Only a few recently developed blades from Joola are "Made in Sweden". In 2015, the traditional company from Siebeldingen (Germany) decided to enter the market with the
Joola Viking. This TT blade already has good sales figures.
The reason for this is quite easy: It is quality! Furthermore, its weight is not too heavy (approx. 85-90 g), which is quite comfortable. Although Carbon would have further increased the power of this blade, Joola consciously renounced the use of Carbon. Maybe the reason was that Carbon is also known to be able to result in an "overdriven" feeling for the ball.
The 7 natural wood layers are made of the classical types Limba, Anigre, and two layers made of Ayous. After a thorough storing and drying period, the veneers were glued according to the Swedish tradition. The result of this is an immense ball feedback. More details are listed directly below:
Limba is a tree usually native to regions south of the equator. The trees reach a height of up to 45 m, and their trunk reach a diameter of up to about 1.5 m. Limba is medium-hard (Janka hardness: 430), medium-dense (520 kg/m
3), but quite strong (Young´s modulus: 9,400 N/mm
2). This emphasizes the suitability of this blade as an offensive blade. Furthermore, Limba is known as a
topspin wood, which is also
quite fast, but not very elastic / springy.
Ayous (also known as Abachi, Obeche, or Samba) is a tree which is native in tropical regions of West Africa, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, and so on. Ayous reaches a height of 50 m, and exhibit a trunk diameter of up to 1.5 m. This wood is relatively light (350 kg/m
3), medium-strong (Young´s modulus: 6,800 N/mm
2), and medium-hard (Janka hardness: 430). As TT veneers, Ayous is well-known for its
positive gaming properties. The moderate heaviness and moderate hardness induce a
pleasant feedback and feeling of the ball.
Anigre is native to East Africa, and - occasionally - common at the Ivory Coast. The tree can reach a height of up to 30-55 m, whereas its trunk reaches a diameter of up to approx. 1 m. Anigre wood is medium dense (550 kg/m
3), but very strong (Young´s modulus: 11,000 N/mm
2), and quite hard (Janka hardness: 750). In table tennis, Anigre blades behave in a
very direct, and
spinny way.
Due to the high hardness and strength, Anigre is suitable for offensive tactics (direct, powerful, and fast topspins).
The combination of harder and softer wood plies primarily result in the necessary amount of
speed. The classical design of the Joola Viking suggests that this TT blade indeed is of high quality, and not only a marketing-related eye-catcher!
Fast topspins, hard shots, and counter-topspins are the strengths of the Viking. Try it!
The alternative, also introduced in 2015 and made in Sweden, is the
Joola Black Rose. This table tennis blade is made for forward-acting offensive players, who still rely on control. Likewise, the Black Rose is of high quality!