Platinum rubber series. The Platinum rubbers especially the Hard and Extra
Hard versions are one of the fastest rubbers in the market right now so it is
only fitting to pair it with a controllable blade. I have tried the regular DNA
H, Dragon Grip and an entry-level Chinese rubber on the Cybershape and I would
never categorize the setup as a slow one. Even with the entry level Chinese
rubber, I never felt the blade to be slow. In fairness, I did boost the entry
level Chinese rubber but the difference between the boosted and unboosted one
is very small in terms of speed so it would still indicate that the blade has
more than enough speed to cover the Chinese rubber’s slow speed. I encourage
everyone to maybe consider a setup that has a more controllable blade with fast
rubbers instead of the opposite because the blade is like an extension of your
arm and it is easier to handle a more controllable blade rather than using a
very fast one even with a slower pair of rubbers.

The
Cybershape has a medium stiff feel. The 6.1mm to 6.2mm thickness makes it
thicker than most of the looping blades in the market. The Cybershape’s
performance is not really mainly on its speed but rather on the good and unique
feel plus a balance of easy handling and good speed. Do not expect too much
speed from the Cybershape but expect the good ball feedback in your hand to
play better. Due to my being partially obsessive-compulsive, had this been a
regular shaped-blade this could have been the perfect blade but if you can look
past the hexagonal shape of the blade then the blade’s performance will make up
with the unique shape. The arc is mostly affected by the rubbers you use. I
used the DNA H regular, Dragon Grip and an entry-level Chinese rubber for the
test and the set up overall has a medium to medium low arc. 

Now for
some concerns of most people. Does the Cybershape vibrates a lot? Definitely
no! This has the finest feeling of all Stiga composite blades right now and
never had excessive vibrations. Does the Cybershape help players hit better
with its increased hitting area? Yes and no. To some extent if your hitting
area is scattered, the large sweet spot will help you in a way but for trained
players usually the ball hits an area of 2x2 inches in the middle of the blade
head so I do no think it matters a lot. Can you use rubbers from normal shaped
blades to the Cybershape. I know people have concerns about transferring and
reusing rubbers due to the unique shape of the Cybershape but so far, only
rubbers from large headed blades like defensive blades could be reused with the
Cybershape. Does the angled or pointed sides of the blade hit the table when
doing short strokes like dropshots or flicks? No, I have not experienced it. I
did hit the angled side of the blade with the ball but it was more due to
timing because the blade was lighter than my original setup. 

Stiga took
a lot of gamble in making this blade and in my opinion, they succeeded! I have
heard Stiga sold a lot of Cybershape blades after Truls Moregard reached the
finals. Some would argue that he is a pro and he can use any blade but we can
also argue the other way around that the blade really plays well and I believe
it goes beyond the shape. I am more focused on how it plays as what I was
pointing before. This is a great blade if you can look past the unconventional
shape. I have seen some blade makers online follow the shape of the blade so it
might be something! Overall, this balde will not disappoint you in terms of
performance and feel.