OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Let me start by apologizing for asking something that has most likely been asked a gazillion times before here... but nevertheless.

I used to play competitively and would cork up my rubbers with a solid amount of speed glue every time I'd play. I've since been away from the sport for many years and is completely unknowledgeable about what to do nowadays... so I'd appreciate some basic input on this:

1) What do people that used to speed glue most commonly do today - what do top pro players do?
2) I used to pay a lot of attention to the sound of the glued rubber - is there a way to achieve that same sound now?
3) I know that rubbers have developed that supposedly have 'built in speed glue effect' - are these really like that... really?
4) What exactly are 'boosting' and 'tuning' (as it relates to a substitute for the original speed glue feel)?

Again, I know I could gather the information for this from multiple places, but would really appreciate some concise information on this in one place.
Any information (including links) about this appreciated.

Thanks.

I'm not a speed expert but let me try answering your questions. I am also an absentee from the game ( played competitively 18 years ago and started playing again for about a year now ).

1) What do people that used to speed glue most commonly do today - what do top pro players do?
For non professional, ( like me ) we try to use high speed rubbers like Tenergy, Palio Thor, Donic Acuda etc. You could research this further. Tenergy uses spring sponge while other rubbers uses tensor technology. There are also product like tuners that maximize the speed of your rubber. Likewise, blade today are a lot faster. For professional, their equipment mostly are factory tuned.
2) I used to pay a lot of attention to the sound of the glued rubber - is there a way to achieve that same sound now?
There are rubbers that imitates the sound of glued rubber. Xiom is one, and Stiga almana sound I think has the same sound.
3) I know that rubbers have developed that supposedly have 'built in speed glue effect' - are these really like that... really? On my experience, this is correct on the first 3 weeks ( sometimes less ) of using a new rubber particularly those I mentioned above.
4) What exactly are 'boosting' and 'tuning' (as it relates to a substitute for the original speed glue feel)? There are a lot of ways to boost, tune and treat your rubber. You can visit the experimental section of this forum.

Disclaimer : My answer are based on my limited knowledge. They may be wrong.

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Setup 1 : Bty Timoball Spirit Forehand : Yasaka Razka 7 2.1mm Backhand : Tackiness Drive 2.0 mm
Tenergy to Razka7 = more consitency
will try : TBS or JSH with Razka 7 and TSP curl Pr1; choppers dream?

Thanks Red Lion - I appreciate your input.

I wasn't trying to be lazy with this post - I know I can find lots more info on these questions in many of places. I was simply trying to get a concise set of answers in one place.

Hi,

I know this is probably not much help to the OP (sorry about that), but I feel like i'm in a sort of similar position...

Basically I also used to play fairly competitively, using some generic speed glue with carbo sound or neos sound rubbers, and started playing again recently.

I bought new neos sound rubbers partly for nostalgia's sake, partly because I didn't really know anything about any new rubbers. I have since used up the speed glue I used to use, and now am wondering what to do. Am i now resigned to using new standard glue (eg butterfly free chack, which i'm thinking of getting, i have no voc free glue), and needing new rubbers if i'm looking for the same sort of effect as my old rubbers with speed glue?

Thanks for any replies guys