I'm starting to test Sanwei Target Pro Blue

[JJ Ng]

yeah maybe they are different. The old one was just really really really bad. You will almost never hear me talk badly about any rubber, because I try to find its own strength.

But STN was just unuseable.

The new silver one I haven't tried. But even if it is pretty good, its so expensive that I don't see myself ever using it.

It is $26 and change on Megaspin. I think the black one was $30 and the red one was $26 before? Both colors, the rubber price has come down since a couple months ago.

Now compared to Hurricane at $18 and change per sheet (with 30% bulk discount courtesy of TT11), $26 or so is much more expensive (like 50% more). And I like Hurricane better. So I stopped at owning three sheets of STN in total.

I like it enough to recommend people trying it if they want to move to Hurricane later on. But again, it is not like STN is the best thing out there.....

 

[TensorBackhand]

Well I put a quick layer of Whale 2 speed glue on the rubber as I was running out the door to test this rubber.

With some speed glue, the rubber is fast enough. It's not all slow and dead, but still the throw angle is quite low and hard to play. Everything else seems fine about the rubber. It's fast enough, its spinny enough, its grippy enough. But it just doesn't have a nice arc.

Disappointing.

Maybe I'll give it some time, and I'll try boosting it with real booster to see if that helps.

 

[ben1229]

Put it on other blade and try.

 

[TensorBackhand]

Put it on other blade and try.

Yes, I will try a different blade as well.

However, I'm not optimistic because I already had it on my highest throwing blade, the Sanwei F3 Pro

 

[ben1229]

OK, then the rubbers topsheet make the arc low, put it on bh and try then.

 

[TensorBackhand]

OK, then the rubbers topsheet make the arc low, put it on bh and try then.

I think its not right for my bh.

But, I will wait a week for the Whale 2 speed glue to die down. Then I will try a regular booster on it to see if it helps.

 

[TensorBackhand]

Well I changed Pro Blue to a different blade and tested. After getting used to its not too bad. The shot quality is fine, good speed and spin. But it just has a lower arc. Maybe it wont be too bad once you get used to it.

Maybe it deserves a B-

 

[JJ Ng]

Well I changed Pro Blue to a different blade and tested. After getting used to its not too bad. The shot quality is fine, good speed and spin. But it just has a lower arc. Maybe it wont be too bad once you get used to it.

Maybe it deserves a B-

Ouch B- is not good. I have another black sheet that I have not opened yet. Maybe I should try it. I remember that the original black sheet I had (before the blue sponge fell apart in front of me) was like B+/A-.

 

[TensorBackhand]

Ouch B- is not good. I have another black sheet that I have not opened yet. Maybe I should try it. I remember that the original black sheet I had (before the blue sponge fell apart in front of me) was like B+/A-.

This is a rubber that might take 3 weeks of training to get used to. It throws at a low angle from every different shot from every different height. So counter looping a high ball vs counter looping a table-height ball needs to be re-learned with this rubber.

I remember Yogi_Bear @yogi_bear reviewed this rubber and said the same thing about the throw angle. That is definitely the biggest distinguishing factor about this rubber. It has a distinctly low throw angle. Almost every shot, drive, loop, counter loop, needs to be re-learned and re-adjusted to this rubber. Once you adjust, the shot quality itself is not bad. But as of right now, especially reaching shots and out of position shots are hard because of the unusual angle.

 

[TensorBackhand]

After a few more practice sessions, I still find the Target Pro blue to have a slightly odd throw angle. Sometimes it can be hard to loop underspin, especially when aiming right.

I decided to put a good solid layer of seamoon onto it in addition to the previous whale 2 speed glue in hopes that it can correct the throw angle. I'll test it tomorrow to check.

Also, i glued up a old sheet of Battle 2. Some people said that B2 also has a flat angle, so I want to see which one is worse. My guess is Target is still worse.

 

[JJ Ng]

After a few more practice sessions, I still find the Target Pro blue to have a slightly odd throw angle. Sometimes it can be hard to loop underspin, especially when aiming right.

I decided to put a good solid layer of seamoon onto it in addition to the previous whale 2 speed glue in hopes that it can correct the throw angle. I'll test it tomorrow to check.

Also, i glued up a old sheet of Battle 2. Some people said that B2 also has a flat angle, so I want to see which one is worse. My guess is Target is still worse.

