Butterfly Zyre 03

[NDH]

Unlikely to be 99.9% given the many good reviews. But it is surprising how many players hate it. I think some of this has to do with the feel and sound. But clearly some players are having trouble getting much out of it, and it's not just a question of playing level.

I think lower level players generally have less ability to be able to interpret just what they are getting out of the equipment and evaluate it.

Likewise, unlikely to be playing consistently good quality shot to be able to compare.

Yes, 99.9 might be an exaggeration, and a more accurate statement would have been “if you play a traditional topspin shot, with traditional/average technique, you’ll unlikely get MORE spin”.

The fact that the reviews are so different, and in some cases, very opposite of each other is incredibly strange.

You’d have thought there would be some common ground….. but it doesn’t seem to be the case.

Which means the rubber is either very equipment/technique dependant, or people are very bad at evaluating it 😂

But yes, it will definitely work well for some - Both lower level players and higher level players - All depends on how you play!

 

[NextLevel]

When I got it, I hit with it a bit and I realized there was no way I was going to be able to play with it out the box in a tournament. Now as someone notorious amongst my TT friends for being able to play with anything, this was a new experience. And I gave the comp of Tronix ZGR, so it is not like I have not played with something unlike this at all. Again, it is not that the rubber doesn't spin. But there is a baseline rotation that heavy spin players like myself get out of a lot of rubbers. I can generate good spin with Mark V. I get the heaviest spin out of 09c but I trade that for speed and ease of driving the ball by using D80.

I then hit extensively after my matches were over with a fellow player. I hit a lot of great counterloops past him but he was never really impressed with the amount of pure spin on my ball. We then got a player who like T05 and D09c to use it and who had thought about switching with all the hype. He tested it, couldn't get the amount of kick he gets with D09c on both sides, and thanked me for saving him the money.

The next day I tried to play with it on a Hugo blade. Warmed up and experienced the same discontinuity in consistency where I couldn't consistently hit all the in-between shots. The flat shots were fine since the glassy nature let you smack stuff. But for a close to the table catch and spin, I couldn't tell you whether I would put the ball on the table or send it into the barriers. When I provided my thoughts on my club's WhatsApp forum, another serial EJ said the same thing and that he hadn't figured out Zyre yet. At a certain point, you need to decide whether you want to trust Butterfly or at least trust your own judgment until you see the evidence. Maybe when I see a spinny player using it, I will change my mind. But I suspect the rating is tied to drives in a way that doesn't match what players who use spin to win points would necessarily agree with.

Again, the question is not just whether it is a spinny rubber. It is a spinny rubber. The question is whether it will be the spinniest rubber rotation wise for most people who using their optimal technique on it and how to measure that. I can't see the path to this yet. Even on my backhand. Maybe it needs me to reassess what it means to spin. Usually, if I hit the ball with spin, I have increased confidence it will land on the table. Still trying to figure out how to do that with Zyre 03. But again, this weekend might yield new insights. When you spend $100 on a sheet pf rubber, you have time and motivation to figure it out lol. And maybe I will get my coach to try it and get his thoughts if I can find him this weekend. He is a classical T05 user so that will be interesting.

 

[NDH]

From what I’m reading many of you don’t think that Zyre 03 has the same spin capability.

Missed this, apologies.

I think you can create a ton of spin with Zyre03. Just as much as D05 and D09c.

It is, without question, a very spinny rubber.

But, and this is the key thing for “real world” play…. I think the extra speed/appearance of less dwell time would contribute towards the rubber feeling LESS spinny in real world matches.

I think you’d need a very high quality stroke (consistently), to feel like Z03 was giving you what you wanted from it.

Compared with D05 and D09c, where you can perhaps get away with less quality shots at times.

But like with so much in TT equipment discussion….. we are talking absolutely tiny margins. TINY I tell you 😂

Reviews would have you believe comparing Zyre (or any other expensive top end attacking rubber) and some cheap, average, mildly attacking rubber is like comparing a top end Ferrari and an old slow Ford (sorry Ford!)

In reality… it’s more like comparing a top end Ferrari with a low end Ferrari. If the driver is of the same standard, the top end will have an advantage.

But if the driver in the low end Ferrari is better…. They’ll win, and the equipment will be irrelevant.

