Thanks! So for Gambler rubbers with Oh-Toro sponge, it says it is made in Japan. I wonder where Gambler get their sponge from. I mean the rubbers from Gambler are dirt cheap but even the "Oh-Toro" special sponge, I don't feel that the rubber is better than say Mark V or Sriver. I am just telling the truth (even though Gambler loves to compare their blades and rubbers to Butterfly products; well, no. I have bought them and used them. that is a huge stretch).
However, Gambler is selling these rubbers for $15 or $18 a sheet. I rather buy them than paying $33+ for Mark V and Sriver.
Finally I have bought Neottec Katana and Hinomi rubbers. At $18 to $21 a sheet BEFORE 30% big purchase discount from TT11, they are actually very very solid rubbers. I would rate those rubbers slightly better than Mark V and Sriver (well, I have not played Mark V or Sriver in years and years but you get the point; these Neottec rubbers are actually a bit springy, almost tensor like really).
Ironically, I have Neottec Katana on one side and Gambler Volt-T on a Gambler carbon blade. I like the Katana side better. But I am using that racket to feed my kids multi-ball practice. I would need to use that racket in a real game to render any serious opinions about that set-up.
Long story short, I am very very impressed by Neottec product and Gambler product if you look at them objectively and compare to some $30-$33 euro/jap rubbers. Those rubbers in the $15-$18 per sheet range are very good. So my advise is to buy them for beginner and intermediate players. And then when you are ready to upgrade, then go straight to mild tensor rubbers like Xiom Vega Intro or Nittaku Fastarc C-1.