Don't tempt me. I have one more sheet of black Sanwei Target National and a sheet of Battle II provincial blue sponge. I am trying to not rip their packages open yet. I like my hurricane.

I am currently trying to focus on trying different ESN soft backhand rubbers (my Victas V>15 Limber and Gewo
Nexxus EL Pro 43 have arrived and they are being prep'ed to be put on two blades).

I cannot be tempted by this thread to go EJ'ing on my forehand again!!!

 

[TensorBackhand]

Well I tested the Battle 2 vs Target Blue. A lot of people said B2 has a low throw angle. Actually there is no conparison.

B2 does shoot quite straight on flat drive shots. But on loops, there is no adjustments needed.

Target is straight on flat shots, and there is an adjustment needed for loops. The good thing is that it is not the biggest adjustment. Its more problematic on elbow shots rather than wide shots.

 

[TensorBackhand]

Also the B2 has a lot better dwell time. It has that classic "chinese control" rubber feeling.

Sanwei Target Blue feels more like Dingtian rubber. I'm thinking maybe I should try baby oil on it to see if it makes a difference.

 

[disaster3]

When I will order the 2nd FZD ALC (waiting for FL handle restock), I know for sure that before trying once again New Sanwei Target National Blue, I will put at least 2 layers of Seamon booster... compering to hard feeling D09C recently assembled STN was dead imho.
So far I was playing tensor/esn rubbers and STN was my first chinese rubbers, and it was different at the beginning but I'm used to it but after change to D09C.... wow wtf?!?!? so if something might be even more dead than New STN, than holly shit... how one can play it w/o boosting?

 

[Headbeancounter]

I have just replaced my Hurricane 3 with the red Target National, played with the latter the first time yesterday and found it to be slow, I was tempted to put my H3 back on but after reading this thread I will try boosting it first.

 

[turbozed]

I have just replaced my Hurricane 3 with the red Target National, played with the latter the first time yesterday and found it to be slow, I was tempted to put my H3 back on but after reading this thread I will try boosting it first.

How do you like playing with the Sanwei V5 Pro? What other similar blades can you compare it to? Have you played with a Fextra before?

I was considering buying a V5 Pro to see if I'd enjoy a slight increase in hardness/speed and a different outer wood (Ash vs typical limba). Haven't seen its playing characteristics discussed much here though.

 

[TensorBackhand]

I have just replaced my Hurricane 3 with the red Target National, played with the latter the first time yesterday and found it to be slow, I was tempted to put my H3 back on but after reading this thread I will try boosting it first.

Is it the old blue/yellow package or the new silver/gold package?

 

[Headbeancounter]

Is it the old blue/yellow package or the new silver/gold package?

I would say it is more blue / gold than blue / yellow

 

[Headbeancounter]

How do you like playing with the Sanwei V5 Pro? What other similar blades can you compare it to? Have you played with a Fextra before?

I was considering buying a V5 Pro to see if I'd enjoy a slight increase in hardness/speed and a different outer wood (Ash vs typical limba). Haven't seen its playing characteristics discussed much here though.

I have not played with that many different blades before as I have had a few pre-assembled Butterfly and DHS blades before until a year or so ago when I switched to Stiga Allround Classic (I gave it up because it was just too slow). I also have two other blades Yinhe T11s and the V05 Pro. I really like the V5 Pro which is rated OFF+, as you said, it is harder with outer ash wood. That said, I would like to stick to all wood blades for now and am wondering if Fextra will be a bit more flexible which may help me improve my basic skills.

 

[turbozed]

I have not played with that many different blades before as I have had a few pre-assembled Butterfly and DHS blades before until a year or so ago when I switched to Stiga Allround Classic (I gave it up because it was just too slow). I also have two other blades Yinhe T11s and the V05 Pro. I really like the V5 Pro which is rated OFF+, as you said, it is harder with outer ash wood. That said, I would like to stick to all wood blades for now and am wondering if Fextra will be a bit more flexible which may help me improve my basic skills.

Yeah, it looks like you should try out an OFF- all wood like Fextra. It's a good blade for development and my favorite one so far out of Yasaka Sweden Extra, Nittaku Acoustic, and Nittaku Ludeack.

If you do try out the Fextra, let us know how the V5 Pro compares, since so many people are familiar with it (due to both its low cost and how suitable it is for beginner to intermediate players).