Latest reviews

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

I tried D09c a couple years ago on my forehand side while playing penhold with an offensive hardwood blade. Coming from Hurricane 3, I found it very difficult to control because of the high throw angle. My loops often went long. I could not touch the ball softly, which is a big part of my game with H3. For a penholder, not being able to touch the ball softly negates a big part of the advantage of playing penhold.

Recently I have been experimenting with a shakehand chopping style using an extremely defensive blade (Zebrawood Oversize 3-ply). I like to twiddle to attack on the backhand, and Hurricane 3 on a defensive blade was simply not powerful enough to make dangerous attacks or lift heavy backspin. Even on forehand it left something to be desired. So I decided to try D09c again.

On this defensive blade the difference between H3 and D09c is immense. I can create fast balls with relatively little effort. Instead of feeling uncontrollable, the catapult effect gives a very comfortable increase in speed. This is exactly what I need to upgrade my hybrid-defense style.

When playing defense with Hurricane, I was mostly chopping on both wings, with the occasional topspin attack. These attacks were never fast or powerful enough to overwhelm my opponents, so I would only win points with good placement. Playing heavy sidespin loops far from the table was another main tactic of mine -- trying to imitate Hou Yingchao.

Switching to D09c makes my attacks much more potent. Instead of playing pure defense, I can attack when the ball comes to my forehand. My opponents are hitting the ball out because my loops are so powerful -- something which never happened with Hurricane. The backhand attack is also really nice, allowing me to kill the ball easily and get the ball safely over the net.

Aside from power, the other main thing I like about D09c is the high arc. When playing with an offensive blade I found the high arc to be annoying, but on a defensive blade it is quite nice. Particularly for lifting backspin, I don't have to exert nearly as much effort as with Hurricane. The motion for lifting backspin with D09c is quite similar to a normal loop with Hurricane. This can give me precious time during points to reposition and get ready for the next ball.

With Hurricane 3, blocking flat balls is a nuisance. You have to make sure to brush the ball to add your own spin, or the shot will be unstable. With D09c, I found that it can convert some of the speed of a smash into spin. It was possible to block smashes from short pips and antispin rubbers, and when the ball digs into the sponge it will generate some topspin on the return. Thus, I feel comfortable staying closer to the table and fast-blocking with my forehand.

Another big pro is how easy it is to generate spin, compared to Hurricane. With a small wrist motion, I can create 80% of the high end spin. This makes it easier to be deceptive about my spin and how much spin I am making. Needless to say, the high end spin is not as good as Hurricane's.

Certainly I think D09c improves my chopper playing style, transforming it from a pure defense style to a more hybrid defense-offense style. I am much more likely to attack and counterattack on the forehand, and much more likely to twiddle for a backhand smash. However, D09c still has some cons which I would like to list.

1. It is bad at chopping. I think this has to do with the throw angle and the catapult effect. Chopping on forehand with this rubber just isn't as stable as chopping with Hurricane 3. I am somewhat forced to attack balls that come to my forehand, because chopping might not be an option.

2. You cannot play passively or gently with D09c, you must play actively and touch the ball sharply. Touching the ball softly is a recipe for shooting the ball in a random direction. Therefore it is harder to carefully manipulate spin compared to H3 -- especially sidespin. For this reason I still think it would be a bad decision for a penhold player to choose D09c over H3, because H3 allows a much better short game and (side)spin manipulation.

3. Sidespin loops far away from the table are not as good. The quality of the spin is less, and they are harder to aim. Hurricane 3 allows low-to-ground scooping sidespin shots, but these are much harder to do with D09c. Side-downspin chops and snakes are also harder to execute. Best to just not let the ball drop so low, and just play pure topspin. I will certainly miss this aspect of H3, but I will keep trying to imitate it with D09c.

All in all this rubber feels amazing and after only one playing session I was already seeing improvements. I'm excited to continue using it. Hurricane 3 is nice and has a special place in my heart, but for a modern defender I think D09c is clearly a better option.

My setup: 85.06g + SuperKaiser Ninja-300 National(FH) + Butterfly Dignics 80(BH)

Overall feel is very similar to DHS w968-8 or S968, however it provides a crisp feeling, commenly seen on butterfly blades.

This blade combines excellent ball dwell, crisp and catapult effect, enabling a highly controllable game. I would have to say, at first the catapult effect takes some to time to get used to, especially if you're switching from w968 or other relatively slower blades.

Beweare of the weight issue, as different weigh blades have vastly different sound and feel. I have 3 of this blade all in FL handle. One from Japan(with JTTAA on the handle), 2 from Taiwan. The Japanese blade is 91.60g while the other two are 84-85g. I suppose the heigher weight was caused by the increase wood density, as the heavier blade had less pores and a harder sound.
#1: 84.63g 1250hz, 312hz
#2: 91.60g 1350hz, 350hz
#3: currently has rubber and I couldn't be bothered measuring

I played with 388D-1 0.5mm as penhold forehand rubber. This is where the rubber shines for high-level players. Amazing for attacking with wobbly deceptive balls, and gives great spin reversal. Best suited for a hardwood blade, like ebony or rosewood. 388D-2 is also quite good, but suits a more defensive style.

If someone is interested in changing to long pips, 388D-1 with 0.5mm sponge is the rubber I would recommend without hesitation. For penholders it is a godly rubber, you will never need to change. For shakehand players it is a jack of all trades, but master of none -- good for a new pips player who has not developed their style yet. Shakehanders should use an allround or defensive blade.

The topsheet is mildly grippy. Blocking gives a lot of spin reversal, especially with OX. Pretty fast, as far as long pips goes.

The rest of my review is devoted to the shakehand grip, where I have experimented with 388D-1 in OX, 0.5mm, and 1mm sponge.

My impression is that this rubber can play a decent chopping style, a decent blocking style, and a good attacking style, but it is not exceptional at any of them. I would not recommend this rubber to an advanced shakehand pips player unless they are a "chameleon" who likes to change their playing style based on the opponent.

OX is wonderful for attacking. If you put it on a Viscaria, you can play flat smashes as fast as short pips. Hitting through backspin, if you can land it on the table, is almost impossible to return. A bit hard to control, though. Defense is ok, but not great.

0.5mm is my favorite, and the most flexible. Much more controllable than OX for chopping and blocking. It can't create much spin on its own, but it can create enough spin for a deceptive serve, and enough spin to make the chop consistently land on the table. This is a rubber which will allow a newbie to decide whether they want to play a far-distance chopping style, or a close-distance blocking-attacking style. Chopping works best when your opponent gives heavy topspin -- dead balls are harder to return.

I do not recommend 1mm, since it is too sensitive to incoming spin and does not have the chopping capability to justify such sensitivity. The extra sponge does not increase the spin generation (in my opinion), it just makes the pips more bouncy. I thought that 1mm was worse at chopping than 0.5mm, because of the increased bounciness. Attacking is worse and less deceptive than 0.5mm because of the spin sensitivity. No idea why they make this rubber in 1mm honestly.

This blade has a very good control with a great sweet spot. This is reflected in excellent blocking and loops. It is not a very big blade 157x150 this is for me a small draw back. I like long blades. However, it overall performs really great and gives me great confidence when using. It is also rather good in the near field with also good control of under spin short game. Sweet spot is also really good. I that a huge nice wood feeling with a very deep hold. Handle is great for large hands but my hands are sized so that I prefer to sand the wings. The wings are normal sized but I like the increased control and also fit when I have sanded the wings 2-4mm. Build quality was good with nicely sanded edges. I put some varnish for protection as always do on any blade. I used Stiga DNA Hybrid H which give a rather low, not too low, arch (it is the rubber) otherwise I expect a nice arch from this blade. The only potentially weak spot might be smashed which are OK but could be a bit slow but this can be remediated by a fast rubber.

It is not a hard blade but rather have the nice dig in feeling and control.
Durability is also so far, played for more than a year, good. How durable in the long term it is I cannot say having not played with it the whole time.

The blade overall is an Off blade. it is slower than an outer carbon blade but go es more than enough power.

Great tacky hard rubber. The biggest issue I have is that after 3 months it started to degrade quickly. Now after 6 months its completely dead. I only play about 3-5hrs a week these days. That is a big disappointment.

It is basically a Timo Boll or Zhang Jike alc, so if you want the Butterfly feeling, but you want to save money, then this blade is a must have. You can get it for around a quarter of the price of a TB ALC, so it is very cost effective. I feel it is an upgrade from the Yinhe Pro 01, they are quite similar. Another thing is that it is limited edition, so there is some prestige around it if you are a collector. It is overall a high performing blade for and incredibly reasonable price!

I love linear rubbers, so this rubber is a good one for me. It does it's job well without high catapult. It's quite a hard rubber, so it can go fast as long as you hit through it. It can also play short, chop and spin pretty well. It is balanced, but it does nothing exceptionally well, and it's price is quite high for what it is giving. There are other rubbers out there that have a higher value, but you cannot go wrong with this rubber. One thing bad about this rubber, the bottomsheet is badly affected by regluing. The Glayzer's spring sponge is durable AS LONG AS you keep it on the blade you glued on when it was new. If you reglue it, it'll crater like the moon.

I love linear rubbers, so this rubber is a good one for me. It does it's job well without high catapult. It's quite a hard rubber, so it can go fast as long as you hit through it. It can also play short, chop and spin pretty well. It is balanced, but it does nothing exceptionally well, and it's price is quite high for what it is giving. There are other rubbers out there that have a higher value, but you cannot go wrong with this rubber. One thing bad about this rubber, the bottomsheet is badly affected by regluing. The Glayzer's spring sponge is durable AS LONG AS you keep it on the blade you glued on when it was new. If you reglue it, it'll crater like the moon.

This blade is to me the Innerforce ALC improved. It is a little heavy so that might be a negative for some but it increases its overall power. It's speed is pretty close to outer carbons but has the control and dwell of inner carbons and even comparable to wood blades. It's soft outer limba layers let me spin and loop confidently, as well as play the short games nicely. Blocking with this blade is as good as it's looping games. When I want speed, I just need to dig a tad bit harder and it gives me all the speed I need with added control.

But enough about performance specs. I've always prioritized the feel of the blade in my hand when searching for the right blade, and this blade does not disappoint. The soft Limba outerply gives the initial impact a very warm and broad feeling. These soft outer layers just begs to be deformed by a strong swing though, as when it is done so, the inner ALC kicks in, giving the softer outer plies stability and power, with a metallic crisp similar to the Viscaria, but muted by soft outer plies. Combined, the soft and the stiff form to give great feedback to the hand, and speed is not compromised at all.

This is the rubber with the best balance between usable catapult and linearity. This rubber does almost everything well, from looping to short work, from flat smashing to chopping. I have been on the market searching high and low for rubbers with not too extreme catapult, but not dead either. Having tested both extremes, ultra fast catapults like T05 and hard tacky Chinese rubbers, I have concluded that I preferred a blend of both. Not necessarily tacky, but medium/low catapult with good grip. I would rank this alongside Rakza Z and Dignics09C as one of the top 'linear' rubbers out there, and the G1 is the best one among the three when it comes to price to performance ratio. Serves and receiving serves are great as the linearity helps with overshooting and the grip helps with spin insensitivity. In short, my EJ syndrome has been put to an end with this rubber for my forehand. When my backhand gets better, this'll also go to my backhand.