I'm currently in full EJ mode. What other rubbers should I try?

[Gozo Aruna]

In the course of EJ'ing there are thousands of doors and one surely will be bewildered.

I ended by short-listing a brand that has deep meaningful connection with oneself. I chosed Donic because they are the main sponsors for my National Team.

and

Butterfly coz, well, it is Butterfly. Well, actually I got suckered by their marketing and well disseminated advertisement and product segmentation and positioning.

Never underestimate a well communicated marketing plan.

 

[latej]

You seem to prefer bouncy fast rubbers, from rakzas that would be the Rakza 9.

 

[JJ Ng]

So what you are saying is, "yes, you need a third blade" 🤣😂🤔

Lol, you need a third blade. I would not try G-1. You will be disappointed. I agree with the other person who mentioned Donic BlueStar A1. One of my clubmates has it. I played with it for five minutes. I think you will like it.

I have 8 blades of Tibhar Stratus Powerwood then I EJ'ed a lot. Now I have 4 blades of Gambler carbon that I am using. But these are only $40 blades.

You cannot really EJ if the blade is not consistent. It makes it harder to compare rubbers if you don't have the same blade in various copies.

 

[TensorBackhand]

You seem to prefer bouncy fast rubbers, from rakzas that would be the Rakza 9.

Might as well test out the new Rakza XX. Some other new ones are hybrid MK, Bluestar A1

 

[Fedex78]

Might as well test out the new Rakza XX. Some other new ones are hybrid MK, Bluestar A1

I've suggested hybrid MK on beginning of this thread but it didn't get success, the name "hybrid" is the problem 🤣

 

[Gozo Aruna]

I've suggested hybrid MK on beginning of this thread but it didn't get success, the name "hybrid" is the problem 🤣

Some of us are purist at heart.

#classicESNforever!

 

[ericd937]

I've tried a few hybrids (Rakza Z Extra Hard, Dignics 09C, Xiom Vega China, Xiom Tau, and Stiga one that I forget the name). The only one I liked was Xiom Vega China. The others were just too hard. If was going to go that route, I'd just get H3 provincial and boost it. I did actually try H3 (many variations) for a year and decided I play better with European rubbers.

 

[JJ Ng]

I've tried a few hybrids (Rakza Z Extra Hard, Dignics 09C, Xiom Vega China, Xiom Tau, and Stiga one that I forget the name). The only one I liked was Xiom Vega China. The others were just too hard. If was going to go that route, I'd just get H3 provincial and boost it. I did actually try H3 (many variations) for a year and decided I play better with European rubbers.

Weird, I played with ESN on my backhand and I flipped my blade around, and my forehand is worse. Then I tried hybrids like K1 European and K2. Then I tried Big Dipper and Sanwei Target provincial and Sanweit Target National. Now I am back to H3. I play much better with H3 on the forehand side.

Agree. Everyone is different and the playing style varies. So you have to find the right rubber for yourself.

The only thing that caught my attention is the cheap $5 Mercury II because the tackiness is exactly the same as Hurricane. I was impressed and will experiment with that.

I am very curious about Dignics 09C. But I am not curious with Rakza Z extra hard, Xiom Vega China, Stiga Dragon Grip, etc. and various hybrids. I figure, Hurricane is good enough. But I would like to try Dignics 09c at some point.

 

[Wakkibatty]

Added to the list, but where can I buy it?

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32877103069.html

 

[burakins]

Andro C53 on FH and Andro R45 ON BH

 

[ericd937]

So, I've played MX-P for about a week. I cannot see many benefits of MX-P over EL-D. EL-D is superior in nearly every way. MX-P has more spin on serves. That is about it. They are rated about the same hardness. When pressing the rubbers with your finger, they feel about the same hardness. However, when actually hitting the ball, MX-P feels much much harder. EL-D is much easier to access the speed and power during play. MX-P is also much lower throw than EL-D. So far, EL-D is the only rubber I enjoy playing with as much a T80 and D05. It is extremely good. I'm waiting on my second blade to come and I will begin testing Xiom Vega Korea. Once I have something else to play with, I will also boost the MX-P with Seamoon. How many layers of booster does it take to soften up the MX-P and get a bigger catapult? I wonder if boosting will make me like it more?

