OOAK Table Tennis Forum

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Hello , I play with Killer Soft 1,8 some weeks , blade Vodak Diolen Control All+ , non-carbon "outer" composite blade speed range All+/Off-. . Before used many MPs and SPs, LPs. Killer many versions ,Keiler ,Dawei 388C-1, MW955 , Grass D.TecS, Moristo SP, Firestorm and many others.
This vid shows good many properties of this rubber.
Last year I played with K.O.1,3mm.
Because I needed better offensive options and feedback in last tournament from one the best sparing was , that K.O. in my hand is not so disruptive (I play active shots and K.O. is best by passive shots) , I tried to glue Killer 1,5mm.
By test on robot I saw , that it is good , but dwell time is not so high as I wished.
Logical step was Killer 1,8mm OR Killer Soft 1,8mm with sponge only 37sh.
I tried later from 2 reasons - I wished possible safest opening up and I wanted little bit to eliminate effect , that every rubber after some time lost part of first good feel and get little bit harder.

First testing - I feel that rubber is too soft , that ball is going into blade by powered shots.
But after short time was rubber little bit harder and it was optimal for my todays requests.

My conclusion - comparison with Killer 1,5mm

Speed - similar to regular Killer with the same sponge thickness. Little bit more bouncy.
Spin - due this soft sponge is more possible to change spin value and is possible to give spin into chop or pseudotopspin.
Deception - probably 80% efect fall down as regular Killer. But much more possibility taking away the pace by "absorbing" block.
Sound - little bit "klap" sound as VOC glued rubber
Dwell time - higher
Openning up - safer , not needed quick motion by this shot.
Chop - more options due softer sponge
Aggressivity , powerstrikes - litle bit less
Short game - litle bit more difficult
Block - more variability/possibilities , one the best properties is absorbing block , big taktical weapon
topspin - better options
direct game - litle bit more difficult , not so hard and efficient

Killer Soft (1,8mm) is going some steps near to klassical short pip due this softer sponge. It has more options in lifting game and less options by direct shots.
For me , with after 30 years with inverted rubbers on my backhand and due this still influenced technique , is this rubber good option , at least feeling is very good.
First results with my regular sparing partners are very promissing , most of matches winn.
Best property of this rubber - is possible to play with high stability, allround offensive game with some disruption.

Great review thanks Marty. It sound !ike killer soft in 1.8 is better for those coming from inverted or normal SP whilst Ko and perhaps normal killer in thin sponge suits more classic LP/MP technique. Many of the properties you mention above come partly from the blade for instance 1.5mm short pips play very differently on a soft blade to a hard blade the change in ball flight from bottoming out being far more noticeable and harder to manage on a hard blade.

I have also been alternating between various type of short medium pips but for next season I am working on the thin sponge disruptive types as more dangerous but of course harder to master. At club level most players especially loopers, seem more troubled by disruptive effect than just speed and also the more disruptive pips out rubbers tend to be less spin sensitive which helps returning serve etc.
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Hello ChasFox , thanks! You are right - thinner deceptive short/mediom pimples are more difficult for oponent answer. Btw, I played recently more as 1 year with K.O.1,3mm. Good , but on the end I saw , that my game is more offensive as allround oriented and I saw too , that for every playing style is the best some particulary sponge thickness.
I saw in my play scheme , that after 30 years with inverted rubber on BH side I am still oriented after next 14 years with pimples for my BH rubber for feeling similar as inverted rubber . Despite this I need some disruptivity in my game play too.
For me is crucial to enjoy with my strokes.
I made already many changes in equipment and my results changed not so dramaticaly , also I searched blade and rubbers making me most happy playing with.
It is "the pleasured feeling" , that every player deep in head has and every player is evaluating according this feeling , mostly only intuitive , all those things about equipment.
IMHO it is truth too, that the higher level , the less importend the disruptivness as such is.

Interesting player from Java, Clipper CR , BH Killer Soft 1,5mm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRlU1XwLmGQ

After two months was my playing abilities in last time with KS 1,8,mm worse and worse. I don´t know , that it was caused lower friction of topsheet or higher sponge softness after playing hours , but I definitely saw , that todays springing character of rubber is too much for me , especialy in this warm summer.
I changed BH rubber to Keiler 1,5mm and, probably, bill is paid with.
Keiler has better friction options and significantely better control necessary for me for palying ralies.
And this despite the fact , that my piece of keiler is 6 years oxidised min. whole year played worn garbage sheet (still with yelow sponge)..
For me it is instant solution , despite Keiler is not so high disruptive as any version of Killer rubber.

I think this is an inherent weakness of the latest over boosted soft light sponges. Found the same problem with firestorm soft and Spinlord Nashorn. They play good for a few months then go inconsistent. The Moristo SP soft sponge seems better in this regard being a bit more of a classic Japanese sponge.