STIGA has been a prolific force in table tennis for decades, and they’ve changed the way we look at recreational table tennis – it’s given everybody the chance to be competitive. Their table tennis rackets have always impressed us, and this time we’ll provide the complete STIGA Pro Carbon table tennis paddle review.
The ITTF approved Pro Carbon is one of STIGA’s most successful paddles, as it is one of the more advanced recreational rackets on the market. The Pro Carbon has the feel of a professional-grade racket, and it is also reasonably priced – making it the perfect option for an advanced recreational player. The Pro Carbon has similar numbers to that of the STIGA Raptor, but a few minor differences make the Pro Carbon unique and arguably more advanced.
| Performance | Speed: 99, Spin: 100, Control: 80 |
| Blade | 7 ply – 5 balsa wood 2 carbon |
| Rubber | STIGA’s S5 |
| Sponge | 2mm |
| Playstyle | Offensive |
| ITTF Approved? | Yes |
| Our rating | 9/10 |
Who is it for? | Who is it not for? |
We recommend the Pro Carbon to advanced recreational players who have decent skills in all strokeplay. This paddle has a lot of speed and spin, so it will need solid technique and execution. This paddle is capable of some impressive play, and is definitely worth looking at if you're a good player. | We don't recommend the Pro Carbon to beginners or inexperienced players. This paddle has immense spring and speed, so there will be a struggle to keep the ball in play if you don't have the necessary skills or experience. |
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 Pro Carbon is constructed with a 7 ply blade, with 5 layers of lightweight balsa wood, and 2 carbon layers.
The lightweight balsa gives players the opportunity to recover quickly and have quick counterattacks – while having a solid and durable base. The outer carbon layers are also slightly lighter than the balsa wood, but they have other benefits as well, such as enlarging the sweet spot of the face and reducing vibration on contact.
The use of carbon in blades is becoming an ever-popular method, as it gives the paddle an explosive spring as well as other noticeable benefits.
This is one of STIGA’s go-to blade builds as it has produced consistent and impressive results in a lot of their paddles. The Pro Carbon weighs in at 185 grams, making it slightly lighter than other offensive paddles in its class – such as the Killerspin JET 800. This will benefit attributes such as control, meaning the paddle will have good pace and spin – but also decent control.
Overall, the Pro Carbon’s blade has a lightweight feel but is still loaded with pace and consistency, thanks to components like the carbon layers. This is a high-quality blade and is a big reason for the paddle’s huge success.
The Rubber
The rubber used for the Pro Carbon is STIGA’s S5 rubber. This is the same rubber used for the Raptor. This rubber has decent grip and spin for recreational play – but once a certain level of play is reached (very advanced), players may not get the desired results in terms of spin. A nice bonus about this rubber is that it can be replaced once it’s worn out, or if you’re looking to use a more advanced rubber.
The sponge thickness is 2mm, making it ideal for forehand drives and offensive play. This thickness gives a good spring to shots – giving you some added speed.
ACS technology is used for the rubber, which combines microscopic air particles in an ultra-light rubber. This essentially adds elasticity to the rubber, giving it more spring and bounce – leading to some real speed.
Overall, the S5 rubber may not be the most premium rubber and may not suit professional play – but it still has a professional feel and can help produce some impressive strokes. The inverted rubber uses advanced technology as well as a slightly thicker rubber to boost the speed of shots.
The Handle
The Pro Carbon has a concave flared handle. The handle uses WRB technology, meaning it’s hollow. This balances the weight to the center of the face of the paddle – meaning the paddle will feel light at the handle, and there’ll be more weight where contact is made with the ball – helping with speed.
The handle also has a shock dispersion tube, which means vibrations are absorbed and transferred into energy in shots – once again benefiting speed.
Overall, the Pro Carbon’s handle has a unique feel, as it feels light at the handle, and more weight is balanced at the blade. However, this handle is still built for comfort and performance and has become very popular among STIGA fans.
General Overview:
We’ve put together a table highlighting both the pros and the cons of the STIGA Pro Carbon:
We’ve also put together some ratings out of 100, for the 3 key characteristics – speed, spin, and control.
| Speed | Spin | Control |
| 99 | 100 | 80 |
Conclusion
There’s a reason the Pro Carbon has become one of STIGA’s most successful pre-made bats. It is the perfect paddle for more advanced recreational players who are looking to add some serious spice to their game. The Pro Carbon is a slightly similar build to that of the Raptor, but it has a more lightweight feel to it.
Looking for a more defensive paddle? We’ve reviewed several options here that may suit your fancy.
