Fastarc C1 and G1

I hope my experience over the last two-three years will be of some help. I believe my skill level improved during this time-frame and this may affect my perception of rubber suitability. Equipment testing is very subjective but I will try to be as objective as possible.

My blade of choice during this time was the same Samsonov Force Pro Special Edition (SFPSE, a light clipper analog) and I use inverted on both side. I consider myself an all-round player, like the great Samsonov! One caveat is that I rarely play with actual people but I train regularly, albeit my training sessions are short, against a robot. While some aspects of the game can't be trained, a robot training provides an objective view of the progress. I believe the progress is real, but it is also very slow.

Chronologically:

Really liked C-1 (black)

Advantages: great grip, easy to lift low ball, easy to create low spinny serve, insensitive to incoming spin.

Disadvantages: slow

Switched to G-1 (black) and originally struggled with it but ended up using it for 1 year.

Advantages: faster and more powerful than C-1

Disadvantages: difficult to lift low ball, sensitive to incoming spin.

G-1 forced me to learn to hit more into the sponge as opposed to more tangential shot for which it was ill-suited in my hands. I believe drilling relying less on brushing expanded the repertoire of my technique and I became more flexible with how I engage rubbers other than G-1. Overall, G-1 is a good all-round rubber but I would not call it friendly, possibly because of the hard top.

After G-1 I tried T80 and found it simply superior to both C-1 and G-1. T80 seems to combine only the good properties of these rubbers and it is faster than G-1 but not a speed monster. T80 is easier to operate than G-1 especially at low speed and T80 is more linear. T80 is a light weight rubber.

C-1 and G-1 lasted forever for me. I could not believe how long they kept going. But, most recently, C-1 through me a curved ball. A brand new sheet (Red this time) played totally differently: less control, less spinney. The sheet is much softer to touch than the old C-1 (Black). Either I got a bad batch or there are significant differences due to deferent coloring dyes.

For me, Mizuno Q5 seems like a slight improvement over G-1 but I did not compare them side by side.

FX-P I tried briefly and I found it too soft and too slow for me. I would put it somewhere between G-1 and T80 in how it feels during play. FX-P in some ways is more like T80 in that it does everything in a friendly manner but plays slower and softer. FX-P is extremely friendly, G-1 is not. If I could go back to when I restarted TT as an adult, I would have gained the most benefit if starting with FX-P or C-1 (black) or T80.

I will also mention V-11 Extra. In many ways it is similar to T80 but slightly softer and more direct. In fact, for me, it was a bit too direct on SFPSE on FH and required extra wrist action. On more flexible Acoustic V-11 plays even better but I still prefer T80 there as well. V-11 is very light, lighter than a sheet of T80 with thinner sponge, which is a very light rubber already.

I tried other rubbers as well, but the above set seem to share many similarities. I could further split them into three groups by similarity: Q5 and G-1 (hard top), T80 and V-11 (medium overall hardness, good speed), and C-1 and FX-P (softer, slower).

MOG said:

I have decided that Tenergy 05fx is a bit bouncy, too bouncy and that these days the negatives of that outweigh the positives, especially with the ABS balls.

So I know Fastarc G1 is often touted as a less bouncy but still spinny alternative to Tenergy 05.
I have never really used the harder rubbers so was think C1 might be a good compromise.

I want decent spin a bit of help with a decent arc.
A bit less bouncy on blocks, and when I am trying to spin the ball hard I have a bit more control. I am prepared to lose some spin to gain control.

It will be going on an Avalox P700 or Ma Lin Carbon.

Hopefully the Avalox P700 which is better for my bh medium pimples.

I have tried in the past Evolution, FX-P, FX-S, EL-S and MX-P and not really been impressed with any of them.

I used to like Mendo MP and then Joola Energy 325 in the good old days.

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thomas.pong said:

I think you have the right idea with C-1, and that I actually recommended it to you a while ago. The other rubber I would recommend for what you have in mind is the Yasaka Rakza X Soft, or maybe the Rakza 7 Soft. I definitely like these 3 more than the Evolution series or other German tensors.

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Thomas, what sponge hardness does the Rakza X soft have? 40 degrees like Rakza 7 soft? And by the way, have you ever tried one of the Cornilleau Target Pro GT rubbers? I was wondering if the 43 might be a cheaper alternative to T05FX?

