Chinese table tennis enthusiasts are very happy to be here~

[Marvinn8686]

A fellow Equipment Junkie - hard to find a better forum for that than this one!

 

[MaxBeckwith]

Haha, you guys are worrying about owning 7 blades, and here I am as a beginner wondering if I should even buy a second one when I still consistently miss the ball with my only basic setup 😂 The OP's collection is next level though, a proper museum!

 

[Faker]

Haha, you guys are worrying about owning 7 blades, and here I am as a beginner wondering if I should even buy a second one when I still consistently miss the ball with my only basic setup 😂 The OP's collection is next level though, a proper museum!

But there is two types of EJ. The first type who has only one racket, but has had and tried 1000 racket ( and he/she sold them all), the other type is who has 1000 racket and he/she doesn't want to sell any of them.🤣

 

[Caravenav]

A wine cooler? I got one of them.
France must be a great place to keep TT bats a long time!

I have one small wine cooler, and I haven't used it anymore...until today!!!!! Now I know what to do with it!

 

[J-fed]

I have one small wine cooler, and I haven't used it anymore...until today!!!!! Now I know what to do with it!

Glad to be of service. So many people don't drink nowadays. I think it's a great trend but am I to drink alone? Oh well.

 

[mihalichtheone]

Hi，friends~
I’m just an ordinary enthusiast from China.
My skill level is average—after two years of adult training (twice a week), I’m rated around 1600 points (based on the Chinese "Kaiqiuwang" rating system，
“1600" can execute long pushes on balls that stay close to the net, but I struggle to effectively play short pushes.
Against balls that bounce beyond the table edge, I can initiate attacks against backspin using both forehand and backhand, and—even if the quality of the initial shot isn't high—I can transition into topspin rallies.
However, the overall quality of my shots remains limited.
I don't know how different countries use points or ranking tiers to categorize table tennis skill levels.


More than just a player, I’m a total gearhead when it comes to equipment.

I’ve uploaded some photos of my gear.

There’s a huge community of gear enthusiasts in China; many of them try out 30 to 50 new blades every year.

Living in China gives me easy access to DHS and various domestic brands—like "Leishen" (endorsed by the rising star Liang Jingkun), 729, and "Galaxy" (Yinhe, the brand used by the North Korean team). They’re all really solid brands.
Just yesterday, I spotted a new product from my favorite Danish player, Anders Lind, in the latest Donic magazine—yet there wasn't a whisper of this news back in China.

That led me to do some digging, and I stumbled upon this forum. I was drawn in by the friendly atmosphere and the engaging discussions about the sport and equipment. So, I signed up to join this "big family."

I’m not yet sure what topics matter most to the international community here—whether it’s technique, gear, or perhaps some gossip (like news about the national teams; Chinese table tennis always draws a lot of attention and speculation, though we also keep a close eye on the latest updates regarding international stars, haha).

I’m also very happy to share my own thoughts on equipment and technique.

Looking forward to having a great time here!

I see that on some of the blades you have 729 Battle II. Do you use it boosted or not? And which versions? How do you find it plays?

 

[GJH]

I'm glad you joined the forum just before I'm traveling to China for the first time! I sent you a direct message asking for some help regarding table tennis stores in China. Welcome to the forum!!

 

[Layne]

I see that on some of the blades you have 729 Battle II. Do you use it boosted or not? And which versions? How do you find it plays?

729 offers excellent value for money; I personally purchased the "Huang Fang Carbon" model.
It costs less than 100 RMB yet delivers about 70% of the performance of the DHS Hurricane Long 5.
This makes it a top choice for many beginners looking for their first composite (carbon fiber) blade.
However, when playing away from the table, the blade lacks sufficient power from the core; this could be due to the adhesive strength used in construction or simply the use of entry-level wood materials.
Nevertheless, it is perfectly adequate for use.
I believe 729’s real strength lies in its rubber sheets; after all, they operated the first laboratory in the world to manufacture short-pips rubber.
Many players in China still use 729’s pips-out rubbers today.
Furthermore, their inverted rubbers generally do not require "boosting" (applying oil) like DHS Hurricane rubbers do; they are durable, the topsheet resists oxidation, and the performance fully meets the needs of amateur players.

 

[Layne]

I see that on some of the blades you have 729 Battle II. Do you use it boosted or not? And which versions? How do you find it plays?

I always treat high-density sponges with oil, and I've done my research on oils.

There are generally two types of expanding oil: one for increasing elasticity and one for softening.

I use a black oil from a research institute (its expanding and elasticity-increasing effect is excellent, but it's very damaging to the rubber; after two applications, the entire rubber will lose its internal energy).

I usually mix the black oil with a softening expanding oil from Hai Shang Ming Yue in a specific ratio.

If the rubber is too hard, such as a 41° Hurricane 3 (I don't know how to convert this hardness to German hardness), I'll increase the black oil ratio to 50%.

I apply a thin layer of inorganic glue, then a thin layer of oil. After 6 hours, I apply another layer of oil of normal thickness.

After 12 hours, you get a squid roll (a type of sponge). (This oiling method was shared by Zhang Jike in a live stream.)

Much of the equipment knowledge I learned in China came from Zhang Jike or other national teams' live stream explanations.

For the 729 Benteng 2 rubber, it's not very hard to begin with, so I usually apply less oil, focusing mainly on increasing elasticity. It's quite good to play with; it doesn't have the explosive feeling of a whirlwind, but it provides stable power for the forehand.

