OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hello,

I am looking for a Chinese setup for blade & rubbers. This will be my first custom paddle. I was using a pre-made paddle with DHS H3 & DHS skyline 2 rubbers. (maybe fake, bought 10 years ago from Aliexpress)
I'm back to playing TT after long years and we are playing in office, not in a very proffessional environment. I'm 45 years old...
I like throwing spinny shots.
I would like to choose one of each;

FH
Friendship/729 Battle II Provincial Blue Sponge
Friendship/729 729-08 Pro

BH
Ak47 red
729 presto speed
DHS Gold arc 8

Blade (Long FL handle)
Yinhe Earth E-3 .......ALL+
Yinhe W-6..... Off-
Friendship rose 5......off+
Sanwei FEXTRA 7.....off-

Would you help me to choose between my options & any comments if those setup makes sense at all?

Please excuse me if I've mismanaged the terminology or made saome mistakes.

Thank you
Alper

I don't have experience with what you listed, but i have Hurricane 3 NEO, 39 hardness on forehand and Palio CJ8000 backhand. I really like the hurricane, not too fast and good control. Good for serve too. The only negative is that it smell bad out of the package

For tacky rubber you need to clean it and cover with a protective sheet to keep it's tackiness.

I would recommend a 7-ply blade with soft rubbers on both side.

Of the equipment you mention, I would go with Fextra, Battle II (provincial if you must...) and the Gold Arc 8.
The Battle II will remind you of H3, and personally, I would still choose H3 Neo. Both rubbers are very spin-capable, as long as you keep them clean, and very good for short game and serve, which may be useful in your environment.
The Gold Arc 8 (47 degree is easier to control) is probably the cheapest genuine German made Tensor available (if you buy from China), and is a good dependable rubber, which you can also use to practice aggressive looping from distance. It is very different to the DHS Hurricane and Skyline rubbers.
The only other change I might make, and only because I am familiar with it, would be to go with a DHS PG 7 for the blade. It's similar in construction to a Stiga Clipper (veneers are different thicknesses).

One thing to bear in mind is that the Chinese hard rubbers need some playing in. They will be obstinate when you first try them.

_________________
Other setups:
SDC Custom Blade/Butterfly Dignics 80/Butterfly Glayzer
BTY Viscaria/Tibhar K3/Tibhar K3

Blade : Yinhe W6
FH: Hurricane 3 Neo
BH: Depends on your strengths and weaknesses which I know nothing about.

You're welcome.

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Earth E3, 729-08, Presto.

As you can see, recommendations are all over the place.

In the end, doesn't matter what you get. Play more, get better.

Another question, many people has warned regarding possible fake DHS rubbers. What about 729/Friendship and Palio rubbers? Should I be worried about them, too?
has anyone heart about fake claims about those brands?

DHS rubbers have authenticity codes that you can check. The risk is really only for the most expensive in the range, like National. It helps to buy from a reputable store. I never got a fake one.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/topic? ... source=app

DHS Hurricane 3 Ultimate Thread

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I recommend Sanwei Fextra Blade. I used it for 10 months. It's a perfectly balanced blade for a newbie.

For backhand: 729 Presto Speed has great performance (it's almost exactly like Vega Europe). HOWEVER, the topsheet durability is trash. It starts degrading after only 5 hours, and after 20 hours it's already completely smooth like anti-spin. I recommend Palio AK47 Blue.

For forehand: try something easier to play like Yinhe Big Dipper H38 or Jupiter 3 H37. Or you could just try AK47 Blue on both sides, which would be an easy first setup. Hard Chinese rubbers are not forgiving...

Only expensive rubbers are faked. No one fakes rubbers under 20 USD.

I'm a bit of a 729 tragic myself - been using them since my 20's. Still some of the best value for money rubbers you can get.

I don't know what your game is like, but having used 729 for years (and having tried many of their rubbers, but not all) I personally would recommend the Battle II over the 729-08. I used Battle II for a while and they're a good rubber - super tacky though, so if you have trouble returning heavy spin serves then the tackiness may drive you nuts.

As for the BH I've never gotten round to trying the Presto speed as it's so difficult for me to go past the Focus 3 Snipe for BH... This has got to be arguably the best rubber 729 has ever made. I keep coming back to the F3S Red 2.1mm on my BH because it's just such a sweet rubber, and the build quality has only imporoved over time (recent F3S rubbers are far higher quality than the earlier F3S when it first came out.)

