maze vs viscaria - the final veredict

when you've decided you want to use an alc blade there's really not many options.
considering that
*viscaria
*timo boll spirit
*timo boll alc
*zhang jike
*zhang jike alc
*kenta matsudaira alc

are all basically the same the only option you have if you want something different is michael maze alc.
you could say you have the innerforce alc but the difference is bigger because alc is inside.

so which one do you choose?

speed:
there's not a big difference in speed.
they are very similar in speed considering both weigh the same.
I'd put viscaria and similar just a little bit ahead.

spin:
the difference is not big either.
I think viscaria has a bit more spin with the same rubbers.

control:
I think this has two sides.
on one side the maze is a "safer" blade.
this means more balls will go in even when you make mistakes.
on the other side if you thought about yourself as the perfect player you'd say viscaria has better control because when you do the right shot the result is easier to anticipate with viscaria.

looping:
as I just said, if you want shots to go in then go for maze.
if you want control over the shot you are producing then go for viscaria.
a pro player most of the times would go for viscaria.

blocking:
maze has a bit more of dwell time so should be better for blocking.

on the other side the feeling when you block with viscaria is sharper and I really enjoy this.

short game:
here the feel of the maze is not very clear and doesn't give you much confidence.
feels soft and a bit bouncy.
as always viscaria has a more direct feel, if you are good enough where you point is where the ball goes.
the viscaria has a more direct bouncy nature, so the ball tends to go out more in a 90 degree angle of where you hit the ball.
the maze is a bit different, ball goes out a bit more in a diagonal.
this is actually beneficial in the short game.
you want something that can slice the ball without making it pop much.


serving:
koto is a bit less bouncy and gives a bit more spin.
so viscaria wins over maze.

final words:
if I have to choose one I'd go for viscaria.
I think it has more potential once you really know what you are doing.
it's not just me, if you look at chinese players in the superleague and similar players they are all using viscaria, none of them is using maze.
the only player I can think of using maze is freitas and in the past chen qi.

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some thoughts I read here and there:
"limba feels softer so it has better control in the short game".
maze feels softer and more mushy and a bit springier in the short game.
this is not better for an accurate short game.
the sharp not bouncy  feel of viscaria I feel gives more control.

"viscaria has balsa center ply".
not true, it has kiri center ply like all the other blades mentioned here.

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update:
I've been using a couple of days michael maze with andro rasant power grip.
andro rpg is a pretty hard rubber which has some similarities with chinese rubbers.
same goes for tibhar evolution mx-p.
I really like how maze behaves with these types of rubbers.
basically the new hardish tensors.
I'd leave out donic rubbers because they are always a bit softer and more elastic, which is better for viscaria.