Which one would be best for my FH? (SEE VIDEO) H3 Pro BS | H3 Nat BS | 729 II Pro

[xu_xin_worshiper]

Hey, guys.

Just wanted to share a bit about my journey in table tennis and get some advice. TL;DR at the end.

I am an offensive penholder. I've been playing 4 hours a week for about a year and four months now. Started with a basic paddle, like many of you probably did. Then upgraded my equipment to:

Blade: Stiga Eternity VPS
FH: H3 Neo Commercial
BH: Rakza 7 Soft​

Back then, I didn't know much about boosting or taking care of rubbers for longevity. So, by the end of the fourth month, my rubber was in pretty bad shape. I decided to switch my FH to something faster - gave Nittaku Hammond z2 a shot. It turned out to be a speedy rubber (perhaps too fast in combination with my blade). Liked it enough to put it on the BH as well (in hindsight, maybe not the best idea). So, I've been playing with Hammonds for about a year now.

Recently, I've started thinking about going back to Hurricane or other Chinese sticky rubbers. A few days ago, I tested a newly purchased H3N Commercial 39° from a buddy and was shocked at its speed and control. When I put some force into the strike, it was faster than the Hammond. Not to mention the short game and receive. And that was the Commercial version with a light boost that the store applied - some Sweedex booster, probably some unknown brand from the store, as I haven't found anything else about it on the internet. Anyway, this experience only solidified my decision.

I did some research on the rubbers, and I like these the best:

• 729 Friendship II Battlefield Provincial BS
• Hurricane 3 Provincial OS
• Hurricane 3 Provincial BS
• Hurricane 3 National BS

So the big question is: which one do you think would be best for me and how many degrees? Would a player like me benefit from the H3 National and Provincial, or would it be a waste? Would I know the difference?

Here are highlights from a few matches: (removed) You can probably guess who is my favourite player.

Additional info. I'm planning on boosting. Is it realistic that the H3 National would last 6 months? I know boosting reduces the life of the rubber. I certainly wouldn't want to replace it every few months. The H3 National is $50 on PROTT - $12 more than the H3 Provincial and $24 more than the 729 Battlefield II Provincial. So, what combination is perfect to make the rubber last as long as possible (if I decide to go for the National)?

So far, from my amateur point of view, I think I would enjoy the H3 National BS 41° with three layers of Haifu Seamoon. You know, I have to try this magical combination sometime. Haha. Am I too naive?

I would greatly appreciate any feedback and your experiences. It doesn't have to be limited to just the rubbers; it can also be about my technique in the video or the boosting. I will answer questions if anything is unclear. Thank you very much. 🙂

TL;DR: What Chinese sticky rubber would be best for my FH? See video.

 

[ttarc]

6 month is doable with one sheet of H3 but I'm using such sheets only for training because in matches I can't rely on the topsheet's grip of these old H3s. Never used national H3s though only commercial and provincial and some Nittaku H3 Neo (orange sponge, only 4 corners like a national but usually cheaper 2) 3))

Commercial vs provincial or Nittaku H3 Neo: Differences become more apparent after reboosting. Commercial H3s are more inconsistent and become mushier. Actually I don't care much about this because I'm using the cheap commercial ones or used provincial H3s for training and save the fresh provincials for tournament and league matches.

(left = Nittaku H3 Neo, nice and shiny, middle = fresh commercial H3, right = H3 used for training more or less on its way into the bin)

If you are playing official tournaments and going to boost heavily I wouldn't get 2.2 mm H3s. They might become too thick.

Rubber care: Nothing special. Protective sheet/freezer bags. Cleaning just with water after training/matches and from time to time water with a bit of dish soap.

Sponge hardness: Start with 39° on FH. Don't overboost 1) too soft or mushy H3s especially the softer 37° or 38° don't play that nice. Since I like ripping through the opponents spin I usually play with quite "soft" 39° on FH and 40° only in summer when the 39° feels a bit too soft. More power and spin are possible with the harder H3s but the harder the sponge the better your footwork and stroke execution must be. It's a trade-off.

