Is DHS Skyline 3 blue sponge factory tuned?

I have DHS Skyline 3 39 degrees blue sponge for my forehand. Is it factory tuned or should I boost it before I glue it? If I need to boost it, should I put 1 layer of glue, like Revolution3, before boosting it?
Also I got Hurricane 3 Neo 37 degrees for backhand and I believe Neo are actually factory tuned already. Am I right? I never played with Chinese sticky rubbers and very curious. Thanks!

Skyline blue sponge versions shouldn't have any factory tuning. Any DHS rubber with neo label should be factory tuned. If you think you need to boost then boost, but I don't boost even with 40 deg and I think it is great.

I'd recommend 2 layers of glue then booster, then 1 final layer of glue for boosting.

If you boost the sponge better be clean so it absorbs the booster.

Originally Posted by Kolev

If you boost the sponge better be clean so it absorbs the booster.

Exactly. Plz stop advising to glue first. This makes 0 sense and makes it harder to reproduce boosting results, if not impossible.

Thanks for all replies! I applied 1 layer of booster directly to the sponge just to try.

Originally Posted by YV13

Thanks for all replies! I applied 1 layer of booster directly to the sponge just to try.

That is decent practise. Just try how the feeling and speed of the rubber changes. Then in case you like it and want even more of that noticed changed, you can apply one layer more.

Especially get a feel for the dome of the rubber. Because if you apply waay more and it curves too much you will never be able to glue that piece on any blade and ruined that rubber. Usually 2-3 layers are the maximum with any kind of booster.
Another advice: You can and should glue the rubber in a (at least slightly) curved state. To do so you need at least 2 layers of glue on the rubber and another one on the blade. Never try to glue any boosted rubber with one layer each on a blade. That will just not do. If the glue you are using has a low viscosity you will definitly need even more layers.

Originally Posted by Attitude

That is decent practise. Just try how the feeling and speed of the rubber changes. Then in case you like it and want even more of that noticed changed, you can apply one layer more.

Especially get a feel for the dome of the rubber. Because if you apply waay more and it curves too much you will never be able to glue that piece on any blade and ruined that rubber. Usually 2-3 layers are the maximum with any kind of booster.
Another advice: You can and should glue the rubber in a (at least slightly) curved state. To do so you need at least 2 layers of glue on the rubber and another one on the blade. Never try to glue any boosted rubber with one layer each on a blade. That will just not do. If the glue you are using has a low viscosity you will definitly need even more layers.

Thank you for advice! I am using Revolution3 glue.

Originally Posted by Attitude

Exactly. Plz stop advising to glue first. This makes 0 sense and makes it harder to reproduce boosting results, if not impossible.

I have a question here. Please do allow me to ask. In order to boost the blue sponge national/provincial h3 rubbers, do you need to add a layer of glue or more as an initial step before applying the booster. Should you add glue layer/layers before applying the booster onto the sponge.
I've read an article saying that it's better to apply booster directly for blue sponge versions but there are also the oppose stating that it's better to add a glue layer first so what's the better solution to do. I'd be happy to hear from you

Originally Posted by Colin Ksh

I have a question here. Please do allow me to ask. In order to boost the blue sponge national/provincial h3 rubbers, do you need to add a layer of glue or more as an initial step before applying the booster. Should you add glue layer/layers before applying the booster onto the sponge.
I've read an article saying that it's better to apply booster directly for blue sponge versions but there are also the oppose stating that it's better to add a glue layer first so what's the better solution to do. I'd be happy to hear from you

Asking is always better than just stating nonsense and is much appreciated^^.

The reason for glueing first comes out of the rumor that the layer of glue "protects" the rubber so you wont have the bubbling issue. But unfortunatly this is plainly wrong.
I will try to explain the boosting process a little bit more detailed so it is easier to understand that glueing first will not equal in the result we wish for.

If you boost you apply the oil onto the sponge. This will expand the sponge first which results in the famous curving. If the sponge expands the pimples of the rubber will expand or curve with the rubber because they are attached to each other. This will result that the pimples are no more right on top the sponge but slightly stretched to either side. In this position the pimples are no more tightly bound to the sponge.

Now you have glued the rubber onto your blade and start playing. If the rubber gets hit hard (while topspinning for example) several pimples might lose contact to the sponge and you will see "bubbles" on your rubber.
To prevent that some people think glueing the sponge first will protect rubber so the bubbling doesnt happen.
So what happens if you glue first:
Now there is a layer of glue between the sponge and your oil which you want to penetrate the sponge with. Probably you will even lose some of the oil which will never reach the sponge propperly. The only thing you achieve here is that the oil will partly not reach the sponge and expand it less equally and probably less overall. So you have to use more booster to get the same result. By doing this you gonna reach the same point as mentioned above, but you just wasted more booster.

More disadvantages from glueing first:
- A layer of glue will give you an unevenly surface, this will result in puddles of boosteroil so you will be unable to boost evenly, so you rubber will feel different depending on where you hit it
- If you brush oil over a gluesurface you will pick up some glue with the brush everytime you use the booster, which will end up in your boostertub.
- You waste glue^^

So in short: Use booster without glueing first.

And as per usual i refer to this thread because a user did a shitload of work to gather nearly every decent information there is out there concerning the Hurricane 3 and boosting:
https://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=37360

Originally Posted by Attitude

Asking is always better than just stating nonsense and is much appreciated^^.

