OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I tried this rubber out on an OFF + and ALL + outfits. I can not adequately describe how impressed I was on both the blazing fast and average blades. Control, spin, and power, what more can you ask for?

Nittaku's marketing machine says:
Refoma maximizes the characteristics of natural rubber. Special time-intensive rubber production process maximizes the unique great feeling and high elasticity of natural rubber. You maintain control while producing fatal power shots--topspin, blocking and short chopping.

Der_Echte's real No-Shit observations...
I dont know about all the science involved in making this stuff, but I hear an Egyptian back in the day messed up and created modern bread. Either way, the result is revolutionary! The last parts of the marketing statement prove especially true - in particular, the part about control and the part about about your shots being fatal! That word has a ring to it! You have to hit with it to truely understand its properties.

Speed: Decent on passive hits, great on moderate ones, and blazing on all out smashes and loopdrives. Can't compare it to another rubber, it just acts different. Different speeds at different gears, kinda like the Sriver concept, but much faster on anything beyond a passive shot.
Control: Good on passive and defensive shots, lovely on loops and drives - a real dream, shots go where you place them, increadable for such a fast rubber. You adapt to this new properties of this rubber real quick. Took me only a week to ajust, and my loops were even faster/spinnier/consistent.
Spin: Average on serves and passive shots, amazing on full acceleration loops. You put everything you got into it when looping below the table - the ball does the matrix - it speeds to the net, just crosses above it, then drops safely on the table, after which it proceeds to bounce a cm or two, before dropping off a cliff a few feet in front of the opponent - before can even blink - no kidding.
Thickness: I used 2.2 Red and Black
Tackiness: A little, not a lot
Sponge: Medium to a tad medium soft
Weight: Average
Speedglue effect Average, I used EE II on it and only saw a small increase in spin and some more speed. This rubber is awesome enough unglued.
Price: Used to be only a touch above average, now, it is like a BTY price range.
Throw Angle: Medium to Medium Low
Power: Has different power depending on the shot. Ranges from OK on passive shots to the effect of hitting Superman upside the head with Kryptonite on a powerful drive!
Ball Feeling: Exceptional on all strokes.

Who this rubber is for: Rated E for everyone, amazingly. The different gears and control make this a rubber that any style could use. Even one of my LP partners uses this one on the BH. Obviously, an aggreesive looper would want this one. A hitter can do well, too. A technical offensive player can as well. Heck, a blocker/counterdriver, or even a classic defender can do well with most of their strokes, with the ability to suddenly and decisively attack!

Match Performance: you hit the very first hit with this rubber on an OFF blade and you see the ball move noticeably faster. You look at your paddle and wonder if your rubber just ingested some steriods. After a session or two, you really get more consistent and confident, instead of weeks. Drives go by your opponent so fast that you say Bayou (like in Lousiana, a state with bodies of water, pronounced like by-you, as in I just hit the ball by you!) Slow, deep loops lifetd high at your opponent look like they are going a full meter out, then suddenly fall of a ledge and bounce on or near the endline, paralysing your opponent. Fast loops have extra turbo power and actually land deep where you want them - of course, you have to get into the right position first. Different wrist angles or carryover add an extra dimesion of deception without any comprimise on speed and placement! So, you need some good, fundemental offensive skills to hit the offensive shots - but isn't that the way of any offensive rubber? Counterdrive rallys are fun, you have all the power! A little extra wrist and the ball goes to the corner with deceptively fast pace to finish! You hit fast, but keep the ball on the table. I love this property best of all. In blocking, you have a full compliment of options. You can redirect it with added pace away - then watch your opponent sprint after it in futility! You can chop block it to make him run like mad back to the table and attempt a shot on the run. You can block it half long and get a return to crush. You can hit a few passive shots to set your offense against a defender. You can also slice and chop to stay in the point before turning it on. Serves are predicable, but you wish you had a little more tacky rubber. Hey you can't have everything! You practice enough, and the serves land short with acceptable spin. You get most of your setups with you technique of serve delivery deception and placement anyway. The rubber did the same stuff on the ALL + blade with less of a drop in speed than I thought, only the drives lacked the rocket boost of power with only a medium fast stroke.

Conclusion This rubber took me over by storm and was real easy to get used to. The elasticity of the rubber is increadable and the sponge just a thing to behold. Lots of gears, lots of control, lots of sponge looping/loopdriving spin, super control. This rubber makes you feel superhuman.

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Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter

Wow, I get the feeling you like this rubber

Thanks for an excellent review!

