OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I am thinking of my wife buying me this for Xmas:

Xiom Zetro Quad
Vega Pro FH
Vega Euro BH

Her idea of course...although she doesn't know it yet, and I am fed up with socks....anyway...

What thickness rubbers do you think? 1.8 BH, 2.0 F/H?

I current use TG3 Neo, having journeyed through the H3 range. I loop, brush and power, but went to TG3N for control on top spin f/h rallies. Very happy with it.

I use the Galaxy W6 blade again happy with that.

I still haven't found the best b/h set up for me...I know you will say it;s my technique, but you are just jealous! No, really....I do somethings well no backhand, then I change it, and do other things well but not what I had been doing well! So, yes it;s partly technique, not adapting to rubbers, but also I need to find a middle ground here!

Hurricanes left me powerless, but control and chopping good. Palio Macro Era gives me power, but chopping poor. No trialing Sriver L. Early days, but think speed will be lacking!

I play opening banana flick, but not good at sustaining b/h top spin rallies, or killing, so block or chop till get round to loop.

I have read lots on Xiom and tried a black Euro briefly. I think if I invest in a more expensive set up over the cheaper Chinese stuff (that wear out 3/4 way through season) I may be more inclined to really stick at it, adapt to rubbers and work on technique.

Well my wife will make me if she's buying....!

Thoughts please....!

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Match set up: Nittaku Violin, JP01T, JP03

You are going for faster blade and faster rubbers.
It is setup for attack, attack and attack only.
Control? Chopping? Longer rallies?
Maybe you wife should consider slower blade or slower rubbers...
I'd hold on to W6 and put two Xiom Vega Euro on it.
But considering the wife is buying, maybe Nittaku Barwell Fleet.

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Blade: Yinhe (Galaxy) W-6 (flared)
FH: Friendship Cream Transcend (2.0 mm)
BH: Friendship Cream Transcend (2.0 mm)

Actually......sticking the Xiom Europe on my back hand of my current set up first makes sense......not much of an xmas pressie, but then it's probably going on my credit card anyway.......

Random thought...as you get older / less fit (just suppose), is attack attack attack a better option than long rallies?????!!!

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Match set up: Nittaku Violin, JP01T, JP03

Please help us understand this situation. A very cursory glance at post history reveals that you're a TT coach (level 2, what does that mean?). Yet oddly:

> I think if I invest in a more expensive set up over the cheaper Chinese stuff (that wear out 3/4 way through season) I may be more inclined to really stick at it, adapt to rubbers and work on technique.

Really?

Anyway, an OFF+ blade is going to make those opening banana flicks pretty hard.

Well I guess being a level 2 coach doesn't mean much then! To help, it's above a level 1, but below a level 3.

I don't recall Jose Marinho or Alex Ferguson being the best footballers in the world, but did ok as coaches!

I find you can develop a lot as a coach if you practice on your self first. I think you are more knowledgeable if you have attempted the journey yourself first. You have to push yourself and find out what happens when you go to far and have a too fast a set up - you can't just repeat what others say....you need to experience it.

Xiom rubbers are not well used in my area....a few use Chinese rubbers, and I have developed a good knowledge of those, which many coaches do not have other than beginner rubbers. Most people go through the journey of Sriver, Mark V, Tenergy.....but it's good to understand as much of the equipment as you can.

I would say I am quite a common style of player - strong forehand, weaker back hand. So I want to explore fully the options - if I can get the best tout of my backhand, I can easier coach others to get the best out of theirs.

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Match set up: Nittaku Violin, JP01T, JP03

No offense intended, I just found it odd that a TT coach wouldn't be aware of just how demanding it is to play with a blade that fast, esp coming from a W6. As a rule of physics, performing pro strokes with pro equipment produces the same shots, which is pretty uncommon to see out of amateurs.

Most of XIOM's better rubbers are tweaks of ESN products made in german at the same plant as modern rubbers for every brand other than butterfly or chinese ones.

They're maybe 90% as elastic as Tenergy. I saw in your other thread you've used Yinhe Mars2 which is closer to 80% of Tenergy and H3 neo is maybe ~60-70% for comparison.

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> Random thought...as you get older / less fit (just suppose), is attack attack attack a better option than long rallies?????!!!

If you just stand there I suppose it's physically easier, but to be any good at it and take the ball in your sweetspot it takes quicker more explosive movement.

The "easiest" way to play well just standing there is effective defense with spin reversal, but you have to control the spin/placement of the point to avoid getting loopkilled.

There are so many rubbers out there, it's good to experience as many as possible, to increase your knowledge of the subtle differences. I could of just stuck with H3, but moving to TG3N gave me more confidence in my top spin attacks, where as the same shot with H3 would be harder to control...but I kept the good loops....which in contrast was much harder using PME on a Clipper blade. You gain so much more knowledge and first hand experience to share this way. You can really understand what will help and hinder your pupils much better. I know Tenergy is going to be too fast for some players I coach, so we don't go there....but there are so many other possibilities...plus its a lot of fun!

You never stop learning...until you think you know it all...

I think the Xiom Europe on my b/h is a good idea....and I can flip to f/h to test it out. Be good to get to know a rubber that isn't that popular in my leagues.

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Match set up: Nittaku Violin, JP01T, JP03

> There are so many rubbers out there, it's good to experience as many as possible, to increase your knowledge of the subtle differences.

Most rubbers of a class are pretty similar and minor differences don't effect anything except your personal familiarity.

> I could of just stuck with H3, but moving to TG3N gave me more confidence in my top spin attacks, where as the same shot with H3 would be harder to control...but I kept the good loops..

There's only maybe ~<10% difference between the hurricanes, and often more variation between batches due to mediocre QA. Let me put it this, I'd take any good sheet of hurricane over any bad sheet irrespective of model.

Inflexibility is often indicative of deeper problems, so maybe take a closer look at your looping technique.

I had a XZQ and to be honest I struggled with the weight of it. It was a straight handle of 90 grams. I also had a flared one that was 89 grams but that felt lighter since it seemed better balanced.
The head size on a XZQ is slightly smaller than typical head sizes e.g. Stiga all round classic, innerforce ZLC etc. So despite saving a few grams on a comparative cut sheet unless the setup weights less than 185 grams it feels unusable or at least it did for me. I ended up using a 1.9 T05 on the FH & a hexer powersponge on the BH which lightened the setup and made it easier to sell on the 90 gram Blade.

I found that a slightly softer rubber worked better on it. It is a 9 ply blade. On the one hand it has good touch and then is a offensive + rated blade. It is linear unlike a IF ZLC and for me personally I never got the satisfying feeling off the blade - unsure if this is to do with the hinoki outer pile.
The recommended FH for the XZQ is something high throw like a Adidas tenzone SF which is 45 degree compared with 47.5 degree of the XVP. I reckon the xiom vega europe would be too low throw for the BH on the XZQ. A club mate from last year is using a 5Q VIP on the FH and a joola maxxx 400 on the BH and he likes them. A new rubber worth checking might be the new joola rhyzm P which yogi bear has reviewed elsewhere - it's 42.5 degree & has a good arc.
In summary the XZQ is a relatively cheap blade for what it has to offer and seen it on special with a HK supplier. It's the fore runner of the technology used in the SZLC & the newer Xiom vega blade series.

Inflexibility is often indicative of deeper problems, so maybe take a closer look at your looping technique.[/quote]

Phew - I thought you were stalking me until you said that!

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Match set up: Nittaku Violin, JP01T, JP03

Very interesting and informative, thank you.

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Match set up: Nittaku Violin, JP01T, JP03