Best rubber under $5?

[lodro]

That is 5 NZ dollars . I like to play with cheap crap 🤣

 

[mattlamperouge]

I made about 6 blades with Rxton 1/Rxton 1 special edition (a bit More tack) Fh & Rxton 3 Orange for the BH & it works quite well for beginners so far👌🤑🏓

 

[The_TT_Bat_Guy]

After extensive hours of research and play testing, I settled on Mercury 2 rubbers for my starter builds (for those moving from prebuilds to custom). For those in that camp who need a slightly slower rubber (I've noticed that the Mercury 2 on a Yinhe N11s can be a bit fast for beginners), I tend to use the Yinhe 9000 series rubbers as they play like all round rubbers that are tacky. For beginners and younger players on their first custom bat, I tend to use the Kokutaku 868 training rubbers as that's one of the slowest around that's easy to control and still has decent spin capabilities.

Friendship 729 Super FX will always remain a classic rubber but it's hard to get it for $5 these days. I haven't heard enough good things about the 729 Cross yet and one shop keeper I spoke too didn't really rate it despite stocking it (probably as a way to pad out the range a bit). I'm still tempted to try it but competition is pretty fierce in the budget rubber range.

I've also tried the Kokutaku Blue and that was pretty good for a budget rubber - stable spin and control and good for beginners needing a bit more speed than what's possible in their training rubber range.

So far, in the cheap range, I've used:

• Yinhe Mercury 2 (base rubber for my starter builds)
• Yinhe 9000 (alternative rubber for my starter builds)
• Kokutaku 868 training rubbers (for beginners and kids)
• Kokutaku Blue sponge
• Sanwei T88-III (trying out as a potentially feasible alternative for starter builds)
• Sanwei T88 Ultra Spin (trying out as a potentially feasible alternative for starter builds)
• XIENT XVT 40+ (which was surprisingly spinny with an elastic sponge and good speed even on a budget Sanwei 3W training-class blade!)
• Rxton 1 (spinny, mid tacky rubber that's got good potential. Can give good speed too if hit well)
• Huieson Hurricane Storm (Didn't like this at all - spinny enough but the bounce feels inconsistent. Tried it on Palio Expert blade)

 

[TensorBackhand]

After extensive hours of research and play testing, I settled on Mercury 2 rubbers for my starter builds (for those moving from prebuilds to custom). For those in that camp who need a slightly slower rubber (I've noticed that the Mercury 2 on a Yinhe N11s can be a bit fast for beginners), I tend to use the Yinhe 9000 series rubbers as they play like all round rubbers that are tacky. For beginners and younger players on their first custom bat, I tend to use the Kokutaku 868 training rubbers as that's one of the slowest around that's easy to control and still has decent spin capabilities.

Friendship 729 Super FX will always remain a classic rubber but it's hard to get it for $5 these days. I haven't heard enough good things about the 729 Cross yet and one shop keeper I spoke too didn't really rate it despite stocking it (probably as a way to pad out the range a bit). I'm still tempted to try it but competition is pretty fierce in the budget rubber range.

I've also tried the Kokutaku Blue and that was pretty good for a budget rubber - stable spin and control and good for beginners needing a bit more speed than what's possible in their training rubber range.

So far, in the cheap range, I've used:

• Yinhe Mercury 2 (base rubber for my starter builds)
• Yinhe 9000 (alternative rubber for my starter builds)
• Kokutaku 868 training rubbers (for beginners and kids)
• Kokutaku Blue sponge
• Sanwei T88-III (trying out as a potentially feasible alternative for starter builds)
• Sanwei T88 Ultra Spin (trying out as a potentially feasible alternative for starter builds)
• XIENT XVT 40+ (which was surprisingly spinny with an elastic sponge and good speed even on a budget Sanwei 3W training-class blade!)
• Rxton 1 (spinny, mid tacky rubber that's got good potential. Can give good speed too if hit well)
• Huieson Hurricane Storm (Didn't like this at all - spinny enough but the bounce feels inconsistent. Tried it on Palio Expert blade)

How does Kokutaku compare with Rxton 1?

What I really like to do is take a cheap rubber, boost it heavily, and see if it can compete with much more expensive rubbers. I boosted a Rxton 1 and found that it plays really well. I even preferred it over some premium rubbers.

Tornado V5 is really good as well.

 

[riemsesy]

View attachment 28868
That is 5 NZ dollars . I like to play with cheap crap 🤣

I used this rubber for paddles at the office. bouncy, soft, and loses grip pretty quickly. But colleagues are content.

 

[The_TT_Bat_Guy]

How does Kokutaku compare with Rxton 1?

What I really like to do is take a cheap rubber, boost it heavily, and see if it can compete with much more expensive rubbers. I boosted a Rxton 1 and found that it plays really well. I even preferred it over some premium rubbers.

Tornado V5 is really good as well.

The Kokutaku feels softer and a bit more elastic. I feel the Rxton 1 has more speed reserves that more skilled players can get while the Kokutaku 868 Blue is an easy-to-play choice for beginners and advanced beginners. A couple of skilled players in my Stratford, London TT community enjoy using the Rxton thanks to it's price and the performance they can get even without boosting it.

 

[TensorBackhand]

The Kokutaku feels softer and a bit more elastic. I feel the Rxton 1 has more speed reserves that more skilled players can get while the Kokutaku 868 Blue is an easy-to-play choice for beginners and advanced beginners. A couple of skilled players in my Stratford, London TT community enjoy using the Rxton thanks to it's price and the performance they can get even without boosting it.

Have you tried boosting the Kokutaku? Does it react well to booster?

 

[The_TT_Bat_Guy]

Have you tried boosting the Kokutaku? Does it react well to booster?

Oh - I haven't. I don't boost rubbers so would need someone else to try that!

 

[TensorBackhand]

Oh - I haven't. I don't boost rubbers so would need someone else to try that!

What rubber would it be equal to in speed?

Mercury 3 maybe?

 

[TensorBackhand]

The Kokutaku feels softer and a bit more elastic. I feel the Rxton 1 has more speed reserves that more skilled players can get while the Kokutaku 868 Blue is an easy-to-play choice for beginners and advanced beginners. A couple of skilled players in my Stratford, London TT community enjoy using the Rxton thanks to it's price and the performance they can get even without boosting it.

How is the speed of the 868 blue?

 

[lodro]

Huieson Hurricane Storm (Didn't like this at all - spinny enough but the bounce feels inconsistent. Tried it on Palio Expert blade)

i boosted it twice and glued it on a inner slc blade and got myself the perfect "BH block-machine" 🤣

 

[TensorBackhand]

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805732708921.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.5.617cVq1WVq1Whk&algo_pvid=b21bc239-5f55-486a-948d-18ec895288a0&algo_exp_id=b21bc239-5f55-486a-948d-18ec895288a0-2&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%215.91%215.91%21%21%2142.62%2142.62%21%402101e80f17129013309883258e5975%2112000034851750664%21sea%21US%211644340096%21&curPageLogUid=cl7YyZYREZXF&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A

Anybody try this rubber? How is it? Why do all their rubbers say 868 Blutenkirsche?

 

[TensorBackhand]

I found this funny review of Kokutaku rubber. They seem to think it works quite well for backhand. They seem to think the rubber is quite soft. Speed seems to be somewhat medium