Latest reviews

Depending on your skill level, this blade probably suits a large part of all amateurs better then any of the "ALC/ZLC" type blades from the various manufacturers.

Beeing honest to oneself most non professional players probably quickly realise that the typical carbon blades are just to fast and uncontrolled especially in the service receive game.
In open rallies 1-2 meters away from the table everything is fine since there the carbon and ease of speed generation stabilise the strokes.

But mastering these blades close to the table you'll need very fine handfeeling and a lot of training.

Back to the Timo Boll CAF, being bitten by the EJ bug (testing various equipment during the last 20 years) I've played around 20-30 different blades and this one reminds me the most to a more controlled and slightly tamed down version of the Butterfly Keyshot Light, which has the same 3+2 layer construction.
The Keyshot has a thicker middle ply and pure arylate instead of the CAF layer but the overall feeling in play is very similiar.
Relativly soft on impact but then a solid stable core.

The throw is low to medium, a notch higher than the Keyshot.

It best suited for a close to the table allround offensive game.
Topspin open ups are really good, one can easily vary speed, spin and placement.
The overall control for shortplay is very nice, since the base speed is not very high.
Pushes can be played rather aggresivly with very good spin.

One can hit direct winners close to the table with a fast topspin or smash but the overall speed is in the OFF- category.

Very stable in blocking, probably due to the thick middle ply in comparison to normal 5ply blades.

The CAF layers doesn't produce the typical ALC type kick, but it stabilises the blade on more impactful shots which can be played with a very good consistency.

If one plays mostly from the mid distance (2+ meters) this blade probably lacks the necessary power to be effective.

I played it with 2x Tenergy 19 in 2,1mm.

For the backhand this combination fits really good,
on the forehand a harder and more powerful rubber is probably more suitable e.g Tenergy 05, Dignics or some harder ESN type rubber with 48+ shore hardness.

Overall this is a solid controlled offensive blade for mere mortals in the lower leagues.

One of the best for backhand. Due to its controlled catapult, but decent free speed, it can place nasty, active punch blocks quite precisely. I find myself looking for opportunities to utilize my backhand with the Rozena as I can easily speed punch the ball into side table extremities or into the elbow of the opponent where it is hard to reach.

The spring sponge gives it a clear ball feel especially on carbon blades, but it is also no slouch on all wood blades. I love this rubber.

But if you are an active spin generator on your backhand, you loop alot, open up backspin and love to chop on backhand, the Rozena's topsheet grip will leave you wanting as you get better. I'm not as confident in flicking or opening up backspin with the Rozena than say a Glayzer or a G1. It also reacts badly to regluing, if you do it a few times the sponge can crater and the topsheet can bubble. It's also not as beginner-friendly as many advertised, it's bouncy and quite unpredictable for a new player.

I would not recommend it on the forehand for the beginner or the advanced player. It is okay but it definitely has a ceiling on grip where brushing is concerned.

2.5mm review

The good;

The best thing about this rubber is the confidence it gives me to win with outright speed drives or powerloops from mid distance or further. Even at the short game, if the ball is returned to me just a little high, it's the end for the opponent. This rubber wants to kill with speed, and that fits my game style.

Next best thing, the feeling. The standard 'spring sponge X', with it's satisfying clicky feel, is further enhanced by making the sponge thick and giving the rubber a very thin topsheet. This allows players to engage and feel the sponge even more. When mid distance powerlooping, the feeling is one of its kind and out of this world. If you like the non tacky catapult feel, then this is the best you can get.

Thirdly, it's hyper grippy topsheet. Try rubbing your fingers without much force on it's new topsheet and your fingers ain't going anywhere. For a non tacky rubber, the grip levels are very impressive. This allows me to focus a lot on brushing with great confidence. Given, this rubber requires advanced thin brushing techniques, but it's high topsheet grip makes me just go for it without any hesitation. Of course D09C wins in this regard, but the Zyre-03 is not far off. If the weather isn't humid, ball slippage is virtually zero.

All this and you probably think, okay the control's gotta be bad. But it's not. Except for the short game (which I'll get to that later) this rubber with it's great feel and not very strong catapult, allows for good control. Granted, beginners shouldn't go anywhere near this thing, but in the hands of an intermediate with decent footwork and good strokes, this rubber can be used quite well.