 

[TensorBackhand]

So, I've played MX-P for about a week. I cannot see many benefits of MX-P over EL-D. EL-D is superior in nearly every way. MX-P has more spin on serves. That is about it. They are rated about the same hardness. When pressing the rubbers with your finger, they feel about the same hardness. However, when actually hitting the ball, MX-P feels much much harder. EL-D is much easier to access the speed and power during play. MX-P is also much lower throw than EL-D. So far, EL-D is the only rubber I enjoy playing with as much a T80 and D05. It is extremely good. I'm waiting on my second blade to come and I will begin testing Xiom Vega Korea. Once I have something else to play with, I will also boost the MX-P with Seamoon. How many layers of booster does it take to soften up the MX-P and get a bigger catapult? I wonder if boosting will make me like it more?

I struggle with looping underspin with the EL-D. It doesn't seem to grip the ball enough for me.

 

[JJ Ng]

So, I've played MX-P for about a week. I cannot see many benefits of MX-P over EL-D. EL-D is superior in nearly every way. MX-P has more spin on serves. That is about it. They are rated about the same hardness. When pressing the rubbers with your finger, they feel about the same hardness. However, when actually hitting the ball, MX-P feels much much harder. EL-D is much easier to access the speed and power during play. MX-P is also much lower throw than EL-D. So far, EL-D is the only rubber I enjoy playing with as much a T80 and D05. It is extremely good. I'm waiting on my second blade to come and I will begin testing Xiom Vega Korea. Once I have something else to play with, I will also boost the MX-P with Seamoon. How many layers of booster does it take to soften up the MX-P and get a bigger catapult? I wonder if boosting will make me like it more?

Yeah everyone is different. I am glad you like EL-D. I think I will like EL-D more than MX-P. I have a sheet of MX-P somewhere. I find it a bit too hard for my taste. I also tried MX-S and did not like it. So if given the choices of the three new Revolution rubbers (or relatively new), I would probably try FX-D, then EL-D and I woudl skip on MX-D. But that's beside the point. I don't plan to buy any revolution rubbers any time soon.

As for boosting, are you good at attaching the rubber and then taking it off? If so I would start with only one layer. See how it goes. And then you can add two layers.

I am not subtle with my booster. Sorry, I don't know the meaning of a "thin" layer. I just boost it with the booster and make sure every corner is covered, and one layer of boosting, the Revolution rubber already domes up the next day. I have boosted MX-P, EL-S, MX-S and FX-P. They all dome up the same way.

 

[ericd937]

According to the Tibhar's website, MX-P and EL-D are the same hardness. It sure doesn't feel that way in actual play. I decided to give MX-P a few more days on the forehand side before taking it off to boost it. It is actually better on that side. It's just too damn hard on the other wing. I still prefer EL-D on either wing to MX-P. I'm still waiting for my second Strato to be delivered before I can take it off for boosting. Super looking forward to trying the Vega Korea as well.

 

[JJ Ng]

According to the Tibhar's website, MX-P and EL-D are the same hardness. It sure doesn't feel that way in actual play. I decided to give MX-P a few more days on the forehand side before taking it off to boost it. It is actually better on that side. It's just too damn hard on the other wing. I still prefer EL-D on either wing to MX-P. I'm still waiting for my second Strato to be delivered before I can take it off for boosting. Super looking forward to trying the Vega Korea as well.

Great. Please let us know how Vega Korea plays. Yeah, one layer of boost is good enough for Revolution rubbers and all ESN rubbers.

 

[WingTT]

If you are in a full EJ mode, the question you should be asking is what blade types should I try/buy. The blade is the basis for feel and many other fundamental properties. The rubber does make a difference, but if you are going for performance inverted rubbers, the difference between brands will be less prominent than trying different types of blades. For example, I can safely switch between different brand of modern inverted offensive rubbers but a different offensive blade will make or break my game.

 

[ericd937]

If you are in a full EJ mode, the question you should be asking is what blade types should I try/buy. The blade is the basis for feel and many other fundamental properties. The rubber does make a difference, but if you are going for performance inverted rubbers, the difference between brands will be less prominent than trying different types of blades. For example, I can safely switch between different brand of modern inverted offensive rubbers but a different offensive blade will make or break my game.

I've been down that road a few times. I've found that I prefer carbon hinoki blades that that are on the stiffer side. The soft feeling of the hinoki outer ply balances out the stiffness. That wood/carbon combination has a springy feel. I understand how it is going to work and it suits my game. I've even went as far as trying many different kinds of carbon and differently quantities of plies, 5 ply, 7 ply, etc.. Inner carbon, outer carbon, even a bunch of different kinds of carbon. I'm pretty set on the Xiom Strato. You are definitely correct about the blade, it can surely make or break your game. I purchased an FZD ALC awhile back. I was terrible with that. It seemed like it was going to work out okay at first, but I got worse every day I played with that thing. I just could not get my stokes in a grove.

