Weight
87g
Thickness
5.7mm
Plies
5-ply
Handles
FL / ST
Material
Hybrid
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Balanced
Hurricane King
DHS Hurricane King is a premier table tennis blade celebrated for its masterful balance of speed, control, and tactile feel, making it a top-tier choice for aggressive all-around players. Its construction, often a 5-ply wood or 5+2 composite core, provides a solid foundation for powerful attacks while maintaining remarkable precision. The blade's specialized glue technology minimizes elasticity loss for consistent, long-lasting performance. Favored by elite professionals, it excels at both heavy looping and quick-attack strategies, offering superior hand feel and the power to dominate from any distance.
The standard Hurricane King is a symmetrical 5-ply all-wood construction with Koto outer plies, Spruce mid-plies, and an Ayous core. Popular variants incorporate inner layers of composite materials like Glass-carbon or Aramid carbon between the wood plies, creating a 5+2 structure that enhances speed while maintaining control due to the inner placement.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Hurricane King is generally considered a fast blade, particularly for an all-wood or inner-carbon construction. Our testing shows its speed rating in the higher range, often around 8.2-8.5. This speed is attributed to its construction and enhanced by specific glue technologies, offering significant power for aggressive attacks. It allows for potent drives and loops, especially when paired with suitable rubbers.
Control is a significant strength of the Hurricane King, with ratings consistently high. Its design emphasizes a good feel and stability, allowing players to execute precise shots even during fast exchanges. This control is crucial for players who rely on spin variation and accurate placement, making it a versatile blade suitable for both offensive maneuvers and delicate short game play.
The feel of Hurricane King is generally described as medium-hard to hard, especially in its composite variants. This characteristic provides good feedback from the ball, enabling players to gauge impact and make adjustments. It delivers a solid, direct sensation during powerful shots, contributing to its offensive capabilities while retaining enough touch for control.
Hurricane King typically produces a medium-high throw angle, which is beneficial for looping and generating aggressive topspin shots. This trajectory helps the ball clear the net with sufficient height and depth, making returns difficult for opponents and complementing its offensive, spin-oriented playstyle.
Hurricane King offers good dwell time, a key factor for spin generation. This allows the ball to stay on the blade a moment longer, enabling players to impart more rotation, particularly on topspin shots. This characteristic is highly valued for offensive play and contributes to creating challenging, spin-heavy shots.
Hurricane King is typically characterized as a stiff blade, particularly in its composite versions. This stiffness contributes to its direct power transfer and speed, providing a solid feel for powerful shots. It may require players to generate power through technique rather than relying on blade flex, with all-wood variants potentially offering slightly more flexibility.
Vibration levels on Hurricane King are generally moderate. While some users note a slight vibration depending on the specific version and rubber pairing, it is not considered excessive. The construction balances power with manageable feedback, allowing players to maintain control and feel without discomfort.
Hurricane King is consistently praised for its excellent build quality and finish. The craftsmanship and material selection result in a durable, premium feel. The glue technology contributes to a solid construction that maintains its performance characteristics over time, ensuring a reliable and high-quality experience for the player.
Technology
Hurricane King utilizes specialized 'counter-infiltration' glue technology that minimizes elasticity loss in the wood plies, enhancing durability and ensuring consistent performance over time. Some variants incorporate inner layers of composite materials like carbon fiber or aramid carbon. These are strategically placed to boost power and speed while maintaining control and feel, showcasing advanced material engineering for professional-grade play.
Pro Players Using This Blade
Wang Liqin
Wang Liqin famously used Hurricane King during his peak, including his 2005 World Championships victory. The blade was instrumental in his aggressive, all-around style that combined powerful looping with excellent control. It provided the offensive power and precision required for high-level competition during the era of inorganic glues.
Wang Chuqin
Wang Chuqin uses a custom DHS Q968 'Hurricane King' blade, an evolution featuring a 5+2 inner carbon structure. Tailored to his dynamic game, it provides a balance of speed, spin, and control ideal for his powerful loops and high-paced rallies, often paired with DHS Hurricane 3 National rubbers.
Similar Blades
DHS Hurricane Long 5
Hurricane Long 5 is often compared to the Hurricane King, with both designed for aggressive play. However, the Long 5 is generally considered more focused on raw speed and power for an exclusively offensive style. Hurricane King offers a slightly better balance of speed and control, making it more versatile for all-around offensive players.
Butterfly Viscaria
Butterfly Viscaria is a benchmark for high-performance composite blades. While composite versions of Hurricane King share similarities in offering speed and control, players note subtle differences in dwell time, flex, and overall feedback. They are comparable but distinct choices, with the Viscaria often having a slightly different feel.