Weight
89g
Thickness
5.6mm
Plies
6-ply
Head Size
165x158
Handles
FL / ST
Material
Hybrid
Head Shape
Oversized
Balance
Balanced
Kazak Combi
Red+Black Kazak Combi is a specialized table tennis blade engineered for players who thrive on tactical deception and varied play. Its most distinctive feature is its asymmetric construction, offering contrasting performance characteristics on each side. The forehand side is enhanced with a soft inner carbon layer, providing increased speed, directness, and attacking power. Conversely, the backhand side is all-wood, designed to maximize dwell time and control, making it ideal for disruptive shots with long pips or anti-spin rubbers. This dual-sided approach allows players to seamlessly transition between aggressive attacks and deceptive defensive maneuvers, offering a unique advantage in modern table tennis. The blade is crafted by Red+Black, a brand known for its combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern materials, catering to players seeking an edge through strategic play.
Kazak Combi features an asymmetric 6-ply design. The forehand side incorporates a unidirectional carbon layer, contributing to increased speed and a stiffer feel for attacking strokes. The backhand side is composed entirely of wood, emphasizing dwell time and a softer feel, which is advantageous for control-oriented shots with pips or anti-spin rubbers. This unique construction creates two distinct playing surfaces on a single blade.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Kazak Combi's speed is moderate and balanced, reflecting its hybrid nature. The forehand side, with its carbon layer, provides good acceleration and penetration power for offensive shots, enabling fast loops and flat hits. However, it is not considered an extremely fast blade like pure carbon offensive blades. The backhand side is noticeably slower, emphasizing control. The overall speed rating reflects a blade suitable for attacking play but prioritizing control and placement over raw power.
Control is a paramount characteristic of the Kazak Combi, especially on the backhand side. The all-wood construction on this side significantly enhances dwell time, allowing for precise placement and soft touches, crucial for defensive maneuvers and playing with disruptive rubbers. Even the forehand side, while offering speed, maintains a high level of control due to the inner carbon placement and overall construction. This makes the blade excellent for intricate play, blocking, and executing various spin-based strokes with accuracy.
Kazak Combi offers a distinct difference in feel between its two sides. The forehand, with the carbon layer, provides a medium-hard to medium feel, delivering more direct feedback and a crisper response during attacks. The backhand, being all-wood, offers a softer, woodier feel with significant dwell time, allowing for greater ball feedback and control during defensive actions. This contrast allows players to feel the nuances of each side distinctly.
The forehand side, with its carbon reinforcement, is described as having a high arc and offering significant energy release on rallies, suggesting a medium-high to high throw angle suitable for aggressive looping. The backhand side, optimized for control and defensive play, likely produces a more controlled or medium throw angle, allowing for precise placement of chops and blocks.
The backhand side of the Kazak Combi is specifically designed to maximize dwell time. This extended contact with the ball allows for greater spin generation, improved control on chops and blocks, and enhanced feel for disruptive rubbers. While the forehand side is quicker, it still retains a noticeable dwell time, contributing to spin-friendly loops. This high dwell time, particularly on the backhand, is a defining characteristic for tactical players.
Kazak Combi exhibits a medium flex, described as medium stiff on the forehand side due to the carbon and medium-flexible on the all-wood backhand side. This allows for a slight catapult effect during aggressive loops on the forehand, while the backhand's flexibility enhances the dwell time and feel necessary for precise defensive play and spin manipulation.
Kazak Combi has a low to medium vibration level, especially on the backhand side. This controlled vibration helps in maintaining stability during blocks and defensive shots, providing clear feedback without being jarring. The carbon layer on the forehand likely reduces some of the wood's natural vibration, leading to a more direct and faster response while still offering a balanced feel.
Red+Black Kazak Combi is frequently praised for its superior build quality and craftsmanship. Descriptions often highlight a handmade feel, precise finishing, and attention to detail. The materials used are selected for performance and durability, contributing to a blade that not only plays well but also feels premium in hand. This high quality suggests good longevity and consistent performance.
Technology
Red+Black Kazak Combi is built upon Red+Black's philosophy of blending traditional blade craftsmanship with modern material science. A key technological aspect is its asymmetric construction, where one side features an integrated unidirectional carbon layer for enhanced speed and directness, while the other remains purely wooden to maximize feel, dwell time, and control. This design aims to cater to material specialists and players who utilize deceptive rubbers, providing distinct performance characteristics tailored for different playing styles within a single blade. The manufacturing process is described as handmade, implying a higher level of precision and quality control.
Similar Blades
Butterfly Viscaria
While Viscaria is a symmetric offensive blade with a more powerful carbon construction, Kazak Combi's carbon side offers some of the directness and power found in blades like Viscaria. However, Kazak Combi's primary differentiator is its asymmetric design for tactical material play, which Viscaria lacks. Players seeking a versatile combi-blade might consider Kazak Combi as an alternative to a more traditional offensive blade if they desire distinct forehand and backhand characteristics.
Red+Black Kazak A
Red+Black Kazak A is a sibling blade to the Kazak Combi. While Kazak Combi is specifically designed as a combi-blade for material players with its asymmetric carbon and wood sides, Kazak A is described as a 7-ply all-wood or wood+UDC blade optimized for all-round play with enhanced control and dwell time, particularly on the backhand. Players who appreciate Kazak Combi's focus on control and dwell time but desire a more symmetric blade for general all-round play might find Kazak A a suitable alternative.