K3 VIP? 59 degree sponge

[The0rigina1]

Interesting comments. AFAIK that white ESN sponge feels softer than advertised so I'm not too worried

 

[Metaxa]

59°?! I guess it's just a race to the hardest sponge now. Which will break first: the ball, or players' elbows? At what point does a rubber become too hard for a 2.7g ball to reliably compress?

TT has already evolved into a pretty athletically demanding sport; at this rate players are going to have to start doubling as powerlifters.

Soon we will have to play with lead balls!

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

K3 is the most successful one? not MX-P or Yasaka 7/9? I always thought it would be one of these ...

China Guang was 55 and was amazing to play with ... while it lasted. and it lasted about a month, had it for about 2 weeks on FH, then realised it amazing for BH, too and had it on BH for two weeks until it died (grip wise), so I boosted it, to see if I can get more life out of it ... but no ... it became an uncontrollable rocketship. China Yang was 60, but wasn't available in EU ... but yes, I do agree - I do not get it why a professional player would not use China Guang - it's ideal rubber for sponsored players, but then again - Jekyll & Hyde, which is even better rubber.

Ah yes, Guang it is. I got the name mixed up. Sorry for the guffaw.

 

[golden_son]

pros want harder and heavier, so it is more solid and have the power when playing away from the table.

Here's a couple of options then, and they're even 100% wood!

Their short game may suffer, but pros adapt.

 

[Tyce]

Senso variants exist in secret

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Here's a couple of options then, and they're even 100% wood!

Their short game may suffer, but pros adapt.

I tried it (autograph cricket bat)
terrible control

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Not D09c? Or does nobody use that outside Butterfly sponsorship?

If you have H3 on the FH,
D09C is commonly found on the BH.

probably will just be another CNT type of contract allowing H3 on the FH and backhand must be Butterfly.
btw, we talking ESN, D09C was not part of the list

 

[Yurifi]

based on my data of players moving over from H3.
K3 is okay and acceptable
the other Hybrids, no,

we had samples from a few brands with extra hard, and it was still not good enough.

the other rubbers you mentioned aren't even hybrids.

ah, okay, I didn't understand you correctly, ESN hybrids, not ESN in general, got it! but you have a lot of contact with K3 - is it really that bad, durability wise?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

ah, okay, I didn't understand you correctly, ESN hybrids, not ESN in general, got it! but you have a lot of contact with K3 - is it really that bad, durability wise?

well, the words from K3 users is, after 1 session or 1 day, they need to replace it.

I personally think, because they get unlimited supply, they can change daily.
but i have already heard after about 3 days, its not that great any more.

personally, I have used K3 before, but from the ESN options out there, K3 is probably the best option for pros.

 

[Conehead]

well, the words from K3 users is, after 1 session or 1 day, they need to replace it.

This statement should not be generalized. In the past I played K3 rubbers really a lot and so does my colleague. Both of us cannot observe that the durability is so bad as it is reported in forums.

 

[Tyce]

This statement should not be generalized. In the past I played K3 rubbers really a lot and so does my colleague. Both of us cannot observe that the durability is so bad as it is reported in forums.

What is "breaking in" to one person, is "dying quickly" to another.

Usually, rubbers have a starting condition that fades relatively quickly, followed by a significant amount of time where the condition is relatively stable, until it finally hits a point where either the sponge is dead or the topsheet grip is reduced to the point of discomfort.

 

[Airoc]

What is "breaking in" to one person, is "dying quickly" to another.

That´s certainly true, and a rubber that a pro won´t use anymore might still be good for amateurs.

But all reports I have personally heard about bad K3 durability come from people who have gone through roughly the same rubbers before and didn´t have such concerns.

 

[Airoc]

Both of us cannot observe that the durability is so bad as it is reported in forums.

And the again there are people who consider the durability even worse than what is reported in the forums.

But in the end, it all depends on what you expect from a rubber and what you do with it. Durability is always a sensitive issue.

 

[Angerer]

Which was considered "hard" some ten/fifteen years ago or so...

Most people are not well-adivsed to go for a harder rubber and faster blade even when "they" do it "because of the plastic ball".

Only to come back to softer rubbers later

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

This statement should not be generalized. In the past I played K3 rubbers really a lot and so does my colleague. Both of us cannot observe that the durability is so bad as it is reported in forums.

i'm not generalizing, but these are what Tibhar sponsored pros are doing.
of course, you and your colleagues are no where near the hours or power (of hitting) of these pros, so the propositioning it will be different.

to give you an ideal, Butterfly is about 5 to 7 day worth of usage during match time.
DHS H3 is 3 to 5 day during match time.
K3 is 1 day

 

[Conehead]

i'm not generalizing, but these are what Tibhar sponsored pros are doing.

When I refer to "forum" in my post, I am not referring to Pro's. I am referring to ordinary people like me and and my buddy.

I just think that the K3 is made worse than it is in reality.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

When I refer to "forum" in my post, I am not referring to Pro's. I am referring to ordinary people like me and and my buddy.

I just think that the K3 is made worse than it is in reality.

and when I refereed to players moving over from my post, I was referring to pros.

you are welcome to refer to you and your buddies, I am mere sharing what Tibhar players have informed me.

PS, I wasn't even talking with you in that initial post lol
K3 is still the best ESN hybrid as far as I have been informed above the Vega and Rakza (which weren't even hybrids) of the posts I replied to.

 

[Vrael]

I am nowhere near a pro level and while I love mk, mk fx and k3 fx on first 2-3 days after that the topsheet gets worse than even old generation rubbers such as vega japan that had same usage

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I am nowhere near a pro level and while I love mk, mk fx and k3 fx on first 2-3 days after that the topsheet gets worse than even old generation rubbers such as vega japan that had same usage

you are not alone

The K3 discussion has so many threads already.
i think plenty of forum users here has said the same after 1 month and comparing with others.
k3 durability is indeed questionable.

but as a fresh rubber, where pros has the luxury of changing daily, it is unmatched.
But of course, if you are using so many K3, than just buy D09C, which will end up cheaper when factoring durability.

I would just stay H3 though

 

[Conehead]

PS, I wasn't even talking with you in that initial post lol

Doesn't matter. It's a free forum, right?