Xiom Vega Tour Review

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Xiom Vega Tour
Speed: OFF+
Hardness: 45 degrees (HARD)
Weight: 64-65 grams (uncut)


I was lucky to have the Xiom Vega Tour (VT) because at the time it was sent to me, I think I was the only one who has it outside Korea to test it. I was surprised to have this at an earlier time because I was expecting that I would test this in April. Still, I am grateful for this opportunity to test a new rubber. At first inspection the topsheet is the grippiest I have seen outside the Omega V and VII series among Xiom's rubbers. The Vega series has rubbers that have the best bang for the buck prices and performance ratio. The Vega topsheets are known to be very grippy but even the DF versions of the Vega rubbers seem to be less grippy compared to the new Vega Tour. The Vega Tour does not have the DF logo on it. The topsheet is grippy but has only a little tackiness. The previous Xiom tau seems to be tackier. Xiom Tau is much more closer to Palio Thor's but the Vega Tour is unlike the 2 mentioned because the feel is different and plays quite different. The Xiom Tau and Thor's play like a faster Hurricane 3 but there is a feel of deadness when striking the ball. The rubber (with topsheet) is the hardest I have tried so far for a euro made rubber. The first info given was, according to Xiom was that it was 52.5 degrees, they informed me that it is 45 degrees. Although, I would still say it is hard because it is closest to MX-S in hardness and comapred to 47.5 degree rubbers, this feels hard. It feels like a 40 degrees if not 39 degrees hardness for Hurricane 3 Neo. it feels harder than MX-S, Joola Maxxx 500 and Rasanter R50.

The Vega Tour is the fastest Vega rubber presently. It does not behave like the previous Vega rubbers because it plays a little different. I can compare the speed to that of the Z1 Bluestorm and slightly slower than the Omega VII Pro. Near the table, the Vega Tour sometimes goes long. The VT produces a long sharp trajectory. I had to adjust to the rubber at first and took me a day to understand the mechanics using the rubber. It was probably the low throw that I had to adjust with the rubber. The low arc of the VT is like that of the Hurricane 2. The Vega Pro and Asia are fast rubbers but the Vega Tour is a vicious one. It is amazingly fast but still has good control over it if your level is at least intermediate. The Vega Pro has better control over Vega Tour. On smashes the rubber is very good but it seems that smashing is not its best feature. Blocking is also good but it players who use this should be used to blocking using hard rubbers or Chinese rubbers.

The Vega Tour is one of the best loop driving rubber. The spin is slightly above that of the MX-S. You can describe it as an MX-S on steroids with a lower throw or arc. I think this is one of the best Hurricane 3 substitute. It has almost the same level of spin but the VT is way faster than less sensitive to incoming spin. If you are looking for a Euro rubber that has the capabilities of a Chinese rubber and do not want to spend too much like that of the Butterfly Spin Art then the Vega Tour. I think the VT will not be as expensive as the Omega VII series. I think it is only logical to have the Vega Tour more affordable than the Omega VII series since not everyone can afford the Omega VII's. The Vega Tour has specific kind of strokes that it favors. If you came from a Hurricane 3 rubber adjustment is not too hard. It should only be the speed that feels a bit overwhelming as first because the VT is just that fast. Loop drives and slow looping are its best future. It is like looping with a faster Chinese rubber or a boosted Hurricane 2 minus the tackiness. Even spinny pushes have huge amount of spin in them and services are spinny too. If probably at 2.0mm, which I will be testing soon when the 2.0mm rubbers arrive. I reckon they can be good to chop defensively on a defensive set up. The only catch I can see with the Vega Tour is that it requires a good amount of touch and brushing when spinning the ball. It is not a rubber for beginners as you need to have a good and correct way of brushing the ball like brushing the ball when using a Chinese rubber. The sponge is very hard and so the ball does not sink deep as compared to softer 47.5 degree rubbers which when you compress against the sponge it produces more spin. The Vega Tour requires a person to properly brush and contact the ball plus a good feel of the ball to fully utilize it but when you are able to use it properly it can be a good alternative to Tenergy albeit a little harder. All in all, this seems to be an excellent and all out attacking rubber. It may took a bit of time to fully adjust to it but this is just me and probably the 2.0mm that I will be getting will be the one suited for me. This was tested on a Xiom Zeta Offensive+ Carbon by the way.
 
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Is it just me, or must either “elasto futura”, or “cycloid” be their name for 2.3mm sponge + thin top sheet?

(Reasoning: (1) xiom employees have confirmed on this forum that O7 has the thick sponge, thin topsheet structure; and (2) the only new tech names for o7 are elasto futura and cycloid. Hence the thought that one of these two terms most likely covers the thin sheet/2.3 sponge tech.)

If that’s the case (not sure), it sounds like VT might have that structure too.

Any info on this?
 
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It's almost impossible to know what Xiom mean when they say elasto blah or cycloid thingy. It probably relates to something ESN do in the factory, but what exactly and if it's unique to Xiom rubbers it's just too hard to say.

