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andro Rasanter
Weight: 70 grams uncut, 49 grams uncut
Sponge Hardness: 47°
Hardness: Medium/Hard
Speed: High
Spin: Medium/High
Blade used: andro treiber k


Written Review[/B]

Initial Inspection

The sponge of the new rasanter series has a 2.3mm sponge in comparison to the previous powergrip and Turbo which has a 2.1mm sponge. Andro have managed to increase the sponge size by thinning the topsheet, this allows the plastic ball to absorb through the topsheet into the sponge quicker. The Rasanter series comes in two types, the R and V version. The R standing for Rotation and the V meaning velocity.

You have a lot to choose from the Rasanter with the R series coming in 4 sponge hardnesses, 37 degrees, 42 degrees, 47 degrees and 50 degrees. The V series comes in 2 sponge hardnesses, 42 and 47 degrees. The R and V series differ due to the pimple structure with the V having shorter and thinner pimples. The Rasanter comes with andro’s unique green sponge with a newly developed, stickier topsheet.

The weight of our Rasanter R samples, when uncut, increased in weight as the sponge hardness went up. As you can see on the table (see below), the 37 being the lightest at 60 grams and the 50 being the heaviest at 76 grams. This applied for the V series to with the 42 being 64 grams and the 47 being 70 grams. The weight of the rubbers when cut can be seen in the table (see below) and also increases as the sponge hardness goes up.

The Rasanter rubbers were used on the Trieber K blade throughout the review. Most of the review focuses on the R47 as this seems to be the most balanced and popular of the rasanter series so far.

Speed

With the Rasanter R47 you notice the rapid speed from the word go. I liked how I got a lot of feeling from the rubber, whilst still being able to put a lot of speed on the ball with minimal effort. The thin topsheet and thick sponge approach definitely allows you to produce high levels of speed. Whilst the R47 is a medium to hard rubber the fact that it has a thinner topsheet allows for the ball to soak into the thicker sponge. This in theory gives you greater dwell giving you more time, grip and therefore more spin on the ball which we found to be true with the R47.

The topsheet on the R47 itself was not too mushy and soft and as just mentioned had a medium to hard feel. This allows you to take the ball early with a lot of pace. After trying the other R variations, the 47 felt the optimal rubber for me personally. Tom is using the R 42 rubber here and you can see it’s not as fast as the R47. The R42 has greater dwell and feeling but not as much speed.

Spin

Tom always really likes ESN based rubbers on the backhand side. Using the R47 he liked the medium arc and flexibility that the topsheet gave him which increases both spin and safety.

Using a combination of backhand and forehand topspins the R47 has a medium to hard feel and a stable and relatively direct trajectory. However what we really liked is the amount of spin produced by the R47 and the rubber is definitely a notch up in terms of spin production compared to the previous Rasant rubbers, like the power grip and turbo. However you do need to put in a fair bit of effort with a fast, brushing action to produce this heavy spin.

When playing aggressive 3 point forehands, I could feel the grip on the topsheet picking up low balls. I find this is really important when playing fast attacking forehands, especially when out of position.

Spin against backspin

In this area of the review we looked at how much spin we could produce with the Rasanter R series against backspin. In general we could generate a lot of rotation on the ball. You can feel the ball dig into the thick sponge which helped with our feeling on the ball. Tom felt he was producing a touch more spin using the R47 in comparison to the R50 but there was not much in it.

Using the R47 I found good grip and spin, sometimes I sent the ball long after my first spin up. This showed the immense speed these rubbers possess.
When opening up with the softer versions of the R series the 37 and 42 we definitely found it easier to open up due to the softer sponge, however we found the 47 and 50 both followed up better as they WERE more direct and had greater speed in the open rallies. For players looking for more control in their game they would get more from the 37 and 42 versions as spin production is easier and are both noticeably slower giving greater control.

Backhand Flicks

We were both really impressed with how much speed and accuracy we had with backhand flicks using the R47. The spin this rubber produces, results in balls dipping quickly down onto the table. I always find that when you backhand flick, you want to go for placement and spin, and then follow up with a strong ball, this was easy to do with the R47.

Serving

The rubbers all produced good spin when serving with no real differences between them. Ball placement was easy and we were both able to keep the ball low over the net whilst maintaining heavy spin.

Block

It was easier to block with the harder versions of the Rasanter R. When blocking using 37 or 42 you get less control as the harder sponges of the 47 and 50 propelled the ball forward faster and more direct. The softer sponges however were less responsive to incoming spin so slower spinny balls are easier to control with the softer sponge variations.