1) I don't waste much time with different methods or wait for the rubber to flatten again. Fresh H3 or H3 Neo with glue layer removed then first layer of booster, wait until dry, second layer of booster, wait until dry. Rubber should have a nice dome. Glue it to the blade, reboost maybe 4 to 8 weeks later (depending on how much the rubber was actually used and how it feels).
2) https://www.tabletennis11.com/other_eng/nittaku-hurricane-neo-3-8701
3) https://tt-japan.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_2&products_id=1152

 

[bobpuls]

what about TG2 provincial 40 hardness ?

 

[harty]

Hey, guys.

Just wanted to share a bit about my journey in table tennis and get some advice. TL;DR at the end.

I am an offensive penholder. I've been playing 4 hours a week for about a year and four months now. Started with a basic paddle, like many of you probably did. Then upgraded my equipment to:

Blade: Stiga Eternity VPS
FH: H3 Neo Commercial
BH: Rakza 7 Soft​

Back then, I didn't know much about boosting or taking care of rubbers for longevity. So, by the end of the fourth month, my rubber was in pretty bad shape. I decided to switch my FH to something faster - gave Nittaku Hammond z2 a shot. It turned out to be a speedy rubber (perhaps too fast in combination with my blade). Liked it enough to put it on the BH as well (in hindsight, maybe not the best idea). So, I've been playing with Hammonds for about a year now.

Recently, I've started thinking about going back to Hurricane or other Chinese sticky rubbers. A few days ago, I tested a newly purchased H3N Commercial 39° from a buddy and was shocked at its speed and control. When I put some force into the strike, it was faster than the Hammond. Not to mention the short game and receive. And that was the Commercial version with a light boost that the store applied - some Sweedex booster, probably some unknown brand from the store, as I haven't found anything else about it on the internet. Anyway, this experience only solidified my decision.

I did some research on the rubbers, and I like these the best:

• 729 Friendship II Battlefield Provincial BS
• Hurricane 3 Provincial OS
• Hurricane 3 Provincial BS
• Hurricane 3 National BS

So the big question is: which one do you think would be best for me and how many degrees? Would a player like me benefit from the H3 National and Provincial, or would it be a waste? Would I know the difference?

Here are highlights from a few matches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twioFTNoFIc You can probably guess who is my favourite player.

Additional info. I'm planning on boosting. Is it realistic that the H3 National would last 6 months? I know boosting reduces the life of the rubber. I certainly wouldn't want to replace it every few months. The H3 National is $50 on PROTT - $12 more than the H3 Provincial and $24 more than the 729 Battlefield II Provincial. So, what combination is perfect to make the rubber last as long as possible (if I decide to go for the National)?

So far, from my amateur point of view, I think I would enjoy the H3 National BS 41° with three layers of Haifu Seamoon. You know, I have to try this magical combination sometime. Haha. Am I too naive?

I would greatly appreciate any feedback and your experiences. It doesn't have to be limited to just the rubbers; it can also be about my technique in the video or the boosting. I will answer questions if anything is unclear. Thank you very much. 🙂

TL;DR: What Chinese sticky rubber would be best for my FH? See video.

Where do you play in the Czech Republic?

 

[TensorBackhand]

It will last 6 months.

You wont notice a big difference with national.

I find 40d is the sweet spot

 

[kingkimchi]

Hey, guys.

Just wanted to share a bit about my journey in table tennis and get some advice. TL;DR at the end.

I am an offensive penholder. I've been playing 4 hours a week for about a year and four months now. Started with a basic paddle, like many of you probably did. Then upgraded my equipment to:

Blade: Stiga Eternity VPS
FH: H3 Neo Commercial
BH: Rakza 7 Soft​

Back then, I didn't know much about boosting or taking care of rubbers for longevity. So, by the end of the fourth month, my rubber was in pretty bad shape. I decided to switch my FH to something faster - gave Nittaku Hammond z2 a shot. It turned out to be a speedy rubber (perhaps too fast in combination with my blade). Liked it enough to put it on the BH as well (in hindsight, maybe not the best idea). So, I've been playing with Hammonds for about a year now.

Recently, I've started thinking about going back to Hurricane or other Chinese sticky rubbers. A few days ago, I tested a newly purchased H3N Commercial 39° from a buddy and was shocked at its speed and control. When I put some force into the strike, it was faster than the Hammond. Not to mention the short game and receive. And that was the Commercial version with a light boost that the store applied - some Sweedex booster, probably some unknown brand from the store, as I haven't found anything else about it on the internet. Anyway, this experience only solidified my decision.

