Picked up my paddle after 12 years… and now there’s dignics!?

[Foxbox]

Okay, I’m full on midlife crisis and after going to a MLTT tournament and getting to play a pro with the fam, I’m back in Table Tennis! I’ve started playing with my oldest (11) and got a robot.

I was “unofficially rated” 13 years ago at 1700, and shortly after got Xiom Omega 4 pros, which I never learned to control, but it was the first new sponge tech I experienced.

Fast forward and now I’m considering either Glayzer and Glayzer 09c (FH/BH) or Dignics 09c and Dignics 80 (FH/BH).

However, I can’t tell if it would be better to get the more advanced rubbers in hopes of them steering my training, or get the Glayzers for a more realistic training trajectory.

I started on Mark V and back then the advice was stay really slow on training form, but I see a lot of people now say that doesn’t matter anymore with the new rubbers and I should just get the faster ones to adjust.

Help please!

 

[Lowday20298]

Keep mkv until you get back up to good form and then get rozena. Glayzer is a waste of money, you're better off getting bloom power or jupiter 3 or something from China.

 

[turbozed]

There's only one scenario where an advanced rubber will 'steer your training' and that's if you run into a coach who for some reason or another recommends or requires his/her student use the most advanced rubbers because that's all that coach knows. You can advance with fast equipment with their guidance.

For every other scenario, I can't imagine how overly fast and hard to control equipment can be a benefit. It'll just encourage you to not hit with your body and maybe lose confidence as your balls keep sailing over the table.

You'd also be using high performance rubber for the wrong reasons. Advanced players may find the latest and greatest rubber will help them win one or two more points in a match against their rival or in a tournament. So they are willing to pay double or triple the cost for a marginal performance edge.

You are going to be spending hours and hours whacking balls against a robot or rallying with your son. Where is the value proposition in using the most expensive rubber in this scenario? And who are these people who are telling you it's a good idea?

The best setup for a developing player is what will improve their skills as quickly as possible. You are already an intermediate so maybe that's less of a concern for you. But you will need to get your form back after 13 years and adjust to the new ball.

Think you already know the answer to your question but are just curious as to what the latest equipment feels like. Well you're in luck because there will invariably be someone with the latest and most expensive setups at whichever club you go to that'll let you try it out. If you're anything like me you'll take a few hits with it and have zero interest in touching it again for at least a few years.

 

[Lazer]

With Your background I don't think its necessary to go back to Mark V. Its a very slow rubber in todays standard.
The thing with Glayzers and Dignics'es are that they are very hard. May I suggest a rubber with great spin that has
less speed and catapult, is significantly softer and yet a high end rubber. Tibhar hybrid MK (not H(ard)). If You desperately want Butterfly there is Rozena, but I find it a bland rubber...

For now, definitely stay away from Tenergy and Dignics. Thats for later...

Cheers
L-zr

 

[TensorBackhand]

Okay, I’m full on midlife crisis and after going to a MLTT tournament and getting to play a pro with the fam, I’m back in Table Tennis! I’ve started playing with my oldest (11) and got a robot.

I was “unofficially rated” 13 years ago at 1700, and shortly after got Xiom Omega 4 pros, which I never learned to control, but it was the first new sponge tech I experienced.

Fast forward and now I’m considering either Glayzer and Glayzer 09c (FH/BH) or Dignics 09c and Dignics 80 (FH/BH).

However, I can’t tell if it would be better to get the more advanced rubbers in hopes of them steering my training, or get the Glayzers for a more realistic training trajectory.

I started on Mark V and back then the advice was stay really slow on training form, but I see a lot of people now say that doesn’t matter anymore with the new rubbers and I should just get the faster ones to adjust.

Help please!

Honestly glayzer is pretty bad. I would go with dignics if u dont mind the cost. But there are many rubbers on market now.

 

[TackyForehand]

Maybe something more familiar such as Xiom Vega X / Tour. It's best to learn proper control and spin of the ball before adding speed.