Conclusion

The Rasanter R and V series rubbers have been targeted and developed to combat the plastic ball. The new concept of a thicker sponge and thinner topsheet combination developed by andro has definitely resulted in an improvement in their rubber game from their previous generations of Rasant. The new R and V series have higher arc and more dwell than their predecessors.

The high levels of speed and spin produced really helps when playing fast attacking shots in open play as well as when playing more delicate finesse shots like the modern backhand flick. Our favorite rubber within both series is definitely the R47 as it’s the most suitable to our game.

However there are a lot of options to choose from within the range. For players who want a bit more control and safety in their shots with ease of use against backspin, the softer versions R37 and R42 would be a good choice. Players who play more of a dynamic speed and spin game would prefer the R47. The R50 is a hard rubber and would suit players who like to play flat direct shots at close range. The difference between the R and V series is the pimple structure, with both sponges being identical. The V series has thinner and shorter pimples and allows for a stronger rebound effect off the sponge allowing for greater speed and lower throw angle. If you are a player looking for maximum speed and a lower throw angle the V 42 or V47 would be a good choice, and are both especially effective when playing fast attacking shots close to the table.

In terms of how other Andro rubbers compare to the new Rasanter series, the power grip and turbo do not possess the same qualities of spin and speed. The new rubbers from andro are a great addition to the rubber market as they are definitely something slightly different. Tibhar and Donic are also following suit with this thin topsheet, thick sponge combination with the Select, prime and Bluestorm.

Overall the Rasanter R and V series are a fantastic development and a great addition to andros rubber range, and we feel they really live up to the hype.

its made out of syrian refugee's shoe sole and 1995 hyundai elantra tyre.

There are hundreds of good tt rubbers out there , some from sanwei too. Why This?

I been using this rubber for awhile now and finally came to a conclusion why Butterfly made this.

Its for those who are "I am not good enough to use Tenergy" but "I want to use something like Tenergy"

This ones for you. Cheaper, Easier Tenergy , 05 64 05fx all this names give you headache? just go Rozena

DHS's attempt to make Plastic ball version of Neo H3 = Failed

3-50 has no competitive edge compared to H3 nor Neo H3 (market version)

its an all-round average, what-is-this?, is-this-made-out-of-eraser-scrap? type rubber from Dhs

Compared to other hurricane series, its tackiness fades out real quick and the speed glue effect comes alive after few trial and than disappears like it never happened.

Overall, don't bother buying this rubber and if you thinking where you should go after Neo H3 ? Tin arc , Gold arc,, these are too expensive? Haifu whale/shark or Sanwei Target.

Having used Tenergy 05 for longer than I can remember, I have now gotten rid of my last stock of Tenergy 05s. Took me 3 weeks, matches, training, etc to be 100% certain - and yes, I can say MXP is it.
Serves, service receive, short game, blocking, is definitely 10 -15% better (in my opinion). In a tight match situation, the grip you get on flicks, the short touch (when required) and control in a high tempo, high spin rally, is just beyond belief.
I am not sure about those claiming tenergy has more spin - but in my view, with my particular technique, the spin I generate on both wings, combined with the speed/penetration that MXP provides, is certainly more than T05. This was confirmed by my opponents, and training partners, who described MXP as a spin beast/monster.
Its not so much about the money, (although it matters of course) but the quality of this rubber, if Tibhar dont drop their standards, means I will never buy a Tenergy again. If I was good enough to have been sponsored by Butterfly, I would probably be ditching them, and reaching out to Tibhar for a sponsorship deal right now

Initial thoughts from warming up and rubber characteristics: I tried these rubbers on both sides of an Xiom Ignito blade. First think I noticed was the noise, quite a high pitch click when striking the ball. You could feel the ball really sink into the soft black carbo sponge and fire it back. When hitting a harder topspin shot you could definitely feel it bottom out and the ball would penetrate right through to the blade. However, I did have total control on placement with a safe stroke.


Topspins: Topspin shots were nice with a nice safety over the net again could place wherever, but when trying to gain maximum power the ball would deffo bottom out so it's got nice gears until you get to the highest ones where sadly there isn't that big power. Plenty sufficient to win points through placement and spin though but the big hitters wouldn't feel it had enough. Against backspin I could open up nicely, create good grip to lift the ball and the arc was plenty to bring the ball down on the other side whikst creating enough rotation to cause the other player to block long.


