When to change equipment?

[pedro.dantas]

I started training table tennis 6 months ago with an old racket, but I switched to my current equipment (Xiom offensive S with vega pro on BH and vega X on FH).
I really enjoy the driving feeling on the vega X, but I find it very soft, and bad for serving. Is it okay to switch the rubber based on just that?
Furthermore, I tested a timo boll ALC with Rasanter R37 both sides and I liked it, even though the rubber is very soft. So a question arose in my head, when should I think about using carbon blades?

 

[jk1980]

If you don't want to get better quickly, then the best way is to choose an outer carbon blade like a Viscaria with one side T05 which will be too bouncy for you to control and the other side dignics 09c which is so hard that you won't be able to activate it.

Or you simply stick with your setup and learn to mitigate the Vega X priorities with a more sensitive hand and feel

 

[Hyooong]

You can think about carbon whenever you like, but generally speaking you are better off waiting until you have good technique and consistency locked down. You may never actually need to use carbon. Up to the highest level of play, all wood is entirely viable, or even preferable. Unless you plan on making your professional debut soon, you don't actually need to play with carbon at all. Technique trumps equipment every time.

Rubbers, on the otherhand, are worth exploring. There is no perfect rubber, but you need to find ones that feel right with the blade you're using. Some simply don't work well with the characteristics of your blade, playstyle, etc. It's never a bad shout to switch out rubbers if you really don't like it after the breaking-in period.

 

[pedro.dantas]

You can think about carbon whenever you like, but generally speaking you are better off waiting until you have good technique and consistency locked down. You may never actually need to use carbon. Up to the highest level of play, all wood is entirely viable, or even preferable. Unless you plan on making your professional debut soon, you don't actually need to play with carbon at all. Technique trumps equipment every time.

Rubbers, on the otherhand, are worth exploring. There is no perfect rubber, but you need to find ones that feel right with the blade you're using. Some simply don't work well with the characteristics of your blade, playstyle, etc. It's never a bad shout to switch out rubbers if you really don't like it after the breaking-in period.

Do you think a yasaka rakza z on the FH would be a considerable choice?

 

[mocker88]

I think you should stay with your current setup and work on your technique and foot work, because that's your bottle neck right now. Carbon blades isn't by default faster and less controllable, but certain rubbers combined with play style fits better with stiffer blades, and carbon blades are usually more stiff.

If you only have played for six months, I guess your technique isn't the best and the best way to learn proper technique is to start playing with more linear rubbers, that doesn't bounce too much. I understand that you like the feeling when driving with your Vega rubbers, but you don't have to work sufficient when using these rubbers and I guess that you might have some problem in defence when your opponents are putting you under pressure, looping and stuff and the ball might bounce out from the table? Just guessing, but I think it might be like that...

Your blade seems just fine, and regarding your rubbers, I think they may too bouncy and your technique development will suffer from this.

Just think of this. When developing technique, don't go and change too much in your setup, or you might have to rebuild your technique from scratch again. Look for, and find bottle necks in your equipment, before you change rubbers or blades, and make sure that the bottle neck isn't your technique or footwork.

 

[Hyooong]

Do you think a yasaka rakza z on the FH would be a considerable choice?

Rakza Z is generally well-recieved by the community. People really rate it as a fh rubber, but what I will say is that the Rakza Z is considered a Hybrid rubber, with a tacky-ish topsheet and sponge somewhere between Chinese and Euro energy sponge. While it is definitely a sick rubber, it may be a bit of a learning curve considering your previously mentioned rubbers are squarely euro style tensor. Additionally, tacky vs grippy topsheets for service is a different ballgame, there's quite a bit of nuance to it and you may have to change your service technique.

Honestly, your rubbers are of a good quality, so I'd stick with them or change to something similar, but with the added characteristics that you'd want. Never discount the benefits of regluing a rubber to a blade if it's been a long time. Also consider if a brand new sheet of your current rubber would do the trick - "better the devil you know", and all that.

