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FH drives are controlled but they are slower than with the TG3 Neo. FH loops against backspin are easier to execute and have more clearance over the net than with the TG3 rubbers because the softer sponge results in a slightly increased throw angle. However, this, along with the 3-60’s low...

The throw angle generated by the Skyline TG3 Neo on FH loops is low to medium-low - enough to clear the net but not much more. Given the hard nature of the rubber, the margin for error with respect to positioning relative to the ball is small. In other words, this rubber requires and rewards...

The DHS Skyline TG3 is an even more traditional Chinese rubber than its Neo counterpart as it is slightly firmer and slower, producing an even more subdued feeling on ball impact. FH drives are rock-solid but slow unless played with significant physical effort. I found myself using larger arm...

The national orange version of Hurricane 3 Neo is geared towards loop-focused players who prefer a tacky, relatively dynamic, and medium throwing rubber, which, at the same time, enables excellent serves and touch game. Compared to the commercial version of Hurricane 3 Neo, the orange National...

The first couple of FH drives quickly revealed that the DHS Hurricane Long 5 is an OFF+ blade as several of my drives flew well past the end of the table, even when using the relatively slow Hurricane 8 FH rubber. However, once I reduced my swing speed, I was able to play FH drives with high...

The DHS Hurricane Long 3 is in the OFF-/OFF category and offers great feeling and control. I was able to play FH and BH drives with high consistency. The feeling upon ball impact is prominent and on the softer side. Despite being a 7-ply blade, the Hurricane Long 3 does not feel particularly...

Aurus Select shares many of the characteristics of Aurus Prime but is slightly slower, less spinny, and easier to control. It gives a direct feeling and prominent sound on FH drives but with a less pronounced catapult. FH loops have a medium-high arc over the net but dip down faster than with...

Right from the get-go, it became obvious that Aurus Prime is a fast rubber with a very prominent catapult, which makes it feel even faster than Tibhar’s Evolution MX-P. The feeling on FH drives is very direct and almost speed-glue like, with plenty of power reserves for play from mid-distance...

The Donic Ovtcharov True Carbon is a great blade for advanced and upwards players with an aggressive and direct game style (think Dima). The blade is probably better suited for European and Japanese rubbers than very hard Chinese rubbers, as the latter result in a numb feeling that I found...

The DHS Power G7 is an excellent blade for those who want to upgrade from a 5-ply limba/ayous-based blade to a slightly stiffer and faster blade without significant loss in flexibility. Those looking a stiff and fast 7-ply blade might find the DHS Power G7 a little bit too slow and flexible. For...

This is an excellent blade that allows for a balanced game style with equal parts looping, hitting, and blocking, while still providing excellent feeling and control for serves and touch play. It is suitable for play close to the table as well as mid-distance. The use of a European or Japanese...

The first couple of FH drives quickly revealed that this is a blade in the OFF- range that offers a reasonably crisp and well-defined contact point. The unusual drop shape took me a minute to get used to, as the blade clearly felt ‘longer’; initially, I felt like I was scooping the ball over the...

My impressions of the Baracuda Big Slam do not differ greatly from the regular version. It feels slightly softer, slower, and less spinny, especially on high-impact shots. Thus, the feeling on FH drives is solid but not particularly crisp. FH loops, on the other hand, do feel a little bit...

The Donic Baracuda weighs 49 grams when cut to a 157x150 mm blade. The Baracuda has a neutral feel on FH drives - not too disengaged/numb but also not the most responsive rubber on the market. The first couple of FH drives quickly revealed that the Baracuda is not a speed monster. However, it...

Let me foreshadow this review: in my opinion, the Omega V Euro and Omega V Pro play remarkably similar, with the V Euro being a little bit spinnier and bouncier. Accordingly, I made similar observations. FH flat hits had a tendency to go long. Properly executed FH loops resulted in a nice crisp...

Omega V Pro plays significantly softer than V Asia and V Tour, and also has a much more pronounced catapult effect. Being someone who has a fast forearm and who puts considerable power into his FH shots, I often found myself struggling to control the length of flat FH hits, with many balls...

As expected, the Omega V Tour feels slightly softer than the Asia version, and it is only a smidge softer than Tibhar’s MX-P (~46 on the European scale). The V Tour weighed 50 grams when cut to my 157 mm x 150 mm blade, which is one gram less than V Asia, MX-P or Gewo’s Nanoflex FT48. Omega V...

The Xiom Omega V Asia is an excellent rubber, which has a very favorable speed/control ratio, making it a delight to play with. It excels in all aspects of close and mid-distance play. I would suggest pairing the Omega V Asia with a blade in the OFF- or OFF+ range that has a harder outer ply...

Almost instantly into my evaluation of the rubber, it becomes evident that the S-1 also is the softest and slowest of the Fastarc rubbers during gameplay, thus not fitting the “speed first” description very well. I could clearly feel the subdued woody feeling of the test blade when performing...

The Nittaku Fastarc C-1 feels marginally harder to the touch than the P-1, which is surprising given the softer sponge and lower weight (47 grams, 157 x 150 mm). The C-1 shares the spongy feel of the P-1 on fast FH shots. FH drives are reasonably crisp and can be played in a very controlled...