Touch/Blocking: Touch shots were again very easy to play, could keep the ball low over the net and the dynamic friction rubber had plenty of grip to generate spin also. Blocking again was so so easy, my partner would do topspin drills and I would block the ball without any worries. Not sensitive to the incoming topspin and great control.


Off the table: Top to top rallies were good but again lacked the top gear to finish the point, it would bottom out again. I found also if you were off the table and out of position it was also quite hard to get enough power to get the ball back safely too.


Overall: A great rubber for someone looking to improve their game, not sensitive to incoming spin and generates plenty of its own through the new 'Dynamic Friction' technology. It is east to control the ball in blocking, it really shines in this department I think. But for the more offensive player it would lack that top end speed and soft sponge could feel a bit mushy on certain shots. Still more suited to the backhand with maybe the harder Vega Pro on the FH would be a good combination on the Ignito blade.

Butterfly Rozena
Weight: 68 grams uncut, 47 grams uncut
Sponge Hardness: 35°
Hardness: Medium
Speed: Medium/High
Spin: Medium/High
Blade used: Timo Boll ALC


Written Review

Initial inspection

What’s going on guys it’s Dan here from TableTennisDaily. Today we are reviewing the highly anticipated, 2017, Butterfly Rozena rubber. This rubber uses Butterfly’s famous spring sponge high tension technology also used in the popular Tenergy series. The Rozena is not designed for Butterfly’s, traditional, elite player market. Instead Butterfly’s idea with the Rozena was to develop a rubber for less advanced players or for players who need greater forgiveness and less responsiveness in a rubber then say tenergy gives you.

In terms of price, the Rozena sits just under the high end, premium price bracket around £41 per sheet approximately 20% cheaper than tenergy. The rubber comes with a unique pink sponge and looks very similar to the sponge used on Tenergy. The only real difference it seems between the two sponges is that the Rozena has a 35 degree sponge hardness whereas regular Tenergy rubbers have a 36 degree sponge hardness. Therefore, like the tenergy, the Rozena is medium to hard sponge. The weight of our Rozena sample when uncut was 68 grams and when cut was 47 grams. The Rozena was used on the Timo Boll ALC blade throughout the review.


Topspin + Speed

We were both so eager try out this rubber, a lot of online users have been skeptical about the launch of the Rozena so I was really looking forward to trying it myself.Right away I could feel the spring effect coming into play during my topspin shots, something you feel from the Tenergy series. Although it wasn't exactly the same feeling, the Rozena almost came off the bat with a louder sound and felt softer which was likely due to the softer sponge. I was able to maintain a good rhythm and consistency during my attacking shots which I liked. I have to say I thought the rubber was going to be slower as it is marketed for players who want to raise their level of play. Interestingly the Rozena has decent speed but a high margin for error which we were really impressed with during topspin play. Speed wise perhaps only 10% slower than tenergy 05. It was also evident early on this rubber had more tolerance and was less responsive to incoming spin than the Tenergy series. An initial impression we felt with the Rozena was that it was like a calmed down version of Tenergy 05.


Control

The speed to control ratio was well balanced on the rozena, I had adequate speed with little effort and yet was able to maintain a lot of safety on the ball. Whilst playing at maximum effort during 3 point forehand I was able to get high levels of speed and yet maintain good consistency and rhythm. We both found the Rozena produced a fairly standard Medium arc on the ball throughout our topspin shots.


Spin

The Rozena picks up the ball well against backspin generating a good amount of spin and ample control. These attributes helped greatly when following up with a fifth ball attack. I wasn’t developing insane amounts of spin that you would produce with a Hurricane or Tenergy however the quality of ball was still fast and gave sufficient spin.

The topsheet was grippy enough to produce a successful spinny backhand flick. The rubber had good dwell which worked well against the backspin ball.


Counter topspin

Initially we both had a few problems when countering. The ball literally shot off the end of the table. After some adjustments by not going for as much power and closing the angle more, we were able to execute counters effectively.


Blocking

Rozena is not too spin sensitive and handles spin well, especially when on the defensive side of things when blocking aggressive topspin attacks. I found I could relax and play with a lot of quality keeping the ball on the table with good precision.


Away from the table

The power helped when playing away from the table. You can really feel the ball dig into the sponge with a loud clicky sound.


