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Stiga Evolution vs Pro Carbon – Comparing Two of Stiga’s Best Selling Ping Pong Paddles
When it comes to choosing the best ping pong paddle, a comparison of the Stiga Evolution vs Pro Carbon is one of the most common starting points. Each of these paddles are durable, high performance, and widely available.
The comparison is justified with these paddles because they are designed to suit two different styles of play. So, it’s not that one is necessarily better than the other. They are simply built for different types of players and one that suits you poorly might suit the next player extremely well.
In this article, we’ll do a complete comparison of the Stiga Evolution vs Pro Carbon. By the end, you’ll know exactly what each of these paddles are made for and which is the best fit for you!
Table of Contents
Quick Look – Stiga Evolution vs Pro Carbon
Stiga – Quick Brand Overview
Both the Evolution and Pro Carbon are manufactured by Stiga Sports, a Swedish based company that has been manufacturing table tennis equipment since 1944.
They started off selling fairly basic paddles meant for use by everyday players, but in the 1960’s they began to venture into crafting blades meant for professionals and expert players. Over time, their line of paddles has expanded and evolved and now they can offer truly excellent equipment to the beginner and the world-class player alike.
One unique thing about Stiga – they never gave up control of their supply chain and have not outsourced their production. All of their paddles are manufactured at their headquarters in Eskilstuna, Sweden – they take pride in ensuring that each product coming off of the assembly line is up to their high standards.
From a high level perspective, the Stiga Evolution Ping Pong Paddle is designed for control, and best suited for a more defensive style of play. Compared to the Pro Carbon, the Evolution’s ratings for speed and spin are lower.
Blade
The Stiga Evolution’s blade is constructed of 6 ply wood and intentionally designed to be lightweight, as to not fatigue the user during extended sessions of play. All around, it’s a solid blade if not spectacular – the Evolution blade is pretty standard.
Rubber
A premium 2mm rubber sponge is featured on the wooden blade of the Evolution. The rubber has a generous amount of tiny air bubbles in betwixt it, which leaves the rubber surface firm enough to hit and direct precise shots – while also absorbing vibrations from your opponent’s shots.
Handle
A concave handle design and shock dispersion tube are both there to reduce the amount of vibrations you feel when hitting. Combined with the premium rubber, this means an excellent amount of feel and control both when receiving a shot defensively or directing a shot offensively.
7-Ply Extra Light Blade, S5 Rubber, and 2mm Sponge
Speed: 99
Spin: 100
Control: 80
The Stiga Pro Carbon Ping Pong Paddle on the other hand is a high spin, high speed paddle designed for a more offensive style of play. What you gain in offensive attributes, you sacrifice a little bit in the control department.
Blade
The Pro Carbon is a 7 ply blade design – 5 of which are extra light balsa wood and 2 of which are carbon. This additional layer and carbon improves the speed of the blade without adding too much weight. The combination is also perfect for offensive play, and is designed to harness the energy of opponent’s shots in your return volleys.
Rubber
Stiga Pro Carbon utilizes Stiga’s S5 rubber technology, which is also a 2mm sponge and is acutally a more beginner style rubber. It is low spin and high in control, which sort of offsets the rest of the design and makes this paddle playable for beginners too. The rubber is great for driving and flat hitting, and doesn’t react to spin from opponent’s shots.
Though the rubber is great for players developing an offensive style of play, it’s limiting in the sense that it doesn’t allow you to fully pull off advanced strokes. If you find your game outgrowing this paddle, you might need to look into a custom setup.
Handle
The Pro Carbon actually has a rod embedded in the handle, which is there to provide a balanced weight profile to the paddle. Without this rod, the paddle would feel a little top heavy. The handle is nice to grip and doesn’t fatigue your hand and arm even with extended use.
A shock dispersion tube also absorbs vibrations and transfers/redistributes energy out of the handle. This energy can be harnessed and directed during volley returns from your opponent.
At the end of the day, the Stiga Evolution vs Pro Carbon conversation boils down more to your style of play than any indication of either paddle’s quality. Both are excellent paddles for beginners and intermediate players, depending on your style of play.
The Evolution is best for conservative shots, chops, and a defensive style of play that’s meant to frustrate your opponent into making unforced errors.
The Pro Carbon on the other hand is an offensive paddle that’s best for those beginning to develop an attacking style of play. In particular, the Pro Carbon is a fantastic paddle for drive, straight, and smash shots and is not very reactive to opponent’s spinny shots.
If you found this Stiga Evolution vs Pro Carbon comparison to be helpful, check out our other table tennis content next!