I did some research on the rubbers, and I like these the best:

• 729 Friendship II Battlefield Provincial BS
• Hurricane 3 Provincial OS
• Hurricane 3 Provincial BS
• Hurricane 3 National BS

So the big question is: which one do you think would be best for me and how many degrees? Would a player like me benefit from the H3 National and Provincial, or would it be a waste? Would I know the difference?

Here are highlights from a few matches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twioFTNoFIc You can probably guess who is my favourite player.

Additional info. I'm planning on boosting. Is it realistic that the H3 National would last 6 months? I know boosting reduces the life of the rubber. I certainly wouldn't want to replace it every few months. The H3 National is $50 on PROTT - $12 more than the H3 Provincial and $24 more than the 729 Battlefield II Provincial. So, what combination is perfect to make the rubber last as long as possible (if I decide to go for the National)?

So far, from my amateur point of view, I think I would enjoy the H3 National BS 41° with three layers of Haifu Seamoon. You know, I have to try this magical combination sometime. Haha. Am I too naive?

I would greatly appreciate any feedback and your experiences. It doesn't have to be limited to just the rubbers; it can also be about my technique in the video or the boosting. I will answer questions if anything is unclear. Thank you very much. 🙂

TL;DR: What Chinese sticky rubber would be best for my FH? See video.

Get prov orange sponge. Its an upgrade from commercial by a lot. Is faster, takes less time to get used to. You're not a bad player, and you can definetly use bs in the future as you have the sufficient power to use it. But you don't generate much friction on the ball, so maybe a hybrid will be better for you, no need hassle of boosting.

 

[SFF_lib]

Hey, guys.

Just wanted to share a bit about my journey in table tennis and get some advice. TL;DR at the end.

I am an offensive penholder. I've been playing 4 hours a week for about a year and four months now. Started with a basic paddle, like many of you probably did. Then upgraded my equipment to:

Blade: Stiga Eternity VPS
FH: H3 Neo Commercial
BH: Rakza 7 Soft​

Back then, I didn't know much about boosting or taking care of rubbers for longevity. So, by the end of the fourth month, my rubber was in pretty bad shape. I decided to switch my FH to something faster - gave Nittaku Hammond z2 a shot. It turned out to be a speedy rubber (perhaps too fast in combination with my blade). Liked it enough to put it on the BH as well (in hindsight, maybe not the best idea). So, I've been playing with Hammonds for about a year now.

Recently, I've started thinking about going back to Hurricane or other Chinese sticky rubbers. A few days ago, I tested a newly purchased H3N Commercial 39° from a buddy and was shocked at its speed and control. When I put some force into the strike, it was faster than the Hammond. Not to mention the short game and receive. And that was the Commercial version with a light boost that the store applied - some Sweedex booster, probably some unknown brand from the store, as I haven't found anything else about it on the internet. Anyway, this experience only solidified my decision.

I did some research on the rubbers, and I like these the best:

• 729 Friendship II Battlefield Provincial BS
• Hurricane 3 Provincial OS
• Hurricane 3 Provincial BS
• Hurricane 3 National BS

So the big question is: which one do you think would be best for me and how many degrees? Would a player like me benefit from the H3 National and Provincial, or would it be a waste? Would I know the difference?

Here are highlights from a few matches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twioFTNoFIc You can probably guess who is my favourite player.

Additional info. I'm planning on boosting. Is it realistic that the H3 National would last 6 months? I know boosting reduces the life of the rubber. I certainly wouldn't want to replace it every few months. The H3 National is $50 on PROTT - $12 more than the H3 Provincial and $24 more than the 729 Battlefield II Provincial. So, what combination is perfect to make the rubber last as long as possible (if I decide to go for the National)?

So far, from my amateur point of view, I think I would enjoy the H3 National BS 41° with three layers of Haifu Seamoon. You know, I have to try this magical combination sometime. Haha. Am I too naive?

I would greatly appreciate any feedback and your experiences. It doesn't have to be limited to just the rubbers; it can also be about my technique in the video or the boosting. I will answer questions if anything is unclear. Thank you very much. 🙂

TL;DR: What Chinese sticky rubber would be best for my FH? See video.

