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Xiom Tau II versus Butterfly Aibiss Rubber Comparison
Xiom Tau II
Weight: 74 grams uncut
Speed: Off to Off+
Hardness: 55 degrees
Topsheet: Tacky
Butterfly Aibiss
Weight: 77 grams uncut
Speed: Off to Off+
Hardness: approx. 60 to 62 degrees ESN Scale.
Topsheet: Semi-tacky
This is the test that I have been doing for the past 2 weeks. Both of these rubbers are the tacky and Hurricane 3 like in nature although there are differences in each of the rubber especially on their capabilities. Both rubbers are considered very hard since the Tau II is 55 degrees and the Aibiss is 60+ degrees already. I have compared the Aibiss’ sponge hardness and overall hardness with the Omega 7 China Ying and the Aibiss felt much harder. The Aibiss reminds me of the old DHS PF4’s in the 90’s that are glued to a hard 7 ply hobby bat. Those PF4’s are very hard and felt like bricks. The topsheet of the Aibiss is slightly tacky with an extra level or 2 of tackiness compared to that of the Dignics 09c. The topsheet of the Tau II is very tacky. I will place it as almost as tacky as a commercial Neo Hurricane 3 but a lot tackier than National versions. I have also observed that the topsheet of the Tau II seem a bit softer when I separated the tospheets of both rubbers to check for their hardness. I had the red and black versions of each rubbers but it took me a month after purchasing the red Aibiss to get a black version since it was not available at that time. I boosted the black Aibiss with Haifu Seamoon booster because I have already tested the red unboosted Aibiss before and it seems that the Aibiss does not respond to boosting even after 2 layers. This would be due to the extreme hardness of the Aibiss sponge that it would take at least 3 layers to have a profound effect on its speed. The tackiness between the red and black Aibiss seems to be more on the black version with a big difference while the tackiness of the Tau II has minor difference between the 2 colors with the red still possessing profound tackiness.
When both rubbers are unboosted aside from their factory boosting, the Xiom Tau II seem a bit faster than the Buttefly Aibiss in the first few levels of sponge compression. You can only have the very fast speed if you hit very hard or hit through the sponge of the Aibiss. The Aibiss’ level of sponge hardness is so hard that you can only produce speed if you really exert much force whereas the Tau II acts as if it is a boosted National H3 rubber. IF you compare the speed of the Xiom Tau II to other rubbers, I would place it in the speed level of Tenergy 25.
When hitting with both rubbers, the Tau II’s tackiness will affect the speed especially if you are doing flat hits. With partial brushing, the Tau II showed it was a bit faster than Aibiss. The Aibiss can do well on both flat hitting and also spinny shots whereas the Tau II needs a bit more effort with flat hitting or driving. The Aibiss was more impressive during backhand to backhand rallies that requires lesser effort compared to that of the Tau II. Both rubbers need some extra wrist flicking when doing bh to bh rallies but the Aibiss was a bit easier due to lesser tackiness. With the Tau II on the backhand, you would need a more specialized stroke because it could have a similar way of using with those players who use the Hurricane 3 in the backhand which utilizes a lot of brushing action against the ball. If you are not skilled enough to use both rubbers in the backhand, both will have a tendency to hit the net but with more on the Tau II’s end.
For loops, both rubbers are very spinny. These 2 rubbers are even spinnier than Dignics 09C but the Xiom Tau II far exceeds the Aibiss by several margins. The Tau II felt like a super boosted H3 National version. These 2 rubbers being compared are both easier to loop or produce spin compared to the Dignics 09C. Had the Aibiss been a little softer say by 5 degrees softer in ESN scale, I think a lot of people can use the Aibiss much better than the Dignics 09C. It is only the unusual sponge hardness of the Aibiss that keeps it from totally grabbing the ball in the topsheet and sponge whereas the Xiom Tau II easily grabs the ball by its topsheet and sponge. The Xiom Tau II’s level of spin is like that of a commercial H3 but has the speed of a heavily boosted National H3 version. The Aibiss was better in terms of opening loops against underspin in the backhand and then do follow ups by bh to bh rallies. The Tau II was also very easy to loop against strong udnerspin balls with a more closed angle but again you need a specialized stroke when doing follow ups when your bh loops are being blocked. Both have a medium arc when looping.
For serves, both are in the level of Chinese rubbers but the Xiom Tau II felt much more spinny and offered harder udnerspin balls when doing pushes. For blocking, the Aibiss was a bit better because it has lesser spin sensitivity due to lesser amount of tackiness. For flicks both are almost equal in performance.
Overall, both rubbers are very good. I wish the Aibiss was a bit lighter and softer because it could be a superior backhand rubber compared to the Tau II which is an awesome forehand rubber. The Aibiss’ weight and hardness would discourage some people from using it. It is a very good forehand rubber also but due to the weight you cannot have both Aibiss for backhand and forehand. The Tau II with an Omega 7 Asia both glued on my Stradivarius blade did not feel heavy for me but the Aibiss with Tau II on the same blade felt too heavy. For the price, Aibiss is pretty affordable. The Spin Art rubber was much more expensive and yet the Aibiss which can offer a player more qualities at a much cheaper cost. The Tau II is much more expensive than Aibiss which is in the price range of Omega 7 series rubbers. Bottomline, if you want a rubber that performs like Hurricane 3 but faster and much more dynamic, then Tau II is the one that you should get. If you want something cheaper than DIgnics 09c but at the same time like hard sponged rubbers, then by all means the Aibiss is a good choice.