PS - I use Butterfly for the longevity, and brand loyalty more than “out of the packet performance”, of which there would be 100 different rubbers that would be absolutely fine.

 

[joshmak10]

Zyre 03: the most controversial rubber?

-Some YouTube video in the near future

 

[merlin el mago]

Let's just say you and I have different definitions of having the technique to use a rubber. If you cant play tournament matches with a rubber, you dont have the technique to use it.

I'm sorry I'm not native English speaker. Don't take this personal I have the technique to know training how goes the rubber also I know due to my old age and limited shape that is not for me playing tournaments. Be honest with yourself and don't confuse the things.

 

[NextLevel]

Zyre 03: the most controversial rubber?

-Some YouTube video in the near future

Butterfly marketing won't allow that discussion at this stage.

 

[Ghostzen]

Zyre 03 is ok. A halfway house between D05 and D09c which I why I think some of the pro's have moved over to it. It's quicker, a bit less spin which isn't a problem for them at their level. That bit extra power they get from it makes a difference.

It seems to be a bit like Marmite (UK) with the reaction it's getting.

For me I was expecting more to be honest for the price point.

 

[merlin el mago]

Guys our sport the feeling matters a lot, that's the reason some love and others hate the rubber.

 

[NextLevel]

I'm sorry I'm not native English speaker. Don't take this personal I have the technique to know training how goes the rubber also I know due to my old age and limited shape that is not for me playing tournaments. Be honest with yourself and don't confuse the things.

No one is pretending they cant loop with Zyre in practice conditions. I can post that video if everyone has the wrong impression because they think that technique is about watching video of a match. Anyone can hit loops with a rubber in practice and can even change their technique to mimic their favorite player. It is adapting to and using it in a match to win points playing your style that is the question.

 

[merlin el mago]

No one is pretending they cant loop with Zyre in practice conditions. I can post that video if everyone has the wrong impression because they think that technique is about watching video of a match. Anyone can hit loops with a rubber in practice and can even change their technique to mimic their favorite player. It is adapting to and using it in a match to win points playing your style that is the question.

As I see this rubber needs good shape & good technique to take is full potential.

Everybody need time to adapt first training and when you are consistent use in a match.

As I see using different blades with differents rubbers togheter Zyre 03 will change the weight racket & the feeling when you play.

Playing matches if you make 80-90% shots with power topspin the rubber is for you, if you don't better to know your limits and don't use it like me.

 

[IB66]

Missed this, apologies.

I think you can create a ton of spin with Zyre03. Just as much as D05 and D09c.

It is, without question, a very spinny rubber.

But, and this is the key thing for “real world” play…. I think the extra speed/appearance of less dwell time would contribute towards the rubber feeling LESS spinny in real world matches.

I think you’d need a very high quality stroke (consistently), to feel like Z03 was giving you what you wanted from it.

Compared with D05 and D09c, where you can perhaps get away with less quality shots at times.

But like with so much in TT equipment discussion….. we are talking absolutely tiny margins. TINY I tell you 😂

Reviews would have you believe comparing Zyre (or any other expensive top end attacking rubber) and some cheap, average, mildly attacking rubber is like comparing a top end Ferrari and an old slow Ford (sorry Ford!)

In reality… it’s more like comparing a top end Ferrari with a low end Ferrari. If the driver is of the same standard, the top end will have an advantage.

But if the driver in the low end Ferrari is better…. They’ll win, and the equipment will be irrelevant.

PS - I use Butterfly for the longevity, and brand loyalty more than “out of the packet performance”, of which there would be 100 different rubbers that would be absolutely fine.

Things seem back to front for me!!
With T05/19 & D09C I never really felt like I could loop well, and dwell felt very short. It’s the opposite or feels opposite for me, dwell is likely to be short but Z03 and the blade combo transfers a better feeling for me.
As always it’s down to how the individual feels things.

 

[merlin el mago]

Dwell time is also related how degrees have the sponge, hard needs more power to engage the sponge, also how hard or flex is the blade plays and important role like the total weight of the racket.

 

[blahness]

Maybe Zyre is the Schroedinger's rubber. It is both the perfect and the worst, all at the same time. An application of quantum mechanics in rubber production.