Durability; 3 months in, 5-6 sessions per week, each 2 hours high intensity, topsheet looks a little roughed but plays like 95% new. At my intense use, I probably play about 40 hours monthly minimum, and it'll probably last me 4-6 months. It's quite sensitive to humidity though, ball slippage is there in humid weather, but nothing a wipe can't fix.

Cons

Price. Enough said. Absurd to pay so much for a rubber. If you want premium but don't wanna take a bank loan for a rubber, consider Dignics 05.

It has low dwell. If you want to spin the ball through sponge engagement, you must loop real hard to get that hard sponge to deform and meld into the shape of the ball. If you can get there, the ball will spin like a neutron star. But if you can't get there, then your only hope is thin brushing.

Short game control. It's mainly to do with spin anticipation. This rubber is quite sensitive to spin (but not as bad as T05). So when opponents serve short backspin sidespin, you really need to get your racket angles right to avoid springing the ball up. In this regard, D09C far outweighs it in short game control.

Overall

Good rubber, but get it 2nd hand from a player who bought it new and used it for a few weeks, then felt it is too demanding for them. I prefer the 2.5mm.

⭐ First impressions​

First surprise: despite being a 37° Chinese rubber, it feels quite firm. Honestly, it even feels firmer than a Tenergy 19 to me. You can immediately tell it's not a soft rubber.


The topsheet is properly tacky, exactly what I was looking for.

🚀 Speed and dynamics​

With 2 layers of Haifu National White, the rubber is clearly boosted and it shows.


It has a good level of dynamism for a tacky rubber. Still slower than a Tenergy 19 overall, but once I engage into the ball, it can produce a lot of speed. Paired with the Long 5 Golden, there's more than enough power to finish points.


What I really like is the linear and predictable feeling compared to tensor rubbers.

🔄 Spin and opening loops​

This is the biggest highlight for me.


Opening against backspin is very easy. I can brush the ball very thinly without necessarily engaging deep into the sponge, and the ball still lifts with a lot of spin and safety.


This is exactly what I was looking for. Compared to Tenergy-style rubbers, where you really need to engage the sponge to avoid the ball slipping, here the tackiness gives a much safer grip on the ball.


Less effort, more spin.

💥 Ball quality​

Even after just one session, I noticed opponents struggling on my opening loops.


The ball carries a lot of spin, kicks after the bounce, and tends to surprise them. I got several weak returns and mistakes on loops that didn’t feel very fast from my side.


The combination of tackiness + booster effect seems to create a heavy and slightly “jumpy” ball.

🛡️ Blocking and passive play​

The throw angle is lower than Tenergy that is really high 19. It still feels fairly high, but compared to T19 I felt more comfortable. I felt that I had to open the racket in blocks and counters. I know it is still cloased, but way less than before.


However, one important point: the rubber is quite sensitive when passive.

• Against topspin, if I’m not active enough, I absorb a lot of spin and the ball can go long
• Against backspin, if I don’t engage, it tends to drop into the net

So it clearly rewards active play. But don't worry, no need to generate lot of input there.


That said, in faster rallies with lots of incoming spin, I actually found it very manageable.

🎯 Control​

Control is probably the biggest positive along with the easy opening game.


Even during this first session, I felt more secure than with Tenergy 19. Even when timing wasn’t perfect, the ball still stayed on the table.


I had some difficulty placing balls very precisely in drills, but no real outright mistakes. That’s more likely just adjustment time with new equipment.

✋ Short game​

I will definitely need some time to adjust on touch shots like flips and chop-blocks.


The feeling is quite different from tensor rubbers, so some recalibration is needed.


Still, the first impressions are very positive, and I think these shots could become strengths once fully adapted.

✅ Preliminary conclusion​

After just one session, I’m genuinely happy with the Hurricane 8-80 37° boosted with 2 layers of Haifu National White.


It gives me exactly what I was looking for:


✔ Lots of spin
✔ Very easy opening against backspin
✔ Strong control
✔ Heavy and disruptive ball quality
✔ Sufficient speed once boosted


Now I need to see how it evolves after a few more sessions, once it’s fully broken in and the booster effect settles.

