Butterfly Zyre 03

[NextLevel]

I never saw such different reviews of a rubber.. Thats really strange

This actually the standard way a new rubber with a different approach/technique to using it gets reviewed (Tenergy 05 was very similarly reviewed when it initially came out). A lot comes down to how threatening it can be in the hands of a skilled user and whether what that skilled user does can be taught reasonably well to other people.

 

[NextLevel]

So basically, Butterfly managed to reach the opposite end of the usable spectrum, compared to unboosted Chinese rubbers.
You have to be very active and in place to use both well, but where Zyre03 makes for a perfect high-catapult speed rubber H3 is a perfect spinning rubber.

Very interested to see how this will develop over the years. I never thought I would use carbon blades, or Tenergy, but those both seem like good options nowadays even with my technical level barely changed.

Zyre03 might also be really fun on those large balls they use in Japan

Not at all, in fact if you watch the reviews I posted from the Russian guy, setting the angle early and having a precise swing are critical for close to the table use, but that the raw spin is very high and almost like Hurricane (which we can see in Togami's play). One of the things about D09c and to a lesser degree D05 is that they tolerate a lot of relatively late wrapping when compared to say Tenergy 05 Hard. So people who are used to the extra dwell time from Dignics are looking for ways to create it with this rubber, when the focus should be on trying to get more precise with your contact. This is likely just a much less forgiving version of Tenergy 19.

And there is nothing wrong with the conflict to be honest, a good rubber is not for everyone. I am not a fan of Tenergy 05. I can't handle its non-linearity. I might end up not being a fan of this rubber either, but just like Tenergy 05, I had to use it to understand a bit better what it did when I played against it. And I am confident I will be playing against this rubber lol even if I decided not to play with it. I suspect I have played with rubbers like it (though they had worse sponges and were not as fast - I am thinking the Nexy Tibhar MX-K rubber), so I will try to see how much I can tolerate it and whether it works for me.

 

[doppelmoral]

Not at all, in fact if you watch the reviews I posted from the Russian guy, setting the angle early and having a precise swing are critical for close to the table use, but that the raw spin is very high and almost like Hurricane (which we can see in Togami's play). One of the things about D09c and to a lesser degree D05 is that they tolerate a lot of relatively late wrapping when compared to say Tenergy 05 Hard. So people who are used to the extra dwell time from Dignics are looking for ways to create it with this rubber, when the focus should be on trying to get more precise with your contact. This is likely just a much less forgiving version of Tenergy 19.

And there is nothing wrong with the conflict to be honest, a good rubber is not for everyone. I am not a fan of Tenergy 05. I can't handle its non-linearity. I might end up not being a fan of this rubber either, but just like Tenergy 05, I had to use it to understand a bit better what it did when I played against it. And I am confident I will be playing against this rubber lol even if I decided not to play with it. I suspect I have played with rubbers like it (though they had worse sponges and were not as fast - I am thinking the Nexy Tibhar MX-K rubber), so I will try to see how much I can tolerate it and whether it works for me.

I agree. I wouldnt say zyre 03 is a bad rubber, yes its probably a very good one. but not for me and not for the people who I play with or against

hurricane which I use just feels completely different by design, switching to zyre would take enormous effort. and I would have to experiment with what NL said, changing up my technique, timing, swing, angle.

maybe there are some players whos technique naturally aligns with zyre. at least from what I saw, everyone in the bty store who tested with me, including the staff (lol), didnt like zyre very much

 

[AndySmith]

It looks like a rubber made for Togami, but not sure it's for players like me who are more like Yo-Mammi.

I like NL's "know-your-enemy" reasoning though. Good to give myself a justification to buy one, thanks man I'll use that one more often.

I like this review, I know the level is high but you can see the arc is pretty good on slower, brushier shots. The drives still look brutal though -

It's all going to come down to technique - does it fit naturally? If not, are you prepared to work to make it fit? The rubber looks almost intentionally designed to be an extreme outlier in terms of sponge hardness and thickness, and of course cost. It's definitely not going to make everyone happy.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

So,, can a T05H user transition to Z03 like duck to water?