 

[NextLevel]

Tenergy(s), Dignics & Zyre 03 are all capable of producing high spin levels.

From what I’m reading many of you don’t think that Zyre 03 has the same spin capability.

As I’ve said before, perhaps Z03 is a like / hate rubber?

After you glue a rubber - whats the 1st thing you do?
Yeah, you get a ball and bounce it a few times, spin it and let it bounce on the rubber, hit a topspin and see how it reacts on carpet, hit a chop or side back spin serve again onto carpet in the lounge etc and see how the ball reacts.
I’ve done this with a multitude of rubbers over the years. Zyre 03 has high spin capability.

Let's be clear here, there are a lot of spinny rubbers out there. I gave the Tronix ZGR comp to Zyre 03 ( hard sponge and maybe less hard topsheet, no tack, feels a bit glassy). Some of it I suspect is philosophical. Most players i know who play spinny table tennis at the intermediate levels dont play to drive the ball past you. They play to let the rotation do its damage. They can obviously hit the ball past you on some shots but they want to feel that their rally shot is keeping them in the point and needs to be approached correctly to stay in the point. Some call this philosophy classical European topspin. Sometimes it is even an attempt to play slow as snails and some would call it low level, outdated, not good enough for the higher levels, you name it.

On the other end, there are players who consistently want to hit the ball with quality past you. They think spin is just to enable speed and hitting the ball harder. This is usually the top level approach at its baseline. An obvious example of this would be Togami but all top players play like this to different degrees, speed is at such a premium as too much time gives your opponent to much power to disrupt you.

So far, I would argue that Zyre spins in a way that makes the second style reasonable. The first style not so much. In other words, if you are into sustained all out offense, then Zyre works. But if you are into all round offense. I still need to see someone using Zyre play that style. Even watching the Dima review where he hits a shot and say it was the spin lol, in my mind, that ball didn't kick at all lol. But I wasn't there so...

 

[mamedium]

Tenergy(s), Dignics & Zyre 03 are all capable of producing high spin levels.

From what I’m reading many of you don’t think that Zyre 03 has the same spin capability.

As I’ve said before, perhaps Z03 is a like / hate rubber?

After you glue a rubber - whats the 1st thing you do?
Yeah, you get a ball and bounce it a few times, spin it and let it bounce on the rubber, hit a topspin and see how it reacts on carpet, hit a chop or side back spin serve again onto carpet in the lounge etc and see how the ball reacts.
I’ve done this with a multitude of rubbers over the years. Zyre 03 has high spin capability.

i only have hard floor - no carpet

 

[PaddyPolar]

I think that Butterfly could be planning to release a tacky version of Zyre- It doesn't make sense for them not to be considering it as hybrids have been taking over recently. Maybe a tacky version could more like 09c, as the compromise people are talking about between 09c and 05 is more so lying towards the 05 side. Maybe they tried it with the thicker sponge, or are just making us wait- who knows?

 

[sebi]

I think that Butterfly could be planning to release a tacky version of Zyre- It doesn't make sense for them not to be considering it as hybrids have been taking over recently. Maybe a tacky version could more like 09c, as the compromise people are talking about between 09c and 05 is more so lying towards the 05 side. Maybe they tried it with the thicker sponge, or are just making us wait- who knows?

Sticky Zyre 03 should be Zeed 03.

 

[Dr Evil]

Yes, 99.9 might be an exaggeration, and a more accurate statement would have been “if you play a traditional topspin shot, with traditional/average technique, you’ll unlikely get MORE spin”.

...which disagrees with many online reviews made by pros and hobby players, not just some TTD posters including Dima and Dan, who to be fair said it has "similar" spin to D09C and more than D05.

 

[NextLevel]

...which disagrees with many online reviews made by pros and hobby players, not just some TTD posters including Dima and Dan, who to be fair said it has "similar" spin to D09C and more than D05.

And who are these hobby reviewers? One of the things I am questioning is whether these reviewers are actually reporting what they experienced or something else is driving all this...

 

[Dr Evil]

And who are these hobby reviewers? One of the things I am questioning is whether these reviewers are actually reporting what they experienced or something else is driving all this...

Easy enough to find review links on this thread or by search. Do you think the positive reviews are all driven by the hypnotic power of the Butterfly marketing team?