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Adidas Challenge Speed Blade Review |
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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Posted: 11/12/2011 at 9:30am |
Got myself a new blade from Adidas. I was very excited with this one because this is a 7 ply all wood blade. The blade is very beautiful to behold. Unlike the other adidas blades which i have tried, this is stands out aesthetically. the handle was beautiful designed and very comfortable to the hand. The handle is smooth, its narrower compared to its fibertec brothers but still very good to hold and its smooth. The handle is almost as big as the butterfly ALC or ZLC blades.
The blade is a 7 ply all wood blade with the following specifications: weight: 85 grams thickness: 6.7mm blade size: 157x150cm wood plies: limba-ayous-ayous-ayous(thicker central core)-ayous-ayous-limba Rubbers used: Joola Samba+ 2.2mm black, LKT Rapid Sound Black Max, Adidas P3 2.0mm The blade feels very good as i did my fh-fh and bh-bh drills. The Joola Samba+ was very bouncy on the Challenge Speed but I was surprised with the amount of control. This is a very promising blade since compared to stiga clipper cr this blade is: Speed - Adidas Challenge Speed > Stiga Clipper Cr The Challenge Speed is indeed faster than the clipper cr with a bit more solidity on the shots. Speed is lesser than the Ebenholz 7 or Rosewood 7 but you can still do power shots with speed of almost a fast carbon blade depending on your skill level. Adidas is right in labeling this blade as OFF+ but its control is like its an OFF- blade. Weight - Adidas Challenge Speed < Stiga Clipper Cr The Challenge Speed is not head heavy and feels like the 92gm blade is an 88gm blade. This blade is fairly balanced. Having a thinner construction helps the challenge speed reduce its weight. Control - Adidas Challenge Speed = Stiga Clipper Cr Both have good feel and outstanding control on the ball with the clipper cr inclined more on looping while adidas challenge speed is on loop drives and power shots. Far from the table, the adidas blade outshines the clipper cr. The amount of vibration is minimal. The blade has good feel and it greatly helps the player control the ball especially on power shots. Looping is not a problem with this blade since it gives enough dwell time on the ball. It is compatible with both chinese and euro/jpn rubbers since I tested it with 3 rubbers. All in all im very impressed with the challenge speed and among the adidas blades that i have now this is a gem. I would recommend this to intermediate up to the level of the pros since this is a very good blade. Also, i didnt have any problems using soft, medium soft and hard rubbers on this blade but i think this baldes go well with medium soft rubbers and hard chinese rubbers. Tenzone, P3 and Tenzone SF go well with this blade |
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vic#74
Super Member Joined: 07/26/2010 Location: Russia Status: Offline Points: 442 |
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Thnx again Yogi! This limba outer looks unusual to me. It does differ from my MJ&Latika.
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AMonteiro
Platinum Member Joined: 01/30/2007 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 2042 |
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Its specs are very close to BTY Sk7. Should be a good blade.
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Dynaryz AGR /Yasaka Goiabao 5 / Dynaryz AGR
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mg
Silver Member Joined: 05/18/2011 Location: Europe Status: Offline Points: 984 |
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Nice, may I ask where did you buy it, haven't seen it yet.
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My feedback:
http://www.mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=47297&title=mg-feedback |
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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mg, adidas sent the items to me to get a review from average players.
AMonteiro, I have tried sk7 and its different from challenge speed. I think it feels closer to a Timo Boll W7 but not as hard and heavy
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Independent online TT Product reviewer of XIOM, STIGA, JOOLA, SANWEI, GEWO, AIR, ITC, APEX, YASAKA and ABROS
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mg
Silver Member Joined: 05/18/2011 Location: Europe Status: Offline Points: 984 |
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OK thanks I hope they will start selling it soon:)
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My feedback:
http://www.mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=47297&title=mg-feedback |
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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i think there are online stores selling the tenzones already and so is the challenger speed.
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Independent online TT Product reviewer of XIOM, STIGA, JOOLA, SANWEI, GEWO, AIR, ITC, APEX, YASAKA and ABROS
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icontek
Premier Member This is FPS Doug Joined: 10/31/2006 Location: Maine, US Status: Offline Points: 5222 |
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Yogi - excited that you played with Samba+.
If you get a chance, run a search for samba+ review and add your thoughts about this anticipated rubber! |
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ping gog
Member Joined: 07/04/2011 Location: barbados Status: Offline Points: 45 |
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so do the samba feels good
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ping gog
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mg
Silver Member Joined: 05/18/2011 Location: Europe Status: Offline Points: 984 |
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Well Tenzone is everywhere here but not this blade...
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My feedback:
http://www.mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=47297&title=mg-feedback |
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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mg, i forgot this is some sort of a prototype blade but i think they are already under mass production. someone told me that gao ning of singapore likes this and feng tian wei will be shifting to this blade
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Independent online TT Product reviewer of XIOM, STIGA, JOOLA, SANWEI, GEWO, AIR, ITC, APEX, YASAKA and ABROS
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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icontek, i did bro. posted on that thread as you requested
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Independent online TT Product reviewer of XIOM, STIGA, JOOLA, SANWEI, GEWO, AIR, ITC, APEX, YASAKA and ABROS
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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let me add that the neck of the challenger speed blade is already sanded so its not like stiga's blades that causes you blisters on the hand if you dont sand them down. 2nd day of testing makes me want to hit the blade more but i can feel i still want a bigger handle
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Independent online TT Product reviewer of XIOM, STIGA, JOOLA, SANWEI, GEWO, AIR, ITC, APEX, YASAKA and ABROS
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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got the production model today. i alread yhave 2 challenge speed blades now one is the protoype and the other is the full scale production model.. here are some pics:
the one on the right is the prototype model
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Reiin
Super Member Joined: 01/26/2011 Location: Denmark, Odense Status: Offline Points: 313 |
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With the badge/logo on the bottom it looks a lot similar to butterfly? Is Adidas and Butterfly involved with each other?
