Similar Rubbers to Tenergy 05 FX

russell · Mar 31, 2016

I've now practised for a few weeks with 2 year old Tenergy 05 FX rubber given to me to try by a player at my club who has just replaced it. I've found that I really like this rubber. The downside is that it is very expensive so I'm wondering if there is anything that feels and plays pretty similar but is less expensive.

NDH · Mar 31, 2016

Hi Russell,

This topic has been discussed to death lately - There are some pretty solid answers if you search the forum.

In a nutshell.......

Nothing is as good as Tenergy. Tihar Evo MX series comes closest.

However, in the UK, the price difference between Tenergy and the competition isn't huge (£10/£15 per sheet).

That being said, Tenergy will last much longer and play better than the others (as the life of the Rubber goes on) - Therefore, it will be better value in the long run.

Marios · Nov 26, 2017

The closest thing that I found at a significantly lower price is the DHS Skyline 3-60 Soft. For me, it plays very similar!

OhWell · Nov 26, 2017

Marios said:
The closest thing that I found at a significantly lower price is the DHS Skyline 3-60 Soft. For me, it plays very similar!

I believe that you find them similar, but for the OP: that's an unusual opinion. Skyline 3-60 is a tacky rubber (even though the sponge is closer to a euro/jap type sponge.)

OhWell · Nov 26, 2017

The 05fx is softer, is that what you want or could you also enjoy something harder, more along the lines of the 05? Is this for your forehand or backhand? It's interesting to note that most T05 alternative discussions focus on the standard sponge version, not the fx.

Also, note that a 2yo rubber will probably be extremely differently from a new one. When people discuss alternatives, they mean for the new rubbers. If you haven't played with a less worn out t05fx (or t05) you might actually dislike them brand new. That makes is much harder to give suggestions.

langel · Nov 26, 2017

NDH said:
Hi Russell,

Nothing is as good as Tenergy.

That being said, Tenergy will last much longer and play better than the others (as the life of the Rubber goes on) - Therefore, it will be better value in the long run.

I agree at 100% with the first sentence. Nothing is good as Tenergy.
The same way there is nothing as good as ESN tensors.

If you like Tenergy, you should stick to Tenergy.
If you want to look for another rubber, you have to think of it as an alternative, but not substitute.
The same way a Tenergy will be an alternative, but not a substitute to Tensors.

Which of them you'd like more depends on you.

Upon my eperience Xiom tensors have a double of usable lifespan compared to Tenergy.

yoass · Nov 26, 2017

NDH said:
Nothing is as good as Tenergy. Tihar Evo MX series comes closest.

That's a recognizable story, but I think it applies to the non-"FX" tenergies. People are looking for less expensive alternatives to T05 and tend to come up short, because, well, different rubbers in the end feel differently.

I don't think the "FX"es are that special, that is to say, to me the feeling of the T05FX rubber isn't that unique. The good things about it can be had in other rubbers — Rasant Grip, for example, and now Rasanter R42, and Rakza 7 Soft, and a lot, lot more soft- to mid-hard tensor-types like it. It may be me, but I didn't find the spin-intensive qualities of T05 back in T05FX either.

Actually, Butterfly happens to offer a rubber that sits squarely in the same family and shares quite a bit of the "tenergy" feeling, and is less expensive; Rozena. Slightly less spinny, slightly less speedy, slightly less bouncy — and all of these are probably a good thing for a good many players.

OhWell · Nov 26, 2017

With the proviso that they will be very different from a 2yo t05fx, you might want to look into Donic Barracuda. It's one of the softest ESN rubbers (42.5 deg shore C/esn scale) that gets recommended for people who like t05: i.e. high throw + high spin; but slower and softer than t05.

Airoc · Nov 26, 2017

OhWell said:
42.5 deg shore C/esn scale

I doubt this. It should be slightly harder, like its siblings Hexer and Genius.

To replace 05fx, take a look at Evolution FX-S.

OhWell · Nov 26, 2017

Airoc said:
I doubt this. It should be slightly harder, like its siblings Hexer and Genius.

To replace 05fx, take a look at Evolution FX-S.

My bad, multiple stores post that value but I couldn’t verify.

ajtatosmano2 · Nov 26, 2017

Just take any of the latest tensors in a similar hardness. It will do the work. All pretty good, but all feels different.

Lightzy · Nov 26, 2017

Palio AK47 Blue
It also costs like $12 (free shipping from aliexpress) and is SIGNIFICANTLY lighter.

Airoc · Nov 27, 2017

Lightzy said:
Palio AK47 Blue
It also costs like $12 (free shipping from aliexpress) and is SIGNIFICANTLY lighter.

Yes, but while being relatively "European" for a Chinese rubber, it is still quite far away from the feeling of 05fx or modern medium/soft Tensor rubbers.

iacovides · Nov 27, 2017

Airoc said:
I doubt this. It should be slightly harder, like its siblings Hexer and Genius.

To replace 05fx, take a look at Evolution FX-S.

+1 for FX-S

Lightzy · Nov 27, 2017

Airoc said:
Yes, but while being relatively "European" for a Chinese rubber, it is still quite far away from the feeling of 05fx or modern medium/soft Tensor rubbers.

True, but the difference is really noticeable only on forehand. Which I never even considered.
Put it on the backhand and it plays very similar.
On FH of course you'd never take a rubber like that (or the 05fx). Or at least that's how I feel. Unless you're like 70.
The main advantage of it is that it's one of the lightest rubbers out there, so perfect for BH.

Similar Rubbers to Tenergy 05 FX

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