OOAK Table Tennis Forum

National Pogo

Product Label
Longpimpled rubber with extra long thin pip structure. Very deceptive. National Pogo is designed to develop new defense player at high level in China. Without sponge easy to block several loops in a row and create good spin reversal and easy to control in chops way from the table. With 0.6mm sponge very good attacking possibilities.

0.6mm Sponge Version
Longpimple with Attack Effect

I've been using Pogo for more than a year now. Over the past 4 months I've been using the OX version and now I'm toying with the factory 0.6mm sponge. National Pogo with sponge does have greater attacking properties. You can feel the ball spring from the sponge but it keeps its typical flat low bounce. My practice partner really had trouble with the flat counter attack. Pogo OX required more precise timing to achieve a quality attack. Both versions have the low trajectory after the bounce, forcing the other player to get low and lift the ball.

Chopping with 0.6mm gave me more control. It kept my chops lower and I had more control on my spin variation. You can't really get away with the scoop chop/float chop with the OX version. You must catch the ball earlier with much more racket speed. This gives you tons of spin but a lower margin for error. Chopping with the sponge version gives more control and allows you to contact on the rise or descent, with fewer pop ups. My practice partner is a 2050 player who normally loves chop. The lower ball made him work much harder and he missing 20% more loops.

Serve return with the 0.6 required a little more patients and focus. Flipping required less wrist and more timing. Ball returns have less reversal and more deadening properties. Yet aggressive 90 degree racket angle shovel returns produced nasty reversal. This shot must be taken early of the bounce and works due to the pips slick smooth surface. The packaging doesn't say they're frictionless but I would say an anti of some sort. Side swiping returns on under spin and side under or top had less spin reversal over the OX. Pogo OX is less spin sensitive to oncoming spin and has greater spin reversal.

You must chop block or side swipe with the Pogo OX when facing a quality loop. The ordinary block stroke doesn't slow the ball down enough the keep it low. You must find a way to make the pips bent and not take the shot with a flat angel. Blocking with the sponge version closely resembled a medium pip blocking stroke. You can even extend the arm forward on soft loops for more pace. With a racket angle at about 8 o'clock , I was able to constantly block. The shot worked very well with medium soft hands and a little forward and side motion. If anyone has seen Rocky Wang's backhand block it would be very similar. The forward motion seems to add more junk over just sticking the racket out there.

Overall

Pogo OX is great for serve returns, best when contact is made right off the bounce. You have more freedom and can be more aggressive on the serve return. The chop block and side swipe block technique is best with this version. An aggressive chop stroke is needed to keep chops low.

Pogo 0.6 is very easy to attack with and still has a dead low bounce. Long serve can be easily rolled with good pace. Chopping has greater control and is easy to manipulate the spin. Sponge seems to absorb powerful loops and has far less pop ups.


Does anyone out there have insight from their experiences with Pogo?


Looper84
Timo Boll W7
Tenergy 05 2.1
National Pogo 0.6mm
2203 USATT

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Gambler Fire Hinoki
Gambler Burst
Gambler Zero
USATT Rating 2174

Great review-how was pick hitting a bad push with it?

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

I've used Pogo Ox for just over a year now also. I used it first in black, and then changed to red. I also have a red 0.6 sponge version in its packet awaiting trial. I found the red to be faster and more disturbing to opponents than the black. Attacking underspin with it is a dream, although as stated by the OP attacks need to be precisely hit. Due to some lack in power of the Ox you need to generally catch your opponent off guard on direction to hit past them with it, but the lack of pace often deceives them into not putting enough power on their return to get over the net.

Chop-blocking is one of the forte`s of this rubber. As looper84 said, it is possible to return quite a few loops in a row and either the looper ends up with a ball they can't loop or pushes you to return high for a smash. But it evens the odds out where many pips will just send the ball flying.

There are better rubbers for chopping out there, but Pogo does it well enough, but not its main feature.

Nice review Looper84. Gels with my experience!

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I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
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Very nice review Looper1984!

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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
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Attacking under spin with it is a dream, although as stated by the OP attacks need to be precisely hit. Due to some lack in power of the Ox you need to generally catch your opponent off guard on direction to hit past them with it, but the lack of pace often deceives them into not putting enough power on their return to get over the net.

I can't agree more.

I noticed that 0.6mm sponge was more forgiving when attacking under spin balls. The sponge gives you more dwell time and allows a more consistent slow roll. Both are excellent when pick hitting under spin. Sponge version has more pace but shots are still difficult to return. Most returns are in the net or high enough to turn and attack with forehand side. Most players are late on contact and it's not the spin that forces the ball into the net, it’s the lack of rebound energy. Once the player adjusts to the pace, the lack of spin forces high returns. This ball can take some players the entire match to adjust to.

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Gambler Fire Hinoki
Gambler Burst
Gambler Zero
USATT Rating 2174

That's all 'music to the ears' for long pip players

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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

Why do you think I have stuck with Pogo

It's all true! Although I have yet to experience the sponge part, but will as soon as I get my 3rd Gergely ready!

_________________
I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
Aussie Table Tennis Shop / Aussie Table Tennis Facebook Page / Equipment Review Index / Read my Reb Report Blog: click here.

Over the past two years I've tried,

Feint II
Feint III
Dawei 388D
Globe 999
D tecs
Friendship 802
Dawei Saviga V
Friendship 755-2
Pogo with 729 0.6mm medium sponge
Pogo OX
Pogo

I always seem to go back to Pogo. It is the best all-round long pip for my game.

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Gambler Fire Hinoki
Gambler Burst
Gambler Zero
USATT Rating 2174