Longevity of Hybrid rubbers

[Gtsnake]

I've read that PK50 is pretty slow. The same reason why I don't play Hurricane any more.

I try to stay away from Dignics simply because of the cost. I could buy two other rubbers for one Dignics. So does it last twice as long? Sounds like Dignics is similar to Xiom Omega Guang. They are both only slightly tacky and lasts longer. I do like Guang but I think some tackiness gives me more grip on short balls.

 

[IB66]

I’ve found Rakza Z / Z EH to last pretty well, nothing special though. Maybe about 5 to 6 hrs playing time per week for 4 to 5 months, 100+ hrs, seems pretty average!!

 

[Attitude]

I currently have around the same amount of training hours, depending on one of the trainingdays and dont have that issue with the real tacky rubbers, as H8, H8-80, H3 and the Battle 2 i am using. They do get a slight worn out look but i still can lift the balls up with a 2 months old battle 2 bs.
For those rubbers it is crucial to have them covered in protecting sheets. I always put them back on my tacky rubbers and pull them over a surface so i have almost no air between the sheets and the rubber.

I usually clean them now and then with water if they got too dusty from new balls for example. With that they usually die from boosting or stupidity first (like catching the edge of the table).

I did the same with my hybrids like rakza z, but they wear of faster either way. You can still clean them and you get a decent tackiness back but it is noticably weaker. But actually not that much, that it changes its characteristics imo.

 

[Choosikick]

Not sure about durability of other hybrids, but Dignics 09c, and Sieger pk50 is really good in terms of durability. And I’m doing about 18-20 hours of play per week. 09c on an amateur level can be used for 5-6 months easily, probably even more if we are talking for the most amateurs players.
Tack of 09c is barely noticeable just out of the box, and fading away pretty fast but it almost didn’t affect it characteristics, but Sieger pk50 is keeping it tack for 5-6 months and can hold a ball with it for a second

I have a friend in the club who only plays Dignix 80 on both sides. He recently got himself a new black tire and the red one has been around for about a year. I tried his racket and to be honest the red rubber is not much worse than the new black one. So after a workout, he always wipes it with a branded sponge and covers it with a protective film. So care is very important. As far as I know, he trains 2 times for 2 hours and one tournament for 2 hours. Even if we consider that it is not so stable, it turns out 200-250 hours.

 

[Choosikick]

Weeelll. Before COVID I used to wear Jupiter 2 sheets in 100hrs. I mean I wore in a hole in the top sheet (between center and top of the racket). If memory serves right Jupiter 2 I had (I dunno, I killed like 3 sheets), had laminated topsheet. Once you wear through the top layer it sucks. I will look for photos, If I manage to find one, I will post it here.

I have an old red Jupiter 2 that is 3 years old, maybe even older. I played forehand with him, though not only with him, because I always have 3-5 rackets in my bag . I have it on a pimpled blade, which I sometimes play with when I get very tired or against weak opponents. So this Jupiter still lifts the ball off the table due to stickiness and gives a strong rotation but there is no speed. I'll have to post a photo of it here.
By the way, I followed him well. Always wiped with a special sponge and covered with a protective film. I really boosted it mercilessly - first with vaseline oil, then Johnson's baby, then Seamun and glued it on rubber organic glue, so the sponge was already very tired.

 

[Gtsnake]

I currently have around the same amount of training hours, depending on one of the trainingdays and dont have that issue with the real tacky rubbers, as H8, H8-80, H3 and the Battle 2 i am using. They do get a slight worn out look but i still can lift the balls up with a 2 months old battle 2 bs.
For those rubbers it is crucial to have them covered in protecting sheets. I always put them back on my tacky rubbers and pull them over a surface so i have almost no air between the sheets and the rubber.

I thought Hurricane rubbers were not hybrids???

Also I clean my rubbers every day that I play. Sometimes in between matches if there's new ball powder on it.

 

[JJ Ng]

I thought Hurricane rubbers were not hybrids???

Also I clean my rubbers every day that I play. Sometimes in between matches if there's new ball powder on it.

H3 regular and H3 neo are not hybrids. But when they are worn down on the top sheet a bit (so losing just a bit tiny less tacky or grippy) and when they are taken off the original racket and boosted the second time, and reattach to the blade again, they play pretty much like a hybrid rubber. So if you want a "long lasting" hybrid rubbers, apparently that could be a solution.

 

[SleepyMaster]

I have a friend in the club who only plays Dignix 80 on both sides. He recently got himself a new black tire and the red one has been around for about a year. I tried his racket and to be honest the red rubber is not much worse than the new black one. So after a workout, he always wipes it with a branded sponge and covers it with a protective film. So care is very important. As far as I know, he trains 2 times for 2 hours and one tournament for 2 hours. Even if we consider that it is not so stable, it turns out 200-250 hours.

I played with dignics 80 on a backhand for about almost a year myself. I have tried all the dignics series besides 64 - durability of them is just the best. My coach played with two sheets of D05 for a year and he can spin like a maniac with it even after a year with an ez, he played for 10 hours a day sometimes. So the price is high - but durability is just head above others

 

[Attitude]

I thought Hurricane rubbers were not hybrids???

Also I clean my rubbers every day that I play. Sometimes in between matches if there's new ball powder on it.

These were simply examples because i dont play hybrids currently. As ive stated afterwards.

 

[Gtsnake]

H3 regular and H3 neo are not hybrids. But when they are worn down on the top sheet a bit (so losing just a bit tiny less tacky or grippy) and when they are taken off the original racket and boosted the second time, and reattach to the blade again, they play pretty much like a hybrid rubber. So if you want a "long lasting" hybrid rubbers, apparently that could be a solution.

I've done the boosting route. Didn't like it because too much headache from having to remove/reglue rubber, buying booster and gluing down the warpage.

 

[JJ Ng]

I've done the boosting route. Didn't like it because too much headache from having to remove/reglue rubber, buying booster and gluing down the warpage.

Got it. To me it is not too much trouble but that's because I literally play the boosted rubber for 6 months to a year. I think people say you should reboost every 2 months? I have never done that. Agree.

 

[Gtsnake]

Got it. To me it is not too much trouble but that's because I literally play the boosted rubber for 6 months to a year. I think people say you should reboost every 2 months? I have never done that. Agree.

You don't notice any change in performance of the boosting? I remember I had to reboost every 2-3 months max.

 

[blahness]

I thought Hurricane rubbers were not hybrids???

Also I clean my rubbers every day that I play. Sometimes in between matches if there's new ball powder on it.

Hurricane 8-80 is a hybrid, and a pretty good one at that! Spinny af, and also quite durable.

I wish they manufactured it at say 39 deg or 40 deg, that would be the perfect FH rubber to use without boosting.

 

[JJ Ng]

You don't notice any change in performance of the boosting? I remember I had to reboost every 2-3 months max.

Maybe I just gradually get used to the performance little by little over the course of 6 months so I have not noticed.

However, now I have ripped those rubbers off 6-12 months later after the initial boost, I am boosting those rubbers for the second time and they are playing better! It is weird. What I mean is that I likethe reboosted rubbers better (better touch, more springy) than the initial boosted rubbers shortly after I opened the package. I am pleasantly surprised. And that's also why I have not bought any hybrid rubber lately.

I don't know why. I still have six sheets of H3 neo unopened, 39 degree hardness, from TT11. I have no desire to open any of them right now. Just playing these old beat up rubbers for now and having a blast.

On a side note, I put an old red H3 neo, boosted for the second time, and an old black Stiga Genesis, boosted for the first time, on a Gambler Fire Dragon Hinoki composite blade. I really enjoyed it today! I got Stiga Genesis from TT11 before they discontinued it since Tom the frog from TTD used it for a while. Stiga Genesis is made in China and is not a very lively rubber by any stretch of imaginaton. But after boosting it, yes, it played really well on my backhand today. However, the combined weight of two chinese rubbers plus the blade is quite heavy. But for me, it is all about touch, spin and control. So I am having lots of fun with this set up currently.

 

[kapahoo]

My experience is that the topsheet, hybrid or not, always lasts longer than the sponge when it comes to modern rubbers (with built in speed-glue effect).

 

[stoni111121]

I'm playing with hybrid rubbers since 1,5 years, my experiences (always cleaning with water only, always using protection film, from time to time using Revolution No 3 rejuvinator)

Rakza Z: excellent durability, the red ones are even more durable than black ones; my first sheets are 1,5 years old and still usable und tacky. Only 1 sheet out of 6 got worn down quickly (a black one)

Hurricane 8-80, black: bad durability (approx. 40-50 hours)

Battle 2 (orange and blue sponge): durability of the top sheet is very good, but the sponge gets hard as a brick after a few months

Bloom Power: similar to Battle 2 (top sheet good, sponge bad)

 

[SlowPower]

I am curious how long the glayzer 09c will last.
Any experiences?

 

[longle]

I am curious how long the glayzer 09c will last.
Any experiences?

pretty good, today is exactly 2 months that I played with it and I find the topsheet starts losing grip - about 70% compare to new

 

[Gtsnake]

Have you tried Nittaku Sieger PK 50 Excellent Rubber with good durability!!!!

Hey, so I took your recommendation and tried the PK50. I had low expectations but I loved it! It's got great spin and decent speed. It's slightly slower than K3 but more grip. My serves are more spinny and loops are very controlled and accurate. Away from the table it's got plenty of speed so I'm going to stick with it for awhile. Let's see how long it will last.

 

[kingkimchi]

I played with dignics 80 on a backhand for about almost a year myself. I have tried all the dignics series besides 64 - durability of them is just the best. My coach played with two sheets of D05 for a year and he can spin like a maniac with it even after a year with an ez, he played for 10 hours a day sometimes. So the price is high - but durability is just head above others

i am actully looking to switch from d05 to d80 as I heard it was easier to play? the d05 is a bit too reactive for me... (e.g. my pushes go off the table, I can attack near the table with or without power as d05 requires power to get good quality out off it, and because it's bouncy, I have to step back a bit until I can backhand loop, which is horrible in matches.) Can you give me some advice??