new rubbers recomenndation on Harimoto Innerforce ALC

[myschhh]

Hi, I’ve been playing for 2 years with a Nittaku Acoustic paired with Nittaku Fastarc G-1 MAX on both FH and BH, training 3 times a week. I play an offensive style on both wings.
This setup requires a lot of physical effort from me on every stroke due to its linearity and hardness. My level is around 1800–1900 USATT.
I really enjoyed playing with the Harimoto Innerforce ALC blade and I’d like it to become my main blade. What rubbers should I choose to make my game less physically demanding? I assume something from modern tensor rubbers with a bit of catapult effect.
I’m strongly considering a setup like Nuzn 48 on BH and 50 on FH (I know they are slightly harder than G-1, but they have a new sponge and more catapult), or Nuzn 45 on BH and 48 on FH.
Alternatively, maybe Butterfly Tenergy 19 on BH and something like Butterfly Dignics 80 on FH?

 

[jonol]

The carbon blade itself will give you a bit more bounce.

If you do change, Tenergy 19 is a good option for BH like you said, but if you do that as well as changing blade I would keep the G1 on FH. Tenergy 19 on carbon will feel like a lot less effort I think, and you might find that the energy you are saving by having more comfortable backhand is enough already.

Changing blade and both rubbers all at once might just leave you stuck trying to adapt without a good stable reference point.

 

[belllfador]

Stiga Mantra Pro H or HX - faster than G1, at an excellent price in aliexpress. Nuzn - if you need extra grip, and you are OK to change rubbers every 1–2 months.

 

[DBsystem78]

Stiga Mantra Pro H or HX - faster than G1, at an excellent price in aliexpress. Nuzn - if you need extra grip, and you are OK to change rubbers every 1–2 months.

Someone know why the price is so cheap on Ali ? as it's an European Rubber that is kinda weird

 

[doppelmoral]

upgrade to harimoto alc, but keep the rubbers. you will feel a nice speed increase from the blade alone

fastarc g1 is excellent. you might not like your new blade if you also change the rubbers, since too many variables are changing at the same time

 

[belllfador]

Someone know why the price is so cheap on Ali ? as it's an European Rubber that is kinda weird

Stiga Mantra Pro is made in Japan, the same factory makes Hammond Z2 and some Nexy rubbers. The lower price can be explained by many factors that I am lazy to write down. The main point is that the rubber is good, not fake and without defects. I bayed Mantra Pro XH for under 25€ during the 11.11 promotion. The grip level is around G1, but is even more insensible to incoming spin. The speed is higher with more catapult.

 

[NetProphet]

Hi, I’ve been playing for 2 years with a Nittaku Acoustic paired with Nittaku Fastarc G-1 MAX on both FH and BH, training 3 times a week. I play an offensive style on both wings.
This setup requires a lot of physical effort from me on every stroke due to its linearity and hardness. My level is around 1800–1900 USATT.
I really enjoyed playing with the Harimoto Innerforce ALC blade and I’d like it to become my main blade. What rubbers should I choose to make my game less physically demanding? I assume something from modern tensor rubbers with a bit of catapult effect.
I’m strongly considering a setup like Nuzn 48 on BH and 50 on FH (I know they are slightly harder than G-1, but they have a new sponge and more catapult), or Nuzn 45 on BH and 48 on FH.
Alternatively, maybe Butterfly Tenergy 19 on BH and something like Butterfly Dignics 80 on FH?

I agree with @doppelmoral here, don't change everything at once. You will find in matches that you have lost your game and the adjustment will likely be too big, even for a player at your level.

Can I ask why you will go from Acoustic to a Butterfly Innerforce ALC? There's not that much of a difference in my experience, although I am open to hearing others comment on this as I may not notice what others do.

I actually came from Acoustic to Innerforce ALC and found the Innerforce ALC easier to play with in just about every situation and I'm not sure if the inner ALC is actually faster.
It's definitely slower and easier for me on soft shots and short game and maybe (just maybe) has more kick at the high end of power but for what your seeking I'm not sure the change is worth it. I see it as a sideways step rather than a forward one, like say a Viscaria would be.

Where I differ from Doppelmoral is I would suggest to keep the Acoustic and use the new rubbers on it.
That may be all the extra catapult you need and if you like that Acoustic I really would think twice before changing it...the blade being the link between your hand and the rubbers is not an easy thing to supplant. Most find it difficult to reestablish that connection - just food for thought cos I'm sure you'd know this...

Incidentally the two rubbers that came to my mind were the two you mentioned, the D80 and T19.

