How long do rubbers stay grippy for?

**Michael Zhuang** · 05-17-2022

I heard that people recommend changing rubbers 4 times a year if you play 4 days a week, so changing rubbers every 3 months.

I have been playing with a sheet of H3N for 7 weeks now, but it doesn't seem to be worn out at all. It's still extremely grippy, and I can hit very good loops with it still. Especially after wiping it with a wet towel, it just seems almost new.

So realistically, how long does it take for a rubber to actually lose grip?

**ricospin** · 05-17-2022

If we are defining grip as in how the ball will resist moving when you drag it on a topsheet I think it will externally be grippy. Being tacky is a little different but I have experienced prolonged life span when I’ve used nittaku sticky sheets plus cleaners after sessions.

i use the neottec cleaner from tt11 but anything work. Even water is pretty good.

i don’t use rubber rejuvenators nor do I find the need to

**Tony's Table Tennis** · 05-17-2022

many factors at play.
- how hard do you hit
- how many hours a week
- climate of the playing area
- do you boost or not
- type of rubber, Chinese style or Euro/Jap style (different top sheet characteristics)
and ultimately, the definition on the scale on what is still be consider "grippy" enough to use (as per my other thread, pros, can be at the 80% mark, while amateurs at the 50% mark for example)

Base on U15/U17/U19 semi pros, males who train around 35-40 hours per week, a H3N will last 100~150 hours.
Tenergy 05H will last around 240~300 hours
and these are hard loopers

**Michael Zhuang** · 05-17-2022

Originally Posted by Tony's Table Tennis

many factors at play.
- how hard do you hit
- how many hours a week
- climate of the playing area
- do you boost or not
- type of rubber, Chinese style or Euro/Jap style (different top sheet characteristics)
and ultimately, the definition on the scale on what is still be consider "grippy" enough to use (as per my other thread, pros, can be at the 80% mark, while amateurs at the 50% mark for example)

Base on U15/U17/U19 semi pros, males who train around 35-40 hours per week, a H3N will last 100~150 hours.
Tenergy 05H will last around 240~300 hours
and these are hard loopers

wow, 150 hours sounds like a really long time. 2 hours a session, 4 sessions a week, means 32 hours of play in a month. So H3N would last 4 or 5 months!?

**cytivrat** · 05-17-2022

It all depends on multiple factors. I don't remember changing rubber due to lost of grip. But when I used to play 4-6 times a week, I've been changing rubbers every 2-3 month due to changes in sponge, rather then in topsheet. 100-120 hours of play, I guess.

**Michael Zhuang** · 05-17-2022

Originally Posted by cytivrat

It all depends on multiple factors. I don't remember changing rubber due to lost of grip. But when I used to play 4-6 times a week, I've been changing rubbers every 2-3 month due to changes in sponge, rather then in topsheet. 100-120 hours of play, I guess.

Change in sponge?? How does the sponge change?

**cytivrat** · 05-17-2022

Originally Posted by Michael Zhuang

Change in sponge?? How does the sponge change?

I don't know how to describes it. Lets say that it becomes softer, gives mushy feel, like you play with a pillow or cotton wool. Besides I don't like how it feels, it also gives me additional inconsistency in power loops forcing me to reduce power and change my stroke

**lodro** · 05-17-2022

how LONG IS A PIECE OF STRING ????

**Dominikk85** · 05-17-2022

I read with modern rubbers usually the sponge dies before the rubber because the tension or factory turning goes away.

**ricospin** · 05-17-2022

I think most people got sidetracked with the question, which was when do the rubbers lose grip. I don't think my 6 year old hurricane has lost any of it's bite on the ball.

Since everyone is talking about when to switch, more often than not you'll feel the drop off in performance OR the topsheet would bubble or something to this effect. Something about the rubber will feel like it's noticeably worse than usual- this is how i determine rubber's lifespan.

More often than not I switch rubber on the basis of curiosity rather the actual need to. Although I try to give it a couple of months 5 or so months before actually needing to switch,

**Michael Zhuang** · 05-17-2022

Originally Posted by ricospin

I think most people got sidetracked with the question, which was when do the rubbers lose grip. I don't think my 6 year old hurricane has lost any of it's bite on the ball.

Since everyone is talking about when to switch, more often than not you'll feel the drop off in performance OR the topsheet would bubble or something to this effect. Something about the rubber will feel like it's noticeably worse than usual- this is how i determine rubber's lifespan.

More often than not I switch rubber on the basis of curiosity rather the actual need to. Although I try to give it a couple of months 5 or so months before actually needing to switch,

Why would there be a dropoff in performance if the topsheet still retains its grip? I can understand how a tensor might dropoff in performance if the tuning wears off, but H3 is kind of a dead sponge to begin with.

