Next Level,
Which of your blades are you testing the MX-P on? And do you think all of the months you put in working on your FH stroke w/ MX-S will now help you get more out of the MX-P?
Next Level,
Which of your blades are you testing the MX-P on? And do you think all of the months you put in working on your FH stroke w/ MX-S will now help you get more out of the MX-P?
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Tenergy came first!
I think there are many reasons why Tenergy may be more popular, the one simple reason is that Tenergy has been out a lot longer than Evolution series and many people stick to one brand for a long time. Especially for amateur players who who not get free rubbers and necessarily a chance to try out many other rubbers. At the local club level, I get the impression that Evolution series is starting to equalise in terms of popularity.
I think there are many reasons why Tenergy may be more popular, the one simple reason is that Tenergy has been out a lot longer than Evolution series and many people stick to one brand for a long time. Especially for amateur players who who not get free rubbers and necessarily a chance to try out many other rubbers. At the local club level, I get the impression that Evolution series is starting to equalise in terms of popularity.
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Nexy OLAM testing - I tested it with MX-S but I couldn't play competitively with that and now with MX-P, since my important competitions are over.
My original issue with MX-P was that it came boosted. I tested it a long time ago (over 2 years, almost 3) when it was new and gave the sheet away when I used the cell ball as it was too hard for my technique back then and I didn't like the shrinking that boosted rubbers do after my experiences with Bluefire. When MX-P is new and boosted (it smells like Dandoy Bioboost when new), it is a bit too soft for me, so what I plan to do is open the package and let it air out for a couple of weeks before using it. Maybe when my technique gets better, I will use it boosted but right now, I prefer it after the boosting is gone as then it plays a little harder. If they sold it unboosted, it would be perfect for me. The topsheet grip, while not as great as MX-S, is excellent. If they put MX-S on a softer sponge, I would look into it as well.
I worked on my forehand with a variety of things, but the two issues that I have now (and where I think MX-P will help a lot) are developing a shorter movement and countering heavy topspin. Both are related. The former is especially important, as I am so used to looping with a very straight arm on the backswing and using my upper arm a lot so I have to learn to shorten my movement for counterlooping topspin balls. But when using slower rubbers to do this, the ball just seems to demand a larger swing or I get a ball that sits too easily at my level. And I want to swing a little less hard on those countertopspins so I will see where this ends up. It's either $35 per sheet for MX-S or $60 per sheet from a friends with a discount in T05. You do the math.
So my guess is that I might lose some of my forehand topspin strength on powerlooping backspin but maybe not. But everything is compromise and balancing - I just wish I had good knees and joints so that I could just focus on looping the ball and not this whole equipment mess.
But in any case, I could see the quality of the topsheet of MX-P this weekend in play. It just has a very strong hold on the ball and reacts more consistently to heavy incoming spin - it does this almost as well as MX-S, but also gives you that pop on shorter strokes that MX-S will not give you. I am going to stick with this at least through end of March of next year. Then the new battles will begin
.
says
ok, I will go back and make sure you have access.
Be...
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Nexy OLAM testing - I tested it with MX-S but I couldn't play competitively with that and now with MX-P, since my important competitions are over.
My original issue with MX-P was that it came boosted. I tested it a long time ago (over 2 years, almost 3) when it was new and gave the sheet away when I used the cell ball as it was too hard for my technique back then and I didn't like the shrinking that boosted rubbers do after my experiences with Bluefire. When MX-P is new and boosted (it smells like Dandoy Bioboost when new), it is a bit too soft for me, so what I plan to do is open the package and let it air out for a couple of weeks before using it. Maybe when my technique gets better, I will use it boosted but right now, I prefer it after the boosting is gone as then it plays a little harder. If they sold it unboosted, it would be perfect for me. The topsheet grip, while not as great as MX-S, is excellent. If they put MX-S on a softer sponge, I would look into it as well.
I worked on my forehand with a variety of things, but the two issues that I have now (and where I think MX-P will help a lot) are developing a shorter movement and countering heavy topspin. Both are related. The former is especially important, as I am so used to looping with a very straight arm on the backswing and using my upper arm a lot so I have to learn to shorten my movement for counterlooping topspin balls. But when using slower rubbers to do this, the ball just seems to demand a larger swing or I get a ball that sits too easily at my level. And I want to swing a little less hard on those countertopspins so I will see where this ends up. It's either $35 per sheet for MX-S or $60 per sheet from a friends with a discount in T05. You do the math.
So my guess is that I might lose some of my forehand topspin strength on powerlooping backspin but maybe not. But everything is compromise and balancing - I just wish I had good knees and joints so that I could just focus on looping the ball and not this whole equipment mess.
