Reviews by Jabugo

It's getting close to 10 years since Tenergy was first available. Does that mean it's outdated? Certainly not!

I had a chance to play with a friend's setup using T05, and I had not touched T05 in years. It was as if those years had never existed! The great thing about classics like Sriver, H3, or T05 is that you can just pick it up, gets out of your way, and just lets you play! It allows you do everything well. I don't really understand what people mean by "beginner rubber" or "advanced rubber". Training grounds like ICC are filled with beginning children using T05. Rubber is either bad, average, or good. T05 is good rubber, and if you can afford to use it, you definitely should!

*update: I had to get my own sheet and play with it longer term. It's interesting that my old perspective of it being a fast rubber is no longer true. Back then it felt much faster when spring sponge was something new in the market, but with the experience of the latest that's out there, T05 is actually more of a control rubber in my mind now. In comparison to MX-P, T05 has more control with the short game. T05 conveys more feel from the blade.

I agree with the majority of the past reviews for MX-P. Being a pre-plastic ball rubber, you'd think that all the new stuff coming out would be better. But like T05, this rubber just has that perfect balance. The speed and spin are just enormous. MX-P is a dream for players that have used T05 or use compact strokes. Being a long time user of Hurricane 3 rubber and its ilk, MX-P is absolutely lethal with full body strokes and brush techniques. The only part of my game that suffers a bit is the short game. You can serve short, but when pushing, the high catapult of MX-P requires really deft touch. MX-P is an attackers paradise.

A short review:
My style is mainly forehand loop/drive, backhand block/drive. I'm using the 1.8 "Thick" version on forehand and backhand of a 5-ply wood blade (walnut-spruce-ayous-spruce-walnut). I hope to try the 2.0 "Super Thick" version in the future.

Coming from H3/H3 Neo, G-1 feels like a faster version (like boosted). It does not have the strong catapult of Tenergy or MX-P, but has the higher throw, so the looping arc is better than MX-P. G-1 has the spin and consistency of H3/Neo, and yet the loops are fast and piercing like MX-P. G-1 does not have the spring sponge of Tenergy, so you need a full stroke. The sponge is hard and linear like Omega V Asia. But although the sponge on my G-1 is 1.8, it is faster than OVA max thickness.

Among modern rubber that I have used at least for several weeks (H3/Neo, T80, OVA, MX-P), G-1 has unexpectedly become my favorite of all. But this is with one week of play (5 sessions), so I also have the least experience with it, and do not really know how durable it is. It's my favorite because I need little adaptation from H3, so my shots are extremely consistent and predictable, yet it's more dangerous, and I am winning games against people I often don't win. I have never hit so many winners ever since using G-1.

This review is for DHS Hurricane 3 National (white package) which is available to the public (Megaspin, Table Tennis 11, TTnPP, Li-Ning). It is the most expensive ($50 - $100) of the Hurricane rubbers that is officially sold to the public by DHS ($60 from shop-lining.com, Li-Ning majority stakeholder of DHS).

Top sheet is tacky (can hold a worn plastic ball upside down for over 10 seconds), grippy, and extremely durable (still tacky with excellent grip after 72 hours of play). The quality and consistency is above other iterations of Hurricane 3 and Hurricane 3 Neo (except I have not tried any National versions of Neo rubber and do not know how legit these are since they are not officially sold by DHS).

The sponge is orange, 40 degree hardness. Quality like the topsheet is exceptional. The rubber has 4 edges.

Usage: Rubber gets one layer of Haifu whale speed glue, then the blade, then the rubber gets a second layer. The rubber curls and must be held flat with a couple of heavy books for at least 2 hours. This initial priming softens the sponge and the rubber is ready to use. There after, the rubber is never removed or reglued for the 3 months played. Rubber is cleaned with water after each play session. Between points, breath and palm wipe is used to remove dust.

Short game: It is very easy to place forehand push shots. It has high control with the forehand flip as well. For users of the Hurricane 3 series, the feeling is familiar.

Forehand drive: The catapult and control is equivalent to H3 neo and Hurricane 8. Shots have excellent feel. There is no lack of power at the middle distance. A more powerful blade seems necessary from far distance.

Forehand loop: Spin can be extremely strong and consistent. Where the tacky new Hurricane 8 slips with a counter loop brush, Hurricane 3 National has no problem. Hurricane 3 National top sheet has more spin than Hurricane 8. The arc is mid-high and dips earlier compared to H3 neo.

Serves: As with the short game, the extreme spin and control makes short pendulum/reverse pendulum serves easy to execute.

Overall: Hurricane 3 National is the best Hurricane rubber that I have used. Speed and spin are at least equal to other H3/neo/H8, while quality
consistency and longevity (and price) surpass the others.