Pricey Hybrids or Accesible Chinese

[Scarfed Garchomp]

What is it like compared to PK50? And is the durability good?

Durability pretty decent, it stays sticky pretty well so long as you keep a protection sheet on it but the sponge does kind of deflate a bit and the topsheet acts less grabby after a few months. I felt like PK50 was a tad firmer and acted a bit less 'spongy' than RZ, had a bit more venom than RZ when you hit harder, but RZ more forgiving and easier to land your shots, a bit less demanding to block and counter with.

 

[NetProphet]

I would go for DHS H3 provincial blue sponge. The top sheet looks like crap after a couple sessions but the tackiness remains there. Once you break in the blue sponge, the ball has this catapult effect. Either you like the hurricane sponge (blue sponge or orange sponge) or you don't like it. I happen to like it. Some club mates don't. But once you like it, it is hard to find anything else that compares to it.

Isn't that as expensive as the Euro Hybrids though, at ~€45-€50.

OP have you tried Yinhes Jupiter Asia 3?
Worth a go imo.
Rakza Z is a good rubber too imo but your back at the €40+ price point with that

 

[JJ Ng]

Isn't that as expensive as the Euro Hybrids though, at ~€45-€50.

OP have you tried Yinhes Jupiter Asia 3?
Worth a go imo.
Rakza Z is a good rubber too imo but your back at the €40+ price point with that

Yes but Euro Hybrids are NOT really that tacky.

 

[_ak]

"that tacky" is a matter of preference and a holywar topic. Some are ok with a bit of tack, some asks for tons of tack. I believe manufacturers have a point with reducing amount of tack, some may disagree but it's not like they just wanted to irritate the folk. It's not like Butterfly or ESN are unable to produce really tacky rubbers or DHS reduced tackiness for a LOL.

From my experience Big Dipper lost its tack quite quickly, not lifting ball any more but still collecting dust and I didn't mind it actually, I still could spin well with it. Hurricane 8 is a bit tackier and has a quite elastic topsheet, which could be a selling point agains H3, Battle 2 retained its tack quite good but I didn't like it's brick-like topsheet. With it I ended up opening against backspin balls from BH and then loop-driving with FH.

 

[mocker88]

I used this one:

Here's the one you're talking about, I think: https://www.prott.vip/Product-Details.aspx?productcode=DipperPro

Yes correct https://chtt.se/en/varumarken/yinhe/yinhegummi/yinhe-big-dipper-pro

My previous Big Dipper BS was 38deg, not too hard but felt like it needed some break-in.

Yes it might need some time to break in or perhaps a re-glue makes some difference.

Talking about the BD Pro, how is it compared to H3 provincial?

It's harder and slower. Unboosted it isn't that fun, but not H3 either of course. But the Big Dipper Pro needs a little more booster to come alive. I played with it in 41 deg on my Yinhe V14 Pro today for more than two hours, and it worked really good. The less speed made it really easy to land the loops and flat hits on the table and compared to H3, the spin is up there as well.

 

[PeruvianPenholder_2008]

OP have you tried Yinhes Jupiter Asia 3?
Worth a go imo.
Rakza Z is a good rubber too imo but your back at the €40+ price point with that

Not yet. Actually, I'm getting overwhelmed by the amount of choices given, from both hybrids and chinese rubbers
Do you think I will find some difficulties in transitioning from K3/Dragon Grip to Jupiter 3, Big Dipper, etc.?

 

[TensorBackhand]

Not yet. Actually, I'm getting overwhelmed by the amount of choices given, from both hybrids and chinese rubbers
Do you think I will find some difficulties in transitioning from K3/Dragon Grip to Jupiter 3, Big Dipper, etc.?

Not at all. I think its very natural transition, they in many ways quite similar. If anything, I feel Jupiter 3 and BD have more control and dwell time, so they are somewhat easier to use even.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

transcendental function, In mathematics, a function not expressible as a finite combination of the algebraic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, raising to a power, and extracting a root. Examples include the functions log x, sin x, cos x, ex and any functions containing them.

