Andro Rasanter R48

[virtuososiu]

First impressions...

• There is a distinctive sweet booster smell that was very noticeable as soon as I opened the package. I continued to noticed it during a 3 hour session. In fact, I could still smell it when I was making my way home after the session. It could be psychological, but it did dwell on me.
• Its plenty fast enough. I put them on a slow 5 ply blade, Stiga Celero. I was able to loop from mid distance.
• Its easy to spin with. During first hits, I was able to impart high level of spin with minimal effect.
• On the forehand side, it feels like a nice soft mattress. The softness made me think the ball was staying on the rubber for a relatively long time. I had to remind myself to contract my forearm. Higher level players might find this too soft for forehand?
• On the backhand side, the hardness felt optimum. I was able to loop and to hit with ease.
• Its does not feel heavy. I have ultramax on both sides.
• Control is very good on a 5 ply wood blade. Im sure many will be able to pair R48 with carbon blades that are not too fast.
• It is not unlike the 1st gen DNA M, but spinnier and nicer.
• Durability is to be determined.

 

[Ahma]

Are you changing to this from el-s? Great review btw. 👍🏻

 

[virtuososiu]

I wanted to try R48. Depending on how I feel about it in the next month or 2 I suppose.

G1 and ELS are still great rubbers for local league players.

In fact Niitaku will be launching max version of G1, which got me very excited.

 

[Airoc]

First impressions...

• There is a distinctive sweet booster smell that was very noticeable as soon as I opened the package. I continued to noticed it during a 3 hour session. In fact, I could still smell it when I was making my way home after the session. It could be psychological, but it did dwell on me.
• Its plenty fast enough. I put them on a slow 5 ply blade, Stiga Celero. I was able to loop from mid distance.
• Its easy to spin with. During first hits, I was able to impart high level of spin with minimal effect.
• On the forehand side, it feels like a nice soft mattress. The softness made me think the ball was staying on the rubber for a relatively long time. I had to remind myself to contract my forearm. Higher level players might find this too soft for forehand?
• On the backhand side, the hardness felt optimum. I was able to loop and to hit with ease.
• Its does not feel heavy. I have ultramax on both sides.
• Control is very good on a 5 ply wood blade. Im sure many will be able to pair R48 with carbon blades that are not too fast.
• It is not unlike the 1st gen DNA M, but spinnier and nicer.
• Durability is to be determined

The properties you describe (soft feeling, high spin level) are an effect of the ENERGY CELL sponge andro introduced with R53. (As a sidenote, curiously enough the newest ENERGY CELL rubber R45 does not feel much softer than its official sponge hardness.)

I think you have all important points covered, may I add that I have been playing with R48 since it first became available and the durability is good. It always depends on which strokes you play most, how hard you hit, what the playing conditions etc. are, so I don´t want to give a number of hours - but I usually change my rubbers every 3 months like I did with Rasanter R47 which I played before, and the rubbers are good enough to pass them on to youth players who can use them for some time.

 

[virtuososiu]

The properties you describe (soft feeling, high spin level) are an effect of the ENERGY CELL sponge andro introduced with R53. (As a sidenote, curiously enough the newest ENERGY CELL rubber R45 does not feel much softer than its official sponge hardness.)

I think you have all important points covered, may I add that I have been playing with R48 since it first became available and the durability is good. It always depends on which strokes you play most, how hard you hit, what the playing conditions etc. are, so I don´t want to give a number of hours - but I usually change my rubbers every 3 months like I did with Rasanter R47 which I played before, and the rubbers are good enough to pass them on to youth players who can use them for some time.

thanks for sharing airoc

would you care to elaborate on the kind of stroke that might consume the rubber sooner? not that I will avoid the stroke lol but just being curious. Im guess it either favour hitting (and engaging the sponge) or brushing (and using more top sheet)?

 

[Manto76]

In fact Nittaku will be launching max version of G1, which got me very excited.

Also looking forward to trying that when it's available ... although ... "don't fix what isn't broken" comes to mind too!

 

[virtuososiu]

After another 2-hour training session. I really do see myself using R48 on the backhand. Its really easy to loop and punch from mid distance. The lively sponge pair well with the relatively compact bh strokes.

On a side note, having used H37 on the BH for few months, it has really encouraged me to "go for it" and the brush/hit the ball hard. It is really good for if you want to develop a stronger BH.

 

[virtuososiu]

Also looking forward to trying that when it's available ... although ... "don't fix what isn't broken" comes to mind too!

that is a good mentality 👍

 

[Airoc]

thanks for sharing airoc

would you care to elaborate on the kind of stroke that might consume the rubber sooner? not that I will avoid the stroke lol but just being curious. Im guess it either favour hitting (and engaging the sponge) or brushing (and using more top sheet)?

None particularly. Just wanted to point out that durability depends on so many factors. I guess it´s safe to say anything "active" that implies friction or force will stress the rubber more than a push and block game.

 

[virtuososiu]

Update, Jan 2022.
Durability is nothing to write home about, but it was still capable or very decent shots (both spin and speed) towards the end.
It really is a very decent BH rubber. Pairing it with a thin 7 ply is plenty fast enough. Pairing it with carbon blades will require very decent techniques and early timing (especially in games).
I have purchase another in GREEN. Looking forward to using it.

 

[brokenball]

[*]On the forehand side, it feels like a nice soft mattress. The softness made me think the ball was staying on the rubber for a relatively long time. I had to remind myself to contract my forearm. Higher level players might find this too soft for forehand?

I have had R48 mounted on my TB ALC for about a year now. It is similar to my favorite Rakza 7. I am not a calibrated machine but I think R48's sponge is just a little faster. I compensate by closing my paddle a little bit more to get more spin and less speed.

I don't see why higher level players would find R48 too soft. If you are flat hitting or slapping the ball you could possibly bottom it out but when flat hitting it doesn't matter. To generate top spin, one doesn't hit through the center of the ball but instead at an angle. At a 45 degree angle the effective speed perpendicular ( normal ) to the paddle,thickness of the rubber decreases by about 29%. I don't see when making the rubber harder would make it better. R48 seems to be pretty good as it is.