gekogark1212's Rubber Ratings/Reviews
Back to gekogark1212's ProfileHere are gekogark1212's ratings and reviews. These ratings are useful because gekogark1212 has his/her own standard and will rate and review the ping pong equipment accordingly, giving you accurate and useful ratings and reviews to aid you in your next online purchase.
Andro (5) 
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Andro Plasma 470
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Review of Andro Plasma 470Been using this rubber since it first cam out. Every sheet has played the same. Its throw angle is where you'll learn to love. It plays low when counter looping, but over the table loops, it's medium-ish. However, being a tensor, there are still certain issues with the short game. Great rubber though.Apr 05, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Andro Plasma 430
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Review of Andro Plasma 430Really great BH rubber. It plays quite similar to the 470, but with a higher throw and lower speed, making it much more controllable once the rally starts.Looping is a breeze with this, but surprisingly, hitting/punch blocking is also very stable. Apr 11, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Andro Roxon 450
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Review of Andro Roxon 450Newer generation of tensors with the emphasis placed on the short game. The 450 really is an improvement to previous Andro tensors in terms of the SHORT GAME.Everything else, especially counterlooping and the like, Plasma 470 is much better in terms of "glue feel", spin and speed. The 450 is also horrible for thin contact brush loops, thus requiring a 'Euro' loop so to speak. The 450 works better on harder blades than soft. Apr 12, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Andro Impuls Speed
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Review of Andro Impuls SpeedFirstly, this rubber is loud! It's brought back my joy of just looping and continuing the rally. I also discovered how much control it has. Now, before you all start quoting how I said "all tensors have horrible short game, no spin, blah blah..", note that I've paired it with much more sensibly speed blades. My first hit with the Impuls Speed was on a Schlager and I claimed it had no speed, no spin, hard to block. Well duh son! Anything apart from 729 lightning's gonna be unplayable on that piece of metal.Anyways, I am using it on a Oh Sang Eun, and the combo offers speed with I need it and an abundant of spin. The thing is, what is normally into the body shots now sink perfectly into that soft sponge, creating a great loop off something mistimed. On the FH I'll admit it can't handle the higher level techniques such as a hard flick or a loop kill off backspin, and the speed's actually not something you'd write home about, especially if they're lobbing at you. But on the BH it just shines for me. I can play all my bullcrap shenanigan shots that I've learnt from the G555, at the same time passive blocks are now weapons on their own. Not to mention the excellent feel and feedback on a punchblock! So, I was wrong (again) about this rubber. It just needs sensibly speed blades for it to work. And perhaps techniques that are carried over from much slower equipment. Aug 27, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Andro Hexer
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Review of Andro HexerPhysical Properties:I have a red sheet, in 2.1mm. Sponge is medium soft, without a durometer I'd say around the 42.5(tensor scale) mark, and smells like the usual Donic/Andro tensor stuff. The feel of the topsheet is very grippy, even compared to Jap topsheets like the Donic Coppa Speed. Sponge is like the Tenergy stuff. The red doesn't look as artificial as the Vega. Impressed so far at the German rubber. Speed: Speed on slow strokes fairly fast, however it also has an excellent short game. It behaves extraordinarily on services, great on pushes and good on flicks. Speed on power loops is only so-so. I thought it would blast me out of my seat, but in the end, my mind isn't blown, my socks aren't knocked off, and my wallet's now a little lighter. On the 100% power geko rocket put-away shots, this rubber is indeed faster than Tenergy 05, JO Gold, Donic Coppa Speed, Plasma 470, Roxon 450 etc. etc., but we're talking whole body, whole arm, complete waist turn and no recovery type loop-kills. Which to me is COMPLETELY unrealistic to base anything on. Smashing with the Hexer is ok. It doesn't have the meaty feeling as with Tenergy 05, but neither does it reward your half-hearted efforts. Spin: Spin on slow loops is quite good, though I can't see it being Tenergy 05 spinny, it gets close, and though none of us really believed him, Rob was right (again haha), the Hexer's slow loop spin is marginally if at all, better than the Roxon 450. Spin on faster loops is actually very high! My loops were landing way, way shorter than the Donic Coppa Speed, which I have gotten used to. In fact, some were so short, it started to land in the net...but this could have to do with its slow speed also. Spin on serves is nothing to write home about. Good spin, but absolutely brilliant control on it. Very, very short serves (although hardly as spinny as they look) can be performed easily. Control: In terms of blocking, I'd agree with the advertisements. It is magic! Very stable blocking ability and not as sensitive to spin as I'd imagine from looking and feeling the topsheet. Pushing and looping is very close to where you want it, especially looping the corners closest to the net. Other Playing properties: The throw is high! Almost ridiculously high. This gets annoying as you try to loop consistently, but at the same time keeping the ball low and putting pressure on the opponent. Hexer robs you of that stroke and punishes you if you try to close your angle by slipping. Glue feel is present and lovely sounding, given you hit hard enough. Otherwise, it's more of a "pak" sound than a "tock" sound. Reference: In the best way I can sum it up, I'd say the Hexer is a prepubescent Donic Coppa Speed, I mean that in two ways. Firstly, it seems like it hasn't grown its muscles yet but is still trying to compete with the big boys. It loses out in speed rallies. Secondly, like an annoying younger brother, it brags on and on about its better spin, but in actuality is no better than the Roxon 450, and is marginally better than a new sheet of Donic Coppa Speed. Plus it demands more pocket money than the older kids, brat! Other comments: Other than the fact that its sponge looks different from previous tensors, and being labeled "4G", I'd say Andro is still on the detour to finding a good post-glue solution. Again, like the Roxon series, the Hexer has great short game and close to the table ability, but in terms of explosiveness or dynamic properties, it hasn't surpassed the Plasma series. Now in terms of control and spin, it still hasn't reached the pre-glue level. Oi! Andro! What are you doing son? Jan 07, 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Butterfly (5)