Setup​

• Rubber: Tenergy 19 – red – 2.1 mm
• Blade: DHS Golden Hurricane Long V
• Construction: 5+2 inner ALC
  (Limba / Ayous / ALC / Ayous / Limba)
• Used on: Backhand

---

Feel / Touch​

The rubber is clearly softer than Rakza Z.
At first, I was a bit worried it might be too soft. I was afraid that on harder shots, especially compared to Rakza Z, the rubber might bottom out.


It doesn’t.


You can apply a lot of power, and it almost feels like the rubber changes hardness depending on impact. On small impacts, it feels soft and forgiving. The harder you hit, the more solid and stable it becomes.
This gives a lot of confidence in your shots.

---

Spin​

Coming from a hybrid tacky rubber, I expected less spin and more speed-oriented behavior. In reality, I was pleasantly surprised.


I still generate a lot of spin, and opponents often comment on it. The absolute maximum spin is probably lower than a true tacky rubber, but you can reach a very high level of spin with relatively little effort.


I also expected the rubber to be more spin-sensitive, but it’s actually quite manageable.
Blocking — which is not my strongest shot — feels easy and controlled.
Chop blocks still require some adaptation, but they work well once you adjust.

---

Speed​

Speed is always tricky to evaluate because my blade is OFF+ / OFF++, and a lot of the speed clearly comes from the blade itself.


That said, even though the setup is fast, it’s very controllable. The rubber is not overly bouncy. I don’t feel like I need to artificially slow down my strokes to keep the ball on the table.


When I miss long, I usually know why — and it doesn’t feel like the rubber is the main issue.


One important point: this combo allows me to play BH-to-BH rallies away from the table with surprisingly little effort.

---

Throw Angle​

This is always hard for me to judge on my backhand, but I’d say the throw angle is medium to high.


Compared to Rakza Z, it feels higher, especially when opening up against backspin. It’s easier to create arc and lift the ball safely.

---

Short Game​

The short game feels very solid.
The rubber is not too bouncy, which allows me to keep the ball short and low, even with a fast blade.


Flicks were fine, but here I’m clearly the limiting factor. I haven’t practiced them much recently.
I used to flick a lot, but my tactics evolved, and now I often prefer long pushes to set up a chop block or counter-topspin.


That said, the flicks I did attempt worked well. The rubber + blade combo felt quick — maybe even too quick — but only in this specific area.

---

Serves​

As a backhand rubber, I mostly use it for backhand serves.
Serves felt spinny, short, and low, which is exactly what I want. Nothing negative to report here.

---

Overall Impression​

My goal for a backhand rubber was something:

• easy to open up with
• spinny
• controlled
• reliable in rallies

Tenergy 19 delivered exactly that.


I have slightly less control than with a fully tacky rubber, but in exchange I can dictate play much more easily with my backhand. Rallies feel easier, less physically demanding, and my body stays more relaxed. I’m less tense, and my strokes feel more natural.

Yıl 2026 ve hala bu tahtayı seviyorum , şu an tek tercihim
Kontrol ve
His arayanlar için mükemmel

After a 3 month battery of tests, I definitively replaced the rubber that i used on my forehand side. Now, my is Zyre03. The reasons were: type of action sponge, high quality of flat hits, hight quality active blocks and very furious counter drives from medium distance.

Good for backhand.

very good for deveoloping players but maybe not starting the sort as its too slow and demands good technqiue.

Description & Background Before getting into the details, I want to share a bit about my experince. I’ve been playing table tennis for about 7 years now, currently competing around Division 4-3 here in Thailand. Over the years, I’ve been a bit of an equipment junkie. I’ve tried so many blades ALC, ZLC, Super ALC, and plenty of all-wood blades from various brands. I’ve also gone through tons of rubbers, from Tenergy 05 and 80 to Rakza Z ,7 , DHS Hurricane3 National/province , and more.
For the past six months, my main setup has been the Fan Zhendong (FZD) ALC paired with Dignics 09c (2.1mm) on my forehand and Dignics 05 (2.1mm) on my backhand (i will call D09c and D05) .

The FZD ALC has a very famous 5+2 structure: Koto, ALC, Limba, Kiri, Limba, ALC, and Koto. Yes, this is the exact same composition as the Viscaria. A lot of people online claim that the FZD ALC feels totally different from the Viscaria, but in my experience, that "different feeling" mostly comes down to the weight.