I've wanted to try the Prestos, and hearing that the Presto Speed is akin to a Vega Europe has me even more eager to try one (LOVE Vega Europe's! If they weren't AU $50 a pop each, and if F3S weren't AU$22 each, then using Vegas would be a no brainer... They're a great rubber, seriously... But I can buy two F3S for less than one VE so that kinda kills that off).

Can't comment on the longevity of the Presto Speed, but the F3S is a very hardy rubber, (but again - search for fresh rubbers and not the older stock. Closest comparison for a F3S 2.1mm would be either a classic yasaka Mark V 2.0mm sponge or else a longer lasting Tuttle Beijing IV in max width).

Only other 729 Rubber I can really recommend as an alternative to F3S or Presto Speed is actually the old 729 Non-Tacky OEM rubbers in 2.0mm orange/ red sponge. These were a medium speed non tacky version rubber of the classic RITC 729 topsheet with non-tensor orange or magic red 729 sponge... And they were a great rubber! ... Spin like nobody's business, pretty good linear (non catapult) speed and great control... they had a very satisfying 'thunk' feeling on impact, but they didn't bottom out readily. The F3S is noticeably faster, but not by as big a margin as one may think. You can't buy the 729 OEM stuff readily made up anywhere that I know of, but some shops will sell you the 729 top sheet and 729 sponge of your choice seperately, and you can then have your combo of choice custom made to suit.

Not familiar enough with the blades you mentioned to comment sorry - there you're on your own. ...but if you really want to stick with 729 there as well, then it's pretty hard to go past a 729 Bomb blade with a cork core... Again, a great blade and rediculously good value for money.

_________________
Wakkibat: Custom Made TT Blades
Proudly made in Australia from local and imported timbers
http://www.wakkibat.com

Hi,

For the blade - I'd recommend Sanwei Fextra ... AS for the rubbers, I'd suggest that you opt for DHS Hurricane Neo 3 on one side, and Pallio AK-47 Red on the other .. If you don't want tacky rubbers, then I'd say AK-47 Blue on one side, and Red on the other.. If you want a semi-tacky hard rubber, then Palio HK1997 Gold.

Do you LIKE Hurricane? The reason I ask is that it's quite different than other Chinese rubbers - a lot of people find it slow. The (Chinese-trained) pros use it because if you swing really hard (harder than most of us can swing) you can get more power out of it than you can out of faster rubbers, and being slow, they get great control over the table. And they boost the heck out of it, too. If you enjoy playing with Hurricane (2 or 3) continue using it, if not, switch to some other Chinese rubber. And to be honest - most rubbers are like most others.. some are faster, some are slower, but you'd be able to play with pretty much anything since the differences are subtle (unless you get Ckylin - THAT'S a weird rubber).

As for a blade - this is my go-to (I use it myself):

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32636422548.html

You'll find several vendors selling it, even on eBay and Amazon, and you'll find it's offered as part of blade-and-rubber combos. Also a lot of these stores will assemble it for you if you buy two sheets of rubber at the same store. And with some (especially the Eachengs) you can ask them for specific weights (useful if you want a matched set of blades). This blade is quite light and has excellent feel. It's slightly faster than a Stiga Allround.

Iskandar

Hello,

I'm new to this forum and I'm also looking to assemble my first TT racket (just like the original
poster). I have been reading many posts on the net and watching some youtube videos and still
can't decide what's best for me.

Maybe I should start telling you a bit about myself. I played many years of TT while growing
up until I graduated from college and started working. Wanted to get back to TT (now 50 yrs old)
and have been playing at a local club. I'd rate myself as a beginning advanced player. My
style is offense, attack, speed and spin. I didn't realize there's so much to learn about
TT rackets from blades to rubbers to style until I started digging deep into this.

I have read the entire threads on this which is excellent!

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=37360


I have narrowed down to two brands - Butterfly & DHS. I am thinking to buy either a
DHS Hurricane Long 5 or Butterfly Viscaria. I am thinking to purchase DHS H3 (classic
or Neo) for FH rubber. However I am unsure what would be best for my BH. I love
to do BH flicks and be able to return heavy backspin serves. Had in mind Tenergy 05
but not sure if this combo (H3 + Tenergy) is practical.

I am looking for suggestions from those who are more experienced than myself to help
me put together a good TT racket.


Thanks in advance.

Sidney

H3 + T05 on Viscaria or HL5 is a typical Chinese national team setup. So it is proven, but it is very advanced and likely not what you need. As you are just getting back into the game the typical recommendation would be all wood 5 ply blade and control focused rubbers.

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