Are double fish rubbers any good?

[TensorBackhand]

https://a.aliexpress.com/_ms0VktW

Just saw this. It kinda looks cool, with putple and blue sponge.

I could use a 40d sticky fh rubber.

But ive never tried double fish rubbers before. Are they up to the standard of Loki?

 

[latej]

I played DF Volant Phoenix H40 (black) and I quite like it. The only drawback was that it went kind of grey rel. soon. It is not a big problem, the price is good and I'd replace it after at most 3 months anyway. When I finished my first sheet (I still have 2 new sheets), I tried Loki Rxton 9, which is H40-H41, and to me the LR9 felt even better, nicely elastic. But to put things into relation, I like DFVP and I'd not go back to H3 prov H41 or H40 - to me the quality of DFVP was higher than my last 3 H3 sheets.

P.S. Michael, I really disliked TDE ;-)

 

[Stella]

No one uses this in China.

 

[tackyfh]

tbf I quite like Volant Phoenix, it has good speed and spin, non-tacky (sadly) and factory boosted so u just glue it in and play. The only drawback is the quick degradation of the top sheet and after 2 months of play, mine just died. It lost all the grip and can't be revived with speed glue or booster

 

[Zwill]

I tried the Volant-Phoenix and the Polestar-P and the Polestar-P is like a nicely boosted H3N OS, or more like a Dianchi D...
I think the Polestar-P and Dianchi D have much harder and more elastic sponges than H3N even if they are rated for 39 or 40deg only, they feel very firm and elastic. And thanks to this both rubbers are quite fast.

 

[Attitude]

No one uses this in China.

Are they using any H3 alternatives anyway?
Hard to get any information what is used at the amateur level besides H3

 

[Stella]

Are they using any H3 alternatives anyway?
Hard to get any information what is used at the amateur level besides H3

There are many manufacturers in China trying to develop a rubber that can compete with the H3, it's not an exaggeration to say that there are many, such as Yinhe 北斗（big dipper）,Sanwei 标靶（target）, but so far, thebut they merely compete with the lowest grades, especially ”National“, the blue sponge one, which is irreplaceable so far (it needs a bit of expanding oil prep).

 

[Zwill]

In fact many amateurs use Battle 2 Double fish, Young shine etc etc H3 clones.

 

[zeio]

Double Fish balls are decent. I'll leave it at that.

The last tacky rubbers that gave H3 some challenges were Haifu Blue Whale 2 and 3.

 

[tackyfh]

There are many manufacturers in China trying to develop a rubber that can compete with the H3, it's not an exaggeration to say that there are many, such as Yinhe 北斗（big dipper）,Sanwei 标靶（target）, but so far, thebut they merely compete with the lowest grades

judging by their prices, they're only trying to compete with H3 market version, but even then they still can't replicate or surpass the amount of spin H3 gives

 

[TensorBackhand]

I played DF Volant Phoenix H40 (black) and I quite like it. The only drawback was that it went kind of grey rel. soon. It is not a big problem, the price is good and I'd replace it after at most 3 months anyway. When I finished my first sheet (I still have 2 new sheets), I tried Loki Rxton 9, which is H40-H41, and to me the LR9 felt even better, nicely elastic. But to put things into relation, I like DFVP and I'd not go back to H3 prov H41 or H40 - to me the quality of DFVP was higher than my last 3 H3 sheets.

P.S. Michael, I really disliked TDE ;-)

Can you describe its characteristics? Is it slow and spinny like H3? Or is it bouncier like big dipper or arthur china?

Why do you think the quality was higher than H3?

Why did you dislike TDE?

 

[tackyfh]

Can you describe its characteristics? Is it slow and spinny like H3? Or is it bouncier like big dipper or arthur china?

it's more on the big dipper side, my 40 deg sheet has almost no tackiness and plays like a hybrid

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

There are many manufacturers in China trying to develop a rubber that can compete with the H3, it's not an exaggeration to say that there are many, such as Yinhe 北斗（big dipper）,Sanwei 标靶（target）, but so far, thebut they merely compete with the lowest grades, especially ”National“, the blue sponge one, which is irreplaceable so far (it needs a bit of expanding oil prep).
View attachment 27842

nice WTTC edition of Ma Long H3

 

[TensorBackhand]

it's more on the big dipper side, my 40 deg sheet has almost no tackiness and plays like a hybrid

Wow, that sounds pretty cool then.

 

[latej]

Can you describe its characteristics? Is it slow and spinny like H3? Or is it bouncier like big dipper or arthur china?

It has the "H3-like" dense sponge, and for me those rubbers, H3, Rxton9, DFVP, Battle 2, etc. are all in the same family, I mean if the top-sheet is not signif. different. I mean I can swap between them easily (assuming they have H40-H42 hardness). There are minor differences between them obviosly, but the difference to other "families" are much bigger for me.