But in any case, I could see the quality of the topsheet of MX-P this weekend in play. It just has a very strong hold on the ball and reacts more consistently to heavy incoming spin - it does this almost as well as MX-S, but also gives you that pop on shorter strokes that MX-S will not give you. I am going to stick with this at least through end of March of next year. Then the new battles will begin
And this is one reason why I prefer Tenergy. The large-pored ESN rubbers, or which IMHO Evo are the best, get their excellent performance in part by quite heavy factory boosting, and Tenergy does not. Consequently, you don't have to worry about airing the Tenergy etc. etc. Once the glue has sort of reached its final state, after about 72 hr, Tenergy pretty much stays the same until it is very worn. Also I just like the feel of Tenergy more and that is entirely a question of taste, even though I was able to play much the same way with MX-P, immediately. If Btfly jacks up the price any more, then I will probably switch as a matter or principle. At a point people may remember that Btfy actually brought Tenergy prices back down, but lately they have been raising them again (for everything they sell), for no obvious reason.
says
ok, I will go back and make sure you have access.
Be...
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I have another theory. I suspect that people who like ESN rubbers are split between a lot of relatively similar rubbers built along the same lines, including all the Xiom, Andro, Donic, Tibhar, and Joola brand competitors of Tenergy. On the other hand, Tenergy users may be a bit more Butterfly brand loyal in general. This is because Tenergy came out in 2008, and for quite a few years absolutely nothing from ESN was even in the same universe, which is how Butterfly was able to generate so much loyalty to that rubber*.
Also, for people who played in the glue era, I still think Tenergy feels a bit more like a glued rubber than the best ESN rubbers, even if the actual performance of the rubbers is not all that different at this point.
* There was a time when JO Gold was the best competitor to Tenergy that ESN had, and compared to Tenergy it felt like it was made of plastic. Also giant chunks of topsheet would be flying off the edges of your rubber if you hit the ball more than 2 cm away from the perfect sweet spot.
Also, for people who played in the glue era, I still think Tenergy feels a bit more like a glued rubber than the best ESN rubbers, even if the actual performance of the rubbers is not all that different at this point.
* There was a time when JO Gold was the best competitor to Tenergy that ESN had, and compared to Tenergy it felt like it was made of plastic. Also giant chunks of topsheet would be flying off the edges of your rubber if you hit the ball more than 2 cm away from the perfect sweet spot.
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says
Spin and more spin.
says
Spin and more spin.
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Sspark80 beat me to it. When I first put MX-P on my Virtuoso Plus blade I didn't think about it. At first I was not happy with the feeling. The sponge is much denser and harder than what I had before and it was much harder to feel the blade. Then I tried the MX-P on a harder blade and found it was easier to feel the blade but the V+ gave me more spin. Once I was used to the impact needed for the hardness of the MX-P sponge I felt the rubber works really REALLY well on my V+.
So, yeah, as far as I'm concerned, this rubber works great on my 5 ply Limba-Limba-Ayous-Limba-Limba blade.
Sent from the Oracle of Delphi by the Pythia
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Exactly - feel means a lot. I actually prefer the hardness of MX-P unboosted or when the booster wears off. Catapult hurts my ability to powerloop backspin. As always, it depends on how you like to play.
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Although the pros are using 05, there are some which have switched over to MX-P: Vladimir Samsanov & Paul Drinkhall, or so they claim. If that is the case, then certainly it strengthens the stature of the MX-P. I'm not sure for certain they are using it though, as it could just be a claim to market the MX-P so it is just purely speculation. Can anyone confirm if Samsaonov is using it for certain?
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says
Spin and more spin.
says
Spin and more spin.
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I kind of feel like Tenergy has the best sponge. I don't know why ESN has not figured out how to make a sponge as good as that. But I kind of feel like there are a few rubbers with topsheets as good as Tenergy or better. I would love to see what would happen if you could get a Tenergy sponge with an MX-P topsheet. It would be interesting to see if that would work.
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i've actually talked about this with friends. one of my teachers has put h3 onto tenergy sponge and i've been tempted to put mx-p on it ever since.
says
Spin and more spin.
says
Spin and more spin.
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How did H3 feel on a Tenergy sponge? That would be interesting too.
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best way i could describe it, would be the feeling of mx-s. problem is after about an hour of play the pimples started seperating from the sponge.
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Why don't you use softer rubbers? The older players in my club (who start to develop knee and joint problems) always switch to softer rubbers. With a harder sponge, you need more energy to activate the sponge and it also requires a better technique.
EDIT: Just saw that you are actually using Baracuda which is not as hard as MX-S
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I am trying out both Baracuda and MX-P - I am still trying to reach a hard conclusion as to which is better. But I am playing fairly well so these are all small things.
What thickness are using w/ the MX-P? I remember that you liked the 1.9 in MX-S. Is that what you're using w/ MX-P?
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Yes, 1.9. I plan to try out 2.1 later, but I doubt it will make me play any better. I know at least one good player (2300+) who uses Tenergy in 1.9mm, so these things can be very overrated/misconceived.
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