Is Dignics 09c a better FH or BH rubber?

[NewGuyHere]

Curious to see what the general consensus is.

I've seen some people using it on FH and some on BH.

I've never used it but heard only good things about the rubber.

I'm curious if this is a better fh or bh rubber.

 

[Tyce]

I think it's a good rubber on your dominant side if you have the power to use the sponge.

 

[longle]

I think it's a good rubber on your dominant side if you have the power to use the sponge.

this is true, most high players in my area are 1 wing looper with D09c on FH, only me used it on BH because I am 2 wings

 

[NDH]

Is there really such a thing as a "forehand" rubber and a "backhand" rubber?

Because as @Tyce said, it really depends on the strengths of your various sides.

I use it on both sides.

On my FH, I find it gives me better serve, block, touch, spin, counter and loop against underspin (compared with something like a Dignics 05).

The same can be said on my backhand, but I'll also add that as I can revert back to being a bit passive on the backhand (block/contain), the slower speed helps control the ball more (again, compared with a faster Dignics 05 type rubber).

The downsides are..... Smashing, outright speed, punch block, fishing.... Anything that involves speed over spin really.

If you can generate speed AND spin with your shots, Dignics 09c is very good.

 

[NewGuyHere]

Is there really such a thing as a "forehand" rubber and a "backhand" rubber?

Because as @Tyce said, it really depends on the strengths of your various sides.

I use it on both sides.

On my FH, I find it gives me better serve, block, touch, spin, counter and loop against underspin (compared with something like a Dignics 05).

The same can be said on my backhand, but I'll also add that as I can revert back to being a bit passive on the backhand (block/contain), the slower speed helps control the ball more (again, compared with a faster Dignics 05 type rubber).

The downsides are..... Smashing, outright speed, punch block, fishing.... Anything that involves speed over spin really.

If you can generate speed AND spin with your shots, Dignics 09c is very good.

How slow is it? Even with a fast blade such as Viscaria ALC?
Also for BH, the tackiness should help with BH flick, right?

 

[Lazer]

I would definitely use it on FH.

Cheers
L-zr

 

[joshmak10]

For me it’s for sure a backhand rubber. I’m a H3 user on FH till the very end. But 09c is the best BH rubber of all time imo

 

[Zezima]

Is there really such a thing as a "forehand" rubber and a "backhand" rubber?

Because as @Tyce said, it really depends on the strengths of your various sides.

I use it on both sides.

On my FH, I find it gives me better serve, block, touch, spin, counter and loop against underspin (compared with something like a Dignics 05).

The same can be said on my backhand, but I'll also add that as I can revert back to being a bit passive on the backhand (block/contain), the slower speed helps control the ball more (again, compared with a faster Dignics 05 type rubber).

The downsides are..... Smashing, outright speed, punch block, fishing.... Anything that involves speed over spin really.

If you can generate speed AND spin with your shots, Dignics 09c is very good.

The downsides are not true. Obviously anything with spin will give you more % to land your shots on the table.

I do like it on the bh way more though because my bh technique is much better. But my mentality holds me back in matches so I switched

 

[ThePongCommenter]

The downsides are not true. Obviously anything with spin will give you more % to land your shots on the table.

I do like it on the bh way more though because my bh technique is much better. But my mentality holds me back in matches so I switched

Outright speed and flat play (punch block, smashing) are definitely relative downsides of 09c compared to other top end modern offensive rubbers especially non-hybrids. Playable, sure, but definitely relative downsides.

Every high level player with decent technique knows that 09c relatively lacks outright speed. This is not even debatable. Even Dima and Boll specifically mention the lack of speed in their reviews. Boll also specifically mentions the difficulty with flat blocking in his review.

 

[NextLevel]

Outright speed and flat play (punch block, smashing) are definitely relative downsides of 09c compared to other top end modern offensive rubbers especially non-hybrids. Playable, sure, but definitely relative downsides.

Every high level player with decent technique knows that 09c relatively lacks outright speed. This is not even debatable. Even Dima and Boll specifically mention the lack of speed in their reviews. Boll also specifically mentions the difficulty with flat blocking in his review.

These are all level relarive things, people who have not seen the premium with which speed is placed as the level gets higher don't understand everything is relative and that while you might be able to get away with a slower rubber at a certain level, the fact that the ball keeps coming back and your opponent can stay in the point until you get tired and give them am opportunity is the difference between a decent rubber and an outstanding rubber. Obviously there are always tradeoffs with consistency etc. But it is always player and level relative, a player's style might not mind hitting 5 or 7 shots as long as the one shot he needs to hit faster, he feels he can produce it.

Things like 09c encourage the development of faster composite carbon blades, that's for sure.

