Latest reviews

I've started using Genesis M Max on my forehand. It's a very linear rubber, with a Chinese-like tackiness, and lots of control.

Suitable for agressive and controled play. Struggling a bit from a distance, as it's quite inert (compared to other tensors), and need a good technique to generate lots of speed.

Seems very durable. Far more than any other non Chinese rubbers so far...

The T80 is half way between the T05 and T80. Not as spinny as T05, not as fast as T80, with a throw higher than T64, and maybe just less than the T05.

It is a very versatile rubber, and will serve a rounded player well.

Sadly, maybe because it is so good at everything and excellent at nothing, it is also the tenergy that is the least durable. It will remain a good rubber after 2-3 months, but it does not seem to have the same durability as the others. Is this because players tend to use the T05 for brushing (so sponge remains good for longer) and T64 for more puching (so topsheet remains good for longer) while you'd use both to play shots with T80? I'm not sure.

Those playing with T80 could try Xiom Vega Pro or Asia for similar characteristics.

The Tenergy 64 is an excellent rubber. With a high throw (but less than its T05 / T80 brothers), it is a rubber for attackers.

It has a soft feel and more bounce than the T05/T80 but is still very linear.

I found it to be better than T80 or T05 in damp conditions.

The T64 is in theory the fastest of all tenergies, has more than enough spin and thanks to its softness and increased dwell time, it's a versatile rubber.

Great rubber for backhand.

While it can be a bit heavy, the T05 FX has a soft sponge which gives a resulting feel around 40-41 degrees hardness.

It's very spinny and has a medium throw, which results in very comfortable blocking and driving.

The feel and control are very good, and the rubber is durable.

Clearly a good rubber, if it wasn't for the price.

I've played with Boost TC when I started playing TT again after a 14 year gap. I used to play with speed glued Mark V GPS, and when told the speed glue / boosting was not allowed anymore, I tried Boost TC.

The feel was great, and I found this 38 degree hardness rubber to replicate the feel I had with my old Mark V GPS.

The soft sponge really allowed good spin and sufficient speed. Unfortunately, the bounciness is such that you lose a bit of control on short balls.

Also, as this is now an old rubber (one of the best of the first generation tensor though), they do not last very long. The spin potential is great at first (while nowhere near current top rubbers), but dissipates very quickly.

It's not the cheapest (nor the most expensive).

It is a light rubber, with a low to medium throw.

7 years ago, with the celluloid ball, it was a good rubber. It is now an outdated rubber, as others have more speed, more control, more spin, same softness, last longer, and can be found as cheap or cheaper (e.g. Xiom vega europe, Bluefire JP3...).

The Stiga Clipper CR (and CR WRB) is a great blade for developing players (and more!).

Lots of control, suitably fast. This blade has no weaknesses and can be used by defenders, blockers, hitters, spinners...
The drawback is that it does not shine in one particular aspect. For a pure topspinner / defender / blocker, other blades are likely better suited.

In particular, if you want power in your shots, it has to come from you, so over a whole tournament, this can be physically demanding.

The Stiga quality can be a bit hit and miss, and the weights can vary. Most good blades will be 90+ grammes.

The speed is sufficient, and the control is very good. Throw is medium.

The Clipper is a great blade, with a small price. Any player getting coaching should try one. It is the perfect blade to improve your game.

With the new ball, more advance players looking for power can consider a faster blade. Some Pros still play with Clipper but they are fitter than most league players.

This blade is one of the best in the current (commercial) DHS offering.

It is mostly sold with FL handle, although some CHinese websites seem to sell ST versions.

It weights +/- 93 grams, so not a light blade. The blade face dimensions are also slightly bigger than most. BTY blades are generally 157x150mm, and this HL5 is 160x151. However, the balance of the blade is very good and once in hand, it is not head heavy at all, even when fitted with rubbers (currently Omega V Pro and Vega Asia).