WTF has this got to do with the price of fish ???? 😂 😂 😂

Another way of defining the word "transcendental" would be spiritual, non-physical....or "out of this world".

So, replace it with: "rubbers that are out of this world" and it could be a hippie type thing: "far out, man!"

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Yes, I've heard a lot about it.
But some time ago I tried the Provincial BS, and it was great, until de rubber started coming off the center of the blade. It happens that it curved the wrong way. I used a booster but it didn't work, so I had to change to another rubber. Maybe it was a quality control problem though.

To me, that sounds like the glue job, not the rubber.

 

[lodro]

Another way of defining the word "transcendental" would be spiritual, non-physical....or "out of this world".

So, replace it with: "rubbers that are out of this world" and it could be a hippie type thing: "far out, man!"

Flashback flashback 😁
Words like these go right over many peoples head these days. Not that many of us left that have been to "Electric lady land" 😁

 

[Hurricane AON]

Here's my take on Chinese vs. semi-tacky rubbers for forehand:

I really like Chinese rubbers for my forehand, but when I tried a semi-tacky rubber like the Joola Tronix ACC, it felt surprisingly similar. However, it didn't offer the same level of dwell time (grip on the ball) that Chinese rubbers do.

That's why I prefer semi-tacky rubbers. As a rubber ages and loses its tackiness, a semi-tacky one will maintain its performance more consistently and lead to fewer errors. Conversely, a Chinese rubber can become quite unpredictable and error-prone after a while.

For example:
Cost of a Chinese rubber (lasting 2 months): $14
Cost of a semi-tacky rubber (lasting 6 months): $28

 

[NetProphet]

Not yet. Actually, I'm getting overwhelmed by the amount of choices given, from both hybrids and chinese rubbers
Do you think I will find some difficulties in transitioning from K3/Dragon Grip to Jupiter 3, Big Dipper, etc.?

Possibly yes. But then again you've used H3 in the past so maybe not. I found it an adjustment moving from Rakza Z to Yinhe JA3 and I'm still adjusting but I really want to develop that FH stroke further so the rubber suits what I'm trying to do.
I guess it depends on what you want to do. If you're happy with your FH and don't fancy changing it to suit different rubbers/different style then you're stuck.
But you train a lot so the change could happen quickly for you so maybe spending €30 on a Yinhe JA3 and a DHS H3 neo (they're ~ €15 each on AliExpress) and give them a go for a while.
€30 and 2 mths later you'll have your answer.
If you do like them the H3 provincial is a logical next step and it's durability and consistency is unmatched at the price.

 

[vanjr]

If you are playing 2-3 hours a day you probably can play with anything to be honest. I would focus on how long the rubber lasts more than the price.
I have never, ever had a good sheet of H3 commercial despite numerous attempts-but with boosting you may make one work, since I have never boosted. Battle 2 may be an option. Big dipper is another.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Flashback flashback 😁
Words like these go right over many peoples head these days. Not that many of us left that have been to "Electric lady land" 😁

The funny thing is, when I saw that word in the description, I instantly wondered if anyone would pick it up. hahahaha. I guess I was not alone.

 

[NetProphet]

The funny thing is, when I saw that word in the description, I instantly wondered if anyone would pick it up. hahahaha. I guess I was not alone.

I think most people just knew what it meant, only poor lodro was thinking about mathematics and fish 😂

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I think most people just knew what it meant, only poor lodro was thinking about mathematics and fish 😂

It was an interesting use of the word. But I think you could look at the description and decide he was using it metaphorically.

But still, not a word someone whose first language is English would use. But since this is an international forum and we ask people who don't speak English to still post in English, it was fine. But that shouldn't stop a comedian from having a little harmless fun.

I mean, I want a rubber that is outta this world too!

 

[lodro]

He he he.
I used to be a poet and a philosopher - now
I am just a bum.
Difficult to keep up with that 😁