OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hello, I just got in the new Xiom Vega DEF in Max. They also offer it in 2.0mm, but were out of stock.

After reading a review of it on TTD i was intrigued. It's supposed to be very grippy and very good at service. Lower gears, but not too chinese-like, and with a hard dense sponge.

After opening the package, the sponge is indeed dense and hard. To the touch, it is one of the hardest sponges I've felt, but somehow feels "rubbery" for lack of a better term. The hard chinese sponges like hurricane, are more brick-like or rigid. This is hard, but bendy...you'd have to really experience it to understand. I can hardly see any of the pores within the sponge, and in-fact it looks more solid than not. Very cool looking. It's definitely harder than V>401. Probably on par with H3. I'll have to check side by side later on.

The top sheet has smallish pips, but still somehow feels elastic. The topsheet will definitely be mechanical grip...and it just seems grippy to the touch. When I compress the rubber, it's the topsheet that has some give, and the sponge less so. I would not call the topsheet soft, but it's softer than hurricane for sure, and NOT tacky. I suspect this to be unique feeling, something like a bendy/grippy topsheet, but with a hard sponge, I can't think of another rubber that seemed like this out of the package. I will be playing with it tonight and can give you my impressions later...from a 1600 level chopper's perspective.

For now, here are some pics:

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

Projects: Player Equipment Grid ⇝ Comprehensive Thin Inverted Chopping Rubbers Grid ⇝ Please send me corrections or new submissions

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

Projects: Player Equipment Grid ⇝ Comprehensive Thin Inverted Chopping Rubbers Grid ⇝ Please send me corrections or new submissions

What were your thoughts on this rubber?

Ridderz is an insufferable ej... like the rest of us!

I was thinking of trying this rubber but have to order from europe I think, since no usa suppliers have any xiom rubber in 1.8

I've been using the 401 and mx-s, which I imagine are all pretty similar to this.

What are you looking for now ridder

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SOULSPIN CUSTOM BLADES
Fh: Spinny rubber
Bh: Not so spinny rubber...

Here our (german) review of Xiom Vega Def: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCyhROre_JA

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GeblockTT - table tennis on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/c/geblocktt

Hi Everybody, i have just switched over to Vega Def from Victas VC-401

I started a few years ago using 401 in 2mm then down to 1.8 then 1.5 loved it but just lacked something could not really work out what!

As I am NZ dealer for Xiom I got them to send me a free sheet to try, but i will have to admit I had it for along time before i did try it, and going from 1.5 to max ( the only thickness they actually make they told me -- too small of a market ) and loved it.

best features are fantastic serves great and chopping FH and very good short push, but what is does that I was missing is the counter hit or loop from mid distance, the parry maybe it is called or smoother loop ( like Hou Ying Chow does ) or maybe it is called the push away loop.. but all the choppers know it. the ball you can not chop but needs to be got back spiny

Def is fantastic at this, imported more and sold them to a range of players one guy is a over the table chopper and then whacks the next ball, works very well

My loop has away been spiny but not that fast so I just slap a few more now works well.

Cheers

greggy

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Victas Koji Matsushita Offensive Blade
Xiom Vega DEF Max Red
TSP P-R1 1mm-1.3mm Black

I've wanted to try this rubber for a while, but XIOM only seemed to ever stock it in MAX, whereas you'd think that the majory of defensive players (for mere mortals like us, not the elite players) would probably prefer something thinner.

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

My manager at Xiom said small market for chopper rubbers so although they list max, 2mm, 1.8mm and 1.5mm only ever made max

but really i went from 1.5 to max no issues, have you got a sheet to try ? I can bring you a free one in Oct at Aussie Vets?

Greggy

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Victas Koji Matsushita Offensive Blade
Xiom Vega DEF Max Red
TSP P-R1 1mm-1.3mm Black

Oh I wanna try it too.
I am in Tennessee.
I use Joo blade and Diode V. Do you think this rubber will match up well with my blades?

Table Tennis 11 are offering this in 2.0 so it's available in something thinner than max. The GeblockTT video is testing the 2.0 version (and it has proper English language subtitles, not machine ones). I think this is a fairly new rubber so, maybe, if there is a good takeup, Xiom will do this in thinner sponge. However, I'm not sure their focus is really on Defence stuff as they only offer one Def blade & a couple of pimple rubbers at the moment

Steve

I understand this rubber have a nice elastic topsheet so how is dwell time compared to 401??
Throw angle??

In the German review on YouTube they say that the throw angle is low

I suspect they would call the throw angle of the 401 low as well.
IMO it all depends how you loop the ball... a fine brush loop will give a higher throw, a loop drive would give a much lower throw.

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

Now I'm using JP03 on my forehand but chops aren't loaded and simple like with 401. Also feelings are missing a bit since JP03 doesn't have an elastic topsheet which IMO helps in slow and delicate shots. The only thing in which JP03 is better are counter loops: faster and more direct.
I'm evaluating Joola golden tango and XIOM Vega Def but the rubber needs also to be light since I have short pips 1,5 mm on BH. As already stated JGT has nice dwell like 401 and is lighter, what about these two qualities on Vega DEF??
Haggisv did you have the chance to try Xiom rubber??

I'm using Vega DEF in 2.0mm on a balsa / carbon blade (Sauer & Troger Black & White). This is a light set up as I have OX long pimples on the backhand. For me the results are excellent as I can both attack & defend with it. But it is a heavy rubber even in 2.0. I previously had it on a VKMS blade which is oversize & found the whole set up too heavy

Steve