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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 tried that rubber 2.2 awhile ago and had a hard time keeping it glued to the blade. Used it before the Juic 999 def on my Dr N special blade. It was pretty fast on that blade even for just blocking. So after your review I pulled it out of the bag and tried it again. This time instead of useing it just to set up my pips, I hit and looped everything to my F/H. You were right, it is very nice. But it still does not want to stay on the blade. So this weekend I will strip the blade of all the glue and try again. I'll give a update soon.

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Equipment:
Victas Koji Matsushita, Yasaka Rakza 7 2.0, TSP P1r Curl 1.5-1.7

USATT Rating: 1869

MOLON LABE!!!

After the Dallas tourney that I just did poorly in, I may be looking to take over your handle! (screen name) Thanx for posting.

Did you sponge treat it or speedglue it? Did it dome? When I did some serious domes on BTY stuff, I had a hard time getting the rubber to adhere to the blade worth anything. Try using several coats of regular rubber cement on the sponge, let dry, then one more to blade and sponge. A press is helpful, too. I made an UGLY one that works.

If you do ANY offensive shots, then you will love this rubber for its control and power. The marketing statement saying you execute fatal power shots is no joke.

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Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter

Took the rubber off and I'll let it sit over nite. I will peel the glue off tomorrow. I have been useing that Juic water based glue with good results except with refoma. LOL the clicky press I have, I have to take it apart because the special blade is soo thick with the 2.2 it will not slip in. And when I put it back together I only get about 2 turns on the knobs. I'll get back to you in a few days and let you know whats up.

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Equipment:
Victas Koji Matsushita, Yasaka Rakza 7 2.0, TSP P1r Curl 1.5-1.7

USATT Rating: 1869

MOLON LABE!!!

Which JUIC water based glue is that?

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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

With the homemade press I got, I could accomodate a 2 cm thick blade if I had too. My press is so ugly, that it would crack the camera lens that tries to take a picture of it! I'll still use it as it does a perfect job each time.

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Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter

Its called Juic Aqua effect. Got it from www.paddlepalace.com Takes awhile to dry but it has always worked good for me. Except with refoma.

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Equipment:
Victas Koji Matsushita, Yasaka Rakza 7 2.0, TSP P1r Curl 1.5-1.7

USATT Rating: 1869

MOLON LABE!!!

Well I'll be! They dont sell it anymore? Damn! Oh well, I will have to find a new non-speed glue now. Any suggestions?

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Equipment:
Victas Koji Matsushita, Yasaka Rakza 7 2.0, TSP P1r Curl 1.5-1.7

USATT Rating: 1869

MOLON LABE!!!

Elmers rubber cement $2 at Home depot, the generic stuff at Walmart costs a little less. 2 oz bottle. Rubber cement is thicker and works way better at adhering ee II treated rubbers to the blade, gotta put on a few coats though...

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Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter

Dear Der_Echte,
Thanks for your very nice reviews. I noted that you played (maybe still playing) Nittaku Refoma and you said it is a great rubber. I love my Hammond because it is a lethal weapon in the offensive range but I find it sometimes too soft so impredicable on some strokes and the control is not good when it comes to play above the table.
Would you say that :
- Refoma is much slower than Hammond? just a tad slower?
- Refoma is softer/harder than Hammond?
- etc... (throw angle, topsheet, weight,..)
If you could compare these 2 rubbers, it would be great !
Of course, everyboy's opinions are welcome !

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In chips & beer we trust

Set up 1 : Timo Boll Spirit (ST) + Yasaka Rakza 7 max (BH & FH)
Set up 2 : Timo Boll ALC (ST) + Donic Acusa S1 2.0mm (BH & FH)

Ok Der you have done exactly as I suspected and lead us through a merry chase to the prize which seems to be the reforma. Looks like a I better hunt down a sheet and give this stuff a try. Mind you I might take a jump back when I encounter the price, haha. Where did you get it?

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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
Aussie Table Tennis Shop / Aussie Table Tennis Facebook Page / Equipment Review Index / Read my Reb Report Blog: click here.

RTTE, yes, the price is rather high. I got it at Paddle Palace and it is now probably near $40 a sheet. When it was time to re-up, I chose to go the way of Euro like Chinese rubbers and haven't looked back. LildudeJDS, if he would ever post more than once a month (hint) could tell you a few things about it as well. Maybe Skippy has hit with it as much as or more than I.

Scottie, regular Hammond seemed harder sponge to me and lower throw angle. I have done a review on 5 of the Nittaku rubbers, including Hammond. Basically, I felt Hammond compares to Refoma, like Bryce compares to Cermet or glued Special Soft. I felt Hammond was more suitable for driving/hitting than looping and that Reforma was an ultimate allround offensive weapon.

I have talked up a lot of the properties of the Nittaku rubbers, but hey, writting reviews can be boring and I am not bound by any company liability considerations doing this. and Oh, I wasn't paid either, so at least some of it was honest.

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Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter