Innerforce ZLC-cs T05/T64 review

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My impressions on playing with an Innerforce ZLC-cs using Tenergy 05 on forehand and Tenergy 64 on backhand.  I used 1.9mm sponge on both.

Weight - This blade is quite heavy despite 1.9mm sponge.  This is a much more top heavy blade than my Firehand-cs.

Pushing - I am finding a good push quite difficult with this combo.  I'm not sure if it's both the Tenergy and the blade, but you really need to hit into the ball to get a good response.  With a loose push, it's hard to get a decent amount of spin on the ball and keep it short.  There's also a significant amount of vibration and it sounds very 'woody'.

Looping - Wow.  The harder you hit with this blade, the better it feels.  On a full forehand loop, the wood sound becomes more crisp, and the vibration disappears.  I normally play with a one ply hinoki jpen, and I can say the spin from this setup makes me want to retire my jpen permanently.

Off the bounce counter-hitting - Okay, this is my biggest problem with this blade.  As a penholder, this is one of the staples of my game and one that will take a bit of adaption.  Since I really need to hit into the ball to get a good response, a shorter stroke becomes less desirable.  With a quick hit, I'm feeling more vibration and much less control.  With this combo, I would prefer to take a step back and use a full loop rather than take a shot off the bounce.

My conclusions - This combination is made for a two-winged looper.  Using full swings from a few feet away from the table produces a great feeling and excellent control.  Strangely enough, the larger my swing, the more control I feel in my shots.  I would not recommend this setup for anyone interested in speed over spin.  I prefer the 05 over 64 on this blade, although both seem to work well.  I would expect to see this blade gain more popularity among Euro loopers than penholders.