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What is the difference between these 2 rubbers? They both seem to have good reviews, and they both have similar description. A tacky topsheet on a high tension sponge.

Are they basically they same? or are there differences?

There's Apollo 5 now??? I thought it only went up to 3. Have to go check. I always thought Big Dipper was non-tacky - doesn't even have a sticky-carrier sheet.

Don't see Apollo 5 at Eacheng...

Iskandar

If it ever gets to Apollo XIII it will be a disaster.

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Retriever (sometimes golden, but often leaden)
Moderator, Inverted Retriever Technique sub-forum - http://ooakforum.com/viewforum.php?f=74

Has anyone tried Apollo 5 yet?

And yes, Big Dipper is tacky.

I remember reading a review of Apollo 5 on the MyTT forum which is part of a larger review...

http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_po ... re#1022077

Hope that helps

Thanks, I've already read that thread.

What was said about Apollo 5 in the review is more or less applicable to all hybrid rubbers, I think. Similarly to the OP, I'm more looking for a comparison between BD and A5: both are tacky hybrids with similar sponge hardness options available, so it'd be interesting to learn about the differences between them.

Last time I checked with Yinhe, they said they were no longer making the Big Dipper. This would not surprise me, as they have a habit of discontinuing old rubbers and coming up with new ones instead. Probably new ones sell better, because people will always want to buy the latest. They do the same with their blades.
The problem is that if you find something you like, you might not be able to get it next time... not good for the customers...

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I'm pretty sure the sheet of Big Dipper I got wasn't. It didn't even have the plastic "protector sheet" that you have to pull off tacky sheets. The packaging is also totally unlike the usual Yinhe vacuum pack.



So much for God's Crossbow Sponge.. Haven't checked out Yinhe in a LONG while. Do what I do - if you like a blade, get 3 or 4 weight matched ones. Just in case...

Iskandar

Just had a quick peek on AliExpress. Apollo II (the non-tacky one) is still there, Apollo III is NOT (very interesting!) and Apollo V isn't either. Apollo II and III shared the same topsheet, wonder if Apollo V does as well. Since there's only one entry for Apollo in the LARC (49-001), it must. Big Dipper, in several variants of sponge hardness, is still available. There are three new rubbers - 49-005 "Max Tense M. Star", 49-006 "Max Tense E. Moon" and 49-022 "Max Tense Venus". This is interesting because 1) Big Dipper is 49-007. Did Max Tense M. Star and Max Tense E. Moon replace earlier rubbers numbered 49-005 and 49-006????? There is also an unnumbered rubber called "Venus" (sold as Venus II recently and not being sold by Eacheng any more on AliExpress). DHS is having a renumbering exercise, replacing old, unnumbered rubbers with numbered versions with the same name (e.g. 666 with 24-016 G666), maybe Yinhe is doing theirs, too, slowly.

Iskandar

Apollo V was released in 2018. From what I have read myself, this is the new version of the rubber and has retained the same LARC number as the previous Apollo rubbers?

http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_po ... re#1022077

Oh, thanks, that's good to know. I guess I'd better not get used to BD as my primary FH rubber then.


Mine was pretty tacky (was able to hold the ball for ~10 sec) and had plastic sheets on both the topsheet and the sponge. I don't remember if the packaging was vacuum-sealed but the rubber's smell was... let's say intensive and it kept like that for good two weeks.

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Thanks!
LTT

Paddles
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Primary: Sanwei Fextra, Sanwei Target National on FH, Palio AK47 red on BH
Backup: Sanwei Fextra, Palio HK1997 Gold on FH, Sanwei T88-Taiji on BH
Motto: Always Learnin'

While I realize that you joined the board well after I made my post, that has to be one of the longer penny drops for one of my quips

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Retriever (sometimes golden, but often leaden)
Moderator, Inverted Retriever Technique sub-forum - http://ooakforum.com/viewforum.php?f=74

That what I get for not checking the date of the post . I was viewing it on my cell phone, noticed this thread near the top of the inverted rubbers forum and didn't realize it was an old thread with a few recent comments.

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Thanks!
LTT

Paddles
---------
Primary: Sanwei Fextra, Sanwei Target National on FH, Palio AK47 red on BH
Backup: Sanwei Fextra, Palio HK1997 Gold on FH, Sanwei T88-Taiji on BH
Motto: Always Learnin'

I just realized this isn't that clear. The new "Max Tense" rubbers aren't on AliExpress, they're new entries in the LARC.



In which case it uses the same topsheet.

Iskandar