OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Style of Play: I've been playing with inverted rubber for more than 10 years with last setup being Butterfly Timo Boll Spirit, FH Tenergy 05 AND BH Tenergy 64. I'm an attacker and play aggressive, so when a push is long it's pretty much a loop on either side. Having switched to long pimples a year ago, I've only played with 2 types of long pimples, the Butterfly Feint AG 1.3 mm, and the KTL Stranger Attack 1.2mm. I've played both rubbers aggressively on my backhand just like inverted. Pushing, flicking (attacking a short/medium serve), topspin, loop, counterattack mid-distance, and mostly what I use the long pips for on my backhand. I'm unrated but have been beating USATT rated players between 1800-2000. This particular opponent is a 2000+ rated pen holder with crazy good pendulum serves and Ma Lin style looping and hitting. I've beaten him but not consistently. The weak part of my game is giving a heavy chop against a long and fast spinny pendulum serve. If I chop it with my existing setup or even push block, he can 3rd ball attack the crap out of the ball. Even with my inverted setup in the past, I've only beaten him twice in 12 matches. Since switching to LP, I've had a better success rate against him. Next time I play him, I'll post a video.

Question: Are all sponged LPs created equal? I'm interested in sponged LPs between 1.2 mm and 1.5 mm. I wanna try other LP rubbers with sponge that are better for chopping long and fast spinny serves when caught off guard. I'm thinking of the TSP CURL P-1R because I heard it's good for chopping so I may try the sponged version but don't want to lose my aggressive attacking capabilities. Any comments/suggestions? Mahalo (thank you in Hawaiian).

_________________
(Blade) Joola MC1
(FH) Andro Shifter Powersponge 2.1 mm
(BH) KTL Stranger Attack 1.2 mm [long pimples]

Sounds like the TSP Curl would definitely be worth a go. The differences are fairly marginal in terms of the sponge, the main differences in are in the topsheet and obviously the spongier pips have a bit more spring in them for playing a little further back. Curl has a good reputation for chopping though and is fairly sound for making attacking strokes, it all comes down to your feeling.

_________________
Click Here to see TableTennis11 CEO Sergei Petrov's Introductory Interview - Tabletennis11.com

I think that the TSP Curl P-H is the way to go...did a Google search and found out that the P1-R is difficult to control. Plan to slap it on a Joola Kool blade and hope it works so that I don't have to buy another Joola MC1. Mahalo.

_________________
(Blade) Joola MC1
(FH) Andro Shifter Powersponge 2.1 mm
(BH) KTL Stranger Attack 1.2 mm [long pimples]

I think curl p4 would be the way to go, p4 can generate spin and it plays very close to an inverted rubber. For aggressive pips play with an occasional chop p4 is a good choice.

_________________
Competition bats:
Win-tec power def Tibhar 5Q sound Power Update 1.8 * Spinlord Agenda ox
TSP Balsa 3.5 Tibhar Genius+Optimium sound 1.8 * Grass D-tecs ox

Put to rest:
Galaxy T10 Bluefire M2 2.0 Palio Ck531a ox
Victas Koji Matsushita Tibhar Genius+Optimium sound MAX * Spinlord Dornenglanz ox
Donic Defplay Senso Tibhar Aurus Sound Black max * Grass D-tecs ox

Check out my quest for my new blade here: http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=23241
Current standings:
Butterfly Matshushita powerdefence * Joola Chen Weixing * Nittaku KVU * Nittaku Shake defense* Tibhar stratus power defense * Victas Koji Matsushita * Yasaka Sweeper * Win-Tec power defence

I agree with this. I have never tried P1-R or P-H with 1.5 sponge and so cannot compare these.

_________________
BTY Korbel ST
Red FH: BTY Tenergy T80 1.9mm
Black BH: TSP Curl P4 1.5mm

P-H pips are stiff, grippy and slow. I've only ever tried this rubber in OX, where it is indeed good for aggressive play, but I have no idea how well it would work with a sponge.

_________________
OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

No, not all sponged LP between 1.2 and 1.5 are similar.

Some are fast, some are slow, some are better for attacking, some chopping, some spin sensitive, others not.

I think you will probably lose some attacking capabilites no matter how you look at it if you switch from KTL Stranger 1.2. That doesnt mean you shouldnt give other rubbers a try.

P1r/p4 are both worth a try. These both chop infinitely better than the stranger, both have some attacking capabilites, with p1r probably being faster and p4 having better control over the spin.

Dont know much about the P-H, but TSP makes really highquality pips so definitely could also be worth a try.

There is probably a dozen strong pip possibility for use with attacking that have a better chopping ability than the stranger. Feint Long II with some thick sponge would fall into that category too.

_________________
VKM
Tenergy 05 2.1
Feint Long III .5

_________________
(Blade) Joola MC1
(FH) Andro Shifter Powersponge 2.1 mm
(BH) KTL Stranger Attack 1.2 mm [long pimples]

Aloha, townhousecrackers, and mahalo for the advice. Looks like P1-R is the general consensus, and for $26, I really should give it a try. Fent Long II sounds good except for the price at the moment. My $ ceiling for pips is $25 and $30 for inverted. Don't like paying for newer or more expensive rubbers if the currents ones I use work really well. The only qualm I have about buying the TSP Curl P1-R is that I have to buy a 2nd Joola MC1 and another Andro Shifter Powersponge just to test it on that penholder

_________________
(Blade) Joola MC1
(FH) Andro Shifter Powersponge 2.1 mm
(BH) KTL Stranger Attack 1.2 mm [long pimples]