Palio has a series of 3 different models in their paddle series, namely: the Legend, the Master, and the Expert. This series was made so that there is a Palio paddle option for any player. For this piece, we’ll focus on the more advanced option, and provide the complete Palio Legend 2 review.
The Palio Legend 2.0 is the second generation of the Legend model. This is seen as the pace paddle in the series, as it provides players with the most speed out of any of Palio’s pre-made bats. For this reason, The Legend 2.0 would be an ideal option for a more advanced player, who has mastered offensive strokeplay and has the required technique to control a paddle with high speed and spin. This is one of the more elite paddles we’ve reviewed, and we’re excited to give you the specs on this offensive racket.
| Performance | Speed: 100, Spin: 90, Control: 60 |
| Blade | 5 ply all wood |
| Rubber | Palio Hadou |
| Sponge | 2mm |
| Playstyle | Offensive |
| ITTF Approved? | Yes |
| Our rating | 9.2/10 |
Who is it for? | Who is it not for? |
The Legend 2.0 would make a great paddle for more advanced players that have learnt how to control a high speed paddle, and are looking to add even more pace to their play. | We don't recommend the Legend 2.0 to beginners, as this paddle has a high speed rating and a low control rating. Beginners will struggle to keep the ball in play with such a fast racket. |
Once again, for this review, we’ll focus on the key components of any ping pong paddle, namely: the blade, the rubber, the handle as well as what the paddle specializes in.
If interested, we’ve written a complete ping pong paddle buying guide here – which may help you in determining which paddle suits you best.
The Blade
The Legend 2.0 blade is constructed with 5 ply real wood layers, giving it a solid base for consistent strike and power. This is a heavier blade, which adds to the offensive style of the paddle. The Legend weighs in at around 190 grams, which is an ideal weight for an offensive-minded player.
The Legend 2.0 blade has been completely redesigned from its first-generation model, with a greater focus on quality and feel. The Palio Legend 2.0 has a great reputation for its long-lasting and durable blade, which is a big reason for the great success of the paddle.
The outside edge of the blade has a protective strip, which protects the exposed part of the blade from potential damaging factors such as water. The paddle has a protective case as well, which prevents the Legend from gathering dust and other dirt while not in use.
Overall, this is a high-quality blade that has been built for speed. The blade is slightly heavier than other offensive paddles, but this contributes to the great speed which the Legend provides.
The Rubber
The rubber used for the Legend 2.0 is Palio’s Hadou rubber. This inverted ITTF approved rubber is one of the most impressive rubbers you’ll get for a pre-made bat. This is a premium rubber that can even be bought by itself.
The Hadou rubber has a harder sponge than most in its class, which gives the rubber an all-out attack style. The harder sponge also benefits players in being able to put more spin on the ball. The one downside with a harder sponge is that control decreases as the sponge gets harder, and this is the main reason why the control isn’t great on the Legend 2.0.
In terms of tackiness, the Hadou isn’t quite as tacky as the CJ8000 rubber – which is used on the Palio Master 3.0. However, this isn’t a problem, as having a less tacky top sheet can help have a nullifying effect on incoming shots, reducing the effect of a high spinning ball. Spin for the Legend is generated in other ways, such as the hardness of the sponge. In saying this, the Hadou rubber still has a fair amount of tackiness.
The Legend 2.0 has a sponge thickness of 2mm, which is suited towards more offensive strokeplay. The combination of a thicker and harder sponge, leads to some epic speed in the paddle. A sponge thickness of 2mm also benefits spin play, as the thicker the sponge, the greater the spin possibility.
Overall, we’re a huge fan of the way Palio insists on using professional-grade rubbers in their pre-made bats. It’s a large reason for their incredible ratings and reviews, and it produces some pretty epic results in terms of the main ping pong attributes. The Hadou is the perfect fit for the speed-filled Legend 2.0.
The Handle
The handle used for the Palio Legend 2.0 is a flared handle. This is the ideal handle for a Shakehand grip user.
Palio has used a flared handle in all of their pre-made paddle builds, as it provides great comfort to players. A flared handle suits Shakehand grip users who often look to forehand play. This handle suits the offensive style of the Legend 2.0. This grip is ergonomic, making comfort and performance the main goal.
Overall, this is a commonly used handle to modern ping pong paddles, as it provides the most comfort to players using the most commonly used grip – Shakehand.
General Overview
We’ve put together a table highlighting both the pros and the cons of the Palio Legend 2.0:
We’ve also put together some ratings out of 100, for the 3 key characteristics – speed, spin, and control.
| Speed | Spin | Control |
| 100 | 90 | 60 |
Conclusion
The Palio Legend 2.0 is the second generation of a very successful paddle. The Legend is built for speed and requires a solid technique and understanding of ping pong. This would be a great option for advanced players, who have mastered control, and are looking to add some big speed and spin to their play.
Trying to find that perfect fit for your playstyle? We’ve reviewed many paddle options here, which vary for all kinds of players.
Have you tried the Legend? Have you tried any Palio rackets? We’d love to hear your opinions.
