Weight
85g
Thickness
5.8mm
Plies
7-ply
Material
Hybrid
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Balanced
Sensei
Red+Black Sensei is a discontinued offensive blade designed for skilled attackers seeking a powerful yet delicate weapon. It combines a light feel with ample control, excelling at offensive loops and blocks with the modern plastic ball. The blade's Linear Response System (LRS) provides intelligent, consistent feedback for enjoyable feel and steady control across all strokes, making it a nuanced tool for advanced play.
The blade uses a 7-ply construction consisting of 5 wood layers and 2 Basalt Fiber layers. This hybrid design aims to enhance speed and stability through the fibers while maintaining a relatively light weight and the tactile benefits of wood, creating a modern offensive blade focused on power and control.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Red+Black Sensei is rated highly for speed, making it well-suited for aggressive offensive play. This performance stems from its 7-ply construction with Basalt Fiber layers, which enhance power and acceleration for forceful loops and smashes while maintaining a manageable feel.
Despite its high speed, Sensei also scores very well in control, offering a balanced feel for precise ball placement and manipulation. This is crucial for offensive players who rely on spin and tactical shots. The Linear Response System contributes significantly by delivering consistent, predictable feedback on every stroke.
Sensei offers an enjoyable, direct feeling with steady control, characterized as 'Nearly Stiff.' This provides crisp feedback without being overly soft or harsh, aided by the dampening effect of the fiber layers within the wood composition. The Linear Response System ensures this feel is predictable and consistent.
Officially described as having a 'Low Arc,' the Sensei blade produces shots with a lower trajectory. This is preferred by many offensive players for creating powerful, penetrating loops and fast attacks that stay low over the net, a key asset in modern play.
The combination of wood and Basalt Fiber suggests a medium to medium-high dwell time. This allows for good ball contact and spin generation on loops and brush strokes, without being excessively long, which helps preserve the blade's offensive speed.
Described as 'Nearly Stiff,' the blade has a firm playing surface. This stiffness is beneficial for generating direct speed and a crisp feel on impact, while still retaining enough subtle flex for effective spin generation on looping shots.
With a 'Nearly Stiff' character and Basalt Fiber layers, the blade likely provides moderate vibration. This offers useful feedback on contact without being distracting, and the Linear Response System helps to control and linearize this feedback for the player.
The blade receives a strong overall rating, indicating excellent build quality and material selection. This suggests a durable, premium construction that feels solid in hand, consistent with its positioning as a high-performance tool for skilled players.
Technology
Red+Black Sensei features the Linear Response System (LRS), a technology designed to deliver consistent and predictable feedback on all strokes. This system likely involves a specific material arrangement or construction method that ensures the blade reacts linearly to force, enhancing control and feel. The blade also incorporates Basalt Fiber in its 7-ply build (5 wood + 2 fiber), a material known for increasing speed and stability while keeping the blade relatively light and contributing to its stiff character.
Similar Blades
Red + Black Faith
Players report a similar feeling of enhanced control and connection when using the Red+Black Faith blade. Described as an 'Off-' blade with no synthetic layers, the Faith might offer a comparable playing experience in terms of feel and control, though its all-wood construction could result in a different speed and power profile compared to the hybrid Sensei.