OOAK Table Tennis Forum

As well as the forum members being elected to review samples of GD Superspin rubbers, it was offered to the mods to do so also. I was the only one who accepted the offer, so here is my review of the sheet I received 2 days ago. I will review this in stages as I think initial impressions can sway over time. So I intend to return to this over a period of weeks. My impressions at this point should be recognised for what they are...first impressions with a rubber that has been played with for less than an hour so far.

I first gave this rubber a few hits on the robot and I was impressed with the feel. I then had a hit with it before competition last night and it changed some of my thoughts somewhat. I then accidentally played a match with it as I picked it up instead of my primary setup by mistake and didn't fully realise until I was well into the match and too late to change. I did however feel something was a little off...which at first I put down to me having a bad night lol. Then I happened to look at my rubber and got a shock not to see the word Hexer on it

1. The reviewer:

Well I think most members know me, but for those who don't I play at something akin to 2000-2100 US at a guess (cos I'm an Aussie) with a LP combo attacking and blocking style from both wings. I have a heavy hitting FH with a low trajectory loop-drive that accelerates into a smash at almost every opportunity. The testing setup is identical to my normal setup with the exception of the FH rubber of course.

2. Physical Properties:

As indicated in the subject line, I got a 38 degree medium hardness sponge version in black 2.0mm. Haggisv tested the hardness before he sent it to me and its closer to being just over 30 degrees, which I requested being it is close to the Hexer+ I normally use and could more directly compare against.

The sponge and topsheet are a little unusual to what I am used to seeing. The sponge is a pinky-orangy-red and quite porous looking. The topsheet is quite matt looking and looks good quality. So, it is a classy looking rubber. Removing the rubber from its package there was quite a smell of tuning. As of today, that smell has died to a bare scent when smelling the rubber close up. The rubber has a somewhat grippy feel, but not as much as I would expect from something called superspin. Its certainly not tacky.

The weight of the rubber is in the fairly light category. Its similar weight to Hexer+ as I didn't notice a significant difference between them, hence my mistake of picking up the wrong bat for my second match last night.

The sponge and rubber cut nice and cleanly. No crumbling of the sponge at all.

3. Speed:
The speed on this rubber is quite good, but not blazing fast. In comparison to my usual Hexer+ it lacks some of the sting. The friend I hit up with last night said he felt the ball was "floating" at him with some speed rather than "spinning" at him.

On slower loops the rubber performed quite well, but it lacks on one thing you would expect it to have in spades - "spin", which will be discussed more in the next section. With this in mind there was an adjustment needed or the ball would fly long easily, but it wasn't impossible to slow loop with by any means.

4. Spin:
This section is the crux of the review IMO, given the aim of this rubber is to be super spin. Alas, it is not! Well certainly not in comparison to any of the Andro rubbers I have used over the last 3 years, or most any other inverted rubber I've used. It certainly doesn't live up to its name at this point. In fact, it was more likely to make an opponent be deceived at first as to the spin by my action suggested and what they are used to getting from me, so they got so much less spin than expected it got them initially over-compensating for the spin that wasn't actually there. This was especially true on topspin top-side serves. On powerloops, the ball was more easily put long than I am used to as the drop at the end was harder to generate. The only real plus to all of this is that the rubber is not highly reactive to spin either.

Whether this will change with more play, and this is a rubber which needs some "breaking in" is as yet unknown.

5. Control:

Control of the rubber was reasonable in terms of countering spin, because the rubber isn't terribly spin sensitive. That was ok from a pushing and smashing sense (besides the reduction of topspin to bring the ball down). From a blocking sense, this is where my nightmare began when I used it in a match. FH blocking control is a big part of my game and this rubber didn't provide the solid grip and force back in the direction the ball came to be effective at blocking. That is not to say I cannot adjust to it with more time, but it didn't match up with the Hexer+ at this point.

6. Other Playing properties:
The rubbers throw was fairly similar to Hexer+ with a medium-low throw angle. The rubbers sound was quite low compared to the Hexer+. My hit-up partner last night made particular mention about how quiet it was, which gave away little about how the ball had been struck to him.


7. Reference:
As stated I am comparing this with Hexer+, which has been my FH rubber for about 8 months. Prior to Hexer+, I was using Hexer Powersponge and Roxon 450 prior to that rubber. So as I mentioned earlier, I have had an Andro on FH rubber for about the last 3 years. I should say that


8. Other comments:
One thing that I'd say looks to bode in the rubbers favour is its elasticity. I struck the table with it early on last night and I dinged the edge of the rubber. Great I thought! Should have out an edge tape on. Today, there is no sign of the ding. It has completely disappeared.

I would also say that this rubber may well suit someone wanting to transition to a faster rubber from say an older worn out rubber, but doesn't want a heavily spin sensitive rubber. At least that is my impression so far. A little ironic given the name "Superspin", I know.

Feel free to ask any questions.

_________________
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.

Thanks for the review Reb!

I wonder if perhaps people coming from a Chinese style rubber and stroke can get more spin with the one perhaps?

Even going by their rating, I don't think this is their spinniest rubber, so I think the SuperSpin is just a name, and it's not meant to be their spin monster.

I will be good to hear if it improves as it wears in, which is not uncommon for Chinese rubbers.

