Suitable rubber for BH ?

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Hello everyone. I’ve read quite a lot on the forum, but I still decided to open a new topic.

I currently play in the third division in my country. My game has always been based on my FH side. My forehand is much better than my backhand in all aspects of the game – serve receive, passive play over the table, and strong attacking topspins. My footwork when playing FH is very good, and I can easily switch from passive play to attack, both over the table and from mid-distance. On the FH side, I can link many shots in a row without problems. No matter which rubber I’ve tried on FH, it has always been fine and I adapt to it very easily.

None of this applies to my BH. My movement is much worse, and I struggle to connect multiple shots. My BH has always been based on playing one or two shots at most, and then trying to step around to use my FH again.

Recently, I tried someone else’s racket with a Chinese sticky rubber (I honestly don’t know which one it was and can’t find out anymore), and I noticed that my BH worked better overall with that type of rubber. It was easier to keep the ball on the table, both in training and in matches. Opening the first BH topspin was much easier, and I also had better control over the table. I could link several BH shots more easily. The rubber was noticeably slower than the MX-P 1.7 mm that I currently use on my BH. I think it had similar hardness to MX-P, but it was very tacky.

My general idea is this: for my BH, I would choose a moderately tacky rubber, slightly softer than MX-P, slower than MX-P, with very good control. I’m more inclined toward classic European tensors than Chinese rubbers, since I’m not familiar with Chinese ones at all.

Which tensors with these characteristics would you recommend?
 
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Well, if you liked the Chinese rubber; why not go for a Chinese rubber? There's a lot of models out there that might suit your needs. Sanwei Target, Hurricane 3, Hurricane 8, maybe even Battle 3, as long as you get them in the softest hardnesses.

If you can't do it because of finite time or whatever then I understand, but it's my 0.02. I'm trying to make grippy rubber work on the backhand, and I think I'll just go back to a tacky topsheet eventually.
 
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What comes to my mind is: Yinhe Moon 12 m- or m+. To me this is the easiest to play bh rubber. It's very controlled and directional control is so strong. Blocking is super safe, but it's still fast enough to hit winners if you want to especially on viscaria.
It's only ever so slightly tacky though. But to me fits your description
 
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Okay, thanks for the suggestions and advice so far. It’s not urgent — I’m planning to try it in about 20 days. I might even order several rubbers to test. From what I can see, those Chinese rubbers aren’t very expensive.


Also, I’m not sure whether the Chinese rubber I tried was boosted or tuned… because the sponge definitely wasn’t “dead” — the ball bounced nicely and dynamically. My general feeling was that the sponge on that rubber was around 43–45° on the ESN scale.


@Ultravisitor — what does “m-” and “m+” mean on the Yinhe Moon 12? .. If you can, please give me a link on AliExpress where I can order it.

Any suggestions for ESN tensors that you think — or have tried — that are good for BH?

Thanks.

@Archosaurus .. If I understood you correctly, you're currently playing with an ESN grippy tensor and are considering going back to a tacky Chinese rubber? If that’s the case, which grippy rubbers have you tried?
 
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Okay, thanks for the suggestions and advice so far. It’s not urgent — I’m planning to try it in about 20 days. I might even order several rubbers to test. From what I can see, those Chinese rubbers aren’t very expensive.


Also, I’m not sure whether the Chinese rubber I tried was boosted or tuned… because the sponge definitely wasn’t “dead” — the ball bounced nicely and dynamically. My general feeling was that the sponge on that rubber was around 43–45° on the ESN scale.


@Ultravisitor — what does “m-” and “m+” mean on the Yinhe Moon 12? .. If you can, please give me a link on AliExpress where I can order it.

Any suggestions for ESN tensors that you think — or have tried — that are good for BH?

Thanks.

@Archosaurus .. If I understood you correctly, you're currently playing with an ESN grippy tensor and are considering going back to a tacky Chinese rubber? If that’s the case, which grippy rubbers have you tried?
M- is medium soft I guess around 42° to 45°
M+ is medium hard more like 47°+
Just go on ali and search for yinhe Moon 12.
I upgraded to butterfly rozena which is faster but similarly easy to use
 
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@Archosaurus .. If I understood you correctly, you're currently playing with an ESN grippy tensor and are considering going back to a tacky Chinese rubber? If that’s the case, which grippy rubbers have you tried?
Yeah, I have Europe DF on my backhand, and I used Focus III before (traditional sponge but grippy). To be honest these are the only grippy rubbers I've personally owned, although from what I've quickly tried, other ones aren't *that* different to me.

Probably the reason I don't like it is technique deficiencies, because I don't have this kind of negative feeling with RPB, only with my usual shakehand backhand strokes. Either way if I needed more performance immediately, I'd switch back to tacky. I twiddled to Battle 2 on the backhand a few times and found it more comfortable than Europe DF, with more spin, power and control, which doesn't make sense to me. My stroke is somewhat long and has high racket speed, so it may just be that I personally need a little bit harder sponge.

Well, I was planning to go back to tacky, but the rubber I ordered for replacement is in the wrong color due to my own error, so maybe I can try another tensor again. :p Now I have a mismatch of colors...
 
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U can consider
1) victas v15 sticky soft (47.5degrees)
2) DHS hurricane 8-80 (comes in 36 & 37 degrees)
36 degrees DHS is roughly 44-46 esn hardness and 37 degrees DHS is roughly 46-48 esn hardness
3) budget option can be Friendship 729 rubbers as 729 produces rubber sheets that remain tacky well, just expect less powerful sponge from them.
 
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M- is medium soft I guess around 42° to 45°
M+ is medium hard more like 47°+
Just go on ali and search for yinhe Moon 12.
I upgraded to butterfly rozena which is faster but similarly easy to use
If you meam Moon 12 Blue, M- is closer to 45-47 and M+ is 48 or so. I've played with M- on BH and it's very controlled, with a medium-high arc. Hard to hit winners but if you really rip it you can get decent speed.

U can consider
1) victas v15 sticky soft (47.5degrees)
2) DHS hurricane 8-80 (comes in 36 & 37 degrees)
36 degrees DHS is roughly 44-46 esn hardness and 37 degrees DHS is roughly 46-48 esn hardness
3) budget option can be Friendship 729 rubbers as 729 produces rubber sheets that remain tacky well, just expect less powerful sponge from them.
I didn't know 8-80 exists in 36, I've only seen 37+. I like 45° ESN rubbers in general but 8-80 already feels mushy; 36 seems like the equivalent of hitting with margarine...
 
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I think a more linear rubber is something worth trying. MX-P is great but it is bouncy, very bouncy. Tibhar Hybrid MK is a very good option.
I had MX-P 50 on BH for quite some time. it's amazing when you are on power, when you are leaning on the ball aggressively, but if you want to play "gently" you really have to be careful as ball then tends to think it's on a mission to the Moon. 🤪
 
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