Intro to tensors?

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Hi,
I came back to play table tennis for a couple of months now after a 20+ year break.
Enjoying it very much. So far I've been playing with a Yasaka Sweden Extra with Mark 5 on both sides. Seems to be a very good choice, but it's starting to feel like I can use a little more speed, especially on the FH side.
Thinking of the next set of rubbers already. Wondering if I'm ready to try a Tensor for the first time.
What would be a good "entry-level tensor" for me?

Alex



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If you are afraid of the transition, Vega Intro is also a nice upgrade from Mark V though the throw angle will be even lower. The sponge is also medium-hard which is nice since not a lot of people like using soft sponge on forehand.

You can also try the Chineseish large pore sponge such as Palio Ak47 Red or Gambler Mech-Tek if you're low on budget. These are non-tacky.
 
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Vega Intro ... The sponge is also medium-hard which is nice
+1 for Vega Intro.

There are a few entry level tensor rubbers around, but some of them are pretty soft, so coming from Mark V you really might like Vega Intro.

Apart from "easy play" tensor rubbers who have it in their name (Intro, Basic ...) I can also recommend Andro Hexer Duro, not too much speed glue effect and - fitting its name - good durability.
 
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Vega Intro or maybe Hexer Duro which is quite a bit faster and spinnier. Both have a lot of control though.
 
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I too am coming back to table tennis for the past 5 months now (not having played competitively since the 1970's) and I also found Mk V to be too slow pretty early on in my play. Of course, if possible, I would try hitting something another player at your club has first. Keep in mind that the faster the bat the more different the rubber will feel from your Mk V.

That being said, I would tell you to save your money and jump right up to play whatever you think would be interesting. You will continue to advance and feel the need for even more speed long before any of the rubbers you might buy will wear out. I say this having played some with Tenergy 05 already and it was very appealing even on a pretty fast Hurricane bat. So much so I am really considering using it as my main rubber (though I am enough of a Equipment Junkie that I am still trying other things).
 
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Should boosting the existing Mark V be part of my thinking process as well?

Alex


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I just came back from a ten year hiatus, and was previously playing with Sriver and Sriver EL...I find Vega Pro to be an excellent upgrade/next gen rubber. Vega Euro is good too, but it's a little too soft for my taste. Rakza 7 is nice as well, but a little harder feeling than I prefer.
 
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Should boosting the existing Mark V be part of my thinking process as well?

No. It can be a tedious process before you find the right procedure for your preferences. Waste of time and money. It´s kinda like tuning an old car when the new ones give you a better performance fresh from the factory, with added safety advantages ...
 
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