Donic Blue Storm Series

[InfermiteG]

Just wanted to know the difference between the z1, z2, and z3 from the donic blue storm series and which is more suitable for the backhand for nice feeling, blocks and flicks.

 

[Michael Zhuang]

I think Z1 is hardest and Z3 is softest. You should be able to do blocks and flicks with any of them. But I guess if you are still learning, Z3 might be easiest to do it.

 

[InfermiteG]

what would you say the hardness on each one is?

 

[Michael Zhuang]

Z1 is 47.5

Z3 is 42.5

I'm not sure what Z2 is, but somewhere between them.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

( 42.5 + 47.5 ) / 2 = 45.0 😂

 

[Airoc]

I'm not sure what Z2 is, but somewhere between them.

Surprisingly it´s not. The sponge hardness is identical to Z1, but the structure is different.
Z1 has short, thick pimples and middle-sized pores.
Z2 has long, thin pimples and bigger pores.

This is why DONIC who have nearly always referred to the overall feeling rather than just sponhe hardness alone call the Z2 medium and the Z1 medium+

 

[Michael Zhuang]

So what's the effect on play? Doesn't bigger pores mean faster/more catapult?

 

[ttarc]

Surprisingly it´s not. The sponge hardness is identical to Z1, but the structure is different.
Z1 has short, thick pimples and middle-sized pores.
Z2 has long, thin pimples and bigger pores.

This is why DONIC who have nearly always referred to the overall feeling rather than just sponhe hardness alone call the Z2 medium and the Z1 medium+

It might be the other way round At least my Z2 doesn't have long, thin pimples. Grips the ball very well in dry environments but for me barely playable in high/higher humidity environments and don't reglue unless you want to boost this rubber (shrinks quite a lot).

 

[Airoc]

It might be the other way round

Here´s what the DONIC website has to offer:

Z2: Long, thin pimple structure and large-pore, medium-hard
sponge (47.5°).
Z1: Technology: Medium-pore sponge, 47.5°, short, wide pimple structure.

Unless they´ve mixed up their own info, your understanding of what long and thin is might differ from theirs or they stamped your rubber wrongly ;-)

 

[Zwill]

 

[ttarc]

Here´s what the DONIC website has to offer:

Z2: Long, thin pimple structure and large-pore, medium-hard
sponge (47.5°).
Z1: Technology: Medium-pore sponge, 47.5°, short, wide pimple structure.

Unless they´ve mixed up their own info, your understanding of what long and thin is might differ from theirs or they stamped your rubber wrongly ;-)

OK, I've found some images of the Z1 https://www.tt-spin.de/donic-bluestorm-z1/ It seems to have even shorter pimples than the Z2. Both are afaik rubbers with the same ESN technology. Maximum sponge with a thin(ner/nish) topsheet.

Edit: Zwill was faster.

 

[Michael Zhuang]

How does long or wide pimple affect the speed or spin of the rubber?

Also is there anyway to adjust for the shrinking of the rubber? Like Can you just glue the rubber uncut to a blade for a few days then reglue and cut?

 

[Zwill]

How does long or wide pimple affect the speed or spin of the rubber?

Also is there anyway to adjust for the shrinking of the rubber? Like Can you just glue the rubber uncut to a blade for a few days then reglue and cut?

I don't wanna write it down so please watch this:

 

[Michael Zhuang]

I don't wanna write it down so please watch this:

This doesn't make sense to me. According to BTY, Tenergy 64 is the fastest because it has taller pimples and 05 has lowest.

So applying the logic to Bluestorm would suggest Z2 is faster than Z1. But Donic's own ratings have Z1 as faster and Z2 as more controlled.

 

[Zwill]

Z1 and Z2 have different sponges so that can influence the end results. Nevertheless, I'm sure Z2 has many similar traits of T64 and Z1 has many of T05. I wouldn't be shocked if Z2 had a bigger bounce if you just bounced a ball on your racket, or during blocking or even smashing. Z1 might be faster during powerful drives and topspins.