As someone who has because of lower body limitations had a fairly even power/spin threshold on both my forehand and backhand rally shots, i have never really embraced the forehand vs backhand rubber philosophy. That said I do understand it, the biomechanics of most people allows faster and bigger swings on the forehand so you can sacrifice some pace in the rubber for spin and consistency on that side if you want. I tend to be able to hit the ball with fairly similar quality on both sides so I have even used unboosted 40 degree plus H3 on both sides before. So in the end, I tell people to focus less on the forehand vs backhand rubber dichotomy and to look at wherher the rubber fits their game or not. That said, for modern rally strokes, there is no doubt that if you place speed at a premium. Having a rubber that can generate spin and speed with shorter technique given the relatively narrow hitting window on backhand is always a benefit.

 

[NetProphet]

Curious to see what the general consensus is.

I've seen some people using it on FH and some on BH.

I've never used it but heard only good things about the rubber.

I'm curious if this is a better fh or bh rubber.

For the likes of Hugo Calderano or Wang Chuqin it's a better FH rubber.
For the likes of Lin Shidong or Patrick Franziska it's a better BH rubber.

 

[NextLevel]

For the likes of Hugo Calderano or Wang Chuqin it's a better FH rubber.
For the likes of Lin Shidong or Patrick Franziska it's a better BH rubber.

Based on Fan in German League:

On Tibhar tables, it is good for forehand and backhand.
On Donic tables, it is good for backhand.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

FH FH FH

not trampolinish enuf for Sponge assisted drive ( SAD ) on BH.

 

[NextLevel]

FH FH FH

not trampolinish enuf for Sponge assisted drive ( SAD ) on BH.

Tell that to FZD, LSD, or NDH .

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

FZD = Outlier aka The Beast. He can use whatever he wants.

LSD = LOL LOL LOL! He should listen to Coach Gozo and use Zyre 2.5 on BH and and and, oh well, make it 2.7 on FH.... then he will have a chance to regain his WR#2 again.

@NDH, can you be a good butterfly boy and follow the script?

 

[NDH]

How slow is it? Even with a fast blade such as Viscaria ALC?
Also for BH, the tackiness should help with BH flick, right?

It’s not slow. It’s just slow-ER than a less tacky, softer sponged rubber like Dignics 05.

If you play passive blocks, or 80% attacking shots, you might feel it’s too slow.

It really comes down to how you play and what you want. I use it on my backhand to give me more safety and the extra confidence to try and attack early.

But the reality, more often than not is that I end up playing the same way, and would probably benefit from the extra speed and better aggressive blocking attributes of D05.

Look above…. Do you NEED more speed than that on the backhand? Or is that level of speed, with the extra control and spin it offers worth the trade off?

@NDH, can you be a good butterfly boy and follow the script?

Get yourself to Dusseldorf and I’ll change…. Just for you.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

NDH is a big Euro dude with long limbs hence strong natural whippy stroke.

Poor Gozo is Asian with Asian body, need super trampoline assisted sponge to make the same effect.

Thank you butterly for Zyre03, best thing since

Spoiler: Triple Whopper with Cheese

 

[NetProphet]

Based on Fan in German League:

On Tibhar tables, it is good for forehand and backhand.
On Donic tables, it is good for backhand.

Yeah, that was interesting at the time when people saw him playing his red rubber oh FH and different rubbers here and there, although I didn't really follow it too closely ...
I had just realised around the same time how D09c was too hard for me as I used it with my old T19 side by side.

But If Anders Lind can play TT with his mobile phone it doesn't surprise me that FZD will play whatever he wants whenever he wants!
Could probably play with a paper plate and still do ok 😂

 

[victormanriquey]

For me it’s for sure a backhand rubber. I’m a H3 user on FH till the very end. But 09c is the best BH rubber of all time imo

Yeah I'm of the same school of thought here, I find it way too high throwing on FH where the body provides the arch already

It's not a slow rubber (but slower than like Zyre or D05), you just need to activate it as @Tyce said, but it plays very nicely on slow gears as well for serve and return.

That said, this is not a beginner's rubber and most amateurs won't be able to benefit from it fully due to low speed impact/swing. Fortunately, there is plenty of other rubbers that give more at low speeds, and they are much cheaper. I'm making a blogpost on that soon!

 

[MORTtheORT]

I think for most players the D09C is a FH rubber. I think this is more to do with the most people part then the abilities of the rubber itself. I think most players will benefit from the high end power and speed that is easier to create on the FH side then the shorter stroke in the BH. If you can't generate the speed and physical requirements in a short stroke then this rubber is a lemon. Also might be worth taking into account the modern game being very speed and power focused and plenty of player will find themself playing a short stroke on the BH in match situation.