Hard rubber/blade only for pro's?

iamsan · Oct 2, 2019

Hi guys.
First of I start playing TT since 3 years. I got a score of an average club player beeing around 1350 German points.
Last time i got a wow effect. I took my TBAlc and played well but wasn't confident to play hard shots. Switching back to my 5ply limba blade i had to work more but my quality sky rocket back. There I knew confidence is all about. My close to table looping style with my current (and maybe ever) skill just doesn't work with the ALC.
With the latest review of T05FX as well as reading in German forum a div1 coach wrote he is playing (and selling) el-s and fx-p.
I mostly play with med hard fh rubber as well as med bh rubber. It is kinda imo considered as the standard for amateur player. Now previous club member do play a med soft fh as well as soft bh rubber. Mostly his fh loops are deadly for me. Now with the smart conclusion about the blade I also think about med hard rubber may be too hard to handle consistently. Ofc I do land really good balls with a good consistency BUT it is hard to play as well as I am not confident all the time. Same thing for backhand. Rubber wise I also think med hard rubbers should be only for semi pro players. We amateur shouldn't play that hard equipment if the game should be a skill game instead of lucky punches. I think soft rubbers should be more usual for us.
I just wanted to throw in my thinking and ask for more opinions in this topic.

Airoc · Oct 2, 2019

iamsan said:
I just wanted to throw in my thinking and ask for more opinions in this topic.

I agree to the point that hard "tensor" style rubbers and fast, hard blades require skill and much practice.

Lower league players often lack at least one of both ...

However, hard Chinese style rubbers may be perfect for an allround game with much spin.

You could be even well-equipped with your ALC and a rubber like XIOM Vega Intro, with a 47,5 degree (medium hard) sponge, but reduced speed glue effect.

That said, you see hardness isn´t the only deciding factor.

You will of course find it easier to generate spin with a softer, bouncier rubber - but some would argue that it is harder to make progress as these rubbers are less precise and thus do not force you enough to concentrate on proper technique.

And after all, it is also a matter of personal taste. If you feel better with the softer combination, go with it.

thomas.pong · Oct 2, 2019

iamsan said:
Hi guys.
First of I start playing TT since 3 years. I got a score of an average club player beeing around 1350 German points.
Last time i got a wow effect. I took my TBAlc and played well but wasn't confident to play hard shots. Switching back to my 5ply limba blade i had to work more but my quality sky rocket back. There I knew confidence is all about. My close to table looping style with my current (and maybe ever) skill just doesn't work with the ALC.
With the latest review of T05FX as well as reading in German forum a div1 coach wrote he is playing (and selling) el-s and fx-p.
I mostly play with med hard fh rubber as well as med bh rubber. It is kinda imo considered as the standard for amateur player. Now previous club member do play a med soft fh as well as soft bh rubber. Mostly his fh loops are deadly for me. Now with the smart conclusion about the blade I also think about med hard rubber may be too hard to handle consistently. Ofc I do land really good balls with a good consistency BUT it is hard to play as well as I am not confident all the time. Same thing for backhand. Rubber wise I also think med hard rubbers should be only for semi pro players. We amateur shouldn't play that hard equipment if the game should be a skill game instead of lucky punches. I think soft rubbers should be more usual for us.
I just wanted to throw in my thinking and ask for more opinions in this topic.

First off, I'll say you can be a high level player and reach some mastery without being close to a pro. Then I think equipment plays and feels differently to different people, some pros prefer hard blades and rubbers, others don't, so we can't make a generalization.

With that said, hard blades are usually harder to control, same with at least some or most hard rubbers but it doesn't mean they should be left to pros and pros only. I think most players can handle an OFF- blade well after several years of playing and upgrade along the way in rubber speed, thickness and hardness and maybe a harder faster blade later on as well.

