Weight
87g
Thickness
5.6mm
Plies
7-ply
Head Size
158.5x152
Handles
FL / ST
Material
Hybrid
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Balanced
Ma Lin Carbon
Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon is a 7-ply offensive blade born from a collaboration with Olympic champion Ma Lin. Its signature inner carbon fleece construction delivers a unique blend of power and a natural, wood-like feel. The blade excels in passive play with excellent sensitivity and control, then unleashes significant speed and power on aggressive shots. Made in Sweden, it features a large sweet spot, minimal vibration, and consistent quality, making it a versatile choice for offensive players who demand both precision and punch.
The blade uses a symmetrical 7-ply (5 wood + 2 carbon) build. From the outside in, it features Limba outer layers, Akazie, a layer of Carbon Fleece, an Ayous core, then another Carbon Fleece layer, Akazie, and Limba again. This inner carbon placement is crucial for its balanced performance.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Ma Lin Carbon delivers a high offensive speed that builds progressively with your stroke. It feels moderate and controllable on light blocks and touches, but really comes alive and generates significant pace when you commit to a full, powerful swing. This makes it fast and effective for attacking play without feeling uncontrollably explosive on every shot.
Control is where this blade truly shines. The inner carbon and wood composition provides exceptional feedback and predictability, allowing for precise ball placement, confident blocking, and nuanced touch play. This high level of control makes it surprisingly accessible and forgiving, even for players experimenting with their first carbon blade.
The feel is notably natural and woody, especially on softer strokes, avoiding the harsh, stiff sensation of some carbon blades. It provides a soft, sensitive touch that gives clear feedback, helping you feel the ball deeply for enhanced control and spin generation.
On powerful attacking shots, it produces a medium-high throw angle. This is beneficial for aggressive looping, helping the ball clear the net with a good margin for error while maintaining a penetrating, offensive trajectory.
Our testing shows a good dwell time, thanks to the wood layers and inner carbon placement. The blade holds the ball well on the rubber, which is excellent for loading up spin on loops and serves, giving you more time to impart your desired effect.
It offers a balanced, medium level of flexibility. The wood plies provide a forgiving flex for touch and spin, while the carbon layers add underlying stiffness for power when you need it. This combination creates a versatile and responsive hitting experience.
A standout feature is the minimal, pleasant vibration. The design effectively dampens harsh feedback, resulting in a comfortable, controlled feel upon impact that many compare favorably to all-wood blades, reducing player fatigue.
Crafted in Sweden, a country renowned for premium blade manufacturing, the Ma Lin Carbon exhibits excellent build quality. The materials are top-tier, and specialized gluing techniques ensure durability and consistent performance. Players report a solid, well-made feel that inspires confidence in its long-term reliability.
Technology
Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon's core technology is its inner fiber construction. Two layers of soft Carbon Fleece Non-Woven (CFNW) are placed between the wood veneers, close to the core. This strategic placement is designed to inject carbon's speed and power while preserving the natural dwell time, feel, and vibration characteristics of wood. A specialized Swedish gluing process further optimizes the bond between materials, enhancing consistency and creating a large, forgiving sweet spot. The result is a progressive power curve: gentle strokes feel controlled and woody, while full-force attacks unlock the blade's potent offensive capabilities.
Pro Players Using This Blade
Ma Lin
Developed with direct input from the legendary Chinese Olympic champion, this blade was crafted to meet Ma Lin's demands for a post-speed-glue era. He valued its unique ability to deliver explosive power for winners while maintaining the precise feel and control necessary for his deceptive blocks, delicate touches, and aggressive backhand topspins, making it a true extension of his nuanced yet offensive style.
Similar Blades
Yasaka Ma Lin Soft Carbon
The Soft Carbon variant follows a similar inner-carbon philosophy but is tuned for an even softer, more forgiving feel and greater control. It's an excellent choice for players prioritizing dwell time and a wood-like touch above raw speed, offering a gentler introduction to carbon while the standard Ma Lin Carbon provides a faster, more direct offensive response.
Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive
This is a classic 5-ply all-wood blade also endorsed by Ma Lin, known as a benchmark for offensive wood feel and control. Choosing it over the Carbon means opting for a purely traditional wood sensation and potentially less outright power, while the Ma Lin Carbon adds a significant carbon-enhanced speed and power boost for players wanting more offensive punch from their equipment.