The reason for glueing first comes out of the rumor that the layer of glue "protects" the rubber so you wont have the bubbling issue. But unfortunatly this is plainly wrong.
I will try to explain the boosting process a little bit more detailed so it is easier to understand that glueing first will not equal in the result we wish for.

If you boost you apply the oil onto the sponge. This will expand the sponge first which results in the famous curving. If the sponge expands the pimples of the rubber will expand or curve with the rubber because they are attached to each other. This will result that the pimples are no more right on top the sponge but slightly stretched to either side. In this position the pimples are no more tightly bound to the sponge.

Now you have glued the rubber onto your blade and start playing. If the rubber gets hit hard (while topspinning for example) several pimples might lose contact to the sponge and you will see "bubbles" on your rubber.
To prevent that some people think glueing the sponge first will protect rubber so the bubbling doesnt happen.
So what happens if you glue first:
Now there is a layer of glue between the sponge and your oil which you want to penetrate the sponge with. Probably you will even lose some of the oil which will never reach the sponge propperly. The only thing you achieve here is that the oil will partly not reach the sponge and expand it less equally and probably less overall. So you have to use more booster to get the same result. By doing this you gonna reach the same point as mentioned above, but you just wasted more booster.

More disadvantages from glueing first:
- A layer of glue will give you an unevenly surface, this will result in puddles of boosteroil so you will be unable to boost evenly, so you rubber will feel different depending on where you hit it
- If you brush oil over a gluesurface you will pick up some glue with the brush everytime you use the booster, which will end up in your boostertub.
- You waste glue^^

So in short: Use booster without glueing first.

And as per usual i refer to this thread because a user did a shitload of work to gather nearly every decent information there is out there concerning the Hurricane 3 and boosting:
https://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=37360

Thanks a bundle. It’s very informative of you about the boosting. I’m curious since it’ll be my first time boosting actually it’s my very first time using Chinese rubber as well.
I’ve read the forum you sent and now I’m clear with the facts
Moreover, for blue sponge either national or provincial, is one normal layer of booster enough? I’ve read blue sponge does not require a lot of booster since it soak up more and should just add adequate amount(dk whether it’s true or not). Should I boost just one or two layers?
One last question is for neo versions (factory boosted/tuned) should you removed the pre glued and boosted layer before you boost your new neo bs rubbers?
thanks in advance

Just to let you know, I put 1 layer of booster to blue sponge of Skyline 3 just to try it and it domed well, I don't think it will need another layer.

Originally Posted by igorponger

IDLE BRAIN IS DEVIL'S WORKSHOP.

XIOM just came up with a new rubber product of the latest generation to save your time. Given the atomic catapultivity, those praised rubbers need neither boostering manipulations neither glue works, owning to the innovative AI-SWITCH technology. Boosting is a messy job anyway, and devil will find work for idle hands.

Be happy.

What is the name of the rubbers? A lot of the companies have their rubbers factory tuned. I was playing with European rubbers, hybrid included and never boosted them. Now I want to try Chinese rubbers and most people recommend to boost most of them. I got Skyline 3 blue sponge and that's why I posted a question. On another hand, I got Hurricane 3 Neo 37 degrees and Neo coms pre boosted and I decided not to boost it more.

I got unboosted Hurricane 3 Neo 37 degrees on my backhand.
Plenty of speed for my level and style.

Originally Posted by Colin Ksh

Thanks a bundle. It’s very informative of you about the boosting. I’m curious since it’ll be my first time boosting actually it’s my very first time using Chinese rubber as well.
I’ve read the forum you sent and now I’m clear with the facts
Moreover, for blue sponge either national or provincial, is one normal layer of booster enough? I’ve read blue sponge does not require a lot of booster since it soak up more and should just add adequate amount(dk whether it’s true or not). Should I boost just one or two layers?

One last question is for neo versions (factory boosted/tuned) should you removed the pre glued and boosted layer before you boost your new neo bs rubbers?
thanks in advance

Depends. If you are satisfied with the result (like YV13) and you like how it plays then one is enough.
Myself for example likes the more crisper feeling i get when i hit hard and i do have a strong swing. I dont get quite the same feeling if i put less than 2 layers on it. Sometimes if i boosted too thin it can even come to a third layer. But that is rarely the case because at this point it gets tricky. A little bit too much booster and i can through the rubber right in the trash.

Ideally you dont buy the neo version if you want to boost.
If you did and still want to boost, you have 2 options.
1. Because the layer is pretty even you can just boost right on it and role with it.
2. Try to remove it, which is quite tricky because the layer is usually really thin so you might have to put some glue on it, to be able to remove the layer.

Originally Posted by dajdosta

I got unboosted Hurricane 3 Neo 37 degrees on my backhand.
Plenty of speed for my level and style.

I'm doing the same with Neo 37 and will test it tonight! I boosted Skyline 3 blue with 1 layer though.

BTW, just to add that I f...ed up a few TG3Neo(and not only) several months after the first application while trying to boost again.
I didn't bother to clean the sponge and thus had to apply a bit more to achieve a dome, but those rubbers always ended up with bubbles after few hours of playing and I am still trying to figure out why this happened.
Now I am afraid to boost again my relatively expensive H3N Prov OS