Look & Feel:
The woodwork is moderate. It was symmetrical but rough and the feel is very light. The surface is slightly uneven, but acceptable for the price one pay for it (less than USD$28). It is a Korean penhold bat (reason for calling it Korean is that it is round-shape as compared to most square-shape Japanese ph blade).
Sound:
The blade gives a crisp sound when the ball is hit, probably due to the 2-ply thin carbon configuration. It is louder when it hits the center where the sweet spot is.
Weight:
The lightness is unbelievable. It weighted slightly less than 70g (exact is 68.8g) and feels very light.
Play:
1) Serve: Fast serving long always go out, maybe due to my eagerness and not condition to use this light blade as yet. Serving short is OK but I need a little practice due to the lightness of this thick blade. I find that almost all my serves tends to be high because of the stiffness of this blade.
2) Block: Par Excellent. Counter blocking and punching blocks is fast but controllable..
3) Loop: I think this blade is not made for loopers. It is not forgiving and all my loops went out and I have to put in more effort to ensure the ball stays in. I find that this blade is more for the hitter/driver.
Summary: I must say the 986 is a hitter/driver primary weapon and the blade is really light and fast, suitable for those on the offensive. With this blade you will definitely have more reaction time for close-to-table blocking and attacking. For me personally, not that good playing it away from the table. The workmanship is average for the price you pay; definitely cannot compared with a Butterfly or even a Xiom blade (which is several class above in finishing).
- Galaxy/YinHe 986 bat
- YH1.jpg (37.29 KiB) Viewed 1040 times
- The handle (looks like lotsa pimple)
- YH2.jpg (47.78 KiB) Viewed 1036 times
