Tenergy 5 1.9mm or 2.1mm?

[Headbeancounter]

I need some advice please. My local supplier has a sale on Tenergy 05 rubbers but in 1.9 mm thickness only, personally I would prefer a 2.1 mm to go with my 7-ply wood Sanwei V5 Pro and possibly switch to an ALC carbon blade down the road. Will I notice the difference (good or bad)? Should I just hold off? Finally, is there a big difference between the regular 05 and 05 FX? I should add that I have played for 4 years and consider myself just below "intermediate" level. I am wondering if I should just stick with the H3 Neo until I reach closer to the intermediate level. Thanks in advance.

 

[Scarfed Garchomp]

05 is worlds apart from H3. It's a very bouncy and spin-sensitive rubber, unforgiving if you do not properly compensate for oncoming spin or if you are out of position. I recommend trying Fastarc G1 if you want a high performance rubber, it's not as automatic as 05, but is much more forgiving.

 

[TensorBackhand]

I need some advice please. My local supplier has a sale on Tenergy 05 rubbers but in 1.9 mm thickness only, personally I would prefer a 2.1 mm to go with my 7-ply wood Sanwei V5 Pro and possibly switch to an ALC carbon blade down the road. Will I notice the difference (good or bad)? Should I just hold off? Finally, is there a big difference between the regular 05 and 05 FX? I should add that I have played for 4 years and consider myself just below "intermediate" level. I am wondering if I should just stick with the H3 Neo until I reach closer to the intermediate level. Thanks in advance.

I think you will notice the difference. Being thinner, you will feel the blade much earlier, and you will bottom out the rubber quicker.

Tenergy 1.9mm is still a very good rubber, and you will adjust relatively quickly. But if you're paying full price and there is a specific thickness you want, I would definitely buy from a shop that has the exact desired thickness.

 

[Creek]

I personally prefer 1.9mm Tenergy. It’s less mushy, less carapulty, lighter, more linear and stop thinking about „bottoming out 1.9mm rubbers“. This is a problem for pros but not for 99.9% of all amateurs. It’s something in your head maybe, but will not happen in reality expect for high smashes, where it also has no bad effect

 

[yoass]

I've played with both, and don't really think it's that much of a difference. And I too slightly prefer T05 in 1.9mm over 2.1mm.

 

[ZFT]

Spring sponge is very prominent in 2.1 - with the T05 topsheet it’s amazing during drill practice and warm up but once the real match starts, it gets very twitchy in the short game. You need to survive the first 2-3 balls.

I too like T05 1.9 better.

On the other hand if you can go up to T05H, there is not enough spring sponge feeling in 1.9 so 2.1 feels better.

YMMV, the path I recommend if staying in the Tenergy series is:

T05 1.9 > T19 2.1 > T05H 2.1

 

[Headbeancounter]

Thank you all so much for your invaluable insights which are very much appreciated! I am new to this forum and have already learned so much in a very short time. Without the proper knowledge before this, I have been going through trial and errors with various preassembled bats, blades and rubbers, erroneously thinking that I should jump right to OFF++ carbon blades to improve my game; man, was I wrong. I am now dialing back to all wood blades and focusing more on my techniques. I also value the suggestion that perhaps Fastarc G-1 is more suitable to me than Tenergy 05 because the former is more forgiving. Once again, I am grateful for this forum and your sage advice!

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