Nittaku's Hurricane(s) vs. DHS' Hurricanes

[Yurifi]

hello there! so, I have tried the "regular" unboosted DHS Hurricane 3 and like it for most of time, but I did not like the fact that it can bite you when you are not correct with timing and/or positioning. I do not want to get things messy and start playing with boosting (then I go back to speed glue times where once it was one layer was faster than two layers and the next time two layers would be rocket, if you know what I mean). so a colleague of mine suggested me to try Nittaku's Hurricane versions, which seem to be versions of boosted DHS Hurricanes ... but same problem again - so many different versions!!

- "regular" Nittaku Hurricane 3 Neo
- Nittaku Hurricane Pro 3
- Nittaku Hurricane Pro 3 Turbo Blue
- Nittaku Hurricane Pro 3 Turbo Orange

so which one to choose? I admit, I like playing with softer rubbers (by softer I mean ESN45-47.5) but in last couple of months I stepped also into realm of hard(er) rubber and kind of liked it (ok, loved Xiom JH C55 and Donic BlueGrip C2, didn't particularly like Xiom O7 China Guang) ...

 

[zeio]

3 Neo has the same ITTF Number (24-108) as those sold worldwide, and without any corners cut.
Pro 3 is from the old days, marketed as the professional version. The topsheet has been updated with the ITTF Number since 8/2018.
Pro 3 Turbo Blue and Orange have Japanese sponge.

 

[tzifos]

There are 6 different H3 in Nittaku's website plus 2 new 8-80 (sorry for the google translate):

 

[Lazer]

Beware that the Japanese sponges are very heavy...

Cheers
L-zr

 

[Yurifi]

Beware that the Japanese sponges are very heavy...

Cheers
L-zr

realised that after all the reading I have done so far ... everyone is quick to point out the heaviness.

 

[Lazer]

realised that after all the reading I have done so far ... everyone is quick to point out the heaviness.

I would use the Pro 3 Turbo Orange if it wasn't such a leaden unit...

Cheers
L-zr

 

[Yurifi]

I would use the Pro 3 Turbo Orange if it wasn't such a leaden unit...

Cheers
L-zr

I am reading a bit still - apparently, Pro 3 Turbo Orange is not so heavy, heavy as any modern hybrids. Pro3 Turbo Blue is really heavy, I agree ... and,apparently, Pro 3 Turbo is the one to look at, if you want a factory boosted Hurricane ...

 

[Tiz]

I used 2 sheets of Nittaku Pro 3 Turbo blue, after using H3 in several hardness (both neo and not).
Nittaku Pro 3 Turbo blue is very hard, significantly harder than H3 41, and also very heavy; of the 2 sheets I tried one was 59-60 grams cut and the other 57 grams cut.
Positives: when new it has extreme level of spin, especially pushes and serves. Sometimes I won points just with pushes.
Negatives: other than the weight, it's very demanding for timing and technique; I guess they added "Pro" as the product name for a reason. Another negative is that IMO it lasts less than the regular H3.
All in all I like the regular H3 better, but I bought a sheet of the Nittaku orange one to try.

 

[Lazer]

I am reading a bit still - apparently, Pro 3 Turbo Orange is not so heavy, heavy as any modern hybrids. Pro3 Turbo Blue is really heavy, I agree ... and,apparently, Pro 3 Turbo is the one to look at, if you want a factory boosted Hurricane ...

Yes, the blue one is heavier. I am currently using (non NEO) H3 provincial 39 Orange. its below 50g cut to size.
The Pro 3 Turbo 39 orange was above 55g cut to size...

I don't want to go to either neo nor a harder sponge because its going to be heavier...

Cheers
L-zr

 

[yodachi]

If you're not boosting, use Turbo Orange.
Turbo Blue is too hard, harder than the DHS 41-degree.
Nittaku NEO3 is the same quality as the NEO3 National.
It's made softer than the DHS version for Japan.
Its maximum performance is lower than the DHS National, but it's easier to handle.
After boosting 4 or 5 times, the Nittaku NEO3 feels just like the 09CFX.

 

[canonFH]

There are 6 different H3 in Nittaku's website plus 2 new 8-80 (sorry for the google translate):
View attachment 36210

"Today's Leopard Neo 3": Black is the same as DHS H3 neo, but QC might be better because I have never had any issues even after juicing it to the gills.

