OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I received my order for my first tensors today. I've just opened them up to take a look and the quality of the topsheet is extremely noticeable. The rubber just looks so refined. The sponge looks similar to the Quattro sponge, although I got these in 2mm hoping the increased speed will be more controllable in this thickness.

Haven't considered what blade to put them on yet. A new blade for them is tempting. An Andro blade seems fitting, perhaps an Aramid/Carbon. Not intending the jump into the tensor pool too quickly, just bought these while I had an opportunity to get them cheaply. So I think I'll have to save up for a blade to go with them. I think they may be tried on the Hurricane King even, don't know if this would be too fast for them.

Any suggestions most welcome. Any comments on these rubbers also welcome.

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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.

Use side tape! I've curious about a few joola rubbers for awhile now, Mambo, mambo h, mambo c, tango extreme... But numerous review mentioning the fragility of the topsheets put me off. I've seen someone's 1 month old t.extreme that looks shabbier n have brittles all over the sides than my 6 months old EL & Mark V Ad. I read putting side tape help with the brittles issue.

sidetape won't do squat against topsheet fragility.

I'm honestly not sure why people whinge about tensors not lasting that long. Compare it to anything speedglued, then tell me about it.

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Chasse Patate

I agree. The fragility effects an area where you don't hit the ball. The only time it is really an issue is if you get a strict umpire at a tournament.

And its not just ESN rubbers that do this. I've seen a few Japanese rubbers do it as well, particularly Sriver.

With ESN's, it seems like certain batches detioriorate more than others.

Well, I meant I was reading somewhere someone mentioned the use of sidetape to help with the brittleness... In my rationale it would help by not exposing the edge of the rubber to friction with other things. I can't say for sure it would help because I have not tried it myself.

I guess I'm wrong then. Learn something new every day....

Don't worry Rok, I'll still be using sidetape LOL. I do on every bat, even if its only electrical tape.

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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.

i've tried a sheet of joola energy extra and got more than 3 months out of it. that is with 2-3days hitting of 3-4hours each week.
still look ok and perform good but maybe due for a replacement soon.
the edges are fine and no breaking/crumbles etc...
same with the andro impuls speed, no problems with crumbling edges either. the only issue is that the topsheet looks worn but andro stated that is natural due to the nature of highly tuned rubbers. it will not affect playing properties.
so both sheets lasted me about 3 months which is at least a month better than glued rubbers which last about 2 months.

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TSP Hino-Carbon FL
FH - Skyline 2 max
BH - Joola Energy xtra Max

Hi RTTE,

welcome to the tensor club, I guess you are looking to add more power and speed to your game, do remember to give your game especially short touch shots some time to settle as the tensor rubbers can feel very bouncy @ first.

Biggest tip I can give you to help prolong your tensor is to make sure you use protective plastic sheets otherwise the top sheet seems to suffer. (at least my Andro Plasma does)

Hi Ishlion,

just noticed you are also in Melb like RTTE & me, where abouts do you play or train, 2-3 times a week sounds pretty serious.

I have run into RTTE @ Dandy


cheers

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Blade Stiga Hybrid Wood FH Butterfly Dignics 05 BH Butterfly Tenergy 05 FX

hi Mars
i have stopped competting 2-3 years now. was never that good anyway but love the game.
i still play 2-3 days a week with friends (social basis and a bit of fun/sweat and competing against one another). i play at sunshine and footscray. what about yourself?
i plan to come back to compete in the sunshine comp fairly shortly (after carpal tunnel operation).

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TSP Hino-Carbon FL
FH - Skyline 2 max
BH - Joola Energy xtra Max

Hey ishlion,

I have heard about that condition, it affects your hands doesn't it, that must make playing TT pretty tough, hope the operation goes really well.

I live on the other side of town and mostly play @ Dandenong but train in Box Hill. I returned to comp about 2 years ago and am really enjoying the chellenge of trying to improve my game against some very good players in this comp.

All the best.

Mars

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Blade Stiga Hybrid Wood FH Butterfly Dignics 05 BH Butterfly Tenergy 05 FX

RTTE, from my experience of Bryce FX Powersponge, Tango Joola Extreme, Andro Revolution and a few other tensor rubbers, I find they are best played on soft feel blade. I have tried them on hard blade and find that the feel and control is a bit off. In fact, I would suggest the max tensor rubber on soft Hinoki wood. That way, you get maximum power with maximum feel and control. One experience I always love best is blocking a smash. The feeling of the ball coming onto your bat and then the control you have sending it back past him as he completes his smashing swing is just pure gold

I agree with Geoff that the break up at the edges really does not affect the pleasure of playing with these rubbers. And oh, even if you use normal glue, they do shrink a little bit over time. So leave a little bit overhang when you cut.

Cheers.

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Main Setup: There is NO such thing
Table Tennis Directory | Rubber Mass Database I | Rubber Mass Database II | Sponge Hardness Database

Tango on King? Yes, I would say this is too fast.

The problem i had with Tango is the topsheet: you have to spin out of the sponge, you can't spin by mere friction of the topsheet. But that is what i do in certain situations (e.g. flips).

I heard that tensors usually play best on soft blades, not so good on hard & stiff blades. I think this is true.

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Do you like my signature?

Too fast for whom? I wouldn't say it's too fast.



Tango, provided you use the protector, is grippier than pretty much all of the other tensors available. I can't say I had any problems with the topsheet grip - whereas I did have problems with the plasma topsheet after 2 weeks.



Yes and no. I don't believe it will play better or worse (though they are pretty lousy on some blades), but softer tensors are great on stiff carbon blades. They're also not too bad on soft balsa and hinoki blades. What I don't think they play that well on are flexible blades, but some tensors do work on these.

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Chasse Patate

Hi Mars, good to see you back posting. How's your new season going? If you have seen my other posts we lost the final, so still in B3, but we have started the season on top and hope to stay there. We have about a 6 game lead now I think at least. So we will try to build on it. Doesn't mean we're guaranteed the final win of course... I haven't even cut the tensors yet. Still trying to work out if I have a blade for them. Not sure I have. When are you going to pop in for a look on your off-night again? We should organise to have a hit at another time. Do you have a table? I do, although the space won't let you get more than about 3 feet off the table. But you're welcome to come out my way for a hit anytime. It's only 15 mins down the freeway (probably quicker than the club LOL).

Hi Choi,
Thanks for the tips, it gives me more to go on. I love the feeling of blocks whizzing back too, so I might indeed enjoy these.

Now Silver,
When you say they're not fast on the HKing, have you played with a 2nd gen HK? From what Yuna has said, its a lot faster than the 1st gen, which may account for your feeling that its not a fast blade. Mind you if it was controllable, I think the tensors may be awesome on the HKing (but I'm not willing to take that chance by cutting them to its size only to find I should have gone for a different blade).

Hey Ish,

Sorry about the carpel tunnel mate, that's nasty. My Mum had it done on one hand, took ages to come back from at her age. Hopefully you'll recover better and quicker being younger (how old are you anyway?)

Umm Klaus,
What blade do you actually use with tensors?

_________________
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.

Oh, btw, thanks for the contributions so far guys. Its great!

_________________
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.