Joola XYLO 7, also referred to as JoolaX7 for short, is a pure wood table tennis blade launched by the Joola company. We have introduced many classic blades in our previous blog, such as w968, Stiga carbon pro, etc. But these blades all have a common disadvantage, that is, they are not friendly to beginners. So today we will introduce you the most cost-effective paddle for beginners, the Joola X7.
Overview of Joola XYLO 7
At present, all table tennis equipment brands attach great importance to the design of the blade. Normally speaking, there are various images and different colors on both handle and blade, while the simple and almost solid color handle seems to be kind of refreshing. It can be noticed that the board of the Joola X7 is quite clean.
The is only the logo of the Joola company and no other complicated patterns. The brown handle, along with the light blue font on the blade, makes it look greatly elegant. So can this Joola X7 be able to “fulfill two wishes at once”, both in terms of “appearance” and “strength”? Let’s have a look!
Data
The Joola X7 has a thickness of 6.5mm and a weight of 85g. It can be seen that the overall weight and thickness are moderate. During the playtest, we can clearly feel the inherent characteristics of the pure wood blade. The blade has a relatively stable performance as well as a soft feeling when hitting the ball. Besides, it is easier to control the rhythm of the game.
Speed 3.6/5.0
Compared with the blade with carbon fiber, the speed of the Joola X7 is still not fast enough. This is also due to the fact that there is no fiber in the paddle. Naturally, it does not have an advantage in absolute speed. But in the same level of pure wood blades, the speed is basically comparable to that of the Victas Koki NIWA and is a little better than that of Stiga CLCR.
When looping or driving with greater force, the ball becomes much faster after jumping onto the side of the opponent and it goes forward with great impact. Although it is not as fast as some hardwood blades, such as Stiga Rosewood NCT VII or Stiga Carbonado 90, its speed performance is still good compared with other pure wood ones. I would give a 4 out of 5 in this part.
Spin 3.8/5.0
As we have measured before, the thickness of this blade is about 6.5mm. The ball-holding performance is as good as ever. The beautiful arc can be created when pooling the ball and the spin is also decent. But when paired with DHS Hurricane, there is no particularly obvious sound of penetrating the board and the feeling is not so good.
After replacing it with Tibhar Evolution MX-P, the performance has been significantly improved. The ball can be bited much better and we can generate stronger spin.
Players can experience the high quality when hitting the ball with the Joola X7 under great force, and its offensive ability is basically the same as that of the Victas Niwa. In contrast, Maze Advance is a good and stable type of ball-holding paddle.
By the way, it is worth mentioning that this blade is better paired with relatively hard rubbers. The abundant elasticity of the sponge makes up for the lack of speed of this pure wood blade and reaches the maximum optimization. The same theory has been explained in our blog of Maze Advance.
If you want to improve your offensive ability on a stable basis, it is recommended to use a high-hardness such as Tibhar Evolution MX-P, Joola Dynaryz AGR, Butterfly D05, etc. If you are willing to improve your skills to the next level, then you can choose a slightly softer rubber, such as Tibhar Elp.
But if you want to use DHS Hurricane 3, then you need to fill oil into the sponge or rubber to have a better effect.
Control 4.2/5/0
Control has always been a highlight of pure wood blades, and the Joola X7 is also no exception. When doing dropping shots or pushing short, the ball is not easy to take high, and it is not easy to lift up the ball for your opponents, which will make them feel uncomfortable and difficult to attack directly.
The placement of the ball is so precise that is very rare for a blade with a market price of fewer than 60 dollars. It completely has the excellent performance of the 120 dollars Victas Niwa.
Defense 4.0/5.0
This blade has less vibration when defending, and performs very well in absorbing the impact of incoming balls. No matter how powerful the incoming ball is, it can unload it and block it back perfectly. But as the blade is relatively soft, so it is better to move forward when you are blocking.
Who is it for
It is suitable for fans who want to have a certain aggressive play combined with a fast attack while pursuing a stable and soft feel. It is not suitable for players who pursue absolute speed and strength, because this is the characteristic of hardwood or fiber blades. If you choose a stable type of pure wood to practice, and you don’t have enough budget, you can start with this blade.
Conclusion
The Joola X7 is the most-effective blade and it has the strength to shake the dominance of the CLCR, which has dominated this area for a long time. In fact, I am very confused about the price of this blade as it’s quite cheap which seems a little bit unreasonable.
If you want to choose a pure wooden paddle to practice with a rather low price, then this one should not be ignored. Personally, Joola X7 and Maze Advance are my two favorite pure wood weapons.
The only disadvantage is that its absolute speed and power are inferior to the blades with carbon fiber. But it is because of this that it’s more friendly to beginners.
