W968—The best table tennis blade currently?

As one of the greatest table tennis players in history, Ma long always draws the attention of the public. Many fans know that Ma Long’s table tennis blade is specially customized by the DHS company. Two of them are the most classic, namely Long V and W968.

All the world knows that W968 is an updated version of Long V. So what’s the difference between the two blades? Does W968 necessarily surpass Long 5? In this blog, we will cover the most well-around review of W968 and make a comparison between the two blades.

Overview of DHS W968

W968 is specially designed for Chinese superstar Ma Long. The components of this blade are carefully selected and produced to meet the demand for a world champion. DHS company manufactures the blades for the Chinese national team members and strictly inspects every step of the production.

W968 is a very comprehensive blade that is both good at offense and defense. Not only is speed and spin strong, but ball control is also excellent. Like Ma long himself, W968 is a near-perfect blade that is hard to pick out any flaws.

Features of W968:

Speed 9.3/10:

W968 adopts the classic 5+2 structure, that is, 5 layers of wood along with 2 layers of carbon fiber. Its yellow aromatic carbon fiber can easily be observed. In this way, the blade is more elastic, and the hitting speed is also very fast. Especially when hitting the backspin, the impact is extremely strong. Even if you retreat to the middle or back court, you only need to exert a little force and the ball will pop up quickly. Of course, it should be noted that a good blade requires the athlete to have good basic skills, great strength, and good use of the waist.

Spin 9.5/10:

The spin of W968 is also amazing. After testing, under the same force, the deformation of the W968 will be larger than other blades, so the ball will have a longer and more full arc as well as a stronger spin. Under the same circumstances, the quality of every single stroke of W968 will be greater. Of course, it needs a lot of strength to have of the feeling of “penetrating”, so it is not very friendly to ordinary amateur players and beginners.

Control 9.5/10:

The W968 has a softer feel, and the control is mainly reflected in some defenses and net zone ball control. Especially when dealing with some drop shots, it is easier to control the height and placement of the ball. When defending, the blade can hold the ball a rather long time and absorb the spin looped or pulled by the opponents. Especially it performs great in forehand block. But as a blade specially designed for offensive players, W968 is more suitable for offensive defense.

Handle 9.4/10:

W968 has exquisite workmanship, with a smooth surface and no extra words on the entire blade. The whole blade looks very noble. W968 is the blade of the built-in structure. DHS has reached the world’s top level in the selection and bonding of wood and carbon fiber and other raw materials. At the same time, the handle is extremely slender, which is very suitable for Asian players.

Weight 9.4/10:

The weight of W968 is 91 grams and the thickness is 6.10mm. Relatively speaking, the weight is moderate, not exceeding 100 grams. It is very ideal for offensive players, which is conducive to the continuous attack of multiple strokes.

Advantages of W968:

• It is a very balanced and comprehensive blade, with a high error tolerance rate and a relatively stable defense.

• The blade is super light for offensive players and is more comprehensive than the previous version Long V.
• In the middle or back court, w968 behaves like a nuclear weapon, not only because of its amazing speed but also weird arcs, which can kill your opponent with only one stroke in many cases.

Disadvantages of W968:

• It is not suitable for beginners and intermediate players. W968 is more suitable for advanced professional athletes and requires strong basic skills. Long V might be a better choice for some amateur players.
• The price is relatively expensive, and there are many fake ones on the market. Maybe the one you get is not exactly what Chinese national team players are using. So it is quite difficult to get the “real” W968.
• The backhand is a relative shortcoming of W968. This is the common default of all built-in structure blades. The defense is decent and it just needs to add a little force, but the quality of the return ball sometimes is not so great. That is why some players who are good at backhand are not willing to choose W968.

Match suggestions:

1. Robust version:

Forehand: 39 degrees DHS hurricane 3 provincial version Backhand: NEO Tianji 3 (37 degrees)

The match of DHS Hurricane and w968 makes you feel the great improvement of backhand.

2. Comprehensive version:

Forehand: Tenergy 05 HARD Backhand: Donic F1

The backhand is equipped with softer rubber, which makes it easier to control the ball. The forehand with T05 can make it amazingly offensive.

3. Offensive configuration:

Forehand: DHS Hurricane 39 degrees Backhand: Butterfly T05, Donic F1 Plus

Conclusion

It is widely acknowledged in the table tennis community that W968 is almost the best blade nowadays. But this does mean that it’s also the best choice for you. This is a blade that requires great basic skills.

Of course, if you are a fan of Ma long you can choose it without problems. But if your foundation is not solid enough, I suggest that you should buy some equipment that is easier to control.

While we are blindly pursuing equipment, please also consider our current level. It is not that the more expensive the blade is, the more suitable it is.

The huge consumption has made us forget the joy of playing. Sometimes, we can also step back a little, maybe you will also find your best equipment in some rather cheap ones.