Conclusion

Butterfly’s latest Rozena rubber does what it's been designed to do and has a great balance between speed and control. We both liked that this rubber possesses similar properties and feeling of Tenergy, using the same spring sponge technology, but is slightly less offensive in terms of both speed and spin. The medium sponge combination and topsheet gives you good control in your game. The rubber is less sensitive to spin than Tenergy and works well in the control game especially when active blocking.

We really like the sound Rozena makes especially in explosive shots. In the serve and receive game the Rozena worked well, it doesn't bite as much as Tenergy does however gives you ample and sufficient spin.

Another advantage with Rozena is how stable it is in the rally from close to the table and from mid distance, the rubber produces a quality shot with a lots of rotation on the ball. This was evident when out of position with shots and the Rozena was able to pick the ball up with medium arc. The rubber plays especially well when used on the backhand side and was very effective for blocking and punching.

We would we recommend the Rozena to players looking for a consistent and well balanced rubber with slightly reduced speed and spin compared to the tenergy series. It's important to note the Rozena is not a beginners rubber and still requires reasonable technique and playing ability. Whilst filming this review we did some comparisons with other popular tensor rubbers such as the Tibhar Evolution and Donic Bluefire series and the Rozena had similar performance properties but was still closer to tenergy. However the Rozena is definately a slightly, slowed down, less responsive version of the Tenergy series yet produces a lot of spin and but does still keep some unique traits of Butterfly’s flagship rubber.

It's important to note for those Tenergy lovers who are comfortable with Tenergy should probably stick with Tenergy. However the tamer Rozena is definitely an interesting alternative for players who find Tenergy that bit too fast and responsive.

Overall what butterfly have created is a great new rubber for attacking topspin players who want good speed and feeling in their shots whilst giving you high levels of forgiveness and safety in your strokes.

My initial thoughts on Rozena used on an innerforce zlc, firstly doing some warm up shots, it was plenty quick enough and had a nice click sound on impact. Blocking was where I thought it was very good, I felt I could place the ball wherever I wanted and the incoming spin wasn't an issue at all. Touch shots were okay, I didn't find the rubber overly grippy though but could still keep the ball short. It was an easy rubber to open up with but compared to Tenergy 05 it didn't generate loads of spin. I did find on topspin shots that the ball would fly long quite often and it never had the dip to bring the ball down onto the table like Tenergy 05. It definitely isn't a spin monster but has enough grip to get the job done. Overall I would say it is a tame version of Tenergy 05 and as marketed a more forgiving rubber. It was a very good rubber for passive play but didn't seem to have any fire or give any wow factor. A good rubber if the sensitivity and timing needed to use the Tenergy series of rubbers is a problem. So you gain a bit of control for the want of your own spin, a plenty fast enough rubber with a medium arc; on innerforce zlc anyway, a nice place to start if you want to try an offensive rubber. Similar to most medium/hard sponge tensor rubbers but with great control, overall a nice rubber for the price.

Great attacking stuff! This rubber provides you such a huge spin and speed that one has to be very fast to control it! Still enough control for good blocks, but for attacking you better have good technique to control it. But if you manage to get used to this rubber, you will play some incredible topspins, huge counterspins with loads of unbelievable spin. Also amazing spin in service action! My opponents stayed stunned with portions of spin that I delivered in my services, despite of the poly ball. Even players with long pips returned my chops into the bottom of the net. Gewo Hype rubbers in general have huge spin potential and one has to wonder, why so little of professionals do not use gewo rubbers.. I recommend it to anyone wanting to attack with loads of spin and speed!

When resuming play, I started out with the classics I grew up on (Sriver, Mark V, Friendship) then was tossed a sheet of Tenergy 05. My level rose quickly, and I discovered two things: a new depth in spin-based attacks close, near and far from the table - and fragilities in service reception, pushes, counters, passive blocks and smashes.

So I took a step back, and got pointed to Vega Pro. The good thing is: it's not T05, but it has some of the properties I liked about it. It's definitely tamer, but that feeling of chewing up the ball when swinging is just there. Direct hits feel crisp and direct, which I like, rather than somewhat muffled like in many other rubbers, especially the softer-sponged ones.

It is a bit heavier than most rubbers. Easy to adapt to for me, but then again, those that insist upon very lightweight rubbers should look elsewhere.

All playing properties, in the end, are trade-offs. The tradeoffs in Vega Pro do work for me in many aspects of the game. My active blocks may be a bit better with Mantra H or Tenergy 80, opening up a heavy backspin ball may be a bit more lethal with Tenergy 05, pushes and serves are probably better with Rasant Grip; but in the balance, this works for me.