It might just be the batches I got, but red had a shitty, very hard topsheet. Don't recommend.

Most times, with prov H3 neo, after boosting with 3 layers, the topsheet starts separating after about a month or so for me, both red and black. Doesn't happen with Nittaku's version. Hence, I play this on FH. This might be due to my boosting technique and not a fault of the rubber, per se.

"Nittaku Today's Leaf 3": Because I had a shitty experience with red for the above rubber, and H3 neo prov lasts only a month (for me), I tried this in red on BH. This has the DHS topsheet and japanese sponge, doesn't need boosting, has only mild reaction to booster. Ball quality is worse than the chinese sponge variants, but the rubber is a decent alternative at least for training because it lasts for a long long time. In matches, you might want to use boosted chinese sponge variants and keep this for training. According to Nittaku's website, the hardness of this sponge is the same as G1.

 

[greenbeanmachine]

hello there! so, I have tried the "regular" unboosted DHS Hurricane 3 and like it for most of time, but I did not like the fact that it can bite you when you are not correct with timing and/or positioning. I do not want to get things messy and start playing with boosting (then I go back to speed glue times where once it was one layer was faster than two layers and the next time two layers would be rocket, if you know what I mean). so a colleague of mine suggested me to try Nittaku's Hurricane versions, which seem to be versions of boosted DHS Hurricanes ... but same problem again - so many different versions!!

- "regular" Nittaku Hurricane 3 Neo
- Nittaku Hurricane Pro 3
- Nittaku Hurricane Pro 3 Turbo Blue
- Nittaku Hurricane Pro 3 Turbo Orange

so which one to choose? I admit, I like playing with softer rubbers (by softer I mean ESN45-47.5) but in last couple of months I stepped also into realm of hard(er) rubber and kind of liked it (ok, loved Xiom JH C55 and Donic BlueGrip C2, didn't particularly like Xiom O7 China Guang) ...

I've tried all the Hurricane 3 versions and I think it's really hard to go wrong with DHS commercial Hurricane 3 Neo. Sometimes you get a bad sheet but I think it's the most effective quality per dollar. If you want consistency between sheets, get provincial instead of commercial. I think DHS is the proper place to start if you want to learn what a Chinese rubber feels like.

No doubt Nittaku H3 is more consistent than DHS commercial H3. But I don't like the sponge. The Nittaku sponges don't have nearly as much power or spin when you hit hard. Plus, Nittaku Turbo sponge is extremely heavy.

If you want to learn to use hard Chinese rubbers, just use the real original H3. If you don't want a Chinese rubber, then use D09c or Rakza Z or something. Or use Hurricane 8 -- I think this is a better option than Nittaku H3 if you want a more hybrid-feeling rubber. Nittaku H3 is a strange combination of a Chinese topsheet and EuroJap sponge -- I don't think it works.

 

[greenbeanmachine]

Also worth mentioning that "Neo" means it's lightly boosted in the factory. If you've been playing with the unboosted ones, then yes they can be like a brick. The "Neo" version is softer and springier, while still retaining the properties of the Chinese sponge. It's much more elastic than the unboosted version.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I really don't understand why the sponges are so heavy

 

[Yurifi]

I actually tried quite a few Hurricanes since my first post. it was H8 40, H3N 38 commercial, H9 Violet and H3N 40 blue sponge ...

liked the most the H8 40 before boosting. and the least H3N 40 BS National ... which I got in a trade of different blades ... but didn't like it on several blades ... it's ... too sharp for me, didn't have the feel that there is any dwell time at all. H8 was quite the contrary, actually, H8 unboosted and H3N 38 commercial boosted were quite close in feel, liked them both. H3N 38 even reminds me of Dignics09c which I am playing with now.

H9 Violet was nice but extremely heavy - 59g cut to blade and the sponge was crumbling a lot ... then I got an opportunity to try Dignics, but was extremely reluctant to do it, because of the disappointment with H3N BS and was afraid I might spend a lot of money on something I wouldn't even like in the end. but them said - the hell, played with Butterfly material 95% time of my competitive career, what could go wrong. and I love it. D09c on FH, D05 on BH, both 2.1mm. will see how durable they are and decide if this is my go to combo or not ... I have a feeling I could play D09c on both sides, but will see ... maybe I'll even make a combo with H8 40 after current Dignics die on my blade.