Why should the Powergrip be superior as the Vega Pro? Given the sponge hardness and the pimple structure, I would expect that the Vega Pro is spinnier and in in the end speed faster.
Not better, just different. You're lucky, I've played Omega V Tour on fh and Powergrip on bh for 4-5 months and I'm now transitioning to the X on fh.
Nope, not quite. I will cover it a little bit further down.
Harder and spinnier as X, yes.
OK, now my two cents:
I categorize rubbers roughly within those dimensions:
- Sponge hardness
- Pimple structure
Overall, I like to put rubbers in a category like the MX-S or the Vega Pro and Omega V Tour where the pimples are quite broad (around 2.0-2.1 mm) and the space between them is small. Then there are rubbers like the X and also Powergrip with pimples around 1.7-1.8 mm.
The categories which Bty made for their Tenergys seems to be right as far as my experience go. Broad pimples -> harder feeling -> better spin -> higher throw -> higher end speed with full power from the ground in the shot and vice versa.
Overall, rubbers like the X and Powergrip feel "softer", "bouncier" and in the beginning faster. They are indeed "faster" when you play with less power. You will get also really fast to the bottom of their speed when you apply proper power from the ground with good technique.
Broken down to the four rubbers I would rate them as follows:
Throw: Vega Pro>Omega V Tour>X>Powergrip
Catapult: Vega Pro<Omega V Tour<X<Powergrip
Speed: Omega V Tour>Vega Pro>X>Powergrip (full speed at max power)
Some characteristics for each rubber:
Omega V Tour is somewhat between MX-P and MX-S. A little more catapult than MX-S, less than MX-P. Feeling and throw more like MX-S.
Vega Pro is from the throw comparable to MX-S and Omega V Tour. Overall just less speed, a tuned down (or less tuned, depends on how you see it) version. Overall feeling when you play it comparable to MX-S and Omega V Tour.
Vega X is bouncier and has a lower throw than Vega Pro. I would also not recommend it as a 1:1 alternative to a Vega Pro. The playing characteristics are too different and for me, the X is just a 1:1 alternative to the Powergrip which plays a tad harder.
Powergrip plays softer in comparison to the other rubbers with the highest catapult and the lowest throw.
For me, Powergrip and Vega X are siblings where the X is the less bouncier and tad harder brother of the Powergrip.
I would strongly suggest that everybody who likes the Powergrip should try the X.
And one note why I changed my rubber from Omega V Tour to X:
I felt that in the passive game especially during blocking, the Omega V Tour is really unforgiving. I was always trying the Powergrip, which I play on the bh for my fh and I really liked how it was really safe in the passive game. The feeling was just a little too soft for me and when playing full strokes from far behind the table with full power from the ground, I really felt the wood beneath the Powergrip and was easily able to get the maximum speed out of the rubber. With the Omega V Tour, there was no "limit" as far as my technique and power goes. The X is just a tad harder, which is sufficient enough for me to play it on the fh. I'm for sure loosing in end power and also spin but I get more balls back in total. And in the end the player wins the point who hits the right side of the table one time more.
