H3 blue sponge vs H3 neo blue sponge

[Dr Evil]

What's the difference? Is it just the booster layer on the neo version? Same topsheet? Same sponge?

Edit:

Most convincing answer so far comes from @Jimbob MacInbred (Thanks!), where he links to a mytt thread with posts from schen and kurokami. A few interesting excerpts (note that these were written in 2015):

schen:

"DHS NEO rubbers ARE NOT "factory tuned" at any level, commercial/provincial/national/or beyond. NEO is just a different sponge from the previous classic versions... [from] a Q&A about the NEO rubbers on their release with a DHS representative... It was confirmed several years ago that they do not come "tuned;" the layer of glue is simply there for convenience if you want to just apply wbg [water based glue] to your blade and slap the rubber on as is."

kurokami:

"hurricane neo tuning layer is an adhesive layer that protects the sponge when boosting. (yes, neo is designed for boosting though it's playable without it. you don't need to remove this layer and you don't need to add an additional wbg layer before boosting)"

"hurricane neo [orange sponge] is not simply [sponge] #20... neo is the final product that was commercialized based on the development path of orange sponge #18 - #20. while the difference is minimal to #20, it's not the same... neo blue branched off from #20 - #22."

"sealed green pkg orange neo provincials are your best bet to playing rubbers similar to what current CHN pros use... why orange sponge? the standard supply provided to [non-elite] CNT and provincial pro players are orange sponge 38-40 deg in black."

"provincial players typically play 38 deg the stronger players (level or physical) will often use 39. national team typically use 39/40."

 

[Zwill]

What's the difference? Is it just the booster layer on the neo version? Same or different topsheet? Same or different sponge?

The only differences are the factory boost, the glue layer and the packaging. The topsheet and sponge are the same.

 

[Jimbob MacInbred]

The only differences are the factory boost, the glue layer and the packaging. The topsheet and sponge are the same.

I beg your pardon, but there are different informations/opinions out there regarding this topic, which I happen to go d'accord with.

Neo National Hurricane 3（Tuned by factory）

Neo has a layer in the bottom handled by the factory, which means the sponge has been chemically expanded...

mytabletennis.net

Just scroll down to the relevant posts by schen and kurokami...

 

[Lowday20298]

Same topsheet, completely different sponge. That's why the neo feels exceptionaly and the old is tractor tire. The neo is the direct successor of the h3, better in every way.

 

[Creek]

Same topsheet, completely different sponge. That's why the neo feels exceptionaly and the old is tractor tire. The neo is the direct successor of the h3, better in every way.

That’s why literally no pro plays the neo, but everyone plays the „tractor tire“ 😂

 

[Robin0910]

That’s why literally no pro plays the neo, but everyone plays the „tractor tire“ 😂

You can literally buy Ma Long’s rubber which is vacuum packed like NEO rubbers, same with FZD, etc, also, the NEO sponge is the same as regular H3 but is factory tuned so you don’t have to boost even though you should.

 

[Lowday20298]

You can literally buy Ma Long’s rubber which is vacuum packed like NEO rubbers, same with FZD, etc, also, the NEO sponge is the same as regular H3 but is factory tuned so you don’t have to boost even though you should.

You cannot buy the actual rubbers they play with, dhs makes it for them and they just put their names on normal sheets and sell them for twice the price. Also as I said, I have both neo and old, the sponge is completely different, they have a different construction method and that's why they have completely different feel. Old is a solid sponge and NEO has small cavities like cake sponges, just veeeeeery small, the structure and composition of the sponge is completely different. That's why they have different elasticity, they share the topsheet, nothing else.

 

[Robin0910]

You cannot buy the actual rubbers they play with, dhs makes it for them and they just put their names on normal sheets and sell them for twice the price. Also as I said, I have both neo and old, the sponge is completely different, they have a different construction method and that's why they have completely different feel. Old is a solid sponge and NEO has small cavities like cake sponges, just veeeeeery small, the structure and composition of the sponge is completely different. That's why they have different elasticity, they share the topsheet, nothing else.

