Dignics 09c was a very hyped rubber I remember first seeing this on LARC where it was originally labelled Tenergy 09c. Fast-forward 2 years and we have what is described as a unique combination of a tacky topsheet with the spring sponge x.
I think many people wondered if this rubber could be the end of needing to boost H3 every 4-8 weeks (depending on level and the amount you play).
During my review I compare the rubber to the following competitors (T05, H3N Blue Sponge and Tibhar MXS)
Spin
Now this was the section I found most interested to find out how did the Dignics 09c stack up to the other competitors. After about 5 hours with the rubber I was certain that this was definitely more spin than MXS. In top gears the 09c offered higher rotation than T05 and H3. The only time T05 came out on top was when you wanted the spin in the lower gears. 09c= 9.6/10 (T05 = 9.2/10, H3 = 9.4/10 & MXS = 9.0/10)
Speed
To be honest I wasn't expecting to be blown away 09c as I knew the downside of tacky rubbers are, they lack speed as the ball stays on the bat longer. This was sort of the case with 9c but not to the same amount of H3 a 09c sponge still feels abit softer than H3(it sits in between MXS and H3). I was impressed by the rubber gave what you put in so in the short game where you didn't use long explosive strokes the ball engaged mainly with the topsheet which helps keep it on the table (which rubbers like T05 struggle with) however when you was attacking or engaging the sponge the rubber become more lively and had more than enough speed to finish off the point. 09c = 8.8/10 (T05 =9.3/10, H3 = 8.6/10 & MXS 9.0/10)
Control
This was another aspect of the rubber that had been hyped not only by pro's changing to this rubber but also all of them stating how much control this rubber has and how this gives them extra confidence during the rallies. I was abit skeptical with these claims but after using this rubber they're totally correct. I felt that the added tackiness seemed to drag the trajectory of the balls flight down on the oppositions side and this allowed me to add more power into my shots. In the short game the tackiness helped keep my receive/push tight. 09c = 9.0/10 (T05 = 7.0/10, H3 = 8.5/10 & MXS = 8.8/10
Final Thoughts
This rubber is a premium rubber that has tons of spin capabilities, very good control and more than enough speed having said this 09c isn't suited to everyone, Beginners and intermediate players should leave this until later on there are better alternatives out there for you. Players that are used to soft sponge rubbers this type of rubber won't give you that same feeling and will require practice to become accustomed to. I do think going forward this will take over T05 as being the benchmark for spin rubbers. Overall rating: Dignics 09c 9.5/10
I think many people wondered if this rubber could be the end of needing to boost H3 every 4-8 weeks (depending on level and the amount you play).
During my review I compare the rubber to the following competitors (T05, H3N Blue Sponge and Tibhar MXS)
Spin
Now this was the section I found most interested to find out how did the Dignics 09c stack up to the other competitors. After about 5 hours with the rubber I was certain that this was definitely more spin than MXS. In top gears the 09c offered higher rotation than T05 and H3. The only time T05 came out on top was when you wanted the spin in the lower gears. 09c= 9.6/10 (T05 = 9.2/10, H3 = 9.4/10 & MXS = 9.0/10)
Speed
To be honest I wasn't expecting to be blown away 09c as I knew the downside of tacky rubbers are, they lack speed as the ball stays on the bat longer. This was sort of the case with 9c but not to the same amount of H3 a 09c sponge still feels abit softer than H3(it sits in between MXS and H3). I was impressed by the rubber gave what you put in so in the short game where you didn't use long explosive strokes the ball engaged mainly with the topsheet which helps keep it on the table (which rubbers like T05 struggle with) however when you was attacking or engaging the sponge the rubber become more lively and had more than enough speed to finish off the point. 09c = 8.8/10 (T05 =9.3/10, H3 = 8.6/10 & MXS 9.0/10)
Control
This was another aspect of the rubber that had been hyped not only by pro's changing to this rubber but also all of them stating how much control this rubber has and how this gives them extra confidence during the rallies. I was abit skeptical with these claims but after using this rubber they're totally correct. I felt that the added tackiness seemed to drag the trajectory of the balls flight down on the oppositions side and this allowed me to add more power into my shots. In the short game the tackiness helped keep my receive/push tight. 09c = 9.0/10 (T05 = 7.0/10, H3 = 8.5/10 & MXS = 8.8/10
Final Thoughts
This rubber is a premium rubber that has tons of spin capabilities, very good control and more than enough speed having said this 09c isn't suited to everyone, Beginners and intermediate players should leave this until later on there are better alternatives out there for you. Players that are used to soft sponge rubbers this type of rubber won't give you that same feeling and will require practice to become accustomed to. I do think going forward this will take over T05 as being the benchmark for spin rubbers. Overall rating: Dignics 09c 9.5/10