Finally, if you're dead set on a change, why not consider rubbers like Tibhar MXP or Fastarc G1? They're similar enough to where the change over won't be super dramatic, and could have a little more oomph behind them.

 

[John_]

You can change to it even now if you feel like it. Just don't expect to ever become better.

It's like asking when should I drive a 1000hp car, as a new driver, way too hard to use. Until you're a seasoned player, stay clear of it.

 

[pedro.dantas]

I think you should stay with your current setup and work on your technique and foot work, because that's your bottle neck right now. Carbon blades isn't by default faster and less controllable, but certain rubbers combined with play style fits better with stiffer blades, and carbon blades are usually more stiff.

If you only have played for six months, I guess your technique isn't the best and the best way to learn proper technique is to start playing with more linear rubbers, that doesn't bounce too much. I understand that you like the feeling when driving with your Vega rubbers, but you don't have to work sufficient when using these rubbers and I guess that you might have some problem in defence when your opponents are putting you under pressure, looping and stuff and the ball might bounce out from the table? Just guessing, but I think it might be like that...

Your blade seems just fine, and regarding your rubbers, I think they may too bouncy and your technique development will suffer from this.

Just think of this. When developing technique, don't go and change too much in your setup, or you might have to rebuild your technique from scratch again. Look for, and find bottle necks in your equipment, before you change rubbers or blades, and make sure that the bottle neck isn't your technique or footwork.

Block is okay with the setup, but looping is kind of hard to adjust, sometimes the ball go into the net, sometimes go further from the table. Also, i have trouble in putting strenght on the ball, cause in this situation it generally goes over the table, so i always try to brush the ball fast with no force when i loop.
I tested an really slow premade setup today and was fun, i could use a lot of strenght while looping and still dont miss, i also tested other carbon blade, with Rasanter R42, and it was more easy to loop as well.
I know my form still has a lot of work to do, but i really don't know if the problem with the setup is because of it just being too fast, or the vega X just not great for me. When i use vega pro on FH, i could put more spin on serve, and it was also easier to loop.

 

[pedro.dantas]

Rakza Z is generally well-recieved by the community. People really rate it as a fh rubber, but what I will say is that the Rakza Z is considered a Hybrid rubber, with a tacky-ish topsheet and sponge somewhere between Chinese and Euro energy sponge. While it is definitely a sick rubber, it may be a bit of a learning curve considering your previously mentioned rubbers are squarely euro style tensor. Additionally, tacky vs grippy topsheets for service is a different ballgame, there's quite a bit of nuance to it and you may have to change your service technique.

Honestly, your rubbers are of a good quality, so I'd stick with them or change to something similar, but with the added characteristics that you'd want. Never discount the benefits of regluing a rubber to a blade if it's been a long time. Also consider if a brand new sheet of your current rubber would do the trick - "better the devil you know", and all that.

Finally, if you're dead set on a change, why not consider rubbers like Tibhar MXP or Fastarc G1? They're similar enough to where the change over won't be super dramatic, and could have a little more oomph behind them.

I would really like to test hybrid rubbers with tacky topsheet, this is the reason why i asked, to be honest, rakza Z was the rubber that i wanted instead of vega X when i bought it. Do you have a recommendation of any slow tacky rubber witch a beginner could use?

 

[Scarfed Garchomp]

Block is okay with the setup, but looping is kind of hard to adjust, sometimes the ball go into the net, sometimes go further from the table. Also, i have trouble in putting strenght on the ball, cause in this situation it generally goes over the table, so i always try to brush the ball fast with no force when i loop.
I tested an really slow premade setup today and was fun, i could use a lot of strenght while looping and still dont miss, i also tested other carbon blade, with Rasanter R42, and it was more easy to loop as well.
I know my form still has a lot of work to do, but i really don't know if the problem with the setup is because of it just being too fast, or the vega X just not great for me. When i use vega pro on FH, i could put more spin on serve, and it was also easier to loop.

You've had the chance to test it, might you consider just doing Vega Pro both sides?

