At What Point is an Upgrade from D09c to Z03 Justified on BH?

[kindof99]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like if the shot would go out with a fast rubber, it'd go out with a slow one too. Most amateur players just make large technical mistakes period, irregardless of equipment.

Slow equipment can also suffer from a lack of control, due to requiring too much muscle power especially further off the table, or just being slower than expected and not allowing the user to relax as much.

I don't think it's a linear scale where less speed = more control always. The sponge characteristics matter just as much, and if the speed comes from topsheet tension, sponge elasticity, blade stiffness and so on.

So beginners can just start with any rubbers?

 

[Lazer]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like if the shot would go out with a fast rubber, it'd go out with a slow one too. Most amateur players just make large technical mistakes period, irregardless of equipment.

Slow equipment can also suffer from a lack of control, due to requiring too much muscle power especially further off the table, or just being slower than expected and not allowing the user to relax as much.

I don't think it's a linear scale where less speed = more control always. The sponge characteristics matter just as much, and if the speed comes from topsheet tension, sponge elasticity, blade stiffness and so on.

The problem is that when most of your shots misses, you will hold back. This is detrimental for technical progress… Iv’e seen many players with too fast equipment, put them under a little pressure and they hit long… If you play with a slow linear bat its much much easier to develop you technique. Then you switch upwards as you progress…

Cheers
L-zr

 

[Archosaurus]

So beginners can just start with any rubbers?

Well, we're not talking about beginners here, so probably not, unless they have excellent guidance.

I'm sure learners with a few years of experience (Or really more like 3000~ hours played) could use literally any rubber on the market.

The problem is that when most of your shots misses, you will hold back. This is detrimental for technical progress… Iv’e seen many players with too fast equipment, put them under a little pressure and they hit long… If you play with a slow linear bat its much much easier to develop you technique. Then you switch upwards as you progress…

Cheers
L-zr

I don't fully disagree (I started with Super FX on a 5 ply) but I think the argument of "If you put pressure they will hit long" is a very weak one. That's kind of what you're aiming for when you give someone a fast ball with lots of topspin.

I'd even argue that shots systematically going long against topspin is a symptom of bad technique learned from using overly slow and insensitive equipment that requires a more open racket angle not to net the ball, because it doesn't rebound as much and bite off the spin as much.

 

[NextLevel]

The problem is no one would spend several months trying a new rubber. I feel z03 is for you or not for you, from the first try. It’s not about the speed, it is about how you play table tennis. You can adjust to z03 only if you’re willing to adjust your technique, sometimes in a big way.

No, you are not changing your technique, you are changing how you expect to feel when you hit certain shots - the feeling of what happens is different and you need to adjust it. IT is like moving to a new house and then assuming you will access everything like you in your last house exactly the same way because it has the same functional rooms. Will you then refuse to buy or test out a new house or apartment because it isn't exactly the same as your old house? Maybe, maybe not.

 

[NextLevel]

The problem is that when most of your shots misses, you will hold back. This is detrimental for technical progress… Iv’e seen many players with too fast equipment, put them under a little pressure and they hit long… If you play with a slow linear bat its much much easier to develop you technique. Then you switch upwards as you progress…

Cheers
L-zr

Or you will train more so that you can grow into what you use and close the technical gap for using the material. If you play with a slow linear bat, it can put strain on short technique and lead to large swings or tense squeezing of slow rackets to get power. It can be easier to develop good technique with equipment that responds to short swings as long as you put in the hours required to develop a feel for the equipment. People blame equipment too much for problems with adaptation. Many people can figure out the limtations of their feeling by checking blade frequency and softness/hardness.

 

[NextLevel]

So beginners can just start with any rubbers?

Usually, most beginners are limited by cost and expectations. In reality, beginners who are taught how to adapt can start reasonably well with almost anything especially if they are young. If they are coached and able to relax and adapt their grip, they can do far better than some of the supporters of slow blades would think. It is possible for a learning driver to use a Lexus to learn to drive even if it isn't what you think they should be using.

 

[NextLevel]

Only if you do not play any match or any tournament. And you know how to adjust your strikers. How many amateurs can do this?

How many amateurs of the kind you are describing play tournaments or spend hours in table tennis clubs? Many amateurs test rubbers while playing matches - it is very common. Some also play tournaments using a rubber for the first time - that comes down to how much you care about your tournament results.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Only if you do not play any match or any tournament. And you know how to adjust your strikers. How many amateurs can do this?

I'm not really sure how you think anybody ever tries new equipment then? You think every amateur tries something for 1 week max and then makes a final decision? Playing matches and even tournaments are part of the testing process...

 

[Archosaurus]

Usually, most beginners are limited by cost and expectations. In reality, beginners who are taught how to adapt can start reasonably well with almost anything especially if they are young. If they are coached and able to relax and adapt their grip, they can do far better than some of the supporters of slow blades would think. It is possible for a learning driver to use a Lexus to learn to drive even if it isn't what you think they should be using.

The parallel to car driving doesn't really end there; there's an idea in the performance driving world that beginners should start with easy, slow cars and work up to more performant ones when they gain more skills.

This idea is mostly based on the fact that easy, slow cars are cheap and you can actually buy them as a younger person but it also has some merit in that the handling limits are generally less sudden due to being lower and using more compliant rubber and the power is lower so it's not as easy to use too much on the corner exit and doesn't require as much timing and finesse on braking due to speeds being lower. Sound familiar?

I mostly agree with this because it's economically more practical and generally safer, but there's a few real problems with it once you start getting into actual performance driving.

People who learn on slow cars without "advanced" things like sport ABS, sensitive enough tires or high enough engine power end up learning bad habits like not braking hard enough on the straight and deeply enough into the corners, not feeling the tires enough and over-using them as a consequence, mashing the throttle and not really paying attention to how much power they're using because there's no real punishment for it and so on.

Then when "the time comes" and they finally "move up" to a "real car" (generally this just means they are economically able to and has little to do with driving ability) they're completely unequipped to handle its new challenges and have essentially still beginner-level skills when using the new equipment and have to learn from scratch anyway.

Meanwhile the kids who grew up driving simulators and not very limited by what kind of car they're able to get the chance to drive will jump into a real racecar and bang out relatively competitive laptimes without any guidance, even if the real car is often a little bit more complicated and more difficult to manage.

I'm not really sure how you think anybody ever tries new equipment then? You think every amateur tries something for 1 week max and then makes a final decision? Playing matches and even tournaments are part of the testing process...

The real EJs will only try equipment for 1 hour max before making a final decision.

 

[zeio]

The problem is no one would spend several months trying a new rubber. I feel z03 is for you or not for you, from the first try. It’s not about the speed, it is about how you play table tennis. You can adjust to z03 only if you’re willing to adjust your technique, sometimes in a big way.

Hmm...
9/2025 - FZD shit on Z03
5/2026 - FZD put on Z03