 

[Gozo Aruna]

Okay, I’m full on midlife crisis and after going to a MLTT tournament and getting to play a pro with the fam, I’m back in Table Tennis! I’ve started playing with my oldest (11) and got a robot.

I was “unofficially rated” 13 years ago at 1700, and shortly after got Xiom Omega 4 pros, which I never learned to control, but it was the first new sponge tech I experienced.

Fast forward and now I’m considering either Glayzer and Glayzer 09c (FH/BH) or Dignics 09c and Dignics 80 (FH/BH).

However, I can’t tell if it would be better to get the more advanced rubbers in hopes of them steering my training, or get the Glayzers for a more realistic training trajectory.

I started on Mark V and back then the advice was stay really slow on training form, but I see a lot of people now say that doesn’t matter anymore with the new rubbers and I should just get the faster ones to adjust.

Help please!

We are missing an important piece of the puzzle: Tell us about your blade.

 

[JJ Ng]

I am the third person suggesting Rozena. Glayzer is not worth the performance based on its high price.

 

[Sherpa]

Yasaka Rakza 7 soft is the easiest 'do it all rubber' I have played with. No spectacular at anything but also not bad at anything either and very forgiving.

 

[Choosikick]

I would still recommend you the Fastarc G1. It's not as fast as Dignics and Tenergy, but has a lot of control and good spin, as well as incredible durability. It's kind of a Mark 5 in the present tense.

 

[kapahoo]

I would still recommend you the Fastarc G1. It's not as fast as Dignics and Tenergy, but has a lot of control and good spin, as well as incredible durability.

Good choice. Cheaper and Foxbox will get the feel of relatively modern rubber, Quality-wise the same as Butterflies.
Regarding the Rozenas and Glayzers... I'll go against the others here and state that Glayzer is fine. Nothing special but a standard middle of the road modern, hard rubber. Same with 09c but since it is sticky and even harder it is a bigger step from Mark V.
Rozena however I found quite hard to use. Fast and bouncy but very little grip. All angles had to be adjusted and the margin of error for loops were very, very small. Almost like using a short pips rubber.

 

[Choosikick]

Good choice. Cheaper and Foxbox will get the feel of relatively modern rubber, Quality-wise the same as Butterflies.
Regarding the Rozenas and Glayzers... I'll go against the others here and state that Glayzer is fine. Nothing special but a standard middle of the road modern, hard rubber. Same with 09c but since it is sticky and even harder it is a bigger step from Mark V.
Rozena however I found quite hard to use. Fast and bouncy but very little grip. All angles had to be adjusted and the margin of error for loops were very, very small. Almost like using a short pips rubber.

I agree with you. I also liked the Glazer 09C, but I would still not recommend it to a player after a long break due to the non-linear nature of this rubber. On slow balls and short game it is slow, but when powered up the ball speeds up a fair amount. This can be difficult for a player after the Mark5. G1 is more predictable.

 

[Tyce]

Hi! Just back from 14 years hiatus. Here's my two cents:
- The ball change has done more to the game than it initially looks and feels like. I feel it's important to get yourself some fresh gear and see what it does with the new regulation stuff.
- (in my experience) traditional older rubbers like Mark V will be fine but not do much for an experienced player. Had I picked that, I would have regretted it before getting 3 months in.
- current middle-of-the-road rubber for players with a bit of experience (background or current) would be something like Fastarc C1/G1, Rakza 7 normal or Soft.

There's going to be similar offerings from other manufacturers, but Donic just calls everything Blue and it confuses the hell out of me. Butterfly does a bit of their own thing, but Glayzer (not 09C) sounds like it would fall into this category.

 

[Haraold]

Nittaku Factive or Vega Intro

 

[JeffreyMG]

If you are starting again to find your form, you might want to consider the Chinese development route. Get some DHS Hurricane 3 Neo (38-39 degrees) for the forehand and DHS Hurricane 8 Soft (37 Degrees) for the backhand. Tacky rubber is the future with the larger plastic ball and I would argue it's good to try and develop the Chinese way (No European Tensor rubbers on forehand).

Another benefit is this will be cheaper than Butterfly products.