What is more profitable: regular reboosting a cheap Chinese rubbers or buying a Euro/Jap Hybrid?

[Fnub]

Hello.
Recently I've got a question in my head: if I boost with Haifu Seamoon a cheap but good rubber like Jupiter 3 or some 729, palio and etc. stuff that is under 15USD every 2-3 weeks(when i feel the Seamoon evaporates) , will it be more cheap than buying a Hybrid rubber like Tibhar Hybrid K2 or Rakza Z?
I've made some calculations and got that on paper reboosting a cheap rubber is cheaper(including the booster and the glue cost) but it's only on paper. In my region K2 is 40USD and a regular boosted J3 is 25.

I usually change rubbers after 6 month. Euro tensors just "die" while the Chinese tacky rubbers remain playable but not that good as before.

What do you think about it? I know many people just hate the boosting process itself and play with Hybrids.

And yes, uncle Igor, don't remind me that I'm a bad guy, I know that I boost

 

[zeio]

Economical? Chinese rubbers. Hands down.

Go either Chinese or Japanese. Forget European. They are screwed big time.

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/advantages-of-older-generation-rubbers-r7-g1-vega-pro.32943/post-442961

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/what-would-tt-brands-do-if-esn-suddenly-refused-to-make-for-them.32883/post-442777

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/dignics-and-its-effect-on-sales-of-tenergy-and-rozena.20860/post-443209

 

[TensorBackhand]

Hello.
Recently I've got a question in my head: if I boost with Haifu Seamoon a cheap but good rubber like Jupiter 3 or some 729, palio and etc. stuff that is under 15USD every 2-3 weeks(when i feel the Seamoon evaporates) , will it be more cheap than buying a Hybrid rubber like Tibhar Hybrid K2 or Rakza Z?
I've made some calculations and got that on paper reboosting a cheap rubber is cheaper(including the booster and the glue cost) but it's only on paper. In my region K2 is 40USD and a regular boosted J3 is 25.

I usually change rubbers after 6 month. Euro tensors just "die" while the Chinese tacky rubbers remain playable but not that good as before.

What do you think about it? I know many people just hate the boosting process itself and play with Hybrids.

And yes, uncle Igor, don't remind me that I'm a bad guy, I know that I boost

Absolutely the Chinese route is more "profitable". You really won't need to re-boost it every 2-3 weeks. I think the booster will last longer than that. And the general rubber performance isn't worse than Euro hybrids.

 

[JJ Ng]

Hurricane 3 neo commercial orange sponge after 30% off bulk discount is $18.70 from TT11. I probably reboost every 3 months? It is VERY economical.

I have not found any hybrid rubber that I like. I love the low throw of H3 neo.

I have moved onto Hurricane 3 neo provincial blue sponge. Yeah it is much more expensive. But still plays better than hybrids I have tried.

For a cheaper option, I have been using Sanwei Target National as well for $26-$30 a piece. I like it enough to put that on 1/3 of my regular blades that I use.

 

[latej]

What do you think about it? I know many people just hate the boosting process itself and play with Hybrids.

You're lucky that this question is still "open" for you. You see, people tend to develop preference for one or another (like e.g. JJ Ng for chinese rubber/sponge) and then it doesn't really matter which one is cheaper, because you simply want the one type you like. (Of course, we can try to find cheaper chinese alternatives (like Rxton 9 for H3 prov.), or cheaper Dignics alternative.) Similarly, many people like hybrid (or ESN or Butterfly) and hate chinese rubber (regardless whether boosted or not).

 

[lodro]

(Of course, we can try to find cheaper chinese alternatives (like Rxton 9 for H3 prov.)

Is there really a close similarity between these rubbers ?
I got the R9 but never bought a H3 provincial.

 

[Lowday20298]

Well... Depends on what you want.

Euro/Jap hybrids play completely differently to chinese rubbers, no matter how much you boost them. Try them out and see what you like.

Keep in mind that boosting is a bit of a process and it has to be repeated every few weeks because the effects of booster oil don't last very long. After 3, maybe 4 reboosts, if you're lucky, the rubber will be done for and you'll need to change it. With hybrids you avoid the headache of the process and they last much longer because the sponge is not through treatment.

After a while the costs are about the same, maybe euro/jap can even be cheaper, especially if you compare with blue sponge hurricane, hybrids are much cheaper than dealing with boosting a h3 blue and having to replace the damn thing... Also proper booster is rather expensive, haifu national is about 60€ for 120ml. And the national is what you want, the seamoon lasts much less and ends up eating through rubbers faster.

Try both out and see what you prefer.

 

[Lowday20298]

You're lucky that this question is still "open" for you. You see, people tend to develop preference for one or another (like e.g. JJ Ng for chinese rubber/sponge) and then it doesn't really matter which one is cheaper, because you simply want the one type you like. (Of course, we can try to find cheaper chinese alternatives (like Rxton 9 for H3 prov.), or cheaper Dignics alternative.) Similarly, many people like hybrid (or ESN or Butterfly) and hate chinese rubber (regardless whether boosted or not).

True, it's mostly about what you feel comfortable with and gives you a feeling of security when playing. If you're used to something and you like it, it's likely you'll never find anything like it.