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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

Your thoughts are very close to my first experience with G4 (SuperSpin G4 S32), mine was a little softer than your. I purchased my sheet from ZTableTennis, and used maybe 15 minutes total on 2 nights. I tried it first on a Yinhe (Galaxy) K-5 blade, and found very little spin the first night. Put the paddle aside and after a few days thought about changing the blade to see how much difference that would make in how the rubber played. Found an old Yasaka Mark V blade laying around and mounted it on that. I don't know if the difference was the blade or the fact that the rubber has been out of the packaging for a few extra days, but the spin I didn't find in the fast K-5 was there in the Mark V blade. I'm thinking the blade accounted for most of the difference, since I haven't really played with it enough to see if it breaks in like some other Chinese sheets do.

By no means was G4 super spinny on the slower all wood Mark V blade, but the spin was average at least. Spin was more in the non-speed glued Sriver range, nothing like the Sun Pro (33 degree) or Moon Pro (37 degree) I have been used to. I don't think at this stage I would want to attempt a match with this combo, too large an adjustment to make on the fly. This may stay on a practice blade for working with beginners, maybe for feeding multi-ball, where the spin production won't be a major factor. Then I'll see if it plays better as it breaks in. If I see any improvement I'll report back.

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Donic Waldner World Champion 89 FL; Donic BlueStar A2 (Red) Max; DMS Firestorm (Black) 1.8

Great review!

Especially it covers my todays test of the medium version (M38) and hard version (H48), attached on my NSD and compared to Vega Asia, Sword Hero and Apollo Medium.

Here you find my (german) review at noppentest.de:
Review of M38 H48

Comparison with Apollo 1 Medium 1,9mm:

- Hardness: A1 > H48 > M38
- Catapult: M38 > H48 >> A1
- Reactivity to spin: A1 >> H48 = M38
- Maximum speed: M38 > H48 > A1
- Speed in short strikes: H48 > M38 > A1

- Take-off (high/low): A1 > H48 > M38
- Trajectory fast topspins: M38 > H48 > A1
- Trajectory low topspins: A1 > M38 > H48

- Spin at opening topspin: Apollo >> H48 = M38
- Dynamic at opening topspin: H48 = M38 > A1
- Control at opening topspin: A1 > H48 > M38

- Spin at distance topspin: M38 = H48 > A1
- Dynamic at distance topspin: M38 > H48 > A1
- Control at distance topspin: H48 > M38 > A1

- Spin at fast topspin: A1 > H48 = M38
- Dynamic at fast topspin: M38 > H48 >> A1
- Control at fast topspin: M38 = H48 > A1

- Secureness at block: H48 > M38 > A1
- Secureness at counterblock: M38 > H48 > A1
- Backspin at push: A1 >> H48 = M38
- Control at push: A1 > H48 = M38

- Precision at straight shots (shot, counter): H48 > M38 > A1
- Effet at service: A1 >> H48 = M38

Conclusion:
Very nice and valuable rubbers with a very good 'non-chinese' dynamic. The M38 may be a good alternative for modern tensors as the Xiom Vega Asia. The H48 has a more linear behaviour and very suitable for distance topspins. Compared to (sticky) chinese rubbers they are lacking in maximum spin, especially at service and opening topspin.

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Link: My Youtube-Channel
German TTR: ~1750 --> USATT ~2200
Material A: BBC X-Fusion, Hellfire OX, Vega Pro 2.0mm, 166g
Material B: BBC 8.5-10-8.5, Dornenglanz OX, Vega Pro 1.8mm, 157g

Link: Pimp-My-Blade-Forum

Thank you Variatio

Can you explain the term "Dynamic at opening topspin"?

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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

I see that ZTableTennis.com has recently added the G4 H48 to their website. They have this comment on the rubber:

"Our Notes: A non-tacky topsheet with an extremely high quality sponge. This rubber is a bit hard and has a very long breakin period before it becomes mechanically grippy. A very low throw and fairly spin insensitive, has excellent control and feel makes it easy to attack and counter with."

So I'm left wondering whether reviewers who commented on its spin made it through the break-in period. Reminiscent of Palio Thors..

That's very interesting Nathanso. I wonder how long it needs to get to the grippy point? Sounds like I am going to have to keep hitting with this some more to find out lol. I just won't be playing any more matches with it until it "proves" itself to me

_________________
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.

It's something like
"What impact do I need to get a controlled topspin (mostly against backspin) with spin and loop that is normally quite slow"

Harder impact means less dynamic of the sheet.

_________________
Link: My Youtube-Channel
German TTR: ~1750 --> USATT ~2200
Material A: BBC X-Fusion, Hellfire OX, Vega Pro 2.0mm, 166g
Material B: BBC 8.5-10-8.5, Dornenglanz OX, Vega Pro 1.8mm, 157g

Link: Pimp-My-Blade-Forum

I gave this sheet another workout tonight for about 45 minutes before matches. It seemed to have improved a little on last week. Its got a very flat trajectory on a loopdrive with it. There is a pretty small margin for error with it, yet I was landing them time after time and hitting to placement quite hard. The speed is still not awesome, but not slow by any means. I didn't play any games with it tonight so I didn't really re-test its serve spinniness, although I did one serve to show my opponent its lack of spin and it still lacked spin. But on slow loops with a side-spin addition it was kicking a little with it. I haven't written this rubber off yet. I suspect it has something under the hood that takes a while to uncover.

_________________
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.