USD 85.00 🤩

 

[Tyce]

So,, can a T05H user transition to Z03 like duck to water?

View attachment 38392

USD 85.00 🤩

Yes. If anyone can it's the wicked Unker G from Malay Z

 

[NextLevel]

It looks like a rubber made for Togami, but not sure it's for players like me who are more like Yo-Mammi.

I like NL's "know-your-enemy" reasoning though. Good to give myself a justification to buy one, thanks man I'll use that one more often.

I like this review, I know the level is high but you can see the arc is pretty good on slower, brushier shots. The drives still look brutal though -

It's all going to come down to technique - does it fit naturally? If not, are you prepared to work to make it fit? The rubber looks almost intentionally designed to be an extreme outlier in terms of sponge hardness and thickness, and of course cost. It's definitely not going to make everyone happy.

I always remember the words of Paul Drinkhall when he reviewed the Evolution rubbers. They should be placed in more reviews of equipment but unfortunately, not everyone is equally self aware.

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/evolution-mx-s.10240/post-109208

Remember, when it comes to the technique and contact point we all do this a little differently to each other!"

Come on -at this point, you don't need an excuse to buy rubber lol.

 

[Jackcerry_]

It looks like a rubber made for Togami, but not sure it's for players like me who are more like Yo-Mammi.

I like NL's "know-your-enemy" reasoning though. Good to give myself a justification to buy one, thanks man I'll use that one more often.

I like this review, I know the level is high but you can see the arc is pretty good on slower, brushier shots. The drives still look brutal though -

It's all going to come down to technique - does it fit naturally? If not, are you prepared to work to make it fit? The rubber looks almost intentionally designed to be an extreme outlier in terms of sponge hardness and thickness, and of course cost. It's definitely not going to make everyone happy.

thank you for sharing my video
I think the rubber is not so difficult to use, as you said you can brush the ball with the grippy topsheet and the ball do a very high arc and land on the table easily.

to do very very powerful shots you need a decent technique and physical strength, like all hard rubbers

 

[zeio]

The Overall thickness is the same.
Just lile 2.1. The sponge is thicker and the ribber layer is really thin.
2.7 is just another slick move from marketing dept.

The overall thickness being the same is due to the limit imposed by the rules.

The Ricosheet and Spring Sponge when treated separately aren't a breakthrough per se, but together it is a testament to not just manufacturing capability in terms of engineering tolerance, but also product design in terms of durability, the latter of which is what ESN failed to account for in 2004.

 

[doppelmoral]

let me add something to my previous post about zyre. I had a session with my coach today. the guy is 70 years old, with a beautiful and efficient technique. still has 1700ttr but had around 2000 when he was younger

he always played with zhang jike alc, d09c on both sides. suddenly he showed up today with hurricane blue sponge on fh and zyre 03 on his backhand

he really knows how to impact and manipulate the ball, and he says he is in love with zyre. great for push, great for blocking and countering he said. then we did some serve receive practise and he sent some ridiculous rockets over to my side.

so yeah, its all a matter of perspective. with that kind of impact and touch, I am sure the rubber is a beast

 

[NextLevel]

let me add something to my previous post about zyre. I had a session with my coach today. the guy is 70 years old, with a beautiful and efficient technique. still has 1700ttr but had around 2000 when he was younger

he always played with zhang jike alc, d09c on both sides. suddenly he showed up today with hurricane blue sponge on fh and zyre 03 on his backhand

he really knows how to impact and manipulate the ball, and he says he is in love with zyre. great for push, great for blocking and countering he said. then we did some serve receive practise and he sent some ridiculous rockets over to my side.

so yeah, its all a matter of perspective. with that kind of impact and touch, I am sure the rubber is a beast

I need this rubber already...

 

[mamedium]

let me add something to my previous post about zyre. I had a session with my coach today. the guy is 70 years old, with a beautiful and efficient technique. still has 1700ttr but had around 2000 when he was younger

he always played with zhang jike alc, d09c on both sides. suddenly he showed up today with hurricane blue sponge on fh and zyre 03 on his backhand

he really knows how to impact and manipulate the ball, and he says he is in love with zyre. great for push, great for blocking and countering he said. then we did some serve receive practise and he sent some ridiculous rockets over to my side.

so yeah, its all a matter of perspective. with that kind of impact and touch, I am sure the rubber is a beast

those who don’t have the skill, blame the equipment?

