Sanwei Target Pro 3

[Michael Zhuang]

US $15.11 30%OFF | 2022 New SANWEI Provincial TARGET PRO 3 Table Tennis Rubber (Nano Penetration Sticky Rubber) TARGET 3 Ping Pong Sponge
https://a.aliexpress.com/_ms3RJaQ

Does anybody know how this rubber is? The title says provincial, but the rubber itself has National printed on it.

Whats the role of this rubber and how is it different from Target National or Target Pro blue?

 

[ttarc]

Seems to be the provincial version of the new Target National
Don't ask why but Sanwei has registered https://equipments.ittf.com/#/equipments/racket_coverings the original topsheet as "Target" (62-001, old Target National, Target Provincial, Target Pro Blue, Target 90) and the new topsheet as "Target National" (62-021) so we have to come up with some names...
Maybe we call the blue sponge that seems to be available from Sanwei directly https://sanweisport.com/english/product/rubber/target/new-target-national/ "Target National National" or "Target National Blue Sponge" or "New Target National Blue Sponge" and the provincial version "New Target National Provincial" or "Target National Provincial" or "Target National Orange Sponge" or "New Target National Provincial Orange Sponge"

 

[Michael Zhuang]

ohh, that makes sense. Is the new Target National just the same as the old rubber but re-branded? Or is it actually a updated rubber with this nano surface technology?

Sanwei also registered a Target 40+ rubber. How is that different?

 

[Michael Zhuang]

This thread send me looking for some product catalogues. I stumbled upon recent catalogue for Sanwei and Yinhe. Both look very slick and nice

 

[Michael Zhuang]

I emailed Sanwei and asked what the "New" Target National is. I got this reply:

"The New Target National has the same top sheet and sponge as the old version. The difference is mainly about the design and the mold surface treatment."

What in the world does mold surface treatment mean?

 

[Michael Zhuang]

I then asked what the Target Pro 3 is, and got this response:

"We don't have any authorized distributors on Aliexpress. And we don't have the "Target Pro 3" in our product line."

What is going on here?

 

[damszelfly]

I bought a few sheets on AliExpress, but I was hesitant to mount them on a blade (but it will soon happen from now on), because I had a great variety of sheet weights.
In the first batch I ordered, I got sheets weighing around 68 g, but I was picky because I had different sponge thicknesses (based on the sheets acquired later, the red sheet had an oddly thick sponge (~2.3mm), but initially I thought, that I got a too dense black sheet), so I ordered another set, but then more pieces of them each color.
Now I have a median of 72 g for each color, but I have a red sheet with 65.3 g and 78.8 g (!!), and also got a black weighing 75.8 g - at least, now every sheet has the same sponge thickness, except that one red at the very beginning.

I will report here back when I tried this rubber.

I have DHS H3NC and H3NP for comparison (I have Skyline TG2 (39) as well) - I also wanted to have a fair comparison with comparable Yinhe rubbers, but I have other issues with them. Yinhe rubbers seem to have less weight variance compared to Sanwei rubbers, but the sponge and topsheet parameters vary greatly compared to Sanwei, at least, Sanwei is a more stable contender here.
By variance, I mean, that I bought 2 pairs of Big Dipper (39), and the red side had a much more dense yellow sponge, than the blue sponge on the black side - but with nearly the same weight, the yellow sponge was significantly thinner (one of the red sheets has only 1.4mm thick sponge). Also, I have received a pair of Jupiter 3 Asia (39), which I mounted yesterday - the red sheet feels much less tacky than it is stated by reviewers, and I have a defective rubber topsheet on the back side, which is very shiny on the edges, but much more textured in the middle, and I could not even evaluate, which part feels more playable, so I ordered one more black sheet to see, how it should be.

 

[Michael Zhuang]

Target Pro 3 is very different from Big Dipper and Jupiter 3. The latter are much bouncier, and more akin to hybrid rubbers.

Target Pro 3 is more traditional, maybe similar to Battle 2 or Rxton 5.

Why did you buy so many? do you also run a shop?

 

[damszelfly]

Target Pro 3 is very different from Big Dipper and Jupiter 3. The latter are much bouncier, and more akin to hybrid rubbers.

Target Pro 3 is more traditional, maybe similar to Battle 2 or Rxton 5.

Why did you buy so many? do you also run a shop?

Actually, I do not run a shop (I am an employee in a different area), but I am trying to review different kinds of rubbers, and this one got my attention, so I placed some extra trust in this 'Nano penetration' topsheet - I will see whether it did worth it.

(sorry for offing again, but I also have Friendship Battle 2 Provincial ('TG' edition, gray packaging, 39 degree from harty's shop /dhs-729.eu/) as well - I play it on a Yinhe U1 VB blade, and it is a ferocious racket, which I definitely like to play)

 

[Michael Zhuang]

Actually, I do not run a shop (I am an employee in a different area), but I am trying to review different kinds of rubbers, and this one got my attention, so I placed some extra trust in this 'Nano penetration' topsheet - I will see whether it did worth it.

(sorry for offing again, but I also have Friendship Battle 2 Provincial ('TG' edition, gray packaging, 39 degree from harty's shop /dhs-729.eu/) as well - I play it on a Yinhe U1 VB blade, and it is a ferocious racket, which I definitely like to play)

Well I am looking forward to hearing your review. For me, the rubber is a little bouncier than I was expecting. I don't know if it's because of Nano penetration or because of the sponge.