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Butterfly Bryce Speed
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Review of Butterfly Bryce SpeedRather hard rubber. You need quick armspeed for this rubber to work for you completely. Yes, it plays well when you hit hard, but this also requires you to recover faster.The most difficult shot to perform with this rubber is a high-arc opening loop that is loaded with topspin. The dwell time is low on soft shots. Apr 05, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Butterfly Sriver G2
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Review of Butterfly Sriver G2The G2 is rather hard on touch, but in play it feels like a solid medium. It does in fact play faster than the original Sriver, but somehow during harder hits, you don't get that nice crisp feel as you do with the original.Also the spin has decreased slightly from its predecessor. Apr 11, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Butterfly Tackifire C
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Review of Butterfly Tackifire CVery very spinny for a Japanese rubber. It feels alot like playing with a sheet of Hurricane. Just as slow without glue!Downside is its cost, and weight (sheets run from 50-60g cut). If you do consider using it for a control based offensive game, it suits a carbon type blade better due to its low speed. Apr 11, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Butterfly Sriver G2 FX
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Review of Butterfly Sriver G2 FXA low throw, soft, light rubber that's not super fast, but definately enough to put the ball away. Excels in passive play.Nov 15, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Butterfly Solcion
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Review of Butterfly SolcionA buttery soft sponge that gives great dwell on every ball. The spin is really quite surprising and the topsheet offers a very good bite. Speed is not its strength, but I wouldn't dare to call it slow.Very forgiving rubber. Nice clicking sound, glue effect is minimal, but the rubber is VERY linear. You get what you put in, as opposed to other soft sponged Butterfly offerings, like the Sriver FX. Jan 23, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Double Happiness (DHS) (3)
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DHS Hurricane 3 (National)
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Review of DHS Hurricane 3 (National)I apologize that this is the only review I do about a GLUED rubber, rest assured the other reviews are all done on unglued stuff. Reason being it wasn't my sheet, and I could only loop for 5-10mins with it before having to give it back.Barely had a hit with it, but the real stuff feels like Bryce with a half-tacky topsheet. Pointless to put sponge hardness, as each player gets to choose his favoured hardness. From what I've seen, it ranges from a medium soft (37degrees DHS scale) to hard (42degrees DHS scale). Apr 12, 2009 | |||||||||||||||
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DHS Skyline TG2
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Review of DHS Skyline TG2Feels like a dead sheet of H3 (commercial). The topsheet is a lot less tacky than say, a brand new sheet of H3 (commercial)... and about the same as the provincial.Speed is just terrible. Especially flat hitting/countering. That characteristic "plack plack" sounds from Chinese rubbers is pronounced. When loop driving, the rubber regains a bit of speed, but still slower than H3 and a LOT less spinny. Works better on a soft 5-ply all wood. But seriously I doubt Ma Lin would be using this topsheet even on some magic sponge. Apr 12, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||
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DHS G555
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Review of DHS G555A classic! Feels even harder than a sheet of 729FX. The G555 is very very spinny and plays an excellent serve and attack game.Requires technical know-how of how to use Chinese rubbers, you've got to hit/loop with the right ratio and the right amount of wrist action. The short game of this rubber is simply amazing. Dare I say, I have a 90% flickking accuracy with this. And short spinny pushes are almost unattackable. A big disadvantage of the rubber is its lack of long distance ability. I've got quite a giant loop, but even I couldn't get it to work from 3-5 metres back. Even if you get the ball on, you would've slapped too much to impact decent spin. Aug 26, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Donic (1)
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Donic Coppa Speed
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Review of Donic Coppa SpeedPhysical Properties:I bought the black sheet, in max. Sponge is medium soft, without a durometer I'd say either 42.5 or 45 degrees (tensor scale), and smells kinda funny, not the high notes of tensors rubbers nor the garbage smell of Chinese, in fact it smells like licorice, no joke. Top sheet looks of high quality, reminds me of the Roxon topsheet. Completely non-tacky. The thing to notice most is that this is a Donic rubber that's made in Japan. Does not come with a tensor protector film. So far I see no resemblance to Tenergy or anything closely related to Tenergy or its spring sponge. Speed: Speed on slow strokes is pretty fast, ie fast 1st gear, however this does not reflect an uncontrollable short game. As with all tensors, ensure you are only using the topsheet in the short game and you'll be fine, the second it touches the sponge, watch it break 9 metres in high jump. Speed on power loops are actually very, very fast, however the problem here is the throw angle. It gets higher as you hit harder since the spin generated is less and less (as opposed to Chinese rubbers), but it is definitely fast enough for me to put away anything higher than the net. Smashing with the Coppa Speed is a breeze. Just contact the ball and the rubber does all the work for you. Spin: Spin on slow loops is pretty low, experienced blockers tend to dump the ball in the net, seeing my technique and expecting the huge spin, but there is none. Spin on medium paced and fast loops are even worse, there's just enough for the opponent to block it nicely or put it away for you. Ie, not lacking enough to cause trouble, not spinny enough for them to misjudge. Spin on serves is acceptable, definitely nothing special in the face of Higher (my original FH rubber), but my serves are generally quite good, so there are still enough pop ups for me to kill, and enough returns into the net. The freaky thing is spin on pushes! Just like the Impuls Speed, if you just graze with the topsheet (as you do in the short game), the pushes are loaded with spin! However if you make just the slightest contact with the sponge, all the spin disappears and it floats. Now, coming from Chinese rubbers, the