I have a commercial NEO here in my hands and I see no cavities whatsoever, it’s H3 H40. I knew you’d say that they don’t sell their actually rubbers but since DHS markets them as their actual rubbers, they have to be. Otherwise, they can be sued. Their rubbers are only a little more expensive to produce but can be sold for much more, that’s why they‘re being sold.

 

[Lowday20298]

That’s why literally no pro plays the neo, but everyone plays the „tractor tire“ 😂

Let's not go into that debate because the chinese team is sponsored by dhs and every player has the "Hurricane 3" tailored to their liking, different sponges, topsheets, pimple structures, etc. They also boost their rubbers, ma lin was caught boosting, and wang chuqin could be seen in an interview with haifu national black. Their rubbers are not hurricanes, they are custom made rubbers that share a name so that they would be allowed international competition. They made the normal hurricanes in a way that is easy to play for the rest of us. They made sure it played well and easy with and without booster. Also it's impossible to tell a neo from an old from looks, they are identical. Fan, wang, lin, liang are all marketed as playing the NEO, zhang jike, ma long, wang liqin were all marketed with the old because the NEO was not the primary rubber back then. Old came out in early 2000s (2000 or 2001) and NEO's came out in 2008 or 2009, can't remember exactly. And once the neo became front seller, everyone were marketed with the neo.

I hope this little essay cleared up a few things.

 

[Lowday20298]

I have a commercial NEO here in my hands and I see no cavities whatsoever, it’s H3 H40. I knew you’d say that they don’t sell their actually rubbers but since DHS markets them as their actual rubbers, they have to be. Otherwise, they can be sued. Their rubbers are only a little more expensive to produce but can be sold for much more, that’s why they‘re being sold.

They don't sell them, they are heavily tuned but aren't the real ones. And they can't be sued because it's China, their justice system stops existing if sense anything that could harm their image. Don't forget, it's borderline a dictatorship, a regime, and this is their national sport.

 

[Robin0910]

They don't sell them, they are heavily tuned but aren't the real ones. And they can't be sued because it's China, their justice system stops existing if sense anything that could harm their image. Don't forget, it's borderline a dictatorship, a regime, and this is their national sport.

DHS (table tennis) is not a state owned brand. Therefore it can be sued in China. They sell these rubbers in China as well, ergo they can be sued in the homeland. But there could be a loophole. They are indeed not the exact rubbers but they’re made in the same batch. Their rubbers are handpicked from the freshly produced batch, the ones that are not picked are probably sold as “their personal rubbers”, thus abiding the rules. Those rubbers are intrinsically the same but are of slightly lower quality.

 

[Lowday20298]

DHS (table tennis) is not a state owned brand. Therefore it can be sued in China. They sell these rubbers in China as well, ergo they can be sued in the homeland. But there could be a loophole. They are indeed not the exact rubbers but they’re made in the same batch. Their rubbers are handpicked from the freshly produced batch, the ones that are not picked are probably sold as “their personal rubbers”, thus abiding the rules. Those rubbers are intrinsically the same but are of lower quality.

Yes, they're not the exact same. Regarding the state, China would never sue the gem of their country in their national sport, it would hurt their image. And yes they could be sued, but the state would favour DHS heavily.

 

[mihalichtheone]

I beg your pardon, but there are different informations/opinions out there regarding this topic, which I happen to go d'accord with.

Neo National Hurricane 3（Tuned by factory）

Neo has a layer in the bottom handled by the factory, which means the sponge has been chemically expanded...

mytabletennis.net

Just scroll down to the relevant posts by schen and kurokami...

From the post:
7. provincial players typically play 38 deg the stronger players (level or physical) will often use 39. national team typically use 39/40. if you think that's soft, it's not that too soft when you're vs other 2600+ looping hard at you. for anyone who's had to try returning those, it's hard to bite the ball hence the usable hardness is based on that consideration, not how hard you can smash a practice ball.

