OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I have been playing with LP OX for more than 6 months now and in a recent post I asked if I should switch to sponge and I felt from the responses that I should at least give it a try. I play a defensive chopping (away from table) and pushing (close to table) style on the B/H with a very aggressive flat-hitting and loop driving style of play on my F/H. My F/H is far superior to my B/H to the point where players continuously choose to play my B/H and usually give me slow high loops or defensive pushes. After 6 months I feel very comfortable chopping fast spinney loops and also pushing close to the table. I am definitely not comfortable hitting or blocking on my B/H as it just feels to weird and makes me very uncomfortable. I am currently using the first setup on my signature. We have a butterfly dealer at the club and he has FL2 and FL3 both in Black and 1.3mm sponges that he is trying to sell at much lower prices to get rid of stock. Apart from the slight differences in the topsheets I think the FL2 sponge is harder than the FL3. I got the specs from another post for these two rubbers listed below. Which one do you suggest I buy out of these two? Thanks.

Feint Long II:
Pimples height/width : 1.5mm/1.5mm
Horizontal aligned, space between 2 pimples: 1.5mm.
Saw-like surfaced, 5 to 7
Sponge: 1.3mm, Hardness: 38 deg


Feint Long III:
Pimples height/width : 1.7mm/1.5mm
Horizontal aligned, space between 2 pimples: 1.2mm.
Saw-like surfaced, 14 to 15
Sponge: 1.3mm, Hardness: 25 deg

_________________
Nittaku Vioncello FL
Donic Bluefire M2 Max
Giant Dragon Talon OX

FL2 is more all round, it's a chopping rubber but still can do lots of things such as hitting and blocking.

FL3 has a butter-soft sponge, designed for long range chopping game. Hit? .... very slow? Block? Ball bites into sponge too much.

_________________
http://www.NexyUSA.com
USE CODE "HAPPY15" FOR 15% discount at NexyUSA.com. Exp Nov 30th.
NexyUSA.com now carries Sauer & Tröger brand products
EASY P - http://nexyusa.com/collections/rubber/products/easy-p
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6tyNTO7 ... ure=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0zkq9Ja3E8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dARovqP9tT0#t=64

I agree with Bogeyhunter. I guess, since you prefer purely defensive strokes, you should go for the FLIII, as it excels at producing backspin, both with chopping and pushing. It is easy to keep chops against heavy topspin low. It is very easy to get enough backspin in your first return to force your opponent to loop slower and higher, so you would be able to use your aggressive FH. I think the FLIII would help making your BH as "good" defensively as your forehand is offensively. Some caution about using 1.3 mm sponge, though: it will turn this LP almost into normal inverted, so sensitive to incoming spin. If have used it both in OX and in 0.5 mm and found the difference vast! Heavy backspin and decent spin-variation are already possible with OX, so perhaps for a solid defense OX would be best.
By the way, you should expect the FLIII to be much more sensitive to incoming spin than the Meteor; it won't be much of a problem with chopping, but perhaps with service-reception.
Also, I am curious as to why you want to change from the Meteor to something else.

_________________
Without opponent, no match.

Don't get me wrong, the "meteor" is a great Long Pip, does exactly what I need it for. I just wanted to try out a sponge LP before my first tournament in October. The only few places that I know who sell the Meteor with sponge have it arriving in 2-3 weeks (I don't have the time for that). Plus the Bty dealer is giving me FL2 or FL3 for about $25 or even less. Just wanted to try something.

Also is the FL2 harder at producing backspin/chopping or is it just the hard sponge. I would like to incorporate some hitting into my game, which was one of the main reasons to go for a sponge. Is the FL3 really bad at hitting?

_________________
Nittaku Vioncello FL
Donic Bluefire M2 Max
Giant Dragon Talon OX

Metallikviper wrote:
I don't think FL3 is bad at hitting, especially in 1.3 mm, but it more or less hits like a short pip, so there isn't much deception if at all. On the other hand, the FL2 on thick sponge won't reverse much either; but it will have a bit more pace. It probably comes down at choosing between lots of backspin and lots of control with FL3 and good variation with less control with FL2. The FL3 is probably closest to the Meteor (speed and control).

_________________
Without opponent, no match.

You might want to ease your way in with 0.5mm first..

_________________
USATT 1700 ··· 11/02/2013 ◄ ПЕШ

I think the most important question is .......
Who is your coach? Do you have one?
If yes then FL 2 or 3 with think sponge is not a big deal.
If no then you're wasting your money. These 2 LPs with 1mm+ sponge are not easy to master. You might be able to chop it but you gonna need other strokes to survive long enough to chop.

_________________
http://www.NexyUSA.com
USE CODE "HAPPY15" FOR 15% discount at NexyUSA.com. Exp Nov 30th.
NexyUSA.com now carries Sauer & Tröger brand products
EASY P - http://nexyusa.com/collections/rubber/products/easy-p
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6tyNTO7 ... ure=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0zkq9Ja3E8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dARovqP9tT0#t=64

Hello, I'm a beginner to table tennis (3-4 months) and i am trying to learn to play as a defender. I like watching defensive players like Joo, Chen, Gionis, etc. I apologize for resurrecting this old thread, but I just wanted to ask which of the pimples would be best for a beginner like me; I would be very thankful if i had some help, i'm a new born EJ (must resist)! I am currently using a premade butterfly shakehand racket, inverted on both sides. Thank you!

