Alternative that sits between Andro Hexer Grip and R47

So I've been playing with Andro Hexer Grip and R47 on my forehand lately.
I play them on an Andro Treiber CI off blade, which is not too fast, not too slow.

Both rubbers are great, both with their pros and cons.
The R47 is great for adding some pressure in your attacks.
The balls go quite fast and direct and naturally land deep in the table.
I find my opponents struggling to block or counter attack.
The drawback is that when my stance/movement is not 100%, I often miss.
Also blocking, service return and short play is not so easy for me with this rubber.

The Hexer Grip is a bit to the other side of the scale.
It's absolutely wonderfull for blocking, service return and short play.
I can keep looping consistently without missing.
On the other hand, it's hard to get the ball deep on the table, it feels like I have to put in too much body effort, which hurts my recovery.
Also, this makes it easier for opponents to block my attacks.
The Grip is also a heavy rubber for me, it wheighs in at 50gr when cut.

So this all results in an unbalanced game.
Either it's lots of attacking but also lots of losing easy points, or either it's less errors but not making those winners.
I'm looking for an alternative that sits in the middle, preferrably Andro or Tibhar.
I'm thinking about:

- Tibhar Aurus Select
expectations: should also have the good parts of the Hexer Grip, and I'm hoping it's quite a bit faster and lighter
risks: not faster than the Grip, and thus same drawbacks as the Grip

- Andro R42
expectations: same advantages as the R47, but a bit more tuned down and more control and less hard
risks: still not enough control, way too soft for forehand play in plastic ball era

- Andro Hexer Powergrip
expectations: should also have the good parts of the Hexer Grip, but faster
risks: too hard, even heavier than the Grip

Can anyone shine their light on my expectations and risks?

Thanks guys!
 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Apr 2014
1,486
1,087
2,609
Read 3 reviews
I guess you should go with the HeXer PowerGrip, even if that doesn´t solve the weight issue.

It is more powerful than the Grip, yet more controlled than the R47 while offering (nearly) equal spin.

R42 plays noticeably softer than either Grip or R47 - guess you wouldn´t want that.

The Aurus Select in theory sits in the middle between R42 and R47 - same concept with thin topsheet, but with a 45 degree sponge. I played with a promotional sheet before it was released and found it not too far apart from the HeXer Grip, so you wouldn´t see much difference, except for maybe 2 or 3 grams rubber weight.

Maybe while increasing power by choosing PowerGrip over Grip you could reduce thickness?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dream2K
I guess you should go with the HeXer PowerGrip, even if that doesn´t solve the weight issue.

It is more powerful than the Grip, yet more controlled than the R47 while offering (nearly) equal spin.

R42 plays noticeably softer than either Grip or R47 - guess you wouldn´t want that.

The Aurus Select in theory sits in the middle between R42 and R47 - same concept with thin topsheet, but with a 45 degree sponge. I played with a promotional sheet before it was released and found it not too far apart from the HeXer Grip, so you wouldn´t see much difference, except for maybe 2 or 3 grams rubber weight.

Maybe while increasing power by choosing PowerGrip over Grip you could reduce thickness?

Hmmm...

In theory the aurus does indeed sound the best, but I'm also affraid I won't see much difference versus the grip.

Powergrip is indeed a good option. I could get used to the weight, I guess.
But I'm also scared of the hardness, but maybe because all the hard rubbers I've tried were very fast as well.
I don't know what to expect from a hard but not so fast rubber...

Reducing thickness would put me on 1.9 which is quite thin for forehand.
 
This user has no status.
Maybe Tibhar evolution mx-s? It has approximately the same hardness as the R47 but is more controllable. It is an easy rubber for safely opening up against heavy backspin, blocking and short game.

Risk of the rubber is that it is also not very forgiving when your stance or movement is not 100%. The mx-s needs active strokes.
 
Maybe Tibhar evolution mx-s? It has approximately the same hardness as the R47 but is more controllable. It is an easy rubber for safely opening up against heavy backspin, blocking and short game.

Risk of the rubber is that it is also not very forgiving when your stance or movement is not 100%. The mx-s needs active strokes.

That's not a bad idea...
To avoid the risk you describe, I could degrade to an EL-S?
 
This user has no status.
I've used EL-S. That sounds closer to what you are looking for. 45 degree sponge and the "S" topsheet is less bouncy then the "P" topsheet.

I'd recommend. JOOLA Rhyzer 43 as an option. It's easy to create spin with and very fast too. At least as fast or faster than MX-P (even though it's 43 degrees). High trajectory, easy to block with. Only negative is that it's bouncy during touch play (But I've adjusted to it).
 
OK,

I eventually bought an Aurus Select max and a Hexer Powergrip 2.1.
As it turns out, both these rubbers fix my problems (see 1st post) without coming with the risks I was so affraid of.
For me, these rubbers fall nicely in between the Hexer Grip and the R47.
Here are some conclusions:

- Tibhar Aurus Select
Is indeed a bit faster than the Hexer Grip.
Maybe not much faster, but the trajectory is different and it's a lot easier to put a topspin deep in the table.
The rubber has loads of control, looping and blocking is very consistent.
I can put lots of spin on slower strokes.
Downside: rubber is a bit jumpy on service return and slow topspins.
For me definitely an improvement against the Hexer Grip: same advantages, but a bit faster, lighter and better trajectory.

- Andro Hexer Powergrip
Looping is a dream, effortless, straight trajectory, deep into the table.
But where I have to be very careful with the R47, the Powergrip is way more foregiving.
Although sometimes I still overshoot and the ball lands behind the table.
Block is quite direct, but still good control.
Short play and service return is fabulous, the rubber is not jumpy.
Feels like an R47 that behaves better and it's just loads of fun :)

In the end, I'm loving the Powergrip a bit more than the Aurus, due to more power, less jumpy, higher fun factor.
But the Powergrip will need more training hours, it's a bit less foregiving than the Aurus.

Thanks for all the feedback I've gotten!
GLHF!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dream2K
Top