Yasaka Bold Dragon - Review

[MsBonky]

First About me:

I have about 1600 TTR in Germany and play a sorta Modern Defensive style with a brutal Forehand and Long Pips on the backhand where i mostly just chop or counter the ball. I searched a long time for a rubber that was extremly slow on touches and fast(ish) on high power which i think have found in the Yasaka Bold Dragon. I played the Yasaka Bold Dragon on a SDC W968 Blade with 1.1mm Feint Long III on the Backhand

Now to the rubber The Yasaka Bold Dragon is extremely slow, and when i say slow i mean slow on low impact shots. I think this is because of the extreme Tackiness that this rubber posseses. much much Tackier than hurricane 3 which i didn’t like due to the low/medium Tackiness. The ball jumps once on the rubber and instantly sticks to the Racket. thats how tacky it is. The Rubber is also very light much lighter. than the hexer grip i had before.

On high impact shots the rubber shows its real potential. Due to the high tackiness i was able to rip underspin balls with good speed and crazy spin. I played against a chopper who was rated about 1800 TTR where i usually lose 0:3, but with the extreme grip i was able to win 3:2. Another great strength of the rubber is any kinds of of Pushes, ( Long, Short, Fast) the rubber slows down perfectly and only does what you want it to do. Blocking with this rubber is also good because of the tack is slows the fast balls down to let you play the ball on the table. Topspin/Topspin rally’s are easy to win.

The downside of the rubber is the physical demand that the rubber needs to activate its real potential.

 

[TTAntiPlayer]

I was also curious about how this rubber plays as I came across it on Aliexpress. So far the only info I’ve been able to find are two youtube videos

 

[MsBonky]

I also saw that there are two different hardnesses, medium-soft and medium-hard. does anyone know what hardnesses they are?

 

[MsBonky]

no new information?

 

[Table10Ice]

Is my interpretation correct that the medium soft has 48 deg sponge?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008285421999.html?pdp_npi=4%40dis%21EUR%21%E2%82%AC%2038%2C61%21%E2%82%AC%2022%2C01%21%21%21286.63%21163.38%21%402141122217379722584705588e83b2%2112000044479583671%21sh%21FI%212636410963%21X&spm=a2g0o.store_pc_allItems_or_groupList.new_all_items_2007540423191.1005008285421999

 

[TensorBackhand]

So is this rubber a ESN rubber? or who made it?

Is it a hybrid rubber or more a Chinese sponge rubber?

 

[Gtsnake]

If you search "Bold" dragon you find nothing. You have to search "BOLO". Lol

 

[MsBonky]

So is this rubber a ESN rubber? or who made it?

Is it a hybrid rubber or more a Chinese sponge rubber?

dont know who made it, but it should be closer to a chinese rubber

 

[z0uLess]

Does it come with its own plastic film in the package so you can use it for storage?

 

[MsBonky]

dont think so, though gan made a video about it but hasnt released the english sub yet. looks like a faster h3 clone with a super tacky surface

 

[Ultravisitor]

The second video statet that the rubbee is very similar to 729 battle 2 gold. But to me it looked like the bold dragon has a higher trow. How would you rate the throw? Is it flatter than hurricane 3?

 

[haggisv]

Since this rubber is not on the official Yasaka website, although it IS on the ITTF LARC, I suspect it's a China-only release, very much like the Yasaka Zap, which I believe was made by Chinese manufacturer Palio. I'm not even sure if Yasaka endorses this product, or if it's just made by a Chinese manufacturer using the Yasaka brand, and Yasaka is unable to stop this. Will be interesting to find out more.

BTW This rubber is indeed made in China, which you can see from the logo print on the ITTF website.

 

[andzejgolot]

You right. IT can be haifu rubber which would be discountined after sold out. That's why I hate reviews because they try to help and they forget about giving the time for the rubber

 

[Ultravisitor]

You right. IT can be haifu rubber which would be discountined after sold out. That's why I hate reviews because they try to help and they forget about giving the time for the rubber

Ok this could all be true. It's just everyone looking for the still tacky H3. Also this rubber released few months ago.

 

[tzifos]

Sieger is gluing rubber to the ball for 1 second

No the Bold Dragon is WAY more tacky. See the presentations/reviews here! -> https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/yasaka-bold-dragon-review.36408/#post-504480

That is why I wrote that this rubber is not a PK/50 alternative.

 

[MsBonky]

The second video statet that the rubbee is very similar to 729 battle 2 gold. But to me it looked like the bold dragon has a higher trow. How would you rate the throw? Is it flatter than hurricane 3?

pretty low but still higher than h3

 

[chiefvevo]

I just got it, package smells like fish, typical Cheap chinese rubbers like battle 2/3. I ordered medium hard, feels like 41 deg dhs scale. I will practice today and update soon. But from bouncy it feels slow and its not that tacky out of the package (maybe bc Its the med hard version). I will probably boost with black haifu

 

[Gtsnake]

Does it hold a ball for 10 seconds?

 

[cybershapedragon]

It's Chinese rubber, not ESN. And it's by Yasaka China, not Yasaka global.

 

[chiefvevo]

No, mine doesnt hold for 10 secs. Very Very low arc, very hard to play with, looping is so hard. I like to loop the ball thin but this rubber is pretty hard so it didn't grip the ball that good, tho driving and blocking is S+. If you order Med-Hard, you HAVE to boost, in no way is this plays comfortable having such a low linear arc.