I've picked up a sheet of Vega Tour, 2.0mm, red. Compared to a sheet of Omega VII Euro (same colour and thickness) -


  • Tour's sponge is harder, but has similar small pores (smaller pores than O7Pro, for example).
  • Topsheet is a slightly more faded colour of red. Possibly a different rubber composition.
  • Pips are shorter but with similar spacing. Leads to Tour's topsheet feeling harder than both O7 variants.
  • Upper topsheet looks to be the same thickness by eye, but it's really hard to judge without being a bit more scientific. I mean, I've got Rasanter V42 on my main blade and it looks to be the same thickness to me, and that's supposed to be a thinner topsheet, so maybe perhaps possibly????
  • Feels really grippy - more immediate grip than the original Vega line IMO.

I'll pop back after some sessions with it.
 
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says Looking for the BH killer shot
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Xiom Vega Tour vs. Vega Pro.

I also got a Vega Tour sheet in Black (MAX) and now played it for like 10 hours in practice and two match games with my team (we are still using celluloid balls, not plastic). I can only really compare it against a Vega Pro sheet (MAX) on the same racket (XIOM Vega Tour, 81g).

It was already mentioned earlier in the threat. The Vega Tour (VT) has thinner top sheet compared to the Vega Pro (VP). The sponge is definitly a different composition.

I made a picture to compare. Not sure how to describe it, but the VP sponge seems to be more like a rubber, while the VT sponge looks a bit more like plastic



Left is the VP and right the VT.

The weight difference is around 4g (VP=53, VT=49g cut to size of the Vega Tour blade)

First impression was, not too much of a difference. The VT has bit more basic speed, compared to the VP, which was annoying in the beginning, but I adjusted without too much problem. The additional speed is most "visible" in passiv blocks and long pushes.

Spin is a bit higher with the VT on loops, especially in slow loops.

Short game is similar to VP, but I had more problems with the half long placement (ball bounces twice, first mid of table and than close to base line again). These ball were usually a bit too long, making it possible for the opponent to attack with more spin, instead of being forced to attack over the table). But this is something that can be learned with some additional practice.
I also still have an issue with passive blocking, these balls also tend to go long (the rubber is definitly more sensitive to incoming spin, not really a surprise, if it generates more spin :cool:) but active blocks (with a bit of wrist) get really nasty (long, fast and very low).

Not to make this a too long of a review. I really like the VT on my forehand (on backhand I still prefer the more compact VP). I will do more testing this summer, when we switch to plastic balls. If the VT at the end will replace my VP is also a matter of price. The VT will most probably be 10 EUR more expensive than the VP, which is 1/3 of the overall price of the VP. Does it play 1/3 better or do I win more games?
We will see after summer...Maybe plastic ball makes such a big difference that I'm willing to spent the money.
 
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great reviews guys. thanks for that!

i played with H3 a long time before switching to a Tensor because H3 excelled at 3rd ball attack, which where mostly direct points, but my missing quote was way too high (in some games over 60 %, mostly 40%).
Tensor gave me this "easy to play" feeling, i even found a rubber where attackin backspin ball is effortless).

now i do consider to go back the H3, as i do like long swing fh attacks, but to find smth inbetween H3 and Tensor, also i dislike tacky topsheets. in some reviews i read about the new plastic ball specific rubbers like Rasanter or Vega Tour with thin and soft topsheet and thick and hard sponge.

i would like to stay in touch with the Vega Tour experience of other players.
 
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Hi guys.

Maybe someone do also have experience with H8 and could do a comparison to VT, Rasanter and H3.
I would appreciate it.
 
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I am mostly interested in R50 (which I own) and R47 (I kinda prefer mid-hard rubbers right now).
As u described VT harder than R50, then it would be too hard for me I guess.
I talk mostly about my fh cuz I do shorter strokes on bh tho .
 
Although the sponge pf r50 is harder, the vega tour has a harder overall feel. Another xiom product that can replace h3 is xiom vega china. Semi tacky but bouncy rubber that has characteristics of hurricane.
 
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The technology based on VEGA TOUR is almost exactly as of Omega VII. :)

The structure is more similar to Omega VII Euro. I hope it helps.

Is it just me, or must either “elasto futura”, or “cycloid” be their name for 2.3mm sponge + thin top sheet?

(Reasoning: (1) xiom employees have confirmed on this forum that O7 has the thick sponge, thin topsheet structure; and (2) the only new tech names for o7 are elasto futura and cycloid. Hence the thought that one of these two terms most likely covers the thin sheet/2.3 sponge tech.)

If that’s the case (not sure), it sounds like VT might have that structure too.

Any info on this?
 
We agree to disagree. There is something with the R50 that makes it not too hard. Even at 50 degrees the r50 feels like 48. I had all the rasanter versions before, the vt feels a tad harder. Also with the r50, it is easier to sink the ball against the rubber compared to the vt.
 
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