Added to that, it's relatively cheap and I found it to be more durable than most. It's outlasting my T05 and Rasant Grip sheets, and still feels reliable.

I paired this blade with the Yinhe Venus-2 red max on the forehand and the Yinhe Sun max tense (black) on the backhand side. This wood is head heavy, which i prefer. The outer plies are Limba which give it a 'woody feeling' when playing the strokes. Overall i am going to break this down in small segments:

1) Counters - Counters are like a breeze with this rubber. Minimal action gives the ball decent speed on either side. I notice that even the slight mis-hits come on the table so this blade clearly has decent dwell time.
2) loops - Thats where this blade excels. The loops are generated with good spin and control. You can pretty much put the ball anywhere on the table with your opening loops without a great effort. The 5th ball attack is also fairly effective with the slightly tacky venus-2 rubber making each drive more spinny.
3) touch play - Due to the good dwell time the short game is very easy too. You can pretty much put the 'short-chops' anywhere on the table with good control.
4) Counter loops - Even though this blade is ideal for close to the table play, even away from the table it gives the player options. It has many gears which enable easy counter looping. All you have to do is to brush the ball decently and the blade does the rest.

One side note that i would like to add is that i am not a composite blade player. So this was more of an experiment, and it worked out very well for me. Obviously this blade does not give me as much dwell time as a 5-ply all wood or a 7-ply all wood. However as compared with some of the other composite blades out there this one has excellent dwell time. So as such it was not a difficult task to switch to this blade from a regular 5-ply all wood. I have seen reviews in which this blade is rated as an Off+. I disagree, to me this is more of an Off blade. However, i would not recommend this blade to a beginner level player. You need proper technique in order to utilise the maximum potential for this blade.
All in all an excellent buy for the money, i got this blade fitted with both rubbers for a total of 43 dollars from aliexpress.

I have played Joola Maxxx almost my whole "Career" and I am very satisfied with it. It´s fast controlable and you can perform much spin with it. The only thing that I´d like to critsize is, that the rubber is ruined faster than I expected. I have to change it almost every month, but I practice a lot, at least 6 times a week, so I think that´s one of the reasons why.
All in all it´s a good rubber for every active Player.

I am using this blade for a Long time and I have been able to Play the best Table Tennis that´s possible for me. You can perform very hard shots but you also have very good Control, what makes it the perfect blade for a allround Player.

Hello TTD Comunity !
This is my review about Donic Vario Clean. I bought this glue in my local table tennis store in the 37ml variant for about 7 euros. It comes with approximately 6 sponges and a clip.
The glue took about 6-8 minutes to dry on my rubbers.
It took about 5-6 minutes on my wood to dry.
After 6 months i replaced my rubbers and it was pretty easy to take the rubbers off.
Overall i think it is a good glue .

(Edit)

Really important!!
If you are planning to reuse your old rubbers this glue might not be for you !!
I tried to take the glue on my rubber off but it seemed to be very strong!
I used a tooth brush to brush the glue off and a lot of damage on my sponge was left.
But the good news is that there might be no remains of the glue on the blade. (at least in my case)

Have fun !

I'm using this blade with Skyline TG3-60 on FH and Xiom Vega pro on BH. The blade has good feeling, it is not too stiff and hard, and has longer dwell time, and good control, nice for blocking but fast enough when used for attack and looping. so it is suitable for my playing style, attacking, looping and topspin in close to mid distane from table. It's weight is 88 gram and with rubbers attached on both side to be 194 gram. It's weight is not so light nor heavy. I recommend this blade for topspin players at close to mid distance from table. But according to my a month trial it has disadvantage when used for touch play, my return ball usually high, so I have to train more to return serve and drop shot or short play on the table.

General: I am using this rubber in 2.0mm red on my backhand. Prior to this I was using the EL-S in max. This rubber has a soft topsheet on a medium-soft sponge, lightweight (44g?). Very soft spongy feel.The Acuda Blue series has been described as “feel good“ rubbers. That's very true. Trajectory is fairly low. The Acuda Blue P2 however is not made for the dangerous, modern offensive player. It is amazing for “returning the ball“. I really have a love-hate relationship with this one.


