Plies
5-ply
Handles
FL / ST
Material
AllWood
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Balanced
Klondike Bar
Worz Klondike Bar is a meticulously handmade table tennis blade crafted in the U.S., designed for offensive players who value a blend of speed, control, and exceptional feel. Known as a fast balsa blade, it's remarkably light despite a thick profile, praised for flawless woodwork and superb balance. It offers a wide usable speed range, excelling in quick blocking, counterattacking, and powerful looping, especially close to the table and at mid-distance. Its responsive nature provides excellent feedback, making it a favorite for those seeking a highly controllable attacking weapon.
The blade is consistently described as a balsa blade with a balsa configuration, indicating Balsa as the core material responsible for its light weight and crisp feel. The exact number and type of other plies (outer and inner) are not specified, though it is typically a 5-ply construction for balsa core blades.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Worz Klondike Bar is a fast offensive blade, achieving a high speed rating primarily due to its balsa core. It excels in aggressive plays like fast serves and powerful loops, particularly in close-to-table and mid-distance engagements, offering a wide usable speed range.
Despite its speed, the Klondike Bar maintains good control, especially at lower speeds and for close-to-table play. It offers excellent control for blocking and precise shot placement, making it suitable for offensive players who also value accuracy.
The blade provides a very good feel and touch with a crisp click when the ball is hit. This direct and clear feedback, attributed to its balsa configuration, suggests a medium-hard sensation that allows players to feel the ball distinctly upon contact.
The blade's excellent performance in looping and its forgiving nature for generating spin strongly imply a medium-high throw angle. This characteristic helps players create a good arc over the net, which is crucial for offensive topspin play.
The blade is described as very forgiving when looping and made for loopers who can generate really hard spin with little effort. This indicates a generous dwell time that allows the ball to sink into the blade slightly, facilitating spin generation and control during looping strokes.
While not explicitly stated, balsa core blades often exhibit medium flexibility. Combined with its crisp click and offensive speed, the Klondike Bar is likely to have a medium stiffness, offering enough flex for spin while maintaining stability for powerful shots.
A crisp click and a louder wood sound when it hits the sweet spot suggest that the blade offers noticeable, yet controlled, vibration feedback. This level of vibration enhances the player's connection to the ball without being overly disruptive, providing good tactile information.
Worz Klondike Bar receives exceptionally high marks for its build quality. As a handmade blade, reviewers consistently highlight its meticulous construction, perfect finish, and attention to detail, positioning it as a premium product in terms of craftsmanship.
Technology
Worz Klondike Bar is distinguished by its artisan, handmade construction in the U.S., emphasizing meticulous craftsmanship over proprietary material technologies common in larger brands. The core technology centers around its balsa configuration, utilizing balsa wood, known for its extreme lightness and unique feel characteristics. This choice of material and careful construction aims to create a blade that is both fast and controllable, with an enlarged sweet spot and excellent feedback. The focus is on precision in the cutting, sanding, and gluing processes to ensure symmetry, balance, and a flawless finish, highlighting a commitment to traditional blade-making expertise for optimal playing characteristics.