OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Tried a Xiom ZAVA 1, black in 2.0mm (I will be comparing it to the Joola Express Ultra (EU) on a stiff hard blade (Kris Giant Dragon.))

This short pimple has a very soft sponge. (I think it is similar to the Vega series)

This rubber is slower (maybe on par or a little less than Royal), and less spinny than the EU, however it has a lot of control. Even though it isn't as fast as the EU it is still one of the fastest SPs I have tried.

Against backspin balls the ZAVA is a dream. Very easy to hit backspin balls or punch through them if they are high enough.
Against no spin balls you really have to punch through as trying to topspin over the table always goes long.
Against topspin it blocks very well, and is able to counter brilliantly.

When serving the ZAVA isn't very spinny but can produce very fast long serves that stay very low.

In some ways this rubber reminds me of some MPs, but has a lot more control.

Xiom reckon it is very spinny, which may be the case if you can get enough head speed behind it, which I will only be able to tell once I try it in a match situation.

I like this rubber and will try using it on my BH from now on.

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FH: Joola Express Ultra Max, BH: Giant Dragon Talon OX , Blade: Nexy Hannibal
FH: Tibhar Sinus Alpha Max, BH: Tibhar Sinus Alpha Max , Blade: Nexy Hannibal

Played somemore with this rubber in a match situation and can confirm that this rubber is excellent at hitting through backspin. However I struggled blocking spinny loops. I think the sponge is too soft for me. The rubber does have some strange properties and can return no spin balls pretty easily when pushing at the table.

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FH: Joola Express Ultra Max, BH: Giant Dragon Talon OX , Blade: Nexy Hannibal
FH: Tibhar Sinus Alpha Max, BH: Tibhar Sinus Alpha Max , Blade: Nexy Hannibal

I was fortunate to meet up with bvautier tonight.
I had a hit with his setup.
The topsheet visually looked weird, alot of ripples on the base.
Very low throw!
True it might be a litte longer than the average short pip.
Very soft fluffy porous sponge. Quite hard adjusting my stroke to get the ball, you need to push through the ball more, horizontally. The first couple mins, i kept going into the net.

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the re-evolution of war
Bty Gergely Palio Macro Era 42.5 Max DHS H2 Max

Hi Metal, thanks for the hitup last night!

You are right the rubber is low through. When I serve long and fast the balls stay very low. However we did notice that this rubber really struggle returning long fast no spin balls.... every single one was returned too long!

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FH: Joola Express Ultra Max, BH: Giant Dragon Talon OX , Blade: Nexy Hannibal
FH: Tibhar Sinus Alpha Max, BH: Tibhar Sinus Alpha Max , Blade: Nexy Hannibal

Sorry for necro'ing this but I had a hit with this baby today and really considering a change to short pip. It is very consistent, the knuckle ball effect is so-so (but then again I play medium so I can't expect too much), but speed is really good.

Against Walter's regular topspin I found it blocked quite well and directional control is superb. Need to play it in a real game to see though.

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(\__/)
(='.'=) But there's no sense crying over every mistake,
(")_(") You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

geko i didnt get it when you said about knuckle balls, when you blocked loops did the ball returned weird or the opponent looped again with no problem, i want to know if zava gives nasty balls when blocked.. what about the feel of glued? Im A cpen played with EU but too sloppy on blocking.

So does this play like a grippy short pip or classic short pip?

Ian

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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

Hey guys, so Ive been using this rubber since (my memory fails me) around April 2011.
Figured I'd give back to the community and share my thoughts on it.
Sorry about posting it here instead of starting a new topic, but thought this would probably be easier to search for.

1. The reviewer
I'm an A grade player that uses inverted on the FH and use the BH to either set up my points or change up the rhythm/spin of the rally.
I use an Ovtcharov Senso (no carbon, 7 ply clipper clone with a walnut top ply)
I come from a both sides inverted background and will twiddle to loop with my backhand once every blue moon to throw off my opponent.
I also have a significant amount of time playing with medium pips on the backhand. I dunno if any of this helps, but probably that I have play more 'pure strokes' and only use spin strokes to get extra safety.

2. Physical Properties
I use a 2.0mm red sheet, the sponge is quite soft, hmm I'd say around the 35-40 degree range of tensor scale, 35 in Japanese scale, and 30 in Chinese scale.
The quality of the sheet is superb and is very consistent (I have 3 identical sheets).
The pips are longer than 802 or 802-40, but shorter than 888 (MP) or Royale.
Pips are fairly spaced apart, similar to Spectol.

3. Speed:
- Speed on slow strokes is fast for a pip. Rolls are generally the same speed as say, sriver, but I can't compare the loops vs backspin because I don't perform this stroke with pips.
- Speed on blocks is fast, but with soft hands the outgoing ball speed decreases quite a bit, but still is a pretty fast ball compared to say, 802.
- Speed on smashes is extreme. I can smash it past almost anyone. This is more technique than rubber property IMO.

4. Spin:
- Spin on attacking strokes is adequate, and I'd say roughly the same as a off-the-shelf premade. It is excellent at continuing spin though (as most SP are).
- Spin on serves/pushes. The spin is definitely there and I often get opponents dumping the return in the net. Service motion is more friction than sponge though.
For returns, adding spin is definitely the safer route with this pip. Either stopping or continuing the spin and adding some of your own.

5. Control:
Being under a soft tensor sponge, this rubber is very lively, and quite fast. Control isn't such an issue when playing hard storkes like punch blocking or something like that, but you really do feel its bounce when playing short pushes and flicking. I mean it's not so terrible that you can't get used to it, but be prepared for this initially.
Another aspect I should mention is that the blade angle is so, so important. The difference in 5-10 degrees is the difference between netting it and popping it up. This is amplified by the Zava's spring.

6. Other Playing properties:
Throw is low. Even lower than 1.8mm spectol speed. Go figure.
Sensitivity to spin is definitely more than a medium pip, but not nearly as much as inverted. A tad more sensitive than spectol speed, but much less than 802-40, around the same as 802.

7. Reference:
I can refer to Spectol speed, 802, 802-40, 888, Pistol, Challenger Attack...and several more...

8. Other comments Other unique properties...
Not really. Awesome epic packaging I suppose.

9. To cut a long story short.
I refuse to summarize! I took the time to write this, so if I want a bird's eye view, it ain't happening son!

_________________
(\__/)
(='.'=) But there's no sense crying over every mistake,
(")_(") You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

Great review, thanks gekogark1212!

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The long version was well worth the read. Thanks.

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"So long, and thanks for all the fish
So sad that it should come to this" Sung by the dolphins in The hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy

I play with Xiom Zava 7 months and I really like it, but I'm wondering if any of the newer short pips like Nittaku Moristo SP AX or Butterfly Impartial XS are more suitable for plastic balls?

Here is my short review:
Xiom Zava 1 with a max sponge is a short pips rubber with the most spin that I've tried (SpinLord Gipfelsturm, Degu, Waran 2 and Dr Neubauer Killer Pro). So you do not need to have the best footwork and always hit the ball at the highest point, because it is possible to return the ball well with a spin.
Sponge is medium soft and it has good speed when you hit hard through the ball, but in passive shots it is not so fast. With block you can easily create dead knuckle ball, but this rubber really shines in wobbly shots. Many times my opponents hit the ball with the wrist or miss the whole ball.
Also it is possible to play from mid-distance, but this shot is not so dangerous due to lack of speed. Overall, control is excellent, I only had a problem with chops.

And here is video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdDz3nm5xBs

Had a try today on the f/h.throw is low and i was getting loads on the table and winning points.its a hitters rubber.
im defo going to give this a few more goes against good players.