Hello, my name is Arnie, I embarked on my table tennis journey as an adult beginner in 2018. From childhood, I always had a fondness for the penhold grip, I often tried to play with it during casual games on the beach or during family vacations. Naturally, when I took up the sport more seriously, I gravitated towards penhold as my primary style. While the grip felt instinctive, I couldn’t shake the discomfort in my index finger. Determined to find a solution, I scoured the internet for a penhold blade that would alleviate this issue. My search led me to the Sanwei SU Style blade—the first generation of its kind—and I have been captivated by it ever since.
Today, my collection boasts more than 20 SU blades, encompassing almost all the different releases from both the EU and China markets.
Recently, Sanwei introduced a new Echo Style blade, and I wasted no time in placing an order. The blade is a true masterpiece of craftsmanship. Its design is nothing short of exquisite, with a striking blue handle that imparts a cool, refined aesthetic. To complement this, I paired it with a Sanwei Gear Hyper Blue 39° rubber on my forehand and a Gear Hyper Black 37° rubber on my backhand. The overall appearance of the blade left me thoroughly impressed, it’s simply magnificent.
From the moment I held it, the enhanced comfort was immediately apparent. Sanwei has made several noteworthy improvements with this new SU blade. The handle design has been re-engineered to start higher, offering more space for the hand to rest comfortably, which significantly enhances the grip. Furthermore, the area for the index finger has been refined with a new type of design that fits much better than in previous versions.
In this iteration, Sanwei has also increased the head size of the blade compared to earlier SU models. Perhaps the most significant upgrade, however, is the blade’s reduced weight, coming in at just 80 grams. This is a game-changer for me, as my previous SU blades weighed around 100 grams. In the past, it was all too easy to reach a setup weight of 180-200 grams, which forced me to compromise on my choice of rubber. I prefer my racket to weigh around 150-170 grams, so this lighter blade is a perfect fit.
In terms of comfort, this new SU blade is unparalleled—it feels almost like a natural extension of my arm, just holding it is a joy.
One of the other significant advantages of this blade is its suitability for the Reverse Penhold Backhand (RPB). It’s notably easier to engage the wrist and adjust the blade angle for RPB compared to a standard penhold blade. As someone who enjoys executing RPB loops, I’ve found that the SU style design greatly enhances this aspect of my play.
The sensation provided by this blade is truly exceptional, it offers the best feedback I’ve experienced among all my blades. It’s as though I have a heightened awareness of exactly why I missed each shot. The level of control is impressive, with minimal compromise on speed. While the sweet spot of this blade is somewhat smaller compared to constructions like the Froster (ALC) or the Fextra (7-ply wood) SU blades, this is to be expected from a 5-layer all-wood blade.
Overall, the experience with this blade has been remarkable, and I believe the Gear Hyper rubbers complement it perfectly. The combination of the Echo’s more flexible blade with the semi-hard sponge of the Gear Hyper creates a truly harmonious pairing. For me, this will undoubtedly become my new go-to racket setup, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking enhanced comfort while playing with the penhold grip.