 

[JJ Ng]

I've been down that road a few times. I've found that I prefer carbon hinoki blades that that are on the stiffer side. The soft feeling of the hinoki outer ply balances out the stiffness. That wood/carbon combination has a springy feel. I understand how it is going to work and it suits my game. I've even went as far as trying many different kinds of carbon and differently quantities of plies, 5 ply, 7 ply, etc.. Inner carbon, outer carbon, even a bunch of different kinds of carbon. I'm pretty set on the Xiom Strato. You are definitely correct about the blade, it can surely make or break your game. I purchased an FZD ALC awhile back. I was terrible with that. It seemed like it was going to work out okay at first, but I got worse every day I played with that thing. I just could not get my stokes in a grove.

I have Nittaku Acoustic carbon and Viscaria. And I keep on going back to my cheap $40 Gambler carbon. It just works the best for me! With the Gambler Blackout carbon, I have found H3 neo on the forehand with Rakza 7 soft or Fastarc C-1 at 2.0 mm sponge works the best on the backhand (Fastarc C-1 comes in 2.0mm max sponge only but Rakza 7 soft comes in thicker max sponge thickness).

Why? I don't know. H3 on the forehand has always been my go to rubber there. I have tried Sanwei Target National, Sanwei Targer Provincial, Mercury II, Big Dipper 40 degree, Tibhar K1 European version, and Tibhar K2. I don't feel right so I keep on going back to H3 there.

Backhand, I found Rakza 7 soft and C-1 to have the right softness and yet catapulty enough but not too much (for example, Tenergy 05 fx is too springy and I could not excecute my strokes). 2.0 mm allows me to loop backhand with confidence. Rakza 7 soft max sponge, I can easily hit my loop long and does not have the arc to get over the net. Why? I don't know. It is just the way it is. Razka 7 regular, Rakza X regular, Rasanter 47, Xiom Vega X, etc. are just too hard for me.

Do I lose power using softer ESN rubbers? No, I have been forced to go back away from the table and my fishing of the ball on the backhand side has been of decent quality. I don't feel any loss of power by going with Rakza 7 soft or C-1. I feel more confident with softer ESN rubbers and willing to do bigger strokes because of that.

Will I try slapping Xiom Vega Europe there or Rasanter R37 or R42 there? Yeah when I get a chance.

Will I try the harder Rakza 7 or G-1 on the backhand side in the future? Sure, but not right now.

I have tried other Gambler blades. Fire Dragon Fast is too fast. No dwell time. GLine X Fast carbon is a bit slower than Fire Dragon Fast but makes this annoying clicking sound. Fire Dragon Hinoki is good but too heavy. Vector Hinoki, AC hero, Vector speed are too slow.

Have I tried to tame the Fire Dragon Fast blade? Yes, I put Mercury II on the forehand and a Gambler tacky rubber on the backhand, both boosted heavily. Is it slower now? Yes. Do I like it? No. I still feel that my stroke is too "hard" and I don't like the way it feels.

In general, I don't like to waste a blade or the rubber. I always try to find a home for them so I can still enjoy the blade (like slapping on Mercury II on a fast carbon blade). I would put faster rubbers (such as Tenergy fx series or Tibhar Revolution series) on my 5-ply or 7-ply wood blades so I can still enjoy them. Will I play a tournament with those set-up's? No.

My next phase of experimentation will be trying various cheap carbon blades I got from Aliexpress.

 

[WingTT]

I'm pretty set on the Xiom Strato. You are definitely correct about the blade, it can surely make or break your game.

I have had my go at a stiffer yet soft Hinoki blade similar to the Strato in the Garaydia ZLC. I discovered that the stiff Hinoki is great for attacking and blocking but when it comes to looping slow underspin balls, for me a more flexible blade works better. My current blade is the Long 5 Light which has what Sergio from SDC blades calls Ay-C fiber which is more flexible than ALC or Aramid Carbon. Amazing control with good speed. The other type of blade I need to try out is a 45 degree carbon outer and another Hinoki carbon but one that is more flexible.

 

[burakins]

You can also try "Yinhe moon pro" & "Yinhe Apollo 5" if you are intersted in tacky sheets..