 

[euphrate]

729 offers excellent value for money; I personally purchased the "Huang Fang Carbon" model.
It costs less than 100 RMB yet delivers about 70% of the performance of the DHS Hurricane Long 5.
This makes it a top choice for many beginners looking for their first composite (carbon fiber) blade.
However, when playing away from the table, the blade lacks sufficient power from the core; this could be due to the adhesive strength used in construction or simply the use of entry-level wood materials.
Nevertheless, it is perfectly adequate for use.
I believe 729’s real strength lies in its rubber sheets; after all, they operated the first laboratory in the world to manufacture short-pips rubber.
Many players in China still use 729’s pips-out rubbers today.
Furthermore, their inverted rubbers generally do not require "boosting" (applying oil) like DHS Hurricane rubbers do; they are durable, the topsheet resists oxidation, and the performance fully meets the needs of amateur players.

Any recommendations for Chinese rubbers for FH and bh that requires no boosting?

 

[Tyce]

729 offers excellent value for money; I personally purchased the "Huang Fang Carbon" model.
It costs less than 100 RMB yet delivers about 70% of the performance of the DHS Hurricane Long 5.
This makes it a top choice for many beginners looking for their first composite (carbon fiber) blade.
However, when playing away from the table, the blade lacks sufficient power from the core; this could be due to the adhesive strength used in construction or simply the use of entry-level wood materials.
Nevertheless, it is perfectly adequate for use.
I believe 729’s real strength lies in its rubber sheets; after all, they operated the first laboratory in the world to manufacture short-pips rubber.
Many players in China still use 729’s pips-out rubbers today.
Furthermore, their inverted rubbers generally do not require "boosting" (applying oil) like DHS Hurricane rubbers do; they are durable, the topsheet resists oxidation, and the performance fully meets the needs of amateur players.

I fully and completely disagree with this particular point. 729's rubbers are the fastest oxidizing topsheets I've ever seen! BUT, when they oxidize, it barely affects the actual performance of the rubber. So the performance degradation is really low even if it looks like crap after a single session.

 

[Marvinn8686]

I fully and completely disagree with this particular point. 729's rubbers are the fastest oxidizing topsheets I've ever seen! BUT, when they oxidize, it barely affects the actual performance of the rubber. So the performance degradation is really low even if it looks like crap after a single session.

The 729 battle III topsheet for me always start looking really ugly in short time no matter how much I care for it (what annoys me a lot), but yeah it plays well. The one I sold some Junior player like half year ago plays still decently despite looking dead-beaten as she plays at least 4 times per week with big intensivity.

 

[Coolsta Connor]

I always treat high-density sponges with oil, and I've done my research on oils.

There are generally two types of expanding oil: one for increasing elasticity and one for softening.

I use a black oil from a research institute (its expanding and elasticity-increasing effect is excellent, but it's very damaging to the rubber; after two applications, the entire rubber will lose its internal energy).

I usually mix the black oil with a softening expanding oil from Hai Shang Ming Yue in a specific ratio.

If the rubber is too hard, such as a 41° Hurricane 3 (I don't know how to convert this hardness to German hardness), I'll increase the black oil ratio to 50%.

I apply a thin layer of inorganic glue, then a thin layer of oil. After 6 hours, I apply another layer of oil of normal thickness.

After 12 hours, you get a squid roll (a type of sponge). (This oiling method was shared by Zhang Jike in a live stream.)

Much of the equipment knowledge I learned in China came from Zhang Jike or other national teams' live stream explanations.

For the 729 Benteng 2 rubber, it's not very hard to begin with, so I usually apply less oil, focusing mainly on increasing elasticity. It's quite good to play with; it doesn't have the explosive feeling of a whirlwind, but it provides stable power for the forehand.

i am curious to hear about your research of oils findings!

 

[Layne]

Any recommendations for Chinese rubbers for FH and bh that requires no boosting?

The sponges used in inverted rubbers generally fall into two categories: "cake" sponges and high-density sponges.
When paired with booster oil, high-density sponges deliver a stronger sense of energy storage, increased spin, and a softer feel.
Therefore, regardless of manufacturer claims that their high-density sponges are ready to use without boosting,
you can still apply booster oil to achieve superior performance.

If you really prefer not to use booster oil, I recommend choosing a "cake" sponge instead (though note that some cake sponges *can* be boosted, they require a specific type of oil; using standard booster oil will damage them). Using a high-density sponge without boosting is essentially like using a rubber with its true potential locked away—delivering only 70% of the performance it is capable of.

If you prefer Chinese-made rubbers but dislike the boosting process, consider
the 729 Pentium II or the Hurricane NEO series.
There is much debate regarding whether the "built-in" internal energy effect in the NEO series actually exists.
In my experience, however, the topsheet is excellent even without boosting, providing the performance needed for smooth spin control.

 

[Layne]

I fully and completely disagree with this particular point. 729's rubbers are the fastest oxidizing topsheets I've ever seen! BUT, when they oxidize, it barely affects the actual performance of the rubber. So the performance degradation is really low even if it looks like crap after a single session.

Focusing specifically on high-density sponges:
Hurricane rubbers oxidize the fastest, while 729 rubbers oxidize the slowest and have the longest lifespan.
This is a consensus among us; I could even show you photos of 729-series rubbers I’ve used for years.
However, I bought the 729 "Flash" (Shanxian) rubber—which features a "cake sponge"—and while it didn't oxidize, its lifespan was very short.
Chinese "cake sponge" technology still cannot compare to that of German or Japanese manufacturers.

 

[Layne]

i am curious to hear about your research of oils findings!

I have experimented with over ten types of oils and reviewed the vast majority of video content available on the Chinese internet regarding this topic—
including oils for expansion (softening and increasing elasticity), organic glues, oil blends, oils specifically for "cake" sponges, oils for shrinking or expanding the topsheet, and various combinations used to achieve specific performance characteristics.
There is a lot of information to cover—too much to write up all at once—so I need to organize my notes and will start a new discussion thread when I have the time.