I didn't try Artur China - when I saw people's experience here, I got scared. I only have Big Dipper H38 on Viscaria, for me the BD is a bit different rubber than the family above. Perhaps BD H40 black would feel different, but I didn't try.

Why do you think the quality was higher than H3?

My last sheets of H3 prov. BS felt kind of "ripped off"/"cheated" on me. The weight was lighter, when booster off felt more dead. And given the price was almost 2x as high, I felt it is not justified. I'm happy with Rxton9, if it didn't exist, I'd go for DFVP or Battle 2, not going back to H3 prov. BS.

Why did you dislike TDE?

The TDE has the proper sponge, like the family above, that is good. But the top-sheet felt very wrong to me on harder shots. It felt like I am wasting my energy. I gave it somebody. E.g. when I try to play with rubbers like Rakza Z or Golden Tango PS, or Bluegrip S1 on the FH, on those harder hits it feels like I am wasting energy because of the sponge. The TDE - the sponge was OK, that feeling was because of the top-sheet.

Obviously, Michael, these are just my personal feelings/judgments, we all have perhaps slightly different feelings... And I'm glad you like TDE.

Edit: Want to add that those personal feelings are not necessarily level-dependent. Some friends of mine - better players - are happy with rubbers like Bluegrip S1 on the FH.

 

[TensorBackhand]

It has the "H3-like" dense sponge, and for me those rubbers, H3, Rxton9, DFVP, Battle 2, etc. are all in the same family, I mean if the top-sheet is not signif. different. I mean I can swap between them easily (assuming they have H40-H42 hardness). There are minor differences between them obviosly, but the difference to other "families" are much bigger for me.

I didn't try Artur China - when I saw people's experience here, I got scared. I only have Big Dipper H38 on Viscaria, for me the BD is a bit different rubber than the family above. Perhaps BD H40 black would feel different, but I didn't try.



My last sheets of H3 prov. BS felt kind of "ripped off"/"cheated" on me. The weight was lighter, when booster off felt more dead. And given the price was almost 2x as high, I felt it is not justified. I'm happy with Rxton9, if it didn't exist, I'd go for DFVP or Battle 2, not going back to H3 prov. BS.



The TDE has the proper sponge, like the family above, that is good. But the top-sheet felt very wrong to me on harder shots. It felt like I am wasting my energy. I gave it somebody. E.g. when I try to play with rubbers like Rakza Z or Golden Tango PS, or Bluegrip S1 on the FH, on those harder hits it feels like I am wasting energy because of the sponge. The TDE - the sponge was OK, that feeling was because of the top-sheet.

Obviously, Michael, these are just my personal feelings/judgments, we all have perhaps slightly different feelings... And I'm glad you like TDE.

Edit: Want to add that those personal feelings are not necessarily level-dependent. Some friends of mine - better players - are happy with rubbers like Bluegrip S1 on the FH.

Sounds pretty cool. Are there any other tacky Chinese rubbers you have tried that are good substitutes for H3? I know there is Young Shine or whatever, but it is quite expensive.

 

[latej]

Sounds pretty cool. Are there any other tacky Chinese rubbers you have tried that are good substitutes for H3? I know there is Young Shine or whatever, but it is quite expensive.

I've only tried YoungShine briefly, it felt comparable. I think @Zwill wrote about it earlier. As you say, I too didn't find a good price for it.

That's all in that family that I tried, also NH3PTB, which is cool but heavy and perhaps too hard. Eventually, I'd like to try Sanwei Target Pro and maybe STN too. But I'm kind of settled on the FH side. Things that I want to try (when the season is finished, now we are in the middle break) are for the BH side...

 

[TensorBackhand]

I've only tried YoungShine briefly, it felt comparable. I think @Zwill wrote about it earlier. As you say, I too didn't find a good price for it.

That's all in that family that I tried, also NH3PTB, which is cool but heavy and perhaps too hard. Eventually, I'd like to try Sanwei Target Pro and maybe STN too. But I'm kind of settled on the FH side. Things that I want to try (when the season is finished, now we are in the middle break) are for the BH side...

Sanwei Target Pro could be good. I tried it and at first I found it way too slow and way too low throwing.

But after booster and break-in, it eventually start to feel more normal and more DHS-like

 

[TensorBackhand]

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mKiIU0y

How about Sueke rubbers? Is it good? It says similar to H3

 

[Comodoensis]

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mKiIU0y

How about Sueke rubbers? Is it good? It says similar to H3

Sueke for me feels mushy. It does have the 'dwell' of DHS blue sponge, but without its 'slingshot' feeling

On the other hand, I've been in love-hate relationship with volant phoenix. Somehow easy to use, unboosted performance is good enough, higher tolerance, and it's drive/topspin/loop trajectory is surprisingly 'deep' enough to give trouble at the receiving end, in which this characteristics is rarely found in rubbers at its price range