MK73 said:

Thomas, what sponge hardness does the Rakza X soft have? 40 degrees like Rakza 7 soft? And by the way, have you ever tried one of the Cornilleau Target Pro GT rubbers? I was wondering if the 43 might be a cheaper alternative to T05FX?

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MOG said:

I ordered some G1 in the end today, might as well try a big change if trying a change!

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thomas.pong said:

Hey MK,

Rakza X Soft is 42.5 deg on average whereas Rakza 7 Soft is 40 deg on average.

https://www.yasakajp.com/items/rakzax-soft/
https://www.yasakajp.com/items/rakza_7_soft/

I've tried some of the Cornilleau Target rubbers on clubmates' paddles while in France but not extensively. I never really considered them because they were expensive there and I could get Tenergys for roughly the same price. I remember that they felt good, different than Donic and Tibhar rubbers. I think if you can get it for cheaper than Tenergy 05 FX, the Target 43 is worth a try. I do think Rakza X Soft (less dynamic than TFX but good) and Rasanter R45 (dynamic) are good alternatives to T05 FX.

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Thanks for your reply, Thomas. Will probably try the Target 43 in the near future. I've seen that its available for 37 Euros in a German online shop. As for now I am very happy with T05FX as my bh rubber. Best I've tried so far.

MK73 said:

Thanks for your reply, Thomas. Will probably try the Target 43 in the near future. I've seen that its available for 37 Euros in a German online shop. As for now I am very happy with T05FX as my bh rubber. Best I've tried so far.

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Dream2K said:

I hope my experience over the last two-three years will be of some help. I believe my skill level improved during this time-frame and this may affect my perception of rubber suitability. Equipment testing is very subjective but I will try to be as objective as possible.

My blade of choice during this time was the same Samsonov Force Pro Special Edition (SFPSE, a light clipper analog) and I use inverted on both side. I consider myself an all-round player, like the great Samsonov! One caveat is that I rarely play with actual people but I train regularly, albeit my training sessions are short, against a robot. While some aspects of the game can't be trained, a robot training provides an objective view of the progress. I believe the progress is real, but it is also very slow.

Chronologically:

Really liked C-1 (black)

Advantages: great grip, easy to lift low ball, easy to create low spinny serve, insensitive to incoming spin.

Disadvantages: slow

Switched to G-1 (black) and originally struggled with it but ended up using it for 1 year.

Advantages: faster and more powerful than C-1

Disadvantages: difficult to lift low ball, sensitive to incoming spin.

G-1 forced me to learn to hit more into the sponge as opposed to more tangential shot for which it was ill-suited in my hands. I believe drilling relying less on brushing expanded the repertoire of my technique and I became more flexible with how I engage rubbers other than G-1. Overall, G-1 is a good all-round rubber but I would not call it friendly, possibly because of the hard top.

After G-1 I tried T80 and found it simply superior to both C-1 and G-1. T80 seems to combine only the good properties of these rubbers and it is faster than G-1 but not a speed monster. T80 is easier to operate than G-1 especially at low speed and T80 is more linear. T80 is a light weight rubber.

C-1 and G-1 lasted forever for me. I could not believe how long they kept going. But, most recently, C-1 through me a curved ball. A brand new sheet (Red this time) played totally differently: less control, less spinney. The sheet is much softer to touch than the old C-1 (Black). Either I got a bad batch or there are significant differences due to deferent coloring dyes.

For me, Mizuno Q5 seems like a slight improvement over G-1 but I did not compare them side by side.

FX-P I tried briefly and I found it too soft and too slow for me. I would put it somewhere between G-1 and T80 in how it feels during play. FX-P in some ways is more like T80 in that it does everything in a friendly manner but plays slower and softer. FX-P is extremely friendly, G-1 is not. If I could go back to when I restarted TT as an adult, I would have gained the most benefit if starting with FX-P or C-1 (black) or T80.

I will also mention V-11 Extra. In many ways it is similar to T80 but slightly softer and more direct. In fact, for me, it was a bit too direct on SFPSE on FH and required extra wrist action. On more flexible Acoustic V-11 plays even better but I still prefer T80 there as well. V-11 is very light, lighter than a sheet of T80 with thinner sponge, which is a very light rubber already.

I tried other rubbers as well, but the above set seem to share many similarities. I could further split them into three groups by similarity: Q5 and G-1 (hard top), T80 and V-11 (medium overall hardness, good speed), and C-1 and FX-P (softer, slower).

Click to expand...

never used P-1