OOAK Table Tennis Forum

In my view, years ago the mid range tensor was something like Hexer, Barracuda, Aurus and a number of others which all performed similarly. They were maybe 45 deg or a couple either side and just a good solid rubber.

Since then we have had the plastic ball come in, and along with it, lots of new generation rubbers and even more marketing hype surrounding these rubbers.

I've been out of the loop with rubbers for about a year or so and in that time I've noticed a shift to harder rubbers around 60 deg and many hybrid rubbers with tacky topsheets.

Its hard to navigate all the 'noise' so hoping the ooak community could guide me as to what might now be considered a good solid rubber for an intermediate player. Maybe the old ones are still fine but maybe there is something equivalent designed for the new ball.

At the moment my equipment is
Blade: Donic Waldner Senso V1
Forehand: Donic Bluegrip C2 2.0
Backhand; Tibhar K1 Hybrid 2.0

I've got plenty of other blades of various speeds if something other than ALL+ would be suggested.

I was pretty happy with the backhand as it allows me to do spinny serves on backhand, but its getting pretty old now, at 2 years old. I've been a little disappointed with the Bluegrip though as its been used only about 9 months, once a week and the tack is completely gone despite correct care and feel its now a bit lacking.

Here's a video of me (in blue) a few years ago but wouldn't have changed much. Ratings central 1200.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqucMUFWpUU

Will consider any suggestions. Have a tournament coming up and want to remove any doubts of equipment being less than optimal, even though deep down I know its the user, not the equipment.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Donic Bluegrip C2 2.0mm ,BH Tibhar K1 Hybrid 2.0mm

test (wasnt working last night)

the gist of my message was: there isn't much difference. some of the older rubbers are better than some of the newer and vica versa. it's just marketing. the 60 deg stuff is nice, if you like that sort of thing, but it's not springy like a tensor normally is. it's usually for people who blast the ball as hard as possible every time. judging by your video, you don't need anything like that. i suggest derwind rayhe as it's 45 deg, on special at ooak shop, pretty cheap, and it's a nice rubber. I suggest you evaluate your blade though, whatever speed you get, make sure it plays evenly all around the face of the blade, as this really affects you, much more than rubber choice.

Appreciate the reply.

I do tend to buy from ooak where possible. The Rayhe doesn't appear to be available that I could see but the softer Stolz is. Might consider that for backhand maybe.

The gist of what you are saying is that despite many more options, not a lot has changed. What was fine before is likely still fine now.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Donic Bluegrip C2 2.0mm ,BH Tibhar K1 Hybrid 2.0mm

THE LATEST GENERATION OF TENSORED RUBBERS. what's it.?
-- Extremely hard mid-size pores over 50* Shore O.
Most notable examples:
✻ DONIC Blue Grip (china-made tacky topsheet) /Blue Storm serial

Be happy.
https://www.donic.com/media/Blaetterkat ... ml#page_30

9 months does seem to be a long time for a Tensor.. By the time I've used one for 3-4 months it starts looking grotty and it's lost a lot of its grip.

Currently using the Yasaka equivalent, Rakza Z. It's... OK. Can't really complain about it, other than the price, and that I was doing at least as well when I was using Reactor Tornado V5. Checking prices on Shopee - Bluegrip is even more expensive.

Iskandar

Interesting. Seems like there's just one Rakza Z, but six different Bluegrips. Let's see if I can summarize:

C1 and C2 have hard, heavy sponges, C1 is harder than C2. Meant for loopers I guess, closer in idea to Dignics 09 and Rakza Z. Has more "arc" than the other versions, and less "dwell time".

S1 and S2 are softer than C1 and C2, and touted as better for "control", with S1 being slightly harder. S1 isn't even out yet, the ad copy makes it sound like it's the ultimate rubber, with "extremely playing pleasure". Will probably cost more than the others when it comes out. Currently C1 is the most expensive (as you'd expect).

R1 and V1 are the original pair - softer sponges than C1 and C2. V1 is slower, even recommended for choppers who loop.

