Palio Expert 2 Review

The Palio Expert 2 is a relatively new addition to Palio line of paddles that offers ridiculously good spin at an affordable price point. It’s a paddle aimed at beginner to intermediate players but it will certainly be sufficient for seasoned players who just want a really good paddle for the money.

Specifications

• The Palio Expert 2 is an exclusive collaboration between Palio and Expert Table Tennis
• The Palio CJ8000 rubbers are ITTF approved
• The newly designed Palio x ETT Expert 2 blade provides better control
• Speed = 6/10, Spin = 9/10, Control = 10/10

About Palio

The Expert 2 is produced by Palio, a worldwide leader in paddles and particularly, in paddle rubbers. The Palio Expert 2 is a great example of a paddle with high-end rubbers at a relatively low price.

High-end Rubbers

The most obvious highlight of the Palio Expert 2 is ITTF-approved CJ8000 rubbers that come with the racket. They are impressive, to say the least. The CJ8000 rubbers are professional grade, unlike many of the other rubbers commonly found in entry-level paddles, and they make the Palio Expert 2 feel like a custom paddle that costs 4 times as much. The top sheet on CJ8000 rubbers is extremely tacky and capable of generating a serious amount of back-spin, forward-spin or side-spin.

The rubbers on the Palio Expert 2 do not produce as much speed as similarly priced paddles. Unlike the Palio Master 2 and Palio Legend 2, the Palio Expert 2 offers a softer sponge giving the maximum amount of control while sacrificing a bit of speed. This is actually a really good thing for players that want to improve their ability to spin the ball while maintaining a high level of control so they can keep the ball on the table. It’s also ideal for intermediate to advanced players that are still learning to deal with spin from their opponents and want their paddle to give them enough control and consistency to do so.

Decent Blade

The all-wood blade of the Palio Expert 2 is relatively thick and feels solid and durable in your hand. The flared wood handle also feels good, has a comfy grip and is heavy enough to give the paddle a good balance of weight. The blade is also very durable and should be able to survive at least a few years of abuse.

Potential downsides

There are some quality control issues with the Palio Expert 2 that shouldn’t be overlooked. While they certainly don’t affect all customers, some have reported issues with the sponge separating from the blade due to poor craftsmanship. This seems to only happen in isolated instances but it is something to watch out for. From our experience, the Palio Expert 2 is well built and we saw no issues or signs that this could happen.

Conclusion

All in all, the Palio Expert 2 is an outstanding racket for the advanced beginner. It comes with the exceptional CJ8000 rubbers that are comparable to rubbers on much more expensive custom paddles. The level of control with this paddle is unparalleled, making it perfect for players that are working to improve their game who need a solid, consistent paddle in order to do so. The Palio Expert 2 even comes with a carrying case that we highly recommend you use as you’ll want to protect the rubber when you’re not using it. Also, you should definitely make sure to clean the rubber regularly. It can easily attract dirt and other particles that will both limit the spin you can generate and also negatively impact the life of the paddle.