Overall Impression If you're going to buy this blade, I highly recommend finding one that weighs 90+ grams. The heavier ones just feel much more solid upon impact compared to the lighter batches. To me, the biggest actual difference between the FZD ALC and the Viscaria is the handle. The FZD handle is noticeably thicker and fuller. If you have bigger hands or just never liked the somewhat thin Viscaria grip, the FZD ALC is a massive upgrade in terms of comfort.

Key Strengths & Weaknesses So, how does it play? As I mentioned, I use D09c and D05, and I found that the FZD ALC pairs perfectly with medium-hard to hard sticky rubbers. It’s fast, but what really impressed me is how controllable it is. Looping and blocking feel very great . When I use my footwork to step around and commit to a full-power forehand stroke, the ball still lands safely on the table with heavy spin. It just gives you this great sense of safety. I actually tried the Viscaria Super ALC with the exact same rubbers. While the Super ALC gives you crazy power and a bigger sweet spot, I honestly felt I couldn't control the ball as well. The standard ALC in the FZD is much safer when you want to swing at 100% power without fear of overshooting.

It’s not completely perfect, though. The biggest weakness is the physical finish of the blade neck. Out of the box, the edges near the handle are way too sharp. You will absolutely need to use some sandpaper to sand down the wings; otherwise, it will hurt your fingers during long practice sessions. Also, if your game relies mostly on passive blocking, you might prefer an inner-carbon blade.

Clear Recommendation To wrap this up, the Fan Zhendong ALC is the most well-balanced blade I have ever used when it comes to speed, spin, and control. I highly recommend it to intermediate and advanced players who love an aggressive, topspin-heavy game. It's a fantastic, reliable blade that lets you play your shots with pure confidence.
P.S. In this picture I use Victas V15 sticky but I feel it's lack of durability so I change to D09c and it feels much better

I waited to write a review until playing with it for a few months (around 3 times a week 6h total).
The first weeks/month it felt horrible, hard but not in a good way hard, just hard with the unpredictable extreme speed when you least expected it. In the beginning I also felt that it if I was just slightly off with my footwork I would get heavily punished by the rubber and not getting any engagement from it at all and a lot of ball slippage.
But as time passes the rubber softens up a little and am pleased to say that in my opinion this rubber plays very nice after having been broken in.
It has a much softer feeling while still being hard (I am a long time D09c player so used to the hardness) and I kind of like that, don’t know if that is the topsheet playing its part here and the pimples getting broken in as well?
It is now much more predictable and open ups against heavy backspin feels like a breeze to perform with power. There is the occasional ball slippage still but I guess that has to to with not engaging the top sheet as much as needed. Since coming from D09c and H3 before that I am a heavy brusher and I feel Zyre 03 requires a lot of brushing but a bit more direct engaging in the same time so a combination. Weirdly I find it not particularly spin sensitive but in the same time able to generate tons of spin, but it is hard to generate lots of spin without engaging sponge so passive shots don’t carry much spin and for serving you need to have good technique if you wanna serve short with lots of spin so it doesn’t travel long. I tested it on my stiga pure blade and the hardness of the rubber together with the characteristics of that 7-ply blade I think was a great combo.
Also after using it for a couple of months it really looks brand new still, durability seems to be top notch (if I remember I will get back and update here after a while more).

probably the best balls i've ever used. great durability, i like how it sounds when i hit it, everything about this is near perfect.

I use rakza 7 on the backhand, and after I tested Zyre 03 boosted I find a lot of appreciation for Rakza 7 once again so decided to write a review.

Th is rubber brings everything a improving player needs, it forgives when you are out of position and can produce a high quality shot with a lot of spin. This is because of the grip of the top sheet which is made with a lot of natural rubber which also gives it good durability.

Basicly this rubber is quite jack of all trades, blocking and receiving is very safe with this rubber and provides ample spin and speed for most players up to high amateur. You get to fully commit and improve every aspect of tabletennis easily with this rubber insted of buying too fast rubbers to start with and having lack of control and as result being stuck on the same level.
I've gained +500 elo while using this rubber and coming to break into the top 100 of my country.

The only downside is it becomes too soft for this ball, I also can not boost this rubber for this same reason.

