Tibhar K3 durability and alternatives

[Ghostzen]

Hey All,

I'm really happy with my setup. I mean it's great K3 FH A1 BH. Now comes the issue..... I'm finding my K3's really fade rather fast. I'm training quite a bit at the moment but my present K3 is showing heavy signs of wear after 6.5 weeks.

It's a great rubber, Soooo how do I give it a longer life or do I change to maybe C2 on the FH or another brand which is very similar to K3 in feel but with a longer life.

I'm looking for 53% or harder,

Any ideas would be greatly received!.

Cheers

GZ

 

[TensorBackhand]

Hey All,

I'm really happy with my setup. I mean it's great K3 FH A1 BH. Now comes the issue..... I'm finding my K3's really fade rather fast. I'm training quite a bit at the moment but my present K3 is showing heavy signs of wear after 6.5 weeks.

It's a great rubber, Soooo how do I give it a longer life or do I change to maybe C2 on the FH or another brand which is very similar to K3 in feel but with a longer life.

I'm looking for 53% or harder,

Any ideas would be greatly received!.

Cheers

GZ

Are you referring to Donic Bluegrip A1? What is the difference between K3 and A1 in your experience?

Which one is faster/bouncier?

 

[Migzkulit]

Nothing lasts significantly longer than K3.
Not even Dignics 09c.
You're gonna have to stick with K3 or use hurricane 3.

 

[Doralikesmath]

A well-maintained D09C would significantly outlast K3 easily. My sheet is still tacky after like 90 hours of use, even if the topsheet shows heavy signs of use.

 

[Ghostzen]

Are you referring to Donic Bluegrip A1? What is the difference between K3 and A1 in your experience?

Which one is faster/bouncier?

The Donic Bluestar A1. For me the Bluestar A1 is a good backhand rubber. Little softer feeling than K3, little easier to produce power on the backhand. K3 on FH for me has touch, spin and safety in topspin Drive, counter. Speed is good but consistency of return and depth spin quality is really solid.

 

[Ghostzen]

Nothing lasts significantly longer than K3.
Not even Dignics 09c.
You're gonna have to stick with K3 or use hurricane 3.

Hurricane is not for me. The halfway house is what I'm happiest with I think. I'm guessing I was hoping for the magic bullet answer... 😊 Orrr someone to say don't worry you can buy it really cheap here...

 

[JJ Ng]

To me if the rubber really works well for your game and you get to beat a lot of players and win close games, how much is that worth to you? Compared that to the price of the rubber?

I personally would change my rubbers more frequently if I get walk around like a champ!

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I heard from a K3 user, that the rubber is only good for 1 week, or maybe at most into the 2nd week (and will be used for training only).
look at 30 hours usage a week or so.

He is sponsored, so can use as many as he want, but that is even more inconvenience than my boosted H3 that I used to change every 2 to 3 weeks

 

[SleepyMaster]

Nothing lasts significantly longer than K3.
Not even Dignics 09c.
You're gonna have to stick with K3 or use hurricane 3.

naah D09c outlast K3 and any tibhar rubber
Rakza Z/hard has better lifespan than k3 but it is slower so its up to everyone choice

 

[Airoc]

I heard from a K3 user, that the rubber is only good for 1 week, or maybe at most into the 2nd week (and will be used for training only).

Several similar experiences over here, all from pros and semi-pros. They seem to wear out this rubber quickly, understandably on most amateur levels it would last longer (in weeks) since the hours of usage are less in a week.

Years ago, when the cry for pro material for everyone seemed loud, someone said to me "performance and durability do not go together well" - now pro level rubbers are on the market (or shop version rubbers good enough for pro table tennis) and those words seem to ring true.

As for an alternative, I suggest to monitor user experiences of the new NUZN rubbers by andro, with a promise of extended durability. Hybrid rubbers will probably never be the most durable, but in comparison to K3 the NUZN should win easily, how long it really lasts remains to be seen.

 

[Zeen]

I recommend D09c or Xiom O7 China Guang.
Both last around 8 months of frequent training with reboosting.
But you might have to boost CG from the start, can be too hard depending on hardness variability.

 

[SFF_lib]

Don't forget Vega China. At 53 degree it is still amazingly good in control, power and spin on FH. The price is also lower.

Durability is very good, definitely better than K3

 

[Ghostzen]

A well-maintained D09C would significantly outlast K3 easily. My sheet is still tacky after like 90 hours of use, even if the topsheet shows heavy signs of use.

To me if the rubber really works well for your game and you get to beat a lot of players and win close games, how much is that worth to you? Compared that to the price of the rubber?

I personally would change my rubbers more frequently if I get walk around like a champ!

Definitely makes sense

 

[Ghostzen]

I heard from a K3 user, that the rubber is only good for 1 week, or maybe at most into the 2nd week (and will be used for training only).
look at 30 hours usage a week or so.

He is sponsored, so can use as many as he want, but that is even more inconvenience than my boosted H3 that I used to change every 2 to 3 weeks

Makes sense on durability as I'm training 2.5 every other day. Which works out about right.

 

[Ghostzen]

Don't forget Vega China. At 53 degree it is still amazingly good in control, power and spin on FH. The price is also lower.

Durability is very good, definitely better than K3

That was actually on my list of possible choices as well.

 

[JJ Ng]

Definitely makes sense

All of us have different financial restraints. I am in my 40's now so I have money to spend. I started playing when I was 13. So when I was a poor university student, I would make my equipment last. Plus back then, Paddle Palace was super expensive (well Paddle Palace is still super expensive today) and Tabletennis11 did not exist.

So now I am in my 40's and I have the means to EJ, I have spent a lot of money trying different equipment.

But at the end of the day, playing table tennis is about a) fun/enjoyment and b) competitiveness. Who wants to lose a match if he/she does not have to? Who wants to play with a crappy set of rubber and ball goes out of the table or goes into the net all the time?

So that's why to me, if I get a set of rubber and I can win all the close games and play like a champion, changing it every 2-3 months is not a big deal at all (considering all the money I have already spent on EJ'ing). But if I were a poor univ student, yeah, I would probably buy D09c and make it last for a year. But if I were a poor univ student, would I even be able to afford D09c at all?

Therefore it is up to you as to how much the rubber is worth to you.

 

[Snek]

Butterfly Aibiss maybe?

 

[mcfly]

I heard from a K3 user, that the rubber is only good for 1 week, or maybe at most into the 2nd week (and will be used for training only).
look at 30 hours usage a week or so.

He is sponsored, so can use as many as he want, but that is even more inconvenience than my boosted H3 that I used to change every 2 to 3 weeks

i second this. K3 durability is short - to me D09C and H3 last way longer.

 

[mcfly]

All of us have different financial restraints. I am in my 40's now so I have money to spend. I started playing when I was 13. So when I was a poor university student, I would make my equipment last. Plus back then, Paddle Palace was super expensive (well Paddle Palace is still super expensive today) and Tabletennis11 did not exist.

So now I am in my 40's and I have the means to EJ, I have spent a lot of money trying different equipment.

But at the end of the day, playing table tennis is about a) fun/enjoyment and b) competitiveness. Who wants to lose a match if he/she does not have to? Who wants to play with a crappy set of rubber and ball goes out of the table or goes into the net all the time?

So that's why to me, if I get a set of rubber and I can win all the close games and play like a champion, changing it every 2-3 months is not a big deal at all (considering all the money I have already spent on EJ'ing). But if I were a poor univ student, yeah, I would probably buy D09c and make it last for a year. But if I were a poor univ student, would I even be able to afford D09c at all?

Therefore it is up to you as to how much the rubber is worth to you.

how much money you got?

 

[JJ Ng]

how much money you got?

Lol, you don't want to know how much I have spent on EJ'ing. I don't want to know either. Too afraid to add up all my credit card bills....lol!