Xiom Tau II
Weight: 74 grams uncut
Speed: Off to Off+
Hardness: 55 degrees
Topsheet: Tacky
Butterfly Aibiss
Weight: 77 grams uncut
Speed: Off to Off+
Hardness: approx. 60 to 62 degrees ESN Scale.
Topsheet: Semi-tacky
This is the test that I have been doing for the past 2 weeks. Both of these rubbers are the tacky and Hurricane 3 like in nature although there are differences in each of the rubber especially on their capabilities. Both rubbers are considered very hard since the Tau II is 55 degrees and the Aibiss is 60+ degrees already. I have compared the Aibiss’ sponge hardness and overall hardness with the Omega 7 China Ying and the Aibiss felt much harder. The Aibiss reminds me of the old DHS PF4’s in the 90’s that are glued to a hard 7 ply hobby bat. Those PF4’s are very hard and felt like bricks. The topsheet of the Aibiss is slightly tacky with an extra level or 2 of tackiness compared to that of the Dignics 09c. The topsheet of the Tau II is very tacky. I will place it as almost as tacky as a commercial Neo Hurricane 3 but a lot tackier than National versions. I have also observed that the topsheet of the Tau II seem a bit softer when I separated the tospheets of both rubbers to check for their hardness. I had the red and black versions of each rubbers but it took me a month after purchasing the red Aibiss to get a black version since it was not available at that time. I boosted the black Aibiss with Haifu Seamoon booster because I have already tested the red unboosted Aibiss before and it seems that the Aibiss does not respond to boosting even after 2 layers. This would be due to the extreme hardness of the Aibiss sponge that it would take at least 3 layers to have a profound effect on its speed. The tackiness between the red and black Aibiss seems to be more on the black version with a big difference while the tackiness of the Tau II has minor difference between the 2 colors with the red still possessing profound tackiness.
When both rubbers are unboosted aside from their factory boosting, the Xiom Tau II seem a bit faster than the Buttefly Aibiss in the first few levels of sponge compression. You can only have the very fast speed if you hit very hard or hit through the sponge of the Aibiss. The Aibiss’ level of sponge hardness is so hard that you can only produce speed if you really exert much force whereas the Tau II acts as if it is a boosted National H3 rubber. IF you compare the speed of the Xiom Tau II to other rubbers, I would place it in the speed level of Tenergy 25.
When hitting with both rubbers, the Tau II’s tackiness will affect the speed especially if you are doing flat hits. With partial brushing, the Tau II showed it was a bit faster than Aibiss. The Aibiss can do well on both flat hitting and also spinny shots whereas the Tau II needs a bit more effort with flat hitting or driving. The Aibiss was more impressive during backhand to backhand rallies that requires lesser effort compared to that of the Tau II. Both rubbers need some extra wrist flicking when doing bh to bh rallies but the Aibiss was a bit easier due to lesser tackiness. With the Tau II on the backhand, you would need a more specialized stroke because it could have a similar way of using with those players who use the Hurricane 3 in the backhand which utilizes a lot of brushing action against the ball. If you are not skilled enough to use both rubbers in the backhand, both will have a tendency to hit the net but with more on the Tau II’s end.
For loops, both rubbers are very spinny. These 2 rubbers are even spinnier than Dignics 09C but the Xiom Tau II far exceeds the Aibiss by several margins. The Tau II felt like a super boosted H3 National version. These 2 rubbers being compared are both easier to loop or produce spin compared to the Dignics 09C. Had the Aibiss been a little softer say by 5 degrees softer in ESN scale, I think a lot of people can use the Aibiss much better than the Dignics 09C. It is only the unusual sponge hardness of the Aibiss that keeps it from totally grabbing the ball in the topsheet and sponge whereas the Xiom Tau II easily grabs the ball by its topsheet and sponge. The Xiom Tau II’s level of spin is like that of a commercial H3 but has the speed of a heavily boosted National H3 version. The Aibiss was better in terms of opening loops against underspin in the backhand and then do follow ups by bh to bh rallies. The Tau II was also very easy to loop against strong udnerspin balls with a more closed angle but again you need a specialized stroke when doing follow ups when your bh loops are being blocked. Both have a medium arc when looping.
For serves, both are in the level of Chinese rubbers but the Xiom Tau II felt much more spinny and offered harder udnerspin balls when doing pushes. For blocking, the Aibiss was a bit better because it has lesser spin sensitivity due to lesser amount of tackiness. For flicks both are almost equal in performance.
Overall, both rubbers are very good. I wish the Aibiss was a bit lighter and softer because it could be a superior backhand rubber compared to the Tau II which is an awesome forehand rubber. The Aibiss’ weight and hardness would discourage some people from using it. It is a very good forehand rubber also but due to the weight you cannot have both Aibiss for backhand and forehand. The Tau II with an Omega 7 Asia both glued on my Stradivarius blade did not feel heavy for me but the Aibiss with Tau II on the same blade felt too heavy. For the price, Aibiss is pretty affordable. The Spin Art rubber was much more expensive and yet the Aibiss which can offer a player more qualities at a much cheaper cost. The Tau II is much more expensive than Aibiss which is in the price range of Omega 7 series rubbers. Bottomline, if you want a rubber that performs like Hurricane 3 but faster and much more dynamic, then Tau II is the one that you should get. If you want something cheaper than DIgnics 09c but at the same time like hard sponged rubbers, then by all means the Aibiss is a good choice.
