OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I'll put Spectol Red and Blue on my list, as well as the standard Spectol. The standard Spectol might be better suited for chopping and hitting on the backhand though, no? I'm just going by reviews, as I haven't tested them myself yet.

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Standard Setup 1
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P1r 1.5mm

Standard Setup 2
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P4 1.5mm

Hardbat Equipment (Former Full-Time Hardbat Player)
Blade - Marty Reisman custom 5 ply Hock
Rubber - Yasaka Cobalt Alpha OX

you can order via eacheng but sometimes their parcels get lost and their customer service is a disgrace. best thing is to google and also look in ebay

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Blade: Barna Original Triumph Forehand Yasaka Razka Po Backhand Der-Materialspezialist Störkraft 0.8
http://www.instagram.com/dragontattooguy

If you want a faster rubber, just glue your 802 topsheet on a slightly faster sponge (but, surely, not a tensor one if you are going to chop). It's one of, if not THE best allround SP's out there, so no need to change, really.

Legend 105 if cost is a factor. Otherwise, spring for the new TSP Spinpips (RED or BLUE). I use Spinpips RED because I like to spin with SP but Spinpips BLUE with its harder sponge may be closer to old 802.. not sure. Last time I used 802 its topsheet felt almost slick by comparison to other SPs.

Try Japsko, located in Sweden. Send them a message. Their business model and service level is somewhat like Coles which I mentioned before, enthusiasts running a small business. Just ask them about 802 specifically, and they should give you a list of sponge options, some of which they glue on site. High quality and fast service, in my experience.

If you want to try 802-40, the Tabletennis11shop may be better. They are also fast (in my experience) and a bit cheaper than Japsko (cost of running a business in Sweden is a bit higher, I guess). For me, the 802-40 is a bit too lively (and I use it on a DEF+ blade). Going back to straight 802 for next season.

One german chopper in the nat team chops with spectol blue

*Sigh*

Time to assemble that LKT Toxic 3 - I have a couple sheets of 802 for it.

Iskandar

I have played with 802 and currently with Spectol 21 (Spectol before that). They feel very different to me.
BTY Challenger Attack is grippier than Spectol and more similar to 802.
Tibhar Speedy Soft could be another option.
Anything new (read tensor) would be way too bouncy for a 802 replacement.

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Tibhar IV-S / H3 Nat. BS 40 deg 2.15mm / Spectol 21 - 2.15mm

Before Modern Defense (in black playing a 2100+ player:https://youtu.be/if__7emBFqA

Ito Mima, jpn progidy child, she does PREFER short pips rubber, 25 USD PER SHEET., 1.7 mid-thick rubber.

Be happy.

Afair the 802 with creme/yellow sponge is called 802 Mystery III - not to confuse with 802-40 mystery III. Its softer than the standard sponge and has more bounce, but it's still more control and spin than speed.

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Red is blogging here >> http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=30522

I've had a sheet of 802 in 1.5 for years. Although I've tinkered with it more than once, I've stuck with anti or LP for my chops. After recently watching hou yingchao and his style, wondered whether sp could be the way to go with being modern defensive, and may lend better to the modern game now. His chops are superb. Both deep and sidespinny, more so than LP I think. Also the ability to snap over some pretty quick kills too. However I know it's harder to chop with this rubber and have tried. Hou also has an awesome attack using side so really works his chops and power shots in unison to good effect.

I think Hou's Chinese National Championship run has got a lot of choppers thinking short pips might be the way to go, especially wity thr new ball. He uses Spectol, though I can't find any info on whst thickness. Been told Spectol is a lot more forgiving to chop with than 802, but haven't put thst to the test yet.

I'm playing with going back to short pips and use my 802 1.5mm to test the waters. The problem is, once you've used long pips, everything else is just so unforgiving when chopping. That's really whst it comes down to. Forgiveness of long pips but more predictablity, or variation of short pips but with less forgiveness.

It's got me searching for some middle ground. At the moment, P1r followed by P4 have been the best for me. Going to try Stiga Horizontal 55 in the near future as been told it's like P4 but with harder sponge. This could be the solution for me potentially, as like P4 (can vary the spin in a way close to short pips, though not quite as contrasting) but hate thr soft sponge. We'll see.

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Standard Setup 1
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P1r 1.5mm

Standard Setup 2
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P4 1.5mm

Hardbat Equipment (Former Full-Time Hardbat Player)
Blade - Marty Reisman custom 5 ply Hock
Rubber - Yasaka Cobalt Alpha OX

The reason why hou plays with spectol is because when he chops the ball bounce flatter than long pips chops and is more hard to attack when the ball flies low

Short pips like Spectol are used to create more deception so to speak than long pips at higher levels. You can easily vary the spin from a dead float to a heavy cut and make them look the same if you have good technique. Watch Hou's matches and he forces more errors from opponents with his chops than long pip choppers do. Downside is short pips are not as forgiving, so you're more likeky to make errors yourself or even pop the ball up too high if you haven't managed to time the chop perfectly, something long pips is less reactive to.

_________________
Standard Setup 1
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P1r 1.5mm

Standard Setup 2
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P4 1.5mm

Hardbat Equipment (Former Full-Time Hardbat Player)
Blade - Marty Reisman custom 5 ply Hock
Rubber - Yasaka Cobalt Alpha OX

Yes I see Hou can get great effective and somewhat aggressive chops, which does deceive a lot. He does quite a bit with the ball where some defenders just seem to get the ball back.