Weight
70g
Thickness
4.15mm
Plies
5-ply
Head Size
161x154
Handles
FL / ST
Material
Hybrid
Head Shape
Oversized
Balance
Balanced
Balsa 2.5 Defence
TSP Balsa 2.5 Defence is a specialized blade for defenders who demand extreme control and a soft, sensitive touch. Its unique construction centers on a thick 2.5mm balsa wood core, known for lightness and vibration absorption, layered with fiberglass. This creates a blade with exceptional feel, a massive sweet spot, and a stable, predictable bounce, perfect for precise chops, blocks, and pushes. The lightweight design enhances maneuverability, allowing quick reactions to maintain a strong defensive stance.
The 2.5mm balsa core provides a soft feel and reduces weight, while the fiberglass layers offer consistency and a larger sweet spot, contributing to precise ball control without excessive vibration.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
TSP Balsa 2.5 Defence is a distinctly slow blade, optimized for defensive play. The balsa core absorbs impact, limiting catapult effect and raw speed. It's not built for blistering attacks but provides enough pace for modern defensive rallies and can generate decent speed on flat hits when paired with faster rubbers.
Control is the primary strength of this blade. Its soft feel, large sweet spot, and minimal vibration allow for exceptional precision in all defensive strokes like chops, blocks, and pushes. Players can place the ball with high accuracy, making it difficult for opponents to find openings.
The balsa core provides a very soft and sensitive feel, allowing players to clearly sense the ball upon impact. This soft touch is crucial for executing precise defensive shots and adapting to different spin variations.
The blade generally produces a lower to medium throw angle, advantageous for defensive play, particularly for chops and blocks. This helps keep the ball low and close to the net, making it harder for opponents to attack.
The soft feel and flexible nature contribute to a longer dwell time. This lets the ball sink into the rubber and blade more, facilitating heavy spin generation on defensive shots and controlled placement.
The blade exhibits noticeable flex, which contributes to its dwell time and control. This flexibility benefits defensive shots, allowing for greater spin variation and a softer impact, while still offering enough stiffness for controlled offensive actions.
The combination of balsa wood and fiberglass minimizes vibration, providing a clean and precise feel. This reduces hand fatigue and enhances control by offering a direct connection to the ball without unwanted tremors.
The blade is well-regarded for its consistent performance and high-quality feel from the balsa and fiberglass construction. It offers a durable build that holds up well for defensive play, with many users praising its longevity and stable characteristics over time.
Technology
TSP Balsa 2.5 Defence features TSP's patented 'smart wood' technology, utilizing a thick, 2.5mm balsa core cut horizontally. This core is layered with elastic fiberglass plies, creating a unique construction that enhances control and feel. The balsa core acts like a series of mini-springs, contributing to a precise and uniform bounce with minimal vibration. This results in a large sweet spot and excellent touch, differentiating it from purely wooden blades and many composite blades. The 'Fitter' grip variation was introduced to further improve feeling and stability.
Similar Blades
TSP Balsa 3.5 Defence / Defence Classic
TSP Balsa 3.5 offers a slightly faster and potentially more offensive option within the Balsa line while retaining many defensive characteristics. The TSP Defence Classic is another blade from TSP known for its control and defensive capabilities, though it differs in construction from the balsa core. Both are suitable for defensive players looking for alternatives within the TSP brand.
Victas Balsa 2.5 Defence
Victas, the successor brand to TSP, continues to produce blades like the Victas Balsa 2.5 Defence, which is essentially the same blade under a new branding. Players seeking this specific type of balsa-core defensive blade might find the Victas version to be a direct replacement.