Advice on pairing Dignics 09C rubbers
hamzah.france asked 3 years ago
Hi,
I just changed my all equipment, after looking a lot of reviews, I choose the Harimoto ALC blade to keep some control and not to use a too quick blade, I also bought the Dignics 09C (2,1mm) on both sides, after a month of use, I can definitely say that I like it but however I do have some questions,
With this combination, I put a lot of balls in the net (serve returns or flat backhand), thing that was not happening with my old rubbers (barracuda and desto F2), I understood that I have to be more aggressive to put the ball over the net and be more aggressive to be able to find consistency in the exchange, well it works, my backhand topspin or flick are pretty effective when it passes, even if it asks a lot of efforts for that,
What do you think of that combination?
Do you think that having to be more agressive and being forced to go for the ball will help me to improve my technic?
Or do you think I should maybe pair it with a Viscaria blade for exemple?
Thanks a lot
Tom Academy Coach answered 3 years ago
Hi, I think its a very good combination to be honest, nice control and a lot of spin. The thing is, any time you change equipment it takes a bit of time to be really used to and totally comfortable with your new set up and make the adjustments on all your shots consistently. I think this is even more pronounced with dignics as you do have to work with the rubber a bit more as you mentioned. Long term I think you will get more quality on your shots if you stick with it for longer.
If in the future you then feel like you still want or need a bit more speed then you could think about the viscaria. But I believe if you focus on being relaxed as you contact the ball and get a good acceleration through your shots you will start to see the extra quality that dignics can give you with time.
If you have any other questions of course just let us know 🙂
Cheers, Tom
hamzah.franceHi Tom,
Thanks for your feedback, I’ll keep training to adjust my shots, as long as you think that the blade and the rubbers are a good combination, I have the confidence to continue with it and make it works,
Best regards,
Hi, I am coming back to you for more information about equipment
I have been using the Harimoto alc with Dignics 09c on both side since November, was doing ok with it but many balls out of the table, and I found the combination very bouncy, once my trainer took my blade to varnish it, I had to use one of my old blades for 10 days (the Waldner senso V2), it is at that moment that I understood that the other equipment combination was very bouncy, and it was much easier to play,
Beginning of the month my thai trainer advised me to try Rakza 7 on FH and Rakza 7 soft on BH like the other players at the gym, saying that it will bounce less with the Harimoto alc, well it is kind of true and I found more consistency, but strangely I had a better feeling while hitting the ball with my friends blade (Viscaria with Rakza 7 and 7 soft), Tell me if you have any idea why, maybe it will be logical for you!
I have been watching your last review on the Stiga Clipper wood and bought it to try, what was interesting for me with it was: more control, less bouncy as being not a carbon blade, good for blocks and good for short serves and returns, and finally a blade that allows me to develop my technique
Regarding to what I explained to you, what are your advices? Will you pair the stiga clipper wood with Rakza 7 or Dignics 09c? or go with the Harimoto ?
How would you rate the Harimoto alc blade on the TTD Blade ratings??
Let me benefit from your experience
Thank you
Hi Hamzah,
Ok so first off I would say if you found the Harimoto bouncy with the Dignics and like the control of the clipper wood I would 100% recommend staying with the clipper wood blade for now. It’s got great control and will allow to develop your skills and technique as you said and then when you advance in the future perhaps you will find you want a little more speed or that carbon feeling and you can go back to the Harimoto blade.
I would say both the Rakza and the Dignics would be fine on the clipper so it just comes down to which you feel more comfortable with, the Rakza is a fair bit softer and Dignics will have definitely more grip and spin for sure.
The Harimoto blade I personally really liked, it’s slower than a viscaria but has more feeling and control I found.
With regards to having a better feeling on your friends blade it could be that his blade is older and blades soften over time compared to when new and often develop more control and a softer feel. So this is probably why you found a difference with that blade.
But as I said I would recommend the Clipper wood for now as it’s control will let you develop quicker and then in the future the Harimoto could still be a good option.
Let me know if you have any further questions on it 🙂
Thanks a lot for your quick reply, I will try and get back to you if I need more information
If you could You and Dan rate the Harimoto alc on the TTD blade rating chart, it it will be very nice for me, for now and later
thanks
take care
No problem at all, OK let me and Dan get together and discuss and we will create a TTD blade chart for the Harimoto blade for you. Take care. Tom
Thanks a lot
HI,
do you have a ttd blade chart with all the blades you try?
do you have the Viscaria in the chart?
still asking for the Harimoto alc rating when you have a chance to do it,
thanks
Hi, we don’t have a chart with all the blades right now. Usually we just make one each time we do a review. When we made the viscaria review it was before we started doing the TTD ratings but you can see our full review here with Liam Pitchford:
https://youtu.be/y6X0bHFXhr4
For the Harimoto Alc we decided it would probably be:
Speed-8.5
Flexibility-7
Control-8.5
Topspins-9.5
Blocks-9
Flat hits-8.5
Serve/return-8.5
Hope this is helpful for you.
Thanks
Hi,
I hope you are doing well,
The clipper was a good feeling blade but unfortunately it doesn’t suits me as the head of the handle was too thin or small for me so I changed, have you ever try the Nittaku acoustic?
I read comments and comparative between the Viscaria and the acoustic but nothing really clear for me and it was more based on people feelings
If you have something that could help?
Thank you
Hey we’re good thanks, hope you are too! OK so the Nittaku acoustic I know is a pretty popular blade as well, I’d say its definitely closer to a Clipper wood than a viscaria for sure. A viscaria will be a fair bit quicker because its a carbon blade and the acoustic is an all wood. So if you liked the feeling of the clipper I’d definitely recommend the acoustic ahead of the viscaria.
hamzah.france answered 3 years ago
I really liked the viscaria too and played with it since a few weeks, ST handle very good for backhand and it’s light with rakza rubbers but sometimes feel it a bit harder to control than the clipper if you dt use the proper movement and technique
I guess I will give a try to the acoustic but after having trying it or having it in hand at the shop to avoid the same mistake (feeling in hand) that I had with the clipper
As the blade is the most important part of the equipment and it is what gives you the feeling when you play, I believe it’s worthy to try
Whats your opinion?
At the end as always, I will only have a clear answer one I tried and experienced it
Thanks a lot for all your advices
hamzah.france answered 3 years ago
From what I understood from coaches and friends at the gym, some people are very sensitive to equipment and some other less sensitive to it. For example my coach even if he is at a national competitive level, he can’t play with another blade that the one he owns and he doesn’t like others blades even if it’s a blade from the same model, so I guess this kind of person can’t really help me or can’t share my feeling as I’m not so sensitive about it and can nearly play with all the blades I tried
i have tried the harimoto alc with dignics 09c (it’s good but better in 1.9mm than 2.1) and tenergy 19 is pretty good on it
harimoto with rakza 7 and 7 soft (too soft and didn’t like it)
the harimoto is soft and inner alc and I do prefer the feel of the outer alc as in the viscaria
the clipper with any rubbers mentioned above (it was good but the thin head of the handle is not suiting me)
Viscaria ST handle with rakza 7 and soft is good but faster, and with dignics 09c and tenergy 19 maybe too fast for me except I get used to it but might be less adapted for technique development
Do you think it is worth to try the nittaku acoustic ST or I should stick to the viscaria ?