_________________
Blade: Victas Koji Matsushita Offensive FL
FH: Victas VS > 401 2.0
BH: Victas Spectol S1 1.5

Rating: Recreational Player

either would be fine for developing a chopping game.

I'd go with a 10$ chinese pip like 837 1.0

When you develop some game to the point of having strengths and weaknesses then you can adjust rubber to game as necessary

_________________
coming back after 2 years off
don't freaking know what I'm using from day to day!

Depends.

Are you fine with your level and would just like to have fun trying the game out as a defender and trying different rubbers?

Then either.

Or are you trying to improve your level and constantly get better and compete against better and better opponents?

Then don't switch to pips yet. Get a medium speed racket with medium speed rubbers on both sides. Learn to read spin and attack and defend from both backhand and the forehand sides with smooth rubber.

Then switch to pips when you have a competent grasp of all the standard table tennis shots that any good player must know.

I assure you that coming off of a pre-made paddle to something custom is enough of a jump to keep you occupied long before you should ever consider switching to pips.

What you don't want to do is switch to pips to early because then you can begin to rely on them as a crutch for not being able to read spin or attack with enough effectiveness to win points.

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

Thanks! I actually want to get pretty good, and I was already keeping in mind that understanding spin is something I need to master before I switch to pips (if I ever get to, XD). I think I should keep my premade racket and practice/learn more and more. And being able to attack is BIG part of being able to compete, I most certainly will follow your advice (unless I learn to really short drop shots and watch my opponent run and fall, LOL XD)! Thanks!

_________________
Blade: Victas Koji Matsushita Offensive FL
FH: Victas VS > 401 2.0
BH: Victas Spectol S1 1.5

Rating: Recreational Player

Good on ya. But honestly you should get a basic custom paddle with two smooth rubbers....down the line you can even put your long pips on the same paddle!

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

Thanks, I am. XD

_________________
Blade: Victas Koji Matsushita Offensive FL
FH: Victas VS > 401 2.0
BH: Victas Spectol S1 1.5

Rating: Recreational Player

FL2 like everyone has said is an all-a-round long pip (if there is such a thing)-push, chop, block, hit, chop-block-all possible with FL2-Gionis uses FL2 and has for many years.

FL3 is a VERY specialized chopping rubber-it is very slow and excellent for heavy chop and spin manipulation-it is very easy to push with, and will give good under spin even on no-spin serves. Ruwen Filus uses FL3. This being said-FL 3 does not produce dangerous blocks, attacking with it is very slow, and not dangerous. It almost acts like inverted is some ways. Feint is made by Butterfly and that is a premium brand$$$! (along with TSP).

There are some lower cost alternatives before you jump into the deep end spending wise any of the Double Happiness C7, C8, or Cloud and Fog 3 are about 1/3 the price. These all chop very well-as heavy as FL3 or TSP Curl p1r or p4? For me no, not quite but for some one just starting, you wont be able to tell the difference. Also Dawei 388 is a very good chopping rubber for not much $$$.

Finally almost all world class modern defenders twiddle to attack. What some here have already said about starting with some inverted to develop your backhand strokes is a very good idea.

Ian

_________________
Blade: Giant Dragon Kris: FH: Friengship 729 Judo (red) 2.0 BH: Feint Long 3 (black) 1.3
Blade: Alfa Pro : FH: Friendship Judo (red) 2.0 BH TSP Curl P-1r (black) 1.4

So... sorry to awaken a really old thread guys but i just wanted to know for future reference. I heard that FL3 has an anti soft sponge underneath, which kills any incoming spin from my opponent, along with the softness and grippiness of the pips, hence the monster spin variation. And because of that, it also has great control. First off, if i were to get this rubber in 0.5, what characteristics should my blade have? (This is in the long run, assuming i make it that far. I can backhand choo pretty well now, pretty deep and spinny.) Should the blade have flex? Soft or hard? Stiff or not? Also, I already know that FL3 requires active strokes, which brings up the following question; against TOPSPIN ONLY, (loops, drives) does FL3 produce good ACTIVE reversal? I want to be able to create heavy underspin from the first chop and i need to know the answer to this question. I also know that FL3 can add spin to incoming spin and generates its own spin; will these be useful? I dont care about sensitivity to spin. Finally, can i do a loop-chop sequence against my opponent and create very heavy underspin while doing so? Will the inverse spin effect take place, and will i have to use my wrist alot to create heavy underspin? Thanks! (Gee, i really want a response )

P.S. I heard that the spin can "top out" in a continuos chop sequence is this true? And would i have to use very fast chopping strokes? This is regarding Feint Long 3
And if possible, can someone answer these questions regarding Feint Long 2 as well? XD

_________________
Blade: Victas Koji Matsushita Offensive FL
FH: Victas VS > 401 2.0
BH: Victas Spectol S1 1.5

Rating: Recreational Player