Hi everyone. I'm currently trying a setup based on EmRatThich's article "10 best blades". Stiga Allround Classic with Hurricane 3 Neo on FH and Stiga Mantra M on BH. It's actually a very enjoyable setup for me, a developing player. But...
The Hurricane stinks of chemicals, and makes my hand, my bag and my other stuff stink as well. There are many accounts of this on the web, apparently "all Chinese rubbers smell", with advice like "let it air out" or "put the racket in a plastic bag" but I just find it appalling to be in contact with something that emits chemicals. Pouring more chemicals on my rubbers to boost them seems appalling too, so I'm not interested in that.
The Mantra doesn't smell, neither did any other non-chinese rubbers I tried so far.
Given no boosting, are there any good alternatives to a hard Chinese rubber that don't smell? I read about Stiga Genesis rubbers which supposedly are some kind of mix of Chinese and Japanese, and Xiom Vega China that has "China" in the name... but would those be similar?
Yep, ignoring the subject of stereotyping is the way to go. Good job!
Somehow I missed something. Or maybe some people don't read so well.
The parts of frankhond's post that are in quotes are things he has read other people have said.
One of the things in quotes is: "all Chinese rubbers smell". That is not him who he is saying that. It is a description of things he read on the internet.
He is just asking if there are alternatives to hard Chinese rubbers that don't smell.
What on earth is wrong with that. Why are you guys attacking him for not wanting to play with something where he does not like the smell and is worried about chemicals.
He isn't specifying where the rubbers that don't smell come from. Is he? Even if he is, who cares. Help him or leave off. Of course there are Chinese rubbers that don't smell terrible. And of course there are rubbers from all sorts of manufacturers that do smell pretty much as toxic as Flo-Master Ink.
frankhond, why don't you see how Mantra works for FH? If it is good, get the same rubber for FH as you are using on BH. Truthfully, it is often good to use the same rubbers on FH as BH. Amateur TT players sometimes overthink things and think they need a different rubber for FH and BH. You don't. You don't need different rubbers for each wing unless you actually know what specifically you need for each wing that is different than the other wing.
There is no reason to harass someone for wanting rubbers they like and feel good about whether that is rubbers that don't have boosters, don't smell, don't have unwanted chemicals. If you like the chemicals, that is your business. You can use all the boost you like. I don't personally know anyone who would try to stop you. But someone else can like not having them too.
Now I better go back into the hideout Der set up for me since the goon squad is up to no good and they are coming to get me.