 

[damszelfly]

Well I am looking forward to hearing your review. For me, the rubber is a little bouncier than I was expecting. I don't know if it's because of Nano penetration or because of the sponge.

I assembled a racket today - I will start experimenting from tomorrow on.

My blade choice was unusual (Friendship Starshine Tylosis "Off+"): a 7-ply all-wood blade with White oak outer ply | Ayous | Ayous | ayous core structure - weighed 97.7g (!) before gluing - the white oak is a rather hard wood (about 1.5 times harder than Koto), but not too fast - still, I was surprised, that the bounce frequency of the blade was just 1178Hz - if the blade is "Off+" speed, like the manufacturer claims, then the gluing procedure for the blade was very high quality, I guess.

I used a 72.4g heavy black sheet and a similar (71.9g) red - after cutting, edge-taping and removing the protective foils, the racket had a weight of 208.1g total.

 

[damszelfly]

Initial observations: The topsheet is very tacky (did not test with ball lifting, but it adheres strongly to the protective foils), the density feels rather high, but the rubber itself has great elasticity, which also helps a bit with the energy transfer, but combined with the tackiness, the ball is very securely gripped, and this also results in higher throw angles than expected. In general, the quality feels very high.

I had an initial "fear" of not being able to play this racket properly, but even with this weight, I can say, that the practice session was rewarding. Some of the Chinese rubbers have a much less tacky red sheet compared to black, but in this case, the red sheet has an identical amount of tack compared to the black.
The sponge is also very dense, but it has already great dynamics - so as "fresh", it needs to be hit somewhat harder in order to have a good rebound, but I will observe, how much time will be needed for the break-in period, and how much the physical requirements will change.

I am inclined to say, that this is a very high-level rubber from Sanwei. Naturally, this racket needs a lot of effort to be played effectively, but I had a great session with my practice partner playing long and ambitious rallies (he even told me that I played very spinny balls, which he had great difficulties receiving properly).
I think, I will make a lighter version of this racket for match play, using the 68g sheets instead of 72g, and using a blade with around 90g weight (Yinhe Uranus U2, similar 7-ply), which will result in 195g total weight - but I definitely love this 208g beast already. (However, I might also get a Yinhe Z5 VF to see, how it will behave with this rubber)

 

[Michael Zhuang]

Sounds good. To me, this rubber is quite similar to Battle 2.

Will you try boosting this rubber?

 

[damszelfly]

Sounds good. To me, this rubber is quite similar to Battle 2.

Will you try boosting this rubber?

I think, the topsheet is more elastic, than the one of Battle 2 - and Battle 2 feels more direct ( = low throw) than TP3. with B2, I need to topspin more upwards, but with TP3, I can do topspin more forward, if the swing is strong enough.

I haven't boosted any rubber yet, probably I also won't do that this time.

 

[Michael Zhuang]

I think, the topsheet is more elastic, than the one of Battle 2 - and Battle 2 feels more direct ( = low throw) than TP3. with B2, I need to topspin more upwards, but with TP3, I can do topspin more forward, if the swing is strong enough.

I haven't boosted any rubber yet, probably I also won't do that this time.

Also have you tried Target National or new Target National? Is TP3 more or less the same?

 

[damszelfly]

Also have you tried Target National or new Target National? Is TP3 more or less the same?

I haven't tried them yet, but I have Target 90. Target 90 is noticeably more beginner friendly, but feels a bit limited in generating spin (but still very good in its price segment) - TP3 with its sponge and the Nano Penetration topsheet (62-021), has clearly superior spin generating ability, but I have to work more for it. Target 90 had also considerably more bounce in its "fresh" state.

 

[Michael Zhuang]

I haven't tried them yet, but I have Target 90. Target 90 is noticeably more beginner friendly, but feels a bit limited in generating spin (but still very good in its price segment) - TP3 with its sponge and the Nano Penetration topsheet (62-021), has clearly superior spin generating ability, but I have to work more for it. Target 90 had also considerably more bounce in its "fresh" state.

I tested Target 90, but I didn't feel like it had more bounce. TP3 feels to me to have more bounce. Also I remember Target 90 having a slightly uncomfortably low arc, where as TP3 feels more normal to me.

 

[damszelfly]

I tested Target 90, but I didn't feel like it had more bounce. TP3 feels to me to have more bounce. Also I remember Target 90 having a slightly uncomfortably low arc, where as TP3 feels more normal to me.

I will definitely assemble another racket - I guess, in my case, probably three factor worked in synergy to have less bounce:
1. the sheets were heavier, than my Target 90 sheets (~54.5g cut vs 51.5g cut),
2. the ball bounce frequency of the blade used with TP3 was ~1178 Hz, while I had another blade with ~1305 Hz ball bounce frequency to be used with Target 90 - namely Yinhe Uranus U2.
3. Total weight ~208g vs. ~196g - The bigger weight seems to affect my swing speed/acceleration somewhat, as it can be expected. (On my best swings, I had very fast and spinny balls already in the second half of my one hour practice session anyways.)

I also noticed, that Target 90's throw could be classified as medium-low (despite the fact, that it has also very high quality topsheet - maybe the lesser amount of tack and thinner pips result in this), but TP3 has medium/medium-high.

 

[damszelfly]

Normally I would not follow back this soon, but just after 1.5 net hours of training, the sponge became much faster, and now I can believe, that TP3 is faster than Target 90. This got me completely by surprise - many Chinese rubbers can take even 5-10+ hours before the sponge breaks in.