R1 and V1 have 50 degree sponges, C1 and C2 60 degree. They don't mention the hardness of S1 and S2 but it's probably somewhere in between.

Will I end up buying one? Probably not until the Rakza Z gets too old to use, which means a few months. Even then I might just get something Chinese again. I liked Tornado V5. Which would I get if I got a sheet? If C1 comes down in price, definitely that. Why? Because I want to see if it's usable, and what it's like to have an "ultimate rubber" if it is that. The last two I tried (MX-P and Tenergy 05) were disappointing - they were easy to play with and didn't at all seem to be the hard-to-control "ultimate rubbers" they were touted to be.

Iskandar

Cobalt try some olive oil on the bluegrip topsheet to bring the tack back,this worked for me on Rakza z topsheet,it was like new again

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Tsp Black Balsa 3.0 Tenergy 05 1.9 388d ox black

Might even try a bit of olive oil, thanks dazzler.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Donic Bluegrip C2 2.0mm ,BH Tibhar K1 Hybrid 2.0mm

TOO LIVELY, TOO BOUNCY.

Unlike Europa. high-tension rubbers affected very few players inside China. This is the reason that none but one China factory can produce tensors as mass product for the markets outside China.

all the high-tension products are elastomeric materials of syntetic rubber. This rubber is too lively and uncontrolable bounce.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polybutadiene

I play for about 3 years now i have dhs hurricane 301 blade with dhs goldarc 8 rubbers now( booth are tensors made in germani esn in general there is good rubbers worth trying )
.One is 50 max other is 47,5 medium .
For me the goldarc 8 ,50 degres max spoonge is less usefool for me especiali when i am not have time to prepare legs on wright position have less dwel time but hawe more direct feling on blocking and its less bouncy on the short game
Eventh think 47,5 is more powerfool and precize from mid to far distance and have more catapult .
Decide to try rakza series but every day changing opinion where to start 7,7 soft,9,10 . With every rubber something you get something you loose .
In every case is better to ocupy brain with this problems dan the daily news and others ... but sometimes give me hadache and need to rest .
Enyoy Training,enyoy training,training best solution i think
Durability is also big problem from many rubbers . I will try the olive oil because rubbers is old anyway for 8 mounths now and hawe nothing to lose now . Thanks for advice
Soory for bad english writing i am croatian . Keep ponging

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We are all one

Just aply olive oil on rubber because dont have einough grip anyway .
Speak later about results . If go bad maybe i can cut in the salat

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We are all one

I left for few houars olive oil on rubber its be invisible and dry after 20 minutes.
Now i pass the rubber with rejuvenator and cleaner and its look gripy but it is always look gripy after cleaner with rejuvenator.
Later i go to play and will tell is any obvies diference. There is one quote in Croatia what we say often : " it's hard to make pie from s*** " but we will see . I decide to order yasaka rakza anyway but still thinking 7 soft, or x soft

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We are all one

Thankyou for your posts, let us know how the salad dressing plays and also the Razka.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Donic Bluegrip C2 2.0mm ,BH Tibhar K1 Hybrid 2.0mm

Salad dressing is playing litlle better i think or some guys in club have bad day
I am not shore yet but i think the oils in general ( baby johnsons ,olive ...)
have more efect with rejuvenating tacky or hibryd rubbers .
Dhs goldarc 8 is tensor rubber and have only 2 on scale of tackynes 1-10 but seems little better anyway like is not dry in center area like before . I am having more trouble vith opening topspins with hard rubbers thats why will try vith rakza 7 soft
50 degres sponge is worst for me then the 47,5 because has less dwell time and demands fast legs and is les forgiving but when you hit properly is powerfull but 47,5 is also powerfull
( 50 is more for pro. player i think or sometimes depending on playing style) i need something what better grab the ball and because of that i can be more precize and hawe time to generate more spin with my poor techniqe. Keep ponging ...

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After two houars of play i have the new love . She s name is yasaka rakza 7 . Regular rakza 7 ( not soft ) i change my mind last moment and i am totaly satistfy

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We are all one