Weight
89g
Thickness
6.2mm
Plies
9-ply
Head Size
157x151
Handles
FL / ST
Material
Hybrid
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Balanced
TCT
Palio TCT is an offensive table tennis blade built for aggressive players who demand a potent mix of speed and control. Its unique 9-ply construction, blending wood, titanium, and soft carbon, creates a stiff yet surprisingly tactile playing surface. This design facilitates powerful attacks, consistent blocking, and excellent spin generation. Ideal for players who thrive on direct shots, sharp counterattacks, and heavy loops close to the table, it offers a large sweet spot and enhanced stability for precise execution.
The blade features a symmetrical 5+2+2 construction, meaning 5 wood veneers, 2 titanium layers, and 2 soft carbon layers. This hybrid composition results in a stiff blade that offers high speed and a large sweet spot, with the outer layers being wood and the composite materials placed closer to the core.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Palio TCT is widely recognized as a very fast blade. Our testing shows its construction with titanium and carbon layers significantly boosts power and speed, making it ideal for aggressive attacking play and fast-paced rallies where explosive shots are key.
Despite its offensive nature, Palio TCT offers a commendable level of control. This is attributed to the softer wood core and the tactile feel from the material combination, allowing players to maintain accuracy during powerful strokes and blocks, which is a notable achievement for a blade this fast.
Palio TCT delivers a stiff and hard feel due to its composite layers, yet players report a surprisingly soft touch on attack shots, thanks to the wood core. This duality provides crisp feedback during hard hits while retaining some of the pleasant feel associated with wood during powerful strokes.
Given its fast and aggressive nature, Palio TCT tends to produce a medium-high throw angle on powerful shots. This characteristic aids in clearing the net with aggressive topspin and driving balls with pace.
Dwell time is considered medium. The outer carbon and titanium layers create a stiff surface that shortens contact for fast shots, but the wood core allows for decent ball-contact duration, enabling good spin generation, especially on powerful loops.
Palio TCT is characterized by its stiffness. The titanium and carbon layers create a very rigid structure, which is advantageous for powerful, direct shots and fast blocks, as it minimizes flex during impact.
Players report medium vibration levels. The composite layers stiffen the blade, reducing excessive shake, but some residual vibration remains, contributing to the tactile feedback received during ball impact.
The construction and quality of the Palio TCT are generally praised. It features a durable build with well-finished handles, and the use of materials like titanium and carbon suggests a solid manufacturing process. Many players find it represents good value for its performance level.
Technology
Palio TCT features an innovative 9-ply construction that combines traditional wood veneers with advanced titanium and soft carbon layers. This 5+2+2 (wood+titanium+carbon) structure is engineered to optimize performance. The integrated titanium and carbon layers enhance stiffness, power, and enlarge the sweet spot, delivering a fast and responsive feel. This design aims to provide the speed and directness of composite blades while retaining a degree of the softer touch and control found in wood blades, particularly during attacking shots.
Similar Blades
Yinhe T4S
Yinhe T4S is often discussed alongside the Palio TCT as another exceptionally stiff, aggressive blade. Both are known for their fast, direct playing characteristics due to composite constructions, making them suitable for players who prefer powerful attacks. However, their specific layer compositions differ, which may lead to slight variations in feel and spin capabilities.
Palio TC6
Palio TC6 is a related blade within Palio's titanium carbon line. TTSensei experts note it is generally described as being slightly faster and stiffer than the TCT. This makes the TC6 an option for players seeking even more raw power and a harder feel compared to the TCT's balance.