Timo Boll ALC Chinese rubber combination

This user has no status.
Hello!

I'm having a hard time searching for a Chinese FH rubber for Timo Boll ALC..Currently, I'm playing with a commercial Skyline TG3 Neo.. My shots were always flying away from the table, but when I close the racket, it goes to the net. I've made a jump from a normal H2..I've selected Skyline because i've read they're good for power drivers? And selected NEO because their much quicker than regular DHS rubbers.

Can you suggest other Chinese rubbers, (although I'm into DHS rubbers) ? Or is it my technique that is not fitted and/or well-developed?

I play close-to-table and I mostly block in BH and some occasional topspin, and my FH is for finishing the game through powerdrives..

Thank you!
 
Last edited:
says Spin and more spin.
says Spin and more spin.
Well-Known Member
Super Moderator
Dec 2010
16,146
17,685
54,747
Read 11 reviews
Hello!

I'm having a hard time searching for a Chinese FH rubber for Timo Boll ALC..Currently, I'm playing with a commercial Skyline TG3 Neo.. My shots were always flying away from the table, but when I close the racket, it goes to the net. I've made a jump from a normal H2..I've selected Skyline because i've read they're good for power drivers? And selected NEO because their much quicker than regular DHS rubbers.

Can you suggest other Chinese rubbers, (although I'm into DHS rubbers) ? Or is it my technique that is not fitted and/or well-developed?

I play close-to-table and I mostly block in BH and some occasional topspin, and my FH is for finishing the game through powerdrives..

Thank you!

Harvey, it looks like you are trying to use DHS Skyline on your backhand. Is that right? Skyline and Hurricane are not so good for backhand. They are forehand rubbers. They are for a very big swing like the Chinese style forehand loop. Backhand stroke is not such a big stroke. With a big stroke that rubber does amazing things. Also, it is accurate that they are much much much much better boosted.

If you really want Chinese rubbers for the backhand you could try Tibar Grip-S. Some of the women on the Chinese National Team use this. What it is, is the Blue Whale topsheet with a European sponge. So the sponge is much higher quality and much more consistent. And the topsheet is that tacky kind of topsheet. You can look at it. It is actually Tibar and Haifu working together. I still would not use that for backhand. It is better for forehand. The women on the National Team who use it, use Japanese rubber like Tenergy for the backhand.

If you wanted a Chinese rubber that is good for backhand you might try something like Dawei Inspirit or Dawei Saviga. These are much better for backhand.
 
Last edited:
This user has no status.
Harvey, it looks like you are trying to use DHS Skyline on your backhand. Is that right? Skyline and Hurricane are not so good for backhand. They are forehand rubbers. They are for a very big swing like the Chinese style forehand loop. Backhand stroke is not such a big stroke. With a big stroke that rubber does amazing things. Also, it is accurate that they are much much much much better boosted. If you really want Chinese rubbers for the backhand you could try Tibar Grip-S. Some of the women on the Chinese National Team use this. What it is, is the Blue Whale topsheet with a European sponge. So the sponge is much higher quality and much more consistent. And the topsheet is that tacky kind of topsheet. You can look at it. It is actually Tibar and Haifu working together. I still would not use that for backhand. It is better for forehand. The women on the National Team who use it, use Japanese rubber like Tenergy for the backhand. If you wanted a Chinese rubber that is good for backhand you might try something like Dawei Inspirit or Dawei Saviga. These are much better for backhand.
Hello! Thank you for your reply. I would like to apologize for not specifying the use of Skyline TG3 Neo, I use it for Forehand.Currently, my set up is Chinese Forehand and European/Japanese backhand.. Is Haifu Blue Whale 2 good as FH on Timo Boll ALC? Can you suggest other chinese rubbers aside from it?I play close-to-table and so short game is important for me. I focus more on maximizing my spin for my shots. Thank you sir!
 
