Weight
88g
Thickness
5.7mm
Plies
7-ply
Head Size
156x152
Handles
FL / ST
Material
Hybrid
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Head-Heavy
Hayabusa ZX
Xiom Hayabusa ZX is a hybrid offensive blade that masterfully balances speed and control. Its unique 7-ply construction, featuring Zephylium Carbon layers, delivers a sharp yet surprisingly soft feel, offering a modern composite experience with enhanced dwell time. Designed for aggressive, spin-oriented players, it excels in close to mid-distance rallies with a large sweet spot that inspires confidence. This blade represents a new paradigm, optimizing seemingly contradictory properties to create a potent weapon for intermediate to advanced competitors seeking a powerful loop drive with excellent ball retention.
The blade uses a symmetrical 5+2 construction. Outer Limba veneers provide feel and spin. Two layers of Zephylium Carbon fiber are placed as inner plies, sandwiching a central Ayous core, which is itself flanked by Limba layers. This configuration aims to inject carbon's speed and stability while preserving wood's dwell and feedback through the outer and intermediate layers.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Hayabusa ZX is built for offensive speed, leveraging its Zephylium Carbon layers to generate powerful drives and loops. Our testing shows it delivers a potent combination of acceleration and power, placing it firmly in the offensive+ category. While it provides explosive shot-making capability, the blade's design integrates this speed with a degree of manageability, preventing it from feeling uncontrollably fast during aggressive play.
Despite its offensive nature, Hayabusa ZX offers a remarkably high level of control for a composite blade. Players report excellent precision in the short game and reliable blocking, thanks to the softer feel imparted by the Zephylium Carbon. This blend allows for confident placement and touch shots, making it a versatile weapon where power doesn't come at the expense of accuracy during complex rallies.
Hayabusa ZX delivers a unique medium-soft feel that distinguishes it from many composite blades. The Zephylium Carbon provides a sharp, direct sensation on contact, yet it's notably softer than traditional carbon, offering more dwell and a wood-like character at lower impact speeds. This creates excellent ball-grabbing capability for spin generation.
The blade produces a medium-high throw angle, ideal for aggressive topspin play. This trajectory allows for powerful loops with a good arc over the net, making shots both threatening and consistent, especially from mid-distance.
One of the blade's standout features is its enhanced dwell time. The specific layering of wood and Zephylium Carbon allows players to hold the ball on the rubber longer, facilitating heavy spin production and improved control on loops. This characteristic makes it a true spin machine for topspin-oriented play.
Hayabusa ZX maintains a purposeful flexibility despite its composite reinforcement. This design choice allows for a more pronounced arc on loops and a comfortable, dynamic feel during strokes. It avoids the board-like stiffness of some carbon blades, contributing to its overall playability and spin-friendly nature.
The blade provides a moderate level of vibration feedback. The composite layers offer a sharp, clear sensation, while the wood plies help dampen excessive oscillation. This results in reliable tactile feedback that informs players about shot quality without being overly harsh or numb.
The build quality of the Hayabusa ZX is generally robust and performance-focused. While some users note the finish may not feel premium, with occasional comments about edges or plies, the fundamental construction is solid. For its performance tier, it represents good value, delivering reliable play characteristics without major manufacturing flaws that affect gameplay.
Technology
Xiom Hayabusa ZX centers on the proprietary Zephylium Carbon (ZLC) composite, designed to merge attributes of Zylon and carbon fibers. This material is strategically positioned within the blade's core to deliver sharpness and speed while preserving a softer, more manageable feel than conventional carbon. The construction represents a deliberate engineering effort to optimize contradictory properties—blending flexibility with stiffness, and power with control—through precise layer sequencing and material synergy. The result is a blade that enhances spin potential and power output while maintaining a connected, responsive playing sensation.
Similar Blades
Butterfly Jun Mizutani ZLC
TTSensei experts note the Hayabusa ZX shares significant playing characteristics with the Butterfly Jun Mizutani ZLC. Both blades offer a similar blend of stiffness, hardness, and exceptional looping capability. Players who appreciate the Mizutani's direct feel and offensive consistency may find the Hayabusa ZX to be a compelling and potentially more value-oriented alternative.
Butterfly Innerforce ZLC
The Hayabusa ZX is frequently discussed as a strong competitor to the Butterfly Innerforce ZLC series. Our analysis shows they deliver comparable sensations of dwell, control, and composite-aided power. Many players find the ZX provides a similar high-level playing experience, making it an excellent alternative for those seeking the Innerforce ZLC's performance profile from a different manufacturer.