Weight
95g
Thickness
6.6mm
Plies
9-ply
Head Size
158x151
Material
AllWood
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Head-Heavy
Hybrid Wood NCT
Stiga Hybrid Wood NCT is a dynamic nine-ply all-wood blade built for modern attacking play. It leverages Stiga's NCT (Nano Composite Technology) to enhance surface hardness, enabling powerful hits without sacrificing control. This construction delivers a crisp feel and a generous sweet spot, ideal for executing precise, aggressive topspin shots. Players will appreciate its blend of high speed and surprising control, making it a formidable tool for those who dominate rallies from mid-distance.
The blade features a symmetrical nine-ply all-wood construction. Outer layers are soft Tilia (Linden) for feel, while the core consists of multiple Ayous layers. Two specific Ayous layers are infused with nanotubes as part of the NCT technology, contributing to the blade's unique performance characteristics.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Hybrid Wood NCT is consistently rated as very fast, solidly in the OFF+ category. The NCT technology contributes to this high pace, allowing players to hit with exceptional force. This speed makes it ideal for aggressive attackers looking to overwhelm opponents with powerful drives and loops.
Despite its high speed, this blade offers significant control, which is unusual for an OFF+ model. Players report a tremendous feel that allows for precise execution of loops, blocks, and touch shots. This balance makes it highly manageable for an attacking blade, providing confidence during fast exchanges.
The blade delivers a crisp, medium-hard to hard feel on contact. It's stiff enough for powerful drives but retains a degree of flex for effective looping. The feel communicates ball behavior clearly, varying slightly with the intensity of the shot.
It produces a medium-high to high throw angle, ideal for powerful, arcing loops and deep attacks. Players should adjust their blade angle slightly for close-table shots to keep the ball on the table.
It provides a medium to long dwell time, which supports its excellent control and spin generation. This allows for good ball pocketing, especially beneficial for creating heavy topspin loops.
The blade is on the stiffer side of medium, offering a firm, direct response. This stiffness supports powerful strokes while still providing enough flex for controlled looping and spin plays.
Vibration is low to medium, meaning the blade feels stable and comfortable even during powerful shots. This lack of excessive shake contributes to its controllable and confident handling.
Quality feedback is mixed. While some find the construction durable, others have noted issues like outer ply peeling or splintering during rubber changes. At its price point, expectations for flawless build quality are high, and these inconsistencies are a point of consideration for buyers.
Technology
Stiga Hybrid Wood NCT incorporates two key technologies. The first is NCT (Nano Composite Technology), where nanotubes are embedded within specific wood layers to increase surface hardness and durability, allowing for harder hits with maintained control. The second is the WRB (Wide Racket Balance) system, which optimizes weight distribution to enlarge the sweet spot and enhance overall performance.
Similar Blades
Stiga Ebenholz NCT VII
Ebenholz NCT VII is another all-wood blade from Stiga's Hardwood series, released around the same period. While it's a 7-ply construction compared to the 9-ply Hybrid Wood, it targets a similar audience of aggressive attackers with its speed and stiffness. TTSensei experts note its performance is often compared to other popular offensive blades.
Butterfly Viscaria
Viscaria is a legendary composite blade known for its exceptional speed, control, and feel. While it incorporates carbon layers unlike the all-wood Hybrid Wood NCT, players seeking a fast blade with high controllability and a professional-grade response might consider the Viscaria as a premium alternative.