says Spin and more spin.
says Spin and more spin.
Well-Known Member
Super Moderator
Dec 2010
16,146
17,685
54,747
Read 11 reviews
Okay. Haifu Blue Whale 2 should be good for forehand. It is very good rubber. And then, Tibar Grip-S might be really good for you as well. Again, Grip-S is Haifu Blue Whale 2 topsheet with European sponge which is higher quality and higher quality control so it might work better on the blade you are using. But Blue Whale 2 is excellent rubber.
 
says Spin and more spin.
says Spin and more spin.
Well-Known Member
Super Moderator
Dec 2010
16,146
17,685
54,747
Read 11 reviews
Here is a photo of Liu Shiwen's forehand side from 2011:

bat14.jpg

That came from here: http://www.tabletennisdaily.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?1129-Chinese-Team-Bat-pictures!
 
  • Like
Reactions: harveyaquino
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Mar 2012
230
25
401
globe999 and friendship are chinese...iv'e tried 729 super fx on both fh and bh on a 729 friendship sardius clone blade and it goes well...the only problem is the rubbers durability...it has the tendency to chip (both topsheet and sponge) or sponge and topsheet separates (anyway, iv'e used these rubbers for quite a long time though, say 2-3 years), what i'd like with this rubber is the control, speed and spin...quite hard sponge, good for flat drive...slightly tacky but it will lost its tackiness in a continuous play, though its grip stays on the rubber...good for loop drive also, can grip the ball even if you take from slightly under the table...

...try it...one thing more i like with this rubber, its cheaper...
 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Mar 2012
230
25
401
Yeah, but that's National version. Mine's just the commercial ones because National rubbers here are quite expensive..And besides, I'm not boosting my rubbers.


hey kabayan, i think we might have similar queries with regards our equipment...if your looking for chinese rubbers, try sir carl's advise or maybe you can try 729 friendship rubbers, i've used 729 super fx for both fh and bh for quite a long time and they play good...read my other post in this forum that you created about my review on 729 super fx...i hope it can help you...

...with regards to dhs rubbers, ive tried using PF4, H3 Neo, and TNT...they are really for FH except for tnt which is a defensive rubber which i used for backhand...they are powerful rubbers if combined with your blade then, there is a great possibility that your ball always fly away...the trick is, adjust your play style, start with your footworks while maintaining your handstrokes...

i hope it will help you...
 
says Spin and more spin.
says Spin and more spin.
Well-Known Member
Super Moderator
Dec 2010
16,146
17,685
54,747
Read 11 reviews
DHS rubbers like Skyline and Hurricane work fine with the Timo Boll ALC and all Timo Boll blades. Those top of the line Butterfly blades are good with pretty much all Offensive rubbers. So, don't worry about that. Those rubbers really do work better when you are boosting them but, they are good rubbers. You might not be used to the way you contact the ball with Hard Tacky rubbers. Those rubbers are much better for looping close to the table, or for short game than for anything else. They are not as good for hitting or smashing and when you block they slow the ball down and you can take the spin off the ball when you are blocking. But when you know how to block with them they have a lot of control and you can spin the ball while blocking or make it more dead depending on how you contact the ball when you block. The hard sponge and the tacky topsheet makes it so Hurricane and Skyline are not as good for direct contact like counter hitting and smashing. You can do those things with these rubbers. But, if you watch, even with the National Blue Sponge versions, when players like Ma Long are smashing, they flip to the Tenergy side for smashing.

But, since you feel it might be technique, why don't you make a video of you playing with it and post it here. There are many players who might be able to help you out with your technique if that is the actual problem. Especially guys like Dan and Matt (pingpongpom). But there are many people on the forum who will be able to see if your technique is good or if there is something you are doing that is causing the problems.

I know, when I first switched to Chinese rubbers from Tenergy about 2 years ago, it took me about a month to really be used to looping underspin with Skyline because you need such different technique with Chinese rubbers. But, when I recently switched from Hurricane, to Omega IV Pro (Euro rubber), it took me 10 minutes of hitting to adjust back to using the mechanical spin technique that you need for Euro/Japanese rubber from using the tacky spin (topsheet spin) technique you need to use when using Hurricane or Skyline rubbers.
 
Last edited:
Top