 

[TensorBackhand]

I started training table tennis 6 months ago with an old racket, but I switched to my current equipment (Xiom offensive S with vega pro on BH and vega X on FH).
I really enjoy the driving feeling on the vega X, but I find it very soft, and bad for serving. Is it okay to switch the rubber based on just that?
Furthermore, I tested a timo boll ALC with Rasanter R37 both sides and I liked it, even though the rubber is very soft. So a question arose in my head, when should I think about using carbon blades?

You can get really good carbon blades for $10-$30, so I would go for it now

 

[JJ Ng]

I started training table tennis 6 months ago with an old racket, but I switched to my current equipment (Xiom offensive S with vega pro on BH and vega X on FH).
I really enjoy the driving feeling on the vega X, but I find it very soft, and bad for serving. Is it okay to switch the rubber based on just that?
Furthermore, I tested a timo boll ALC with Rasanter R37 both sides and I liked it, even though the rubber is very soft. So a question arose in my head, when should I think about using carbon blades?

How do you like Vega Pro on your forehand? The reason I asked is, you should only change one variable at a time when you try to experiment so stick with the same blade. Perhaps switch Vega Pro to forehand and find a different backhand rubber? Or if you like Vega Pro, why not use it on both sides?

 

[Hurricane AON]

To use with your new rubber, consider buying a new blade with a similar structure. For example, if you have a DHS LongV and purchased a new DHS FangBo, you can switch between the two without any adjustments.

 

[jk1980]

I would really like to test hybrid rubbers with tacky topsheet, this is the reason why i asked, to be honest, rakza Z was the rubber that i wanted instead of vega X when i bought it. Do you have a recommendation of any slow tacky rubber witch a beginner could use?

this depends on the blade you use it with. If your blade is (too)fast i could even see you using a Nittaku PK50 Sieger, simply because it is VERY controlled in the short game and you would need to put quite some effort in to overshoot the table, because it is not easy to activate.

 

[mocker88]

Block is okay with the setup, but looping is kind of hard to adjust, sometimes the ball go into the net, sometimes go further from the table. Also, i have trouble in putting strenght on the ball, cause in this situation it generally goes over the table, so i always try to brush the ball fast with no force when i loop.

Yep. I think you should have a more linear rubber on backhand and go for the Vega Pro on FH as it feels better. Just keep the blade. Check out something slower like Yinhe - Mercury III Euro or 729 - Phoenix for backhand. Cheap rubbers with a really soft feel, and they are linear, so you can work a bit harder with your BH.

I tested an really slow premade setup today and was fun, i could use a lot of strenght while looping and still dont miss, i also tested other carbon blade, with Rasanter R42, and it was more easy to loop as well.
I know my form still has a lot of work to do, but i really don't know if the problem with the setup is because of it just being too fast, or the vega X just not great for me. When i use vega pro on FH, i could put more spin on serve, and it was also easier to loop.

 

[Hyooong]

I would really like to test hybrid rubbers with tacky topsheet, this is the reason why i asked, to be honest, rakza Z was the rubber that i wanted instead of vega X when i bought it. Do you have a recommendation of any slow tacky rubber witch a beginner could use?

Maybe consider Yinhe Big Dipper (the first edition)? It's an early attempt at hybrid with decent speed, some tackiness albeit not as much as Rakza Z, and lasts for ages. It's also cheap as chips, and decently fast to where you wouldn't be missing much power from your current rubbers

 

[Aizen]

"When you have some money" as an EJ perspective

 

[greenbeanmachine]

I would really like to test hybrid rubbers with tacky topsheet

Rakza Z is your best option if you're gonna do a hybrid rubber -- it's slower than other hybrid rubbers. Yinhe Big Dipper is another good option. But I think the best option is to try something like Hurricane 3. It will give you an option to hit harder, and it won't be uncontrollable.

H3 forehand and Rakza Z backhand wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Harder rubber will give you more power without losing the feeling. Stay away from carbon blades until you are an advanced player.