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Back to:
Timo Boll ALC ST FH: T05 2.1 BH: T25 2.1 Feedback: http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=46026&KW=feedback+reiin&PID=571496&title=feedback-reiin#571496 |
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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nope. butterfly does not produce Adidas blades, its from a different company
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Independent online TT Product reviewer of XIOM, STIGA, JOOLA, SANWEI, GEWO, AIR, ITC, APEX, YASAKA and ABROS
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haggisv
Forum Moderator Dark Knight Joined: 06/28/2005 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 5110 |
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Great looking blade! You take good pics yogi!
I think he means it might be made in the same factory, which may well be true. |
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bluebucket
Platinum Member Joined: 02/20/2011 Location: 16 Status: Offline Points: 2882 |
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Right from the first time I saw an Adidas blade I was sure it came from the same place as most Butterfly blades, there are no other two companies with such similar blades
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iliketurtles
Super Member Joined: 09/28/2011 Status: Offline Points: 133 |
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Am I the only person who sees 2 top plies?
That means that I see 7 plies.
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1-Ply AH NWC - Butterfly Spin Art - Juic 999 Turbo
Tube Carbo - Andro Hexer HD - Donic Acuda S1 Turbo Just waiting for the 999 Turbo... |
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bluebucket
Platinum Member Joined: 02/20/2011 Location: 16 Status: Offline Points: 2882 |
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I sure hope you would see 7 plies on a 7 ply blade
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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its a 7 ply blade. haggisv, i know what he means but insider info tells me that its not with the same butterfly company. i know this for sure since im in close contact with the blade designer and rubber designer for adidas. its nice to see though that it gets mistaken witht hte quality finish of butterfly. I only used a canon digital camera, set it to macro and it was due to the camera not me making the pics look good, but thanks heheheh
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mg
Silver Member Joined: 05/18/2011 Location: Europe Status: Offline Points: 984 |
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Yogi, thanks for the info and the pics, I contacted Adidas, Challenge series will be released in June or July in Europe, they run some test events in the coming months in Germany. If the Speed feels like a W7, it's definitely one for me:) I suppose there will be 3 blades in total, like the other 3 blades series from Adidas, maybe two 5-ply OFF blades in addition to this one:) I hope that in a couple of weeks I will finally be able to test the C500 and V1.5.
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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mg, it feels closer to a clipper wood but with a more solid feel and a balanced blade. the first one that i have posted was the protoype. it was a bit head heavy but Adidas was kind enough to listen to the testers opinion and they modified the hanlde a lil bit. the result was a far better blade and its lighter now. The 2nd challenge speed that i have received weighed only 85 grams, is very balanced but still has the solid shots! 2 days of using this blade and i think im gonna switch to this blade from my ebenholz 7. it has a wider handle now but not as wide the legend flared of stiga. maybe a lil bit narrower than the handle of stiga master flared
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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and yes mg it feels similar also to W7 but closer to a clipper wood
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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Decided to stop using my Stiga Ebenholz 7 in favor of the production model Adidas Challenge. Don't get me wrong I love the Ebenholz 7 but the vibration hurts everytime I do a banana flick and its not healthy anymore, it feels like my hand got electricuted because of the bad vibrations. Also, the production model of challenge speed can compete with the solidity of shots produced by the EB7 but I have more control, the blade is more balanced unlike the EB7 which is head heavy and I couldnt use the max versions of Tenzones. The EB7 that I have is 90 grams while the new Adidas Challenge Speed is only 85 grams! The EB7 is still a faster and stiffer blade but I can do things better with the Challenge Speed
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Independent online TT Product reviewer of XIOM, STIGA, JOOLA, SANWEI, GEWO, AIR, ITC, APEX, YASAKA and ABROS
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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Update on the challenge speed blade:
its already available in some parts of China and Korea. It will be released in Japan this march. The retail price suggested for this blade is just $80.
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Independent online TT Product reviewer of XIOM, STIGA, JOOLA, SANWEI, GEWO, AIR, ITC, APEX, YASAKA and ABROS
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SmackDAT
Platinum Member Joined: 01/01/2012 Location: London Status: Offline Points: 2231 |
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Hey, yogi bear, Does the blade work well with P7? Might get it if I hate my Kreanga Aeros. Is 69 euros worth the Challenger Speed? |
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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smackdat, im using the challenge speed with P7 in my forehand and backhand and its really a good blade and set up
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Independent online TT Product reviewer of XIOM, STIGA, JOOLA, SANWEI, GEWO, AIR, ITC, APEX, YASAKA and ABROS
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SmackDAT
Platinum Member Joined: 01/01/2012 Location: London Status: Offline Points: 2231 |
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What do you think would go well on the backhand of Challenger Speed?
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yogi_bear
Forum Moderator Joined: 11/25/2004 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 7219 |
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P7, P3, Tenzone SF, R4
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Independent online TT Product reviewer of XIOM, STIGA, JOOLA, SANWEI, GEWO, AIR, ITC, APEX, YASAKA and ABROS
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