From ESN to Sticky Rubber

I assume you mean Chinese tacky rubber. Lots of good ones. I am sure people will give their suggestions. One thing you should know, while hard sponged Chinese tacky rubbers are good for looping and driving, if you are coming from an ESN tensor rubber, Chinese tacky rubbers are very different for blocking and often, people used to sponges with catapult, when they try to block with tacky rubbers, they find the ball has trouble reaching and crossing the net. If you get used to it and block a little more actively, then it is fine. But it is very different to block with tacky rubber than with catapult sponged rubber.

You generally need a faster swing to get the most out of tacky rubbers.

If you have trouble generating racket speed, then maybe bouncier non-tacky is the better option.

Rakza Z will give you both the tackiness and the catapult. It is slower on blocks than some rubbers, which is mostly a good thing depending on play style.

Vega China if non- Chn, H3 if chinese.

Hi,

Remember that rubbers can be boosted, Chinese rubbers respond really well to boosting. It's time consuming but will be worth the hassle as it can make the rubber faster, more catapult effect, better spin which will help with the change from ESN to tacky and your slow(ish) arm speed.

Also look for Chinese rubbers that are already 'factory tuned' these should be faster, have more catapult than their standard versions, tuning dies off after time, so then you can boost them yourself.

I play the same kind of game as you, sp bh and close to the table. During Covid I have been trying sone tacky rubber and the best of the few I have tried by far for me is 729 Battle II. The cheap normal version, I haven't tried the fancy prov version. I also hear good things about Sanwei target 90 red, and got absolutely slaughtered by a better player using it (usatt 2200ish), but haven't used it myself except for a quick hit.

Brs said:

I play the same kind of game as you, sp bh and close to the table. During Covid I have been trying sone tacky rubber and the best of the few I have tried by far for me is 729 Battle II. The cheap normal version, I haven't tried the fancy prov version. I also hear good things about Sanwei target 90 red, and got absolutely slaughtered by a better player using it (usatt 2200ish), but haven't used it myself except for a quick hit.

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From my experience with Target 90 and Battle 2 Provincial (38°) I can say that at least the only slightly tacky Target 90s I had were more or less unusable in high humidity conditions. Besides that the T90 is a really nice playing rubber. Somewhat closer to European rubbers than to typical Chinese rubbers. The B2 handled high humidity way better than the T90s and somewhat better than the H3s. But in general the B2 felt less controlled than the H3 and I couldn't generate as much spin (service and loops) and speed (top end) as the H3 (both boosted) although the B2 is faster on lower power shots. The low throw/direct "arc" of the B2 should also be considered if switching from ESN to tacky, Chinese rubbers.
Depending on what Short_Pimple has played before I can also recommend the Rakza Z. The Z can be played more or less exactly like a H3 but with some advantages i.e. it can be played a little bit more passively due to the higher speed and less tackiness and strokes done out of position are a bit more likely to go onto the table while still being very controlled in the short game and able to generate huge amounts of spin. Plays also well in humid conditions (at least better than the H3s).

You need a faster swing to get the most out of tacky rubbers.

I went through a similar transition a couple of months ago and I also have a short pips on BH, and play close to the table. I can say that I am very satisfied with my dignics 09c. Its strength is on spin drives and counters near the table.
Here’s a video from a week ago where I play against a player with long pips. I'm the guy in the blue shirt who doesn't move at all
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umc88Eh8PN8

7sagittarius7 said:

I went through a similar transition a couple of months ago and I also have a short pips on BH, and play close to the table. I can say that I am very satisfied with my dignics 09c. Its strength is on spin drives and counters near the table.
Here’s a video from a week ago where I play against a player with long pips. I'm the guy in the blue shirt who doesn't move at all
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umc88Eh8PN8

Click to expand...

Wow, that is a really long arm motion. Good game though [emoji1303]


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