DHS W968 review

[Creek]

In my opinion Ovtcharov Senso no1 is a harder version of the 2015-2019 hl5 and has nothing to do with w968. It has similar carbon as hl5, so aramid/carbon both only in one direction. This is the reason for the behavior you’re describing: slow on slow shots but catapulty on harder shots. The blade is very flexible.
As you previously played Viscaria, which is a very stiff and inflexible blade in comparison, it will take some time to get used to the Ovtcharov. If you’re not willing to invest this time, get another blade 😅

 

[WingTT]

Hello together!
I am new to this forum as there are not many reviews in German forums to HL5/ w968 blades.
I got an 86g st Donic Ovtcharov No1 senso, which ist said to be a w968 or at least an improved hl5 (i cant tell as i only have this particular dhs made blade).
...
So I will give it a few more tries and maybe i need another FH rubber? Any advice for the power unlock? Or will a harder/ less springy rubber help solving this problem? I have a H3 neo and friendship bloom power which i could try, but didnt want to change the whole bat at a time.

The Donic Ovtcharov No 1 Senso you can buy is the same as commercial HL5 as far as I can tell except for the hollow and apparently very slightly larger handle. Try the H3 Neo on your No 1. The H3 may be a bit slow but they are made for each other.

 

[SlowPower]

Thanks for the replies.
@ creek
were is the information from? The edges look the same as the W968.
Is the W968 much stiffer in your opinion?
Maybe I will stick to my Xiom, but I was curious about one of the most famous blades and had the opportunity to get one cheap. But if it is really that different from the W968 I wont capture this discussion anymore- sorry for that (elsewhere i have read it is the same).

@WingTT
I will test the H3 when the current season will be over (last match tomorrow ^^)- sounds reasonably

 

[Zwill]

I want to come back to the W968 and I am totally not reading back what I wrote so I actually might contradict myself from before. But that is the beauty of just saying what you think at the moment. I don't mind contradicting myself in the slightest.

One thing that I noticed is that the 2nd layer, the ayous layer is very soft. The top limba layer is probably more soft than other manufacturers top limba layers (BTY, Xiom just to name the best) but it's like W968 (and other DHS blades too) feel like the top limba is raw, or not dried. Maybe the ayous beneath is also not dried.
But what I noticed with this type of construction is that the 2nd ayous layer is elastic, it can compress on hard hits and then bounce the ball out like a sponge. It's like they use the 2nd soft layer as an additional sponge.
And of course, beneath the 2nd ayous layer is the artificial layer and then the pretty dense and hard ayous core.

I just feel like when I do a hard impact shot that the blade acts as a sponge too, and of course it has that well tensioned blade flex that slaps the ball in the ass when you hit it hard. Maybe this is one of the reasons the W968 feels a bit slow on weak impact and when you swing big it acts like it shoots the ball and it's quite fast.

 

[t.t.s.t.a.r]

One thing that I noticed is that the 2nd layer, the ayous layer is very soft. The top limba layer is probably more soft than other manufacturers top limba layers (BTY, Xiom just to name the best) but it's like W968 (and other DHS blades too) feel like the top limba is raw, or not dried. Maybe the ayous beneath is also not dried.
But what I noticed with this type of construction is that the 2nd ayous layer is elastic, it can compress on hard hits and then bounce the ball out like a sponge. It's like they use the 2nd soft layer as an additional sponge.
And of course, beneath the 2nd ayous layer is the artificial layer and then the pretty dense and hard ayous core.

I just feel like when I do a hard impact shot that the blade acts as a sponge too, and of course it has that well tensioned blade flex that slaps the ball in the ass when you hit it hard. Maybe this is one of the reasons the W968 feels a bit slow on weak impact and when you swing big it acts like it shoots the ball and it's quite fast.

I really have to agree with this. I recently got to try a 2023 model W968 and it had more vibration than I expected, more than most blades i have tried. I think that would have been that very springy second layer mentioned above. I wasn't the biggest fan of so much of vibration of those amounts, I tend to prefer crisper feeing blades, but when you hit that ball hard with a fresh sheet of Hurricane 3 that ball flew with so much spin. For me the W968 really emphasized how Hurricane 3 plays as I feel the bade and rubber have very similar qualities: not doing much till you really hit it, and when you hit it the ball will do exactly what you tell it to.

 

[ben1229]

I bought the w968 because your post , been 2 months of light play, feels really different of btf fzd sale and v salc, especially far from table, no regrets buying the blade , then I sold my fzd salc.

 

[Flobert]

Can someone tell me where to buy a "genuine" W968?

 

[jk1980]

Prott.vip or something was where I bought one.

PROTT

 

[Zwill]

In the past Prott was legit for me, that is the most convenient place I think.

 

[mightymouse]

What is the head size of the current commercial HL5?

If I remember correctly, the earlier HL5 has big head, bigger than Korbel (158x152 mm).

 

[JJ Ng]

Can someone tell me where to buy a "genuine" W968?

I would trust tabletennis11.com

However, the price on TT11 is not that competitive compared to prott.vip

 

[Der_Echte]

Goo Ga, Ga Ga.

 

[JustANoob]

Goo Ga, Ga Ga.

No, that approach has been proven to not work, you need to recheck your sources.

 

[Wadawada123]

I saw you switched to loki fh rubber now, can you comment on the pros, cons, vs hurricane 3 fh? Appreciate you and your post very educational,

edit, you completely changed your set up wow

 

[davidzhang]

Did someone tried Pk50 or h8-80 on a W968 ?

 

[ben1229]

Pk50,no. 8-80 boosted good, but h3, 37/38 better.

 

[davidzhang]

And Dignics 09c ?

 

[ben1229]

D09c I only try it on bh, best bh rubber so far for the blade.

 

[TT Lover]

Pk50,no. 8-80 boosted good, but h3, 37/38 better.

Good day to you sir,

Normal h3, 37/38 or h3 NEO 37/38.

Thank you for your kind reply.

Best regards,

 

[ben1229]

Good day to you sir,

Normal h3, 37/38 or h3 NEO 37/38.

Thank you for your kind reply.

Best regards,

Neo