Weight
95g
Thickness
10mm
Plies
1-ply
Material
AllWood
Head Shape
Custom
Balance
Balanced
Hinoki Pro Gold
Champion Hinoki Pro Gold is a premium single-ply Hinoki wood blade crafted for players who prioritize exceptional feel and spin generation. Its thick Kiso Hinoki construction delivers a soft, sensitive touch with outstanding dwell time, enabling precise placement and powerful looping. This all-wood blade offers a classic playing experience, blending offensive capability with refined control, making it ideal for intermediate to advanced players who value tactile feedback and a natural wood sensation for sophisticated strokes.
Constructed from a single, thick piece of Hinoki wood, this blade exemplifies traditional Japanese-style craftsmanship. The one-ply design maximizes the natural properties of the wood, providing a direct feel and exceptional feedback for a pure playing experience.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Champion Hinoki Pro Gold delivers very fast performance, a result of the thick single ply of Hinoki wood and its natural catapult effect. This speed is achieved purely through the wood's characteristics, offering a lively response without the use of composite materials, making it potent for powerful drives and loops.
Despite its speed, this blade provides commendable control thanks to excellent dwell time and the sensitive feedback inherent to single-ply Hinoki. Players report precise shot-making, especially for spin-focused techniques, allowing for accurate placement and delicate touch shots around the table.
It offers a soft, sensitive feel with significant dwell time, allowing players to feel the ball deeply on the paddle. This tactile feedback is a hallmark of single-ply Hinoki and is crucial for spin-oriented play and touch shots.
Thick, single-ply Hinoki blades tend to produce a medium to high throw angle, especially with modern rubbers. This characteristic benefits offensive players by creating a pronounced arc, allowing for deep, looping shots with plenty of clearance over the net.
The thick, single-ply Hinoki construction naturally provides a long dwell time, letting the ball sink into the wood. This extended contact is key for generating heavy spin and allows players to impart more rotation on their loops and chops.
With a stiffness rating of 3.0, this blade has some flex, contributing to its feel and dwell time. This slight flexibility allows for a cushioned impact, aiding in spin generation and providing a more forgiving touch on off-center hits.
Vibration levels are medium, offering clear feedback without being overly amplified. The thick wood construction provides a slightly more dampened sensation compared to thinner blades, giving a solid and informative feel on impact.
Our assessment indicates very good build quality, supported by the use of Kiso Hinoki wood, which implies a solid and well-crafted product. The blade's construction focuses on the inherent quality of a single piece of premium wood, resulting in a durable and consistent playing instrument.
Technology
Champion Hinoki Pro Gold relies on a traditional single-ply construction, harnessing the natural properties of Kiso Hinoki wood. This approach emphasizes the wood's inherent feel, dwell time, and natural catapult effect, avoiding modern composites or complex layering. The technology focuses on delivering an authentic wood-blade experience where the quality of the single piece of wood is paramount, offering players a direct connection to the classic elements of the game.
Pro Players Using This Blade
Ryu Seung Min
Ryu Seung Min, the 2004 Olympic champion, is an official ambassador for the Champion brand. His powerful, offensive style aligns well with the speed and spin characteristics of the Hinoki Pro Gold, and his association suggests endorsement and potential use of similar equipment during his career.
Similar Blades
Nittaku Miyabi
Nittaku Miyabi is a single-ply Hinoki blade known for its excellent feel and affordability, similar to the Champion Hinoki Pro Gold. It's a great option for players wanting to experience the unique sensation of a Hinoki blade, offering good dwell time and spin potential in a classic package.
Darker 7p-2a
Darker 7p-2a is a 7-ply blade that incorporates Hinoki and is frequently discussed for its superb feel and spin. While not a single-ply like the Champion, it serves as an alternative for players interested in a Hinoki-involved construction that might offer different playing characteristics, such as added stability.