**Ktandean** · 05-17-2022

On average, 3-4 months sounds about reasonable for many, depending on the brand also.
Though it's also good to hear that some people can use their rubbers for years.
I am mainly a user of Chinese tacky rubbers, though I've also used 'hybrid-grippy' ones like Rakza Z and Fastarc G-1 (the latter currently on my BH)

What's more important is probably how to sustain that tackiness/grippy-ness.
1. Clean and wipe your rubbers regularly with sponge and water or water-based cleaners after playing, that's a must.
2. Put on protective sheet.
3. Take out a roller and roll on the protective sheet till it sticks well and your rubber shows its pimples.
4. Next day, when you open the sheet to play, the tacky/grippy sheet will be sticky again.

If you do the 4 steps above diligently, time will pass by without you even thinking you need to change your rubbers every now and then.

**Tony's Table Tennis** · 05-17-2022

Originally Posted by Michael Zhuang

wow, 150 hours sounds like a really long time. 2 hours a session, 4 sessions a week, means 32 hours of play in a month. So H3N would last 4 or 5 months!?

Its all relative to your conditions, your power, your storage, your weather, your gluing, your boosting(or not), the quality of rubber (comm/prov/nat), blue sponge/orange sponge, many things

At the end, players mostly feel the need to change when the rubber is no longer doing what it should be doing.

For lower level, I know some that uses H3N for a year, they only change when the topsheet is no longer sticky. I know some that uses them for years too.
So it all relative on what you want from it, and where you draw that boundry line

**Tony's Table Tennis** · 05-17-2022

Originally Posted by cytivrat

I don't know how to describes it. Lets say that it becomes softer, gives mushy feel, like you play with a pillow or cotton wool. Besides I don't like how it feels, it also gives me additional inconsistency in power loops forcing me to reduce power and change my stroke

I know what you are talking about. players would normally first reglue and see if the problem is gone.
Most times, the glue just becomes dead and need a fresh layer

**Tony's Table Tennis** · 05-17-2022

Originally Posted by Michael Zhuang

Why would there be a dropoff in performance if the topsheet still retains its grip? I can understand how a tensor might dropoff in performance if the tuning wears off, but H3 is kind of a dead sponge to begin with.

Its not dead sponge.
If you compare 37 to 42 deg sponge for example, 42 might be dead for some, and 37 might be too bouncy for others.
Most players I know like a 41 and boost down to around 39
40 is kind of a limit.

for those that don't boost, they tend to go 39 and it isn't dead at all

I guess if you brushing European style wise, then you not brushing the ball into the sponge at all.
funny enough with all these hybrids or 53/55 ESN rubbers,more and more strokes are becoming more Chinese style wise. It could be both equipment and the influence off Chinese coaches/training partners

**ricospin** · 05-17-2022

Originally Posted by Michael Zhuang

Why would there be a dropoff in performance if the topsheet still retains its grip? I can understand how a tensor might dropoff in performance if the tuning wears off, but H3 is kind of a dead sponge to begin with.

I think h3 has a long lifespan, but there will be a time where you will feel like you are working harder than you should for shots that usually don't require that much effort. I had this feeling with the h8 after 5 months, short touches were not as deadly and service felt not as good.

**Kuba Hajto** · 05-17-2022

Originally Posted by Michael Zhuang

Why would there be a dropoff in performance if the topsheet still retains its grip? I can understand how a tensor might dropoff in performance if the tuning wears off, but H3 is kind of a dead sponge to begin with.

Mechanical wear I guess. You will notice the difference when you get there when comparing to new sheet.

**Kuba Hajto** · 05-17-2022

I would suggest that you do not replace rubber unless you feel it is necessary. If you rubber feels ok why bother changing just because someone else told you to do so...

When your top shit is toast you will hear the top sheet making squeaky noises when you brush and you wheel feel ball slipping. When you sponge is toast you will loose feel that the sponge no longer returns energy to the ball and it will be harder to spin the ball.

**cytivrat** · 05-17-2022

Originally Posted by Tony's Table Tennis

I know what you are talking about. players would normally first reglue and see if the problem is gone.
Most times, the glue just becomes dead and need a fresh layer

Tried that some time ago, could prolong rubber life for around a week, then I was realizing that it still doesn't work for me and had to change rubbers.

**Tony's Table Tennis** · 05-17-2022

Originally Posted by cytivrat

Tried that some time ago, could prolong rubber life for around a week, then I was realizing that it still doesn't work for me and had to change rubbers.

may that old rubber rest in peace

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