Very interesting...so for us mere mortals who don't train 3-4 hours a day even 38 should be quite hard. I'll try switching to 39deg TG2 (it doesn't have 38 degrees version even) and see how it goes.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

check the date of those posts.

and it feels like John S has actually used CNT players H3 rubbers and knows DHS pretty well.

anyways, the myth continues

 

[mihalichtheone]

check the date of those posts.

and it feels like John S has actually used CNT players H3 rubbers and knows DHS pretty well.

anyways, the myth continues

2015 is new ball era already, so I think that should count.
I would rather believe what actual pro say about National and players' versions H3s. It's almost the same.

I personally was doing loop kills with cheapest boosted H3 and was very much satisfied. People can say whatever (especially John S). Better not waste time overthinking the equipment and spend time playing or training. Rubber is no magic.

My friend is master of sports (may be top 50 in Russia), he can win everyone in the local league with wooden blade and Xiom Elite/Europe/whatever on both sides...Thinking (or even spending misinfo) about pro rubbers is just waste of time.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

2015 is new ball era already, so I think that should count.
I would rather believe what actual pro say about National and players' versions H3s. It's almost the same.

Yes, it was 40+ already, but people have since moved to 41.5 and even 42
just like T05 has moved to T05 Hard

2015 is really old news

for FH, there is likely no male pro player using 39 on FH. It is too weak for FH

any ways, I shall let the myth continue
maybe in 10 years time, some will bring out the 2015 link and make reference to the new 50+ ball

 

[TareqPhoto]

So which Hurricane3 rubber to buy? This millions topics about H3 is like number of sands atom in a desert, it feels like H3 is the best rubber in the world so people keep talking about it and starting threads about every time, kind of surpassing Tenergy topics too.

 

[mihalichtheone]

Yes, it was 40+ already, but people have since moved to 41.5 and even 42
just like T05 has moved to T05 Hard

2015 is really old news

for FH, there is likely no male pro player using 39 on FH. It is too weak for FH

any ways, I shall let the myth continue
maybe in 10 years time, some will bring out the 2015 link and make reference to the new 50+ ball

You're talking professional players here, right? Playing with National rubber quality with proper booster.
I am talking about regular people, not athletes. I will try 39 degrees anyway

And god let's hope we'll never get 50mm ball...

 

[SFF_lib]

You're talking professional players here, right? Playing with National rubber quality with proper booster.
I am talking about regular people, not athletes. I will try 39 degrees anyway

And god let's hope we'll never get 50mm ball...

It depends on your blade. Most people use ALC or ZLC these days. 39-40 degree is a good start.

But if your blade is all wood or soft ALC 41 degree will work better.

Personally 41 H3 plays slower and better control than 39. 41 H3 releases the shot slow = dead feel but great control.

 

[JJ Ng]

So which Hurricane3 rubber to buy? This millions topics about H3 is like number of sands atom in a desert, it feels like H3 is the best rubber in the world so people keep talking about it and starting threads about every time, kind of surpassing Tenergy topics too.

I have always used 39 degree Hurricane 3 commercial orange sponge from TT11 for the past 4-5 years (TT11 only carried 39 degree sponge for the longest time). I am used to it. When initially boosted, it is not that impressive. After you break it in and then reboost it again a month or so later, it comes alive a lot more.

I have never played provincial and national version. I have never played blue sponge version.

Am I curious? Yes. I have one National orange sponge and one National blue sponge sitting on my table. I got them on sales from Aliexpress. Am I eager to put them on and try them. Not right now. I am busy breaking in a couple commercial hurricane right now. I am also experimenting a bit more on my BH rubber.

I think for vast, vast majority of people, 39 degree Hurricane 3 commercial orange sponge works just fine.

The most important part is to break in the sponge and reboost it later.