Dignics 80 offers a bit more catapult but not too much compared to G1 (as in I'd expect you to find the transition pretty easy) in my experience.
T19 offers much more.
I struggled in short game with T19 but with D80 the adjustment to short game was fine.
That said, T19 is the most Dignics like Tenergy, in that it holds the ball a bit more that T05 for example so I expect a player at your level will get used to it no problem.
Throw angle, both are lower than G1 with T19 a bit higher than D80.
Catapult is greater with both.
If G1 is a ~+3 catapult then I'd put D80 at 4 and T19 at 5 respectively. Just my scale of guestimate.

 

[myschhh]

I agree with @doppelmoral here, don't change everything at once. You will find in matches that you have lost your game and the adjustment will likely be too big, even for a player at your level.

Can I ask why you will go from Acoustic to a Butterfly Innerforce ALC? There's not that much of a difference in my experience, although I am open to hearing others comment on this as I may not notice what others do.

I actually came from Acoustic to Innerforce ALC and found the Innerforce ALC easier to play with in just about every situation and I'm not sure if the inner ALC is actually faster.
It's definitely slower and easier for me on soft shots and short game and maybe (just maybe) has more kick at the high end of power but for what your seeking I'm not sure the change is worth it. I see it as a sideways step rather than a forward one, like say a Viscaria would be.

Where I differ from Doppelmoral is I would suggest to keep the Acoustic and use the new rubbers on it.
That may be all the extra catapult you need and if you like that Acoustic I really would think twice before changing it...the blade being the link between your hand and the rubbers is not an easy thing to supplant. Most find it difficult to reestablish that connection - just food for thought cos I'm sure you'd know this...

Incidentally the two rubbers that came to my mind were the two you mentioned, the D80 and T19.

Dignics 80 offers a bit more catapult but not too much compared to G1 (as in I'd expect you to find the transition pretty easy) in my experience.
T19 offers much more.
I struggled in short game with T19 but with D80 the adjustment to short game was fine.
That said, T19 is the most Dignics like Tenergy, in that it holds the ball a bit more that T05 for example so I expect a player at your level will get used to it no problem.
Throw angle, both are lower than G1 with T19 a bit higher than D80.
Catapult is greater with both.
If G1 is a ~+3 catapult then I'd put D80 at 4 and T19 at 5 respectively. Just my scale of guestimate.

Thank you for your response. The first thing I will definitely try is moving my current G1 rubbers onto the HALC. In my opinion, sometimes Acoustics lacks support and stability. I’m not the youngest player anymore, but I’m still improving, and it seems to me that carbon will add that stability. I don’t need much more speed.

During yesterday’s training session, I had the chance to play with Tibhar MX-P, Xiom Vega X, Yasaka Rakza 7, Xiom Vega Europe, and Tenergy 80. The most enjoyable and consistent shots were with Rakza 7. The question is also whether Rakza 7 on the Harimoto ALC would be a downgrade compared to my current setup?

 

[jonol]

In my experience I found Rakza 7 to be noticeably less spinnt and fast than G1. It is still quite spinny and has decent speed, but I found opening loops, counters and smashes to all be much better on G1.

The extra stability of the Harimoto ALC might help, but my own blade/rubber forehand progression was 5ply with Rakza 7 > 5ply with G1 > Harimoto ALC with G1 and I felt there was very little adaptation required. If anything I felt like my game levelled up significantly with each change.

Keeping the same rubber means you have a true reference point, and after 3 months on the Harimoto ALC with the same rubber on both wings, you will know exactly what you want more or less of.

If you do eventually want to downgrade from the G1, I found the Vega X to be a bit easier to use and more controllable than the G1, for only a small loss in top end power. But as I'm a very active player, I prefer the feel of the G1 on my forehand by far as it has better quality on 3rd ball attack, counters and serve.

 

[NetProphet]

Thank you for your response. The first thing I will definitely try is moving my current G1 rubbers onto the HALC. In my opinion, sometimes Acoustics lacks support and stability. I’m not the youngest player anymore, but I’m still improving, and it seems to me that carbon will add that stability. I don’t need much more speed.

During yesterday’s training session, I had the chance to play with Tibhar MX-P, Xiom Vega X, Yasaka Rakza 7, Xiom Vega Europe, and Tenergy 80. The most enjoyable and consistent shots were with Rakza 7. The question is also whether Rakza 7 on the Harimoto ALC would be a downgrade compared to my current setup?

I don't use the word downgrade. It suggests that one rubber (G1 vs R7) is inherently superior to the other but really it's about selecting what works best FOR YOU right now.
I know one very good player (1600+ Europe) that plays with R7 both sides and he can put the ball wherever he wants with plenty of spin and speed. Would T19 be faster for him? Sure it would but he would lose the control that has him seemingly never miss the table with a block, counter, opener, you name it.
The rubber is not a limiting factor in his game, YET.

So R7 for a year is not a bad idea if YOU like it, you can absolutely still improve with this rubber.