Weight
75g
Thickness
6.8mm
Plies
7-ply
Handles
FL / ST
Material
Hybrid
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Balanced
BALSA PLUS
Donic Balsa Carbo Fleece and Balsa Carbo Certran Fibre blades are engineered for aggressive offensive players seeking a lightweight yet powerful weapon. They masterfully combine the natural lightness and soft feel of balsa wood with the rigidity and stability of carbon fiber. This fusion results in blades offering noticeable speed and exceptional feel, enabling powerful, controlled attacking shots. Designed to make topspinning effortless, they provide a unique playing experience for dynamic, close-to-the-table play.
The construction pairs a soft balsa wood core with stiff carbon fiber layers and harder outer wood veneers. This creates a blade that is both lightweight and fast, offering a unique blend of speed, stiffness, and feel. The balsa core provides elasticity and dwell time, while the carbon layers increase power.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
These blades are designed for high-speed offensive play. The balsa-carbon construction delivers exceptional speed, enabling powerful drives and fast attacks. Our testing shows the Certran Fibre variant is particularly fast and hard, functioning like a rocket launcher for aggressive shots.
While engineered for speed, the balsa core and specific wood combinations provide a surprisingly good level of control, especially when paired with softer rubbers. Players report excellent control with the Fleece variant once they adapt to its characteristics, making it manageable for offensive play.
The combination of balsa and carbon creates a unique feel. While the carbon imparts stiffness and directness, the balsa core offers a softer touch and clear feedback, resulting in an exceptional, communicative feel with reduced unpleasant vibration.
When paired with softer rubbers, these blades can generate a medium to high throw angle, which is highly beneficial for creating heavy topspin shots and looping effectively.
Dwell time is generally moderate on these blades, influenced by the balsa core and the choice of rubbers. Players find that using softer rubbers can effectively increase the dwell time for better spin generation.
These blades are considered stiff due to the carbon integration, which contributes directly to their speed and power. The balsa core provides a slight hint of elasticity, preventing them from feeling completely rigid.
The carbon layers are noted to significantly reduce unpleasant vibrations. Many players appreciate the lack of vibration, which provides a clean, direct feel, though some who prefer more tactile feedback might find it less engaging.
These blades are generally perceived to have good to excellent build quality, consistent with their positioning as performance-oriented equipment. The materials and construction method contribute to a durable and reliable product that feels professional in hand.
Technology
The core technology lies in the innovative combination of balsa wood and carbon fiber. Balsa, known for its extreme lightness and soft properties, forms the core, providing a unique feel and reducing overall weight. Carbon fiber, integrated into the layers, imparts rigidity, stability, and increased speed. Different variants utilize specific types of carbon (e.g., Certran Carbon, Carbon Fleece) and outer wood veneers (e.g., Koto, Limba, Yaya) to fine-tune performance characteristics such as hardness, speed, and elasticity. This results in blades that are remarkably lightweight yet capable of delivering powerful, controlled offensive shots.
Similar Blades
Donic Waldner Black Devil Carbon Balsa
This is another Donic blade that combines balsa and carbon, suggesting a similar playing profile. It is known for being fast, hard, dynamic, and very lightweight, with a compact size. It features a balsa core for control and carbon for power, making it a comparable alternative for offensive players.
Donic Balsa Carbo Fibre
The Balsa Carbo Fleece is described as the more powerful sibling of the Balsa Carbo Fibre. The Fibre variant is noted as being slightly heavier and slower, which translates to offering a bit more control, making it a closely related alternative for players seeking a similar feel with enhanced stability.