I can see that you enjoy mid distance looping. Me too 😁

I’ve used all the rubbers you mentioned. I’ve been boosting for over 10 years.

Unless you have too much cash lying around, I would recommend provincial H3 OS 40 degrees.

Why?

OS vs BS - easier to generate spin and speed with OS. However, the top gear is more dangerous with BS.

39 vs 40 degrees- let’s say you use Seamoon booster oil (I wouldn’t use anything else), for 39 degree the very maximum is 3 thin layers.
If you’ve applied too much booster the sponge (and possibly the topsheet) is ruined. What you call thin might be thick for someone else. It’s very subjective. It means someone an ruin a 39 degree with 2 layers while another person apply truly 3 thin layers and the rubber is fine.

So it’s safer to boost a 40 degree H3 for your first trial.

 

[ben1229]

H3, 41 bs , boosted! All your opponent will be sacred!

 

[SFF_lib]

H3, 41 bs , boosted! All your opponent will be sacred!

41 degree is my personal favourite

 

[xu_xin_worshiper]

what about TG2 provincial 40 hardness ?

My main favorite is Hurricane because I already have a good experience with it. However, I came across 729 II Provincial, and people say it is much faster, stickier, and has more control than H3 Commercial. Overall, people were raving about 729 II Provincial in the reviews. It is also cheaper.
Moreover, regarding TG2, I mainly read reviews stating that it is not very fast. For these reasons, I haven't included TG2 in my selection. But maybe you know something that I don't, so feel free to share.

 

[xu_xin_worshiper]

41 degree is my personal favourite

Is my technique adequate for a 41d?

 

[xu_xin_worshiper]

H3, 41 bs , boosted! All your opponent will be sacred!

Do you mean any H3? Which version would you recommend to me?

 

[xu_xin_worshiper]

Where do you play in the Czech Republic?

Near Ostrava. Why?

 

[xu_xin_worshiper]

6 month is doable with one sheet of H3 but I'm using such sheets only for training because in matches I can't rely on the topsheet's grip of these old H3s. Never used national H3s though only commercial and provincial and some Nittaku H3 Neo (orange sponge, only 4 corners like a national but usually cheaper 2) 3))

Commercial vs provincial or Nittaku H3 Neo: Differences become more apparent after reboosting. Commercial H3s are more inconsistent and become mushier. Actually I don't care much about this because I'm using the cheap commercial ones or used provincial H3s for training and save the fresh provincials for tournament and league matches.
View attachment 28007
(left = Nittaku H3 Neo, nice and shiny, middle = fresh commercial H3, right = H3 used for training more or less on its way into the bin)

If you are playing official tournaments and going to boost heavily I wouldn't get 2.2 mm H3s. They might become too thick.

Rubber care: Nothing special. Protective sheet/freezer bags. Cleaning just with water after training/matches and from time to time water with a bit of dish soap.

Sponge hardness: Start with 39° on FH. Don't overboost 1) too soft or mushy H3s especially the softer 37° or 38° don't play that nice. Since I like ripping through the opponents spin I usually play with quite "soft" 39° on FH and 40° only in summer when the 39° feels a bit too soft. More power and spin are possible with the harder H3s but the harder the sponge the better your footwork and stroke execution must be. It's a trade-off.

1) I don't waste much time with different methods or wait for the rubber to flatten again. Fresh H3 or H3 Neo with glue layer removed then first layer of booster, wait until dry, second layer of booster, wait until dry. Rubber should have a nice dome. Glue it to the blade, reboost maybe 4 to 8 weeks later (depending on how much the rubber was actually used and how it feels).
2) https://www.tabletennis11.com/other_eng/nittaku-hurricane-neo-3-8701
3) https://tt-japan.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_2&products_id=1152

Thank you so much for the detailed explanation.

I'm considering going with 40° or even 41°. During yesterday's training, I tried topspin counterattacks with H3 Commercial on both forehand and backhand, and it felt quite effortless.

Also, in case I choose H3 Prov or Nat, should I start with 3 thin layers of booster as recommended?