 

[Kopp]

And you know this is the case how as opposed to them being able to handle it and simply thinking it wasn't a better fit for their game?

Fair point 😂 maybe it just didn’t suit their style. Still funny seeing how tricky that rubber can be for anyone.

 

[rbtitco]

21 pages in, this is gone down pretty much how we thought it would, w/ reviews are all over the place. Maybe, 2.5 thickness is more applicable for most of us, why is no one testing that version?

 

[Dr Evil]

I need this rubber already...

Finally in stock in North America, though doesn't look like they actually shipped anything yet. Edit: Only the 2.7 mm. 2.5 mm expected on December 25.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

I need this rubber already...

and don't forget Golden V. Instant 2,200 USATT rating + 200 ( bonus )

 

[NextLevel]

and don't forget Golden V. Instant 2,200 USATT rating + 200 ( bonus )

Not a believer in Golden V. It sounds too much like something that belongs to idol worshoppers.

 

[zeio]

dont wanna derail the thread because i dont know if this is true for the new butterfly rubber, but with hurricane, a thicker sponge, even just .05 is significantly harder to hit through and engage the sponge. i much prefer the thinner sponge over the thicker, even if the thicker sponge has a higher top end for spin and speed.

Counterintuitively, to a durometer when measuring on the sponge side of a typical table tennis rubber with topsheet and sponge, thicker sponge actually appears softer, at least in the case of Donic Vario (by Daiki) that came in various Japanese sponge. When measuring pure sponge at 12mm (the minimum according to the standard) by separating the sponge from the topsheet and stacking multiple layers, the readings are identical for 1.8mm, 2.0mm and MAX of the same type of sponge.

 

[NextLevel]

dont wanna derail the thread because i dont know if this is true for the new butterfly rubber, but with hurricane, a thicker sponge, even just .05 is significantly harder to hit through and engage the sponge. i much prefer the thinner sponge over the thicker, even if the thicker sponge has a higher top end for spin and speed.

Everyone plays best with what they can use (I heard a rumor that Ma Long doesn't even use max sponge), but what I have heard consistently is that once you have ball catching skills, the extra sponge always helps.

 

[BobFL]

Review Update: Z3 vs D05 – After Another Session​

After another gaming session, I can confidently confirm my initial impressions of the Z3. This rubber demands constant, active engagement — every stroke, every situation. There’s absolutely no room for hesitation, late blocks, or passive returns on semi-dead serves. The moment you relax or go passive, the rubber just doesn’t forgive you.

That said, I’m not claiming the Z3 is a bad rubber — far from it. It’s clearly an excellent choice for players with a more aggressive and technically refined playing style, probably more competent than myself.

In comparison, the D05 now feels noticeably easier to handle. Honestly, I think the D05 is a masterpiece from Butterfly’s R&D team — a rubber that can literally do everything. I’ve already written about it before, so I won’t go over it again, but to summarize: it offers an exceptional range of speeds, outstanding spin, and remains surprisingly stable and less sensitive to incoming spin.

One thing that still really puzzles me is how differently people perceive the catapult effect. The Z3 feels half-dead compared to the D05. The D05 is incredibly dynamic and allows for those unbelievable shots even from awkward positions — especially when the player is late getting into proper position.

Final Thoughts, kind of​

After spending more time with both rubbers, I can say that Z3 is a high-performance, yet demanding rubber that rewards precision, timing, and full commitment. It’s not forgiving, but in the right hands, it can be extremely effective.

The D05, on the other hand, strikes that perfect balance between power, control, and forgiveness. It feels more versatile and playable in real match conditions, offering both explosiveness and stability when needed.

For my style and level, D05 clearly fits better — a true all-round offensive rubber that allows me to focus more on tactics and less on constant micro-adjustments during rallies.