Personally, an ALC outer blade like the TB ALC or Viscaria feel way too hard for me, they vibrate so much that it hurts my hand and I can't see that ever changing. A 5-ply limba outer can go a long way, many pros use such blades, same with rubbers like T05 FX (Kreanga etc) or FX-P (Lebesson)...

yogi_bear · Oct 3, 2019

Believe me there are rubbers for pros that are as hard as 60 degrees and i have tried them myself. If only the factory tuner can be use don commercial rubbers, we would have rubbers much better than tenergy 05

Wister · Oct 3, 2019

I think you're right about the blade, a too hard blade is difficult to control, especially with hard rubbers (and i think a hard blade may not be good with soft rubbers). But I think med hard rubbers can be quickly OK to play if you use a softer blade like your 5 ply limba.

Personally i play rakza 7 (46, 47,5° so medium hard) and it's not very hard and difficult to engage. But i tried a bit TB ALC and it became more complicated especially on short game

Also i remember having the same thought as you when I saw Dan review with Otcharov review where he says that him and Ma long uses inner ALC. If they use inner then can we use outer ALC ? Still not to forget that i think they boost and the quality of their shot is way better than ours so the ball is harder to control. So maybe it's still OK to use outer ALC at amateur level but it is maybe more suited for really advanced players

Takkyu_wa_inochi · Oct 3, 2019

Personally i'm playing with a hard rubber on BH. Only recently i think I "mastered" it (relatively, at my level). Its much more difficult to make a shot against backspin, and its not forgiving a bad footwook. If you are not right positioned or still in movement, its really easy to miscontact the ball and send it flying.

However, when the technique and footwork gets better, i feel the control and spin, and speed potential is much higher with this those rubbers.

I am not of the general opinion that the rubber on BH side should be softer than FH side.
OTOH, I agree with the general mantra that it's probably better for a player still learning to play with softer rubbers and increase the hardness as his game is improving.

lVegita · Oct 3, 2019

I have a simple rule for myself: If you have to hold anything back, then it is not for you.

langel · Oct 3, 2019

iamsan said:
Hi guys.
First of I start playing TT since 3 years. I got a score of an average club player beeing around 1350 German points.
Last time i got a wow effect. I took my TBAlc and played well but wasn't confident to play hard shots. Switching back to my 5ply limba blade i had to work more but my quality sky rocket back. There I knew confidence is all about. My close to table looping style with my current (and maybe ever) skill just doesn't work with the ALC.
With the latest review of T05FX as well as reading in German forum a div1 coach wrote he is playing (and selling) el-s and fx-p.
I mostly play with med hard fh rubber as well as med bh rubber. It is kinda imo considered as the standard for amateur player. Now previous club member do play a med soft fh as well as soft bh rubber. Mostly his fh loops are deadly for me. Now with the smart conclusion about the blade I also think about med hard rubber may be too hard to handle consistently. Ofc I do land really good balls with a good consistency BUT it is hard to play as well as I am not confident all the time. Same thing for backhand. Rubber wise I also think med hard rubbers should be only for semi pro players. We amateur shouldn't play that hard equipment if the game should be a skill game instead of lucky punches. I think soft rubbers should be more usual for us.
I just wanted to throw in my thinking and ask for more opinions in this topic.

First - no one have ever said that development should be easy.
Every player has its own progress roadmap.
But one thing is for sure - you should not be afraid of the difficulties and you have to work in order to overcome them.
Second - the "hard" characteristic of rubbers and blades mean nothing, if you don't take in mind all other characteristics.
Third - its only you and noone else who can tell what is best for you, your style and your development, no matter pro or not.
Generally some advices may be right, but make your own critical reading, thinking and testing.

I've seen a lot of kids transfering to "hard" blades and rubbers after just an year of systematic training, and with great success.
Others stay softy for decades.

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Hard rubber/blade only for pro's?

iamsan

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Airoc

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thomas.pong

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yogi_bear

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Wister

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Takkyu_wa_inochi

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lVegita

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langel

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