 

[netdriver]

My main favorite is Hurricane because I already have a good experience with it. However, I came across 729 II Provincial, and people say it is much faster, stickier, and has more control than H3 Commercial. Overall, people were raving about 729 II Provincial in the reviews. It is also cheaper.
Moreover, regarding TG2, I mainly read reviews stating that it is not very fast. For these reasons, I haven't included TG2 in my selection. But maybe you know something that I don't, so feel free to share.

if you're not limited by budget i would advise u to go for dhs over 729 rubbers anyday

having played almost all the battle 2 lineup except for battle 2 gold i feel like this series lineup is overrated

my fav so far from the battle 2 lineup though would be provincial OS, i hated the BS

battle max pro is not bad but the tackiness doesnt last as long as the battle 2 rubbers and it is also a very heavy rubber

u can follow kingkimchi or sff_lib's advice

 

[SFF_lib]

My main favorite is Hurricane because I already have a good experience with it. However, I came across 729 II Provincial, and people say it is much faster, stickier, and has more control than H3 Commercial. Overall, people were raving about 729 II Provincial in the reviews. It is also cheaper.
Moreover, regarding TG2, I mainly read reviews stating that it is not very fast. For these reasons, I haven't included TG2 in my selection. But maybe you know something that I don't, so feel free to share.

At the same degree of hardness, TG2 has a higher max spin and speed than H3.

People say TG2 is slow refer to the speed with low-medium impact. Once you fully punch through the rubber, you will see the monstrous spin and speed in Xu Xin’s game. In short, you need very good physiques and techniques to drive TG2.

 

[SFF_lib]

Is my technique adequate for a 41d?

I would try 40d first. 41d is really hard but short game and chopping is easier.

 

[SFF_lib]

Thank you so much for the detailed explanation.

I'm considering going with 40° or even 41°. During yesterday's training, I tried topspin counterattacks with H3 Commercial on both forehand and backhand, and it felt quite effortless.

Also, in case I choose H3 Prov or Nat, should I start with 3 thin layers of booster as recommended?

If you haven’t played H3 that long, save your money, you won’t be able to tell the difference between prov and nat versions.

The H3 with a red 3 on the package is the new one. The new one is almost non tacky.

See if you prefer a tacky or non-tacky H3.

 

[xu_xin_worshiper]

I can see that you enjoy mid distance looping. Me too 😁

I’ve used all the rubbers you mentioned. I’ve been boosting for over 10 years.

Unless you have too much cash lying around, I would recommend provincial H3 OS 40 degrees.

Why?

OS vs BS - easier to generate spin and speed with OS. However, the top gear is more dangerous with BS.

39 vs 40 degrees- let’s say you use Seamoon booster oil (I wouldn’t use anything else), for 39 degree the very maximum is 3 thin layers.
If you’ve applied too much booster the sponge (and possibly the topsheet) is ruined. What you call thin might be thick for someone else. It’s very subjective. It means someone an ruin a 39 degree with 2 layers while another person apply truly 3 thin layers and the rubber is fine.

So it’s safer to boost a 40 degree H3 for your first trial.

Wow, your response is pure gold to me now.

So, would you recommend 40 degrees with two layers of booster or 41 degrees with three? I want it to have a slightly harder feel than the H3N Commercial that I tested. Well, maybe not slightly. I think I would just adjust and be forced to always use proper technique. Which is a good thing. Right?

 

[SFF_lib]

Wow, your response is pure gold to me now.

So, would you recommend 40 degrees with two layers of booster or 41 degrees with three? I want it to have a slightly harder feel than the H3N Commercial that I tested. Well, maybe not slightly. I think I would just adjust and be forced to always use proper technique. Which is a good thing. Right?

It’s a personal preference, not a linear correlation (i.e. 41 isn’t better than 40 for everyone). I play chop, loop and lots of service variations that’s why I prefer 41d.

And yes 2 layers of Seamoon is very safe on a 40d.

But I would caution you on 41d. I would try 3 very thin layers.

The difference between 41d and 40d on DHS scale is far greater than the difference between 47 and 48 on ESN scale.

What that means is that in the 41d sponge, DHS stuffed a lot more tiny pores than in the 40d for the same dimension. Those tiny pores are designed to absorb the Seamoon oil.

So that means 3 layers on 41d could mean a far greater effect than 2 layers on 40d. The boosted 41d can become monstrously fast.

So if you boost 41d, make sure the layers are thin.

The rule for boosting is - you can always add more layers, but you can’t save an overboosted rubber.