 

[latej]

Is there really a close similarity between these rubbers ?
I got the R9 but never bought a H3 provincial.

They are close enough for me. But they definitely are not the same. I like H3 prov. BS, but it is not cheap. It is a bit lighter weight (well, let's say last 3 exemplars) than R9, and the H41 was perhaps even tiny bit softer than R9 which is declared H40,5. But still, close enough. The H3 prov. BS is less tacky. However that I personally don't care much about. There is also a bit different top-sheet feeling, but again, close enough for me. Btw. for me also Battle 2 BS nat. or prov. is close enough with H3 prov. BS, so I could use it. And some people couldn't... When the season ends I have 2 exemplars of Double Fish Volant Phoenix to kill, again, close enough for me with H3 prov. BS, and not close enough for someone else. Cheers, old master Lodro.

 

[latej]

True, it's mostly about what you feel comfortable with and gives you a feeling of security when playing. If you're used to something and you like it, it's likely you'll never find anything like it.

Yes, I give my blade to my team players and they say "NO, thanks, go away".

At the same time, there is something like conscious decision to switch to something you don't like now/yet. E.g. I might try to switch to some hybrid and get used to it. Nicht ausgeschlossen ;-)

 

[lodro]

E.g. I might try to switch to some hybrid and get used to it. Nicht ausgeschlossen ;-)

Ich verstehe dich 🤣
I have my "basic setup" but keep forever experimenting. Hard sponges- soft sponges - pimples in - pimples out sticky rubber non sticky, 5 layer blades- 7 layers - carbon in carbon out ....so much fun................so much confusion 🤣

 

[Lowday20298]

Yes, I give my blade to my team players and they say "NO, thanks, go away".

At the same time, there is something like conscious decision to switch to something you don't like now/yet. E.g. I might try to switch to some hybrid and get used to it. Nicht ausgeschlossen ;-)

I've tried many blades and rubbers, tried hurricane 3, baracuda, vega euro, battle 2, goldarc, bluestorm, calibra tour, and many more but I always come back to t05 and t05fx.

Same with blades, I used long v, yeo, Intensity, clipper, azalea off, persson all, I always go back to my beat to sh*t viscaria. For me, there's nothing like it. Sometimes I also go to my intensity, but my viscaria feels like home. I've played with a few, but I only like mine.

 

[SlowPower]

if weight isnt a problem i recommend the rhyzen zgx boosted.
plays very nice and isnt more expensive than h3. .

 

[Doum]

If you take into account all the EJ you have to do to finally find your replacement, i think it's more expensive.

Then you buy the real thing, find out it's not really the same, and the process start over again.

 

[Der_Echte]

Economical? Chinese rubbers. Hands down.

Go either Chinese or Japanese. Forget European. They are screwed big time.

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/advantages-of-older-generation-rubbers-r7-g1-vega-pro.32943/post-442961

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/what-would-tt-brands-do-if-esn-suddenly-refused-to-make-for-them.32883/post-442777

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/dignics-and-its-effect-on-sales-of-tenergy-and-rozena.20860/post-443209

Of course it costs less money to both purchase Chinese rubbers and to tune them.

Will it be appropriate for what the OP does well? Well, the OP will need to test it for hiz-self.

As for the value of older gen rubbers, I am with you. I personally use 15 yr old technology just fine on a blade that has been around longer and is not designed as a rocket ship.

If I remember right, I think zeio put up a vid where he played H3 on FH untuned and was quite handy. Certain shots are actually very controllable with untuned H3... like control countering a heavy incoming loop and adding side spin.

It will all depend on what the player does well and what the rubber makes it easy to do for what shots.

 

[lodro]

They are close enough for me. But they definitely are not the same. I like H3 prov. BS, but it is not cheap. It is a bit lighter weight (well, let's say last 3 exemplars) than R9, and the H41 was perhaps even tiny bit softer than R9 which is declared H40,5. But still, close enough. The H3 prov. BS is less tacky. However that I personally don't care much about. There is also a bit different top-sheet feeling, but again, close enough for me. Btw. for me also Battle 2 BS nat. or prov. is close enough with H3 prov. BS, so I could use it. And some people couldn't... When the season ends I have 2 exemplars of Double Fish Volant Phoenix to kill, again, close enough for me with H3 prov. BS, and not close enough for someone else. Cheers, old master Lodro.

🙏
😊

 

[WingTT]

Something like the Arthur Loki China is cheap and can be even faster than a boosted H3 Neo commercial. If your time is free and the inconvenience a non-factor, it might be worth it to boost otherwise I would not even bother unless there was something about a particular boosted rubber performance you can't get anywhere else.

 

[TensorBackhand]

Something like the Arthur Loki China is cheap and can be even faster than a boosted H3 Neo commercial. If your time is free and the inconvenience a non-factor, it might be worth it to boost otherwise I would not even bother unless there was something about a particular boosted rubber performance you can't get anywhere else.

Lac, Jupiter 3, Bloom Power dont even need boosting. They are naturally bouncy

 

[SlowPower]

is there any chinese rubber with high and short arc like esn?
i know bloom power, h3 and jupiter 3 but they throw long and flat for my feeling...

 

[lodro]

Lac does not need boosting. It is naturally bouncy

😂😂😂😂😂 naturally bouncy my socks