The blade is composed of the following layers Limba - Limba - ALC - Ayous - ALC - Limba - Limba. This is similar to the BTY Innerforce ALC, but the HL5 is stiffer.
The blade thickness, at 5.9 mm, is similar to many popular blades.

The throw is medium, so the blade will match most rubbers depending on style. With high (ish) throw rubbers, it's a looping machine, while with a medium throw rubbers, it's great for blocking.

The blade quality is very high the finish is excellent and it comes in a very nice box, with an individual "blade ID card" with dimensions, weight, thickness and serial number.

The limba outer layer give it a nice dwell and facilitate spin. It is very easy to control, and is very stable as you play with more power.
There are some vibrations, enough to get good feedback from your shot.

This blade is expensive, but you will find it discounted sometimes from reputable shops.

Is it the best blade I ever played with? Very likely. Not for beginners though.

I ply with Omega V Pro (OVP) in max on my forehand.

It's a modern rubber, made for the plastic ball. It's slightly hard, but that's just what the new ball requires. I'd rate it a bit softer than T05 + old ball.

It has a hint of tackiness (if you leave the bat to rest on the ball, the ball will be lifted slightly when you pick the bat up), and is therefore easy to control for serves and short play. This also helps as the ball does not slip when topspinning, even as slow speed.

The throw angle is high, but I would say lower than T05. probably similar to T80.

The rubber remains as new for 3+ months, and then loses a bit of spin, particularly if you often hit the ball in the same place! This is like most tensor rubbers nowadays, including tenergy. It remains however perfectly appropriate to compete, although you lose in crazy spin what you gain in control.

While the rubber is very dynamic and there is a nice kick to the ball on strong impacts, it remains very linear and controlable at all times, and small impacts, for short play for example, result in a short / low ball.

Strangely, I find the rubber isn't that sensitive to incoming spin.

It is very solid and does not mark or tear easily, despite a couple of unfortunate encounters with the table surface / edge!

I consider this rubber to be the plastic ball equivalent of Tenergy 05 with the old ball. High throw, linear, spinny, fast when required, long lasting... Only the price is much more palatable!

All in all a great rubber from XIOM.

Can't fault that rubber.
Soft topsheet with a hard sponge, it works very well with the new plastic ball or the old celluloid one.
Fast, balanced, a very linear rubber with a lot of control and an medium - high throw. This makes topspins, blocks and drives easy.

I use it on my backhand and am unlikely to change for the foreseeable future, after trying all sorts of rubbers (including Tenergy 05/64/80/05FX, Xiom Omega IV Pro, Vega Pro).

The rubber is not too bouncy so control is great, with good feel on short play. When going for bigger shots, and engaging the sponge more, the speed is not lacking.

The better your technique, the more you will get out of the rubber. Since the catapult effect is limited, the player generates the speed. This is good as if you are in a difficult position, the rubber allows to slow the ball. Conversely, when in good position, you can accelerate and / or spin.

At £20 to £25 per sheet, this is a rubber that lasts longer than most (including any tenergy), although at that price you won't think twice if you prefer changing them part way through the season.

Good blade for experienced players.

Limba - ALC - Limba - Ayous - Limba - ALC - Limba.

OFF blade (not OFF- nor OFF+), good feel for the ball, with sufficient power to put any ball away. Blade weight can vary from just over 80g to 100g or so.

Shame BTY seems to have stopped producing them, but there are plenty available second hand.

Softer than T05, harder than T64, it does everything in between.

Blocks better than T05, slightly less sensitive to spin, with throw just a bit lower (hardly noticeable). Feels softer and is a bit bouncier than T05.
A good backhand rubber.

Excellent for looping and driving.

Nothing that has not been said about this rubber.
Durability used to be better than other rubbers, but they have imporoved so no more advantage here. Price however is far too high.
Rubber can be too hard on a hard blade in my opinion, but since it's very linear it's very controlable.