Luckily Rakza 7 hard is coming out, you already know what I am doing

I used this a while back and it's tacky nature made my forehand more spinny and stable. However, as the rubber is so tacky, it makes it slower than other rubbers like European tensors and hybrids, which makes this rubber more physically demanding to use.

I'm an intermediate player with 2 years of table tennis experience and while most people might say that the blade will be too fast for me, it will slow down my learning etc, I find this blade to be very controlled but can generate just the right amount of power for me with less physical effort compared to my older rackets. I wouldn't recommend this blade to most people with less than 3 years of experience tho because this blade needs you to absolutely master the basics first and can be quite hard to control if you've never used a carbon blade before(although the inner carbon structure does help).
I'd recommend this to intermediate players who are wishing to enhance their offensive game and enjoy looping as this blade can only be used to it's full potential by doing so.

I have a D09c, and I also tested out my friend's one. What can I say? It is just how people described. Incredible spin, but it retains the bouciness of a tensor. One of the best rubbers of all time period. Community loves it, pros use it, whats not to love? If you want a cheaper version tho, (it is quite pricey) get the Hurricane 8-80. It is basically the same but more chinese. It does punish bad technique, but not that much, but it does reward you lots for good technique. It is a lso incredibly versatile, it is arguably the best BH rubber OAT, but it is also top 10 FH rubber in my opinion. If you don't know what to go for, this rubber is a classic, and is also quite all- round, I would say! It was quite durable, lasted like quite a long time, but apparently now there are QC issues but you should probably be OK! So enjoy this brilliant rubber!

This rubber is perfect for offensive players who prefer fast play without losing spin and control. At first, it will probably seem too fast, especially if you are used to slower or allround rubbers, but it is not too difficult to adapt to. I have been using it on my forehand for a short time and find it very comfortable both when attacking quickly and lifting backspin balls. On the serve, it is also easy to produce spin and to make your serves deceptive. I used to use Vega Europe, and although it is true that the Evolution MX-P has less control, it is more comfortable when making aggressive shots and playing an offensive game.

I’ve been playing Dignics 09C on a Viscaria for a while now and it’s the setups I have felt most confident with. My game is clearly offensive. I like to go forward, play with power and put pressure on the opponent, not just brush for spin. It’s a mix of spin and direct acceleration, and this rubber fits that balance really well.

Serve & Receive​

The grip is very noticeable on serves. It’s easy to generate heavy spin, but also to vary between spinny and more direct serves. At the same time, the rubber feels controlled in the short game. There’s not too much built-in catapult, so keeping the ball short on pushes and receives is very manageable. Flicks feel solid when you go forward confidently, and I feel comfortable being aggressive over the table when the chance is there.

Opening Against Backspin​

Opening is very reliable. The topsheet gives you enough grip to lift backspin safely, even if the contact isn’t perfect. What I like most is that you’re not forced to play ultra-thin spin. You can open with good rotation, but you can also go more forward and powerful. The rubber supports boht styles without feeling unstable.

Counter Topspin & Rallies​

In open rallies, especially from mid distance, this setup really shows its strength. When you commit and accelerate, the ball comes off heavy and direct. It doesn’t feel mushy and it doesn’t bottom out. On the Viscaria, you get that extra kick and speed, while the 09C keeps the trajectory controlled. Countering against strong topspin feels very stable.

Blocking​

For a harder rubber, blocking is surprisingly easy. Passive blocks stay low and predictable, and active blocks feel even better. You can punch the ball and keep pressure without worrying about it flying long.

Overall Impression​

Dignics 09C on Viscaria is a strong combination for aggressive players who like to mix spin with real forward power. It rewards active strokes and good timing. It’s not the easiest rubber out there, but if your game is built around pressure, quality topspin and finishing points with power, this setup makes a lot of sense.

Note: This is actually my first review ever, so I hope everything makes sense and is helpful. Just sharing my honest experience with the setup.

It's an incredible rubber. In terms of putting spin on the ball, both on serves and in rallies, it's wonderful and easy to handle, and playing with it feels very safe due to its great control. I started competing with this rubber and it has brought me very good results.

Glayzer is a great rubber, it feels like a Dignics 05 but a little softer and more controllable. The feeling on touch feels quite similar to Dignics 05 but I feel I have more confidence to put full power into the ball. Though this isn't exactly my type of rubber because I like a fast rubber