Negatives:
1. This rubber was and still is grossly overrated on spin on tabletennisdb. It is a spinny rubber compared toa large portion of rubbers that is out there, but the topsheet is not superbly grippy. Hence this is NOT a rubber for brush loops – the ball will simply slip and fall down. You need to engage the sponge to generate decent spin. It is very challenging to banana flip on the table and lifting moderate to heavy backspin even off the table is very straining. You really have to rip through with your whole arm – while then you have to make sure the ball doesn't fly off the end of the table. The medium throw (definitely not above 4.5 intabletennisdb terms) does its part in that equation. In comparison it feels like the EL-S can lift backspin just by flicking the wrist. If I do the same strokes with my Hurricane 3 NEO, the ball just shoots off vertically into the roof. This rubber has crippled my game in the sense of opening backspin and my opponents frequently lock me down in my backhand because my forehand is very strong and aggressive in comparison.


2. This rubber lacks power when away from the table. Catapult on lower side, base speed ok. Base speed is comparable to EL-S, but catapult feels less. This is interesting, because it's also not good for “making things happen“ close to the table either.


3. It's simply quite harmless. Not a killer.


Positives:
1. This rubber has outstanding, fantastic, amazing control. It's difficult to stress enough the feeling of safety this rubber grants you. Due to the topsheet being far from being on par with MX-S EL-S T05 and the likes, it is also fairly unreceptive to incoming spin. The medium (maybe even medium tolow) throw angle just brings the ball back onto the other side of thetable with ease.


1a. Blocking: Passive blocking is great – even against heavy rotation topspins that come in crushing onyour side of the table, you just have to close the bat angle a little bit and this rubber provides very flat and annoying blocks. Active blocking is equally great. Not a rubber for spinblocking though because of aforementioned characteristics.


1b. Driving/Smashing: Extremely reliable, feels very linear. Nothing funny ever happens. Just hold the bat at the right angle and swing away. Of course it lacks speed, but you know, you can always just swing a little harder. When drive-looping you also develop some decent spin, because you're engaging the sponge more.


2. The catapult is not strong, but it is easy to active even with your backhand. Due to the softness of the composition of the P2, you don't have to hit hard to get some potential out of this rubber. In comparison the EL-S feels very dead close up but easily overshoots due to sudden activation of the catapult effect. This one is very controllable.


3. Quite light in weight. If you're looking to save a few grams on your setup, this is great.


Dont know:
Chopping, lobbing, serving – I don't do those (with backhand).

The new Butterfly Rozena rubber uses a slighty softer sponge than normal Tenergy rubbers. Beside the pink colour, the sponge is similar to the other springe sponge rubbers. If I would make a blind test, I would guess another Tenergy rubber would be in my hands.

The Rozena has a little bit more catapult and dynamic than the harder Tenergy rubbers, even though the sponge is more soft. This helps when playing fast topspins, both from the table or from halfdistance. The rubber has a good pace, but is not as fast as rubbers like Tibhar Evolution MX-P for example.
The strength of the Rozena rubber is the variability when attacking. Also the rubber is forgiving when hitting the ball not perfectly. Other than with Tenergy 05, when the angle of the stroke is not 100% right, the ball finds its way to the other side of the table. I guess the softer sponge and the new topsheet help both with this characteristic.
The throw angle is medium high and between Tenergy 80 and 64. The Spin level is also between those rubbers. A spinny topspin rubber, but not as dangerous as Tenergy 05.
Though the feeling and technology are the same, Rozena is a little softer, more forgiving, less sensitive to the incoming spin, with better dynamics/catapult and more lively feel than the normal Tenergy rubbers 05, 80 and 64.

In my opinion, the Rozena rubber targets topspin players, who need a high performance rubber, which has good control and forgiving abilities as well. It has the Tenergy Gen, but also standalone and unique characteristics.

you can get whale 1 or whale 2 tuned training version for as low as USD 10
the thing with training version is the performance of the rubber varies a lot.
IF you pick a good one , it will be good as the national or provincial one. ( I was lucky )

whale is tacky but not tacky like other chinese rubber, its fast and spinny almost like 64 or 05. (german rubber)
only big difference is that the whale sponge creates a cracking sound when you hit the ball and its heavy.

if you are using tacky chinese rubber and at some point feel like you dont have enough impact or power to drive , try this and it will be easier transition than to european rubbers.

okay the best modern defensive racket is Joo Se Hyuk blade but the thing is that its so heavy (above 100g)

So I found this, Koji Matsushita - lighter, easier to control and not as offensive as JSH but good enough.

My review is based on Matsushita Special. there is an normal Matsushita blade , defensive and offensive

off : offensive>special>normal>=defensive
control : special > normal >=defensive >= offensive