Looking for FH rubber options

[Yurifi]

hi all!

so, currently I am trying to get back into table tennis. after cca. 20 years of hiatus I started playing at the end of 2023 again. table tennis was quite different now then it was when I stopped playing. I was playing professionally, on top national level (top 10 in my country in classes from u11 to u17), started to knock on the national team door, but never really got in as I always got injured in crucial time. played until cca. 2005 and then life happened.

I used to play with Butterfly Moonbeam and Butterfly Bryce. extreme rotation on loops, very aggressive player. FH extreme rotation topspin, BH good topspin but deadly when I prepare the ball for finish. never had problems with blocking (that's where the problems started).

now, I still have the same arm, wrist, feeling, but ... body got slower. so I cannot play exatly same table tennis as I did before. I still want to use my looping forehand as main part, with backhand loop as backup and surprise, and backhand is sorted.

so, on backhand is Yasaka Rakza 7 Soft. no matter the blade, it just works.

when I started playing my dad gave me to try:
OSP Expert + Donic Acuda Blue S2 Max, FH & BH (loved it at the beginning but became a bit slow and powerless as I got back into the game)
Avalox Bluethunder 777 (just blade, after "outgrowing" OSP Expert I fitted Acuda's on this blade and was quite okay with me for remainder of 2023/2024 season)

later on he added:
Xiom Axelo + Xiom Vega X, FH & BH (started to play with it at the beginning of 2024/2025 season)
some kind of OSP prototype blade (inner carbon) + FH Donic BlueGrip C2 and BH Donic BlueGrip S1 (tried it also as opposite and was cool, too, currently my main blade but with BlueGrip S1 and Rakza 7 Soft)

I love all Donic rubber mentioned above but I am eating them extremely fast (except for Acudas, but they are not availabe anymore). I don't play professionally so I don't see the point in buying new rubber every 2-3 months (and I play 2-3 times per week + 1 time per week competing in regional league)

on FH, so far, I tried:
- Xiom Vega X (quite worn): fast, but still nice feeling, nice control, great for blocking, amazing spin given how much rubber is worn
- Yasaka Rakza 9 (worn): extremely fast, nice for mid-distance counter-loops/topspins, but not so good for blocking and short play - doubt it has something to do with worn level)
- Donic BlueStar A2 (almost new): medium fast, great control, great spin, but am afraid how fast it will go
- Xiom Omega VII Europe (very worn): didn't like it, powerless, strange throw angle (maybe, because it was worn?)
- Xiom Sigma II Europe (very worn): fast, nice control, great for blocking, but had a feeling I couldn't produce much spin with it (maybe because it was worn, but X was still great?)

now, I am thinking of trying Vega Pro and one of the two above - Omega VII Europe and Sigma II Europe, but would have to buy them, so, before pulling the trigger:
Sigma and Omega - was it just the worn out factor?
Vega Pro - how it is compared to Rakza 9 and Vega X?

mostly I am testing with Axelo and OSP Prototype (OSP Prototype looks very similar to OSP Virtuoso AC but with a different outer layer, still trying to get more info on it, but it plays really nice)

thanks for your time!

 

[ttarc]

I would say that this is typical for all ESN rubbers (ESN produces every rubber Made in Germany) .
When I used to play with ESN rubbers on BH like Vega Pro, BlueStorm Z2, V>15, V>11 etc. usually the sponge failed first (no power, no arc but a bit booster could rejuvenate the sponge for some time) and than the topsheet (not enough grip on thin contacts). Usually 40 to 60 hours in total until I had to replace a rubber. With more modern rubbers especially hybrid rubbers and considering what many wrote about their durability I would guess that would be down to 30 maybe 40 hours.

Vega Pro is the predecessor to the Vega X. Vega X has a slightly softer topsheet, more power and a bit more spin (afair...).
The question is what you are looking for: Spin, control especially in the short game and usually better for counter looping than I would favor a hybrid rubber like BlueGrip or BlueStar or maybe Rakza Z (just guessing because I haven't played with a BlueStar rubber) over a non-tacky rubber like the Vega Pro or Vega X on FH.
If you are looking for good (at least better) durability and don't need the extra speed one usually gets from these more bouncy hybrid or non-tacky rubbers on low power inputs than I would at least try Hurricane 3 Neo or the more modern 729 Battle 3.

 

[Yurifi]

honestly, I was never fond of Chinese type of rubber ... I used to play with original Friendship 729, later on with BT Tackiness Drive, which are fairly hard rubbers and never particularly like playing with them. but had to, because club would provide them for me and to progress with my backhand. and when I finally got some freedom, back in the days it would be Sriver FX and Yasaka Mark V that would suit me best (of course in combination with speedglue). and later on with Butterfly Ekrips and lastly, Butterfly Bryce.

so I was quite surprised to see that C2 was a good fit as it is quite hard to my liking. and then I tried different Vegas, but that is probably the hardest I would go ...

colleague has one of the Hurricanes, probably 3 Neo, not sure, tried it, didn't like it (but then again it could just be the whole combo with blade) ...

I wouldn't say that Donic's died sponge-wise, it is more top-sheet - edges cracked like there is a little mouse in my blade-bag and also surface is pretty worn. otherwise, they still play well, especially Acudas, they did something right there, but unfortunately Acudas don't exist anymore, as I understand BlueGrip S1 is Acuda's update (it also plays similarly but is tackier and dies sooner).

 

[Julzig]

I wouldn't recommend Sigma, since its hard to get in Europe and doesn't sell much. So once stock is out it will most likely be not available anymore. (Atleast so I think and can be different for you)
For Omega 7, it should be very bouncy and pruduce high amounts of spin. Omega 8 I don't know yet, and no Euro version at this point.
Vega X is a no brainer, just works but might be not enough for some.


The thing is if the topsheet is worn out, it is only natural that most shots don't have much spin and might be easy to block for you.

 

[Yurifi]

I remembered one thing - I played with Donic Bluegrip C2 which I liked a lot - would Xiom Omega VII China Guang be similar to this rubber? I loved it on my forehand but, as I already stated, I tend to be a Donic rubber destroyer ... so just looking for other options in same performance and price range, but longer durability (this is why I am thinking of Xiom, my experience is that they last quite good).