Weight
85g
Thickness
8.7mm
Plies
5-ply
Head Size
154x143
Handles
FL
Material
AllWood
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Balanced
Senko 5X RS Japan Kiso Hinoki
PP Senko 5X RS Japan Kiso Hinoki is a 5-ply all-wood blade that delivers a classic Hinoki feel with modern performance. Crafted from premium Kiso Hinoki wood, it offers a unique blend of speed, spin, and control, making it versatile for various playing styles. The construction emphasizes direct ball feedback and excellent feel, allowing for precise shot-making and significant spin generation. It honors the legacy of traditional Hinoki blades while incorporating advancements suitable for today's game.
This blade is constructed from five layers of 100% Kiso Hinoki wood, a material known for its excellent feel, speed, and spin-producing capabilities. The all-wood construction provides direct ball response and natural flex, contributing to good dwell time and control.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
PP Senko 5X RS offers a good level of speed, thanks to the natural properties of Kiso Hinoki wood. It provides enhanced rotation and is well-suited for the 40+ ball era, performing comparably to some renowned out-of-print models known for their high performance.
Despite its speed, this blade maintains a high level of control, a hallmark of well-constructed all-wood Hinoki blades. This control supports strategic placement, aggressive serves, and delicate short game play, making it reliable for precise shots.
The feel is characterized by direct ball feedback and natural flex from the all-wood construction. Kiso Hinoki offers a good balance of stiffness and flexibility, providing a tactile connection that enhances player touch and control.
Kiso Hinoki wood provides a good catapult effect, resulting in a medium-high throw angle, especially with modern rubbers. This is beneficial for generating aggressive, arcing topspin shots that clear the net with ease.
The 5-ply Kiso Hinoki construction leads to excellent dwell time, allowing the ball to sink into the blade longer. This increases spin generation on serves and topspin shots, giving players more time to impart rotation.
The 5-ply Kiso Hinoki construction provides a moderate level of flexibility. This allows for good power generation on harder strokes while retaining enough pliability for spin-oriented shots and effective touch play near the net.
All-wood Hinoki blades typically offer a medium level of vibration. It's perceived as useful feedback rather than excessive harshness, contributing to the blade's overall feel and control during play.
PP Senko 5X RS is praised for its quality, with players reporting performance not inferior to out-of-print Butterfly products. It uses selected, heavyweight, high-hardness Kiso Hinoki wood and meticulous craftsmanship from OEM partnerships with renowned factories, ensuring a high-quality build.
Technology
PP Senko 5X RS Japan Kiso Hinoki showcases traditional blade craftsmanship, focusing on the inherent qualities of Kiso Hinoki wood. Its construction uses five layers of this premium Japanese wood, selected for density, hardness, and resonant properties. The manufacturing process, through OEM partnerships with established factories, ensures high-quality control. Designed for enhanced speed and rotation, it meets the demands of the modern 40+ ball era while retaining the characteristic feel and feedback of a pure Kiso Hinoki blade.
Similar Blades
Butterfly Senko No. 5 (out-of-print)
Players report using PP Senko 5X RS to relive the experience of the out-of-print Butterfly Senko No. 5, noting that its performance is definitely not inferior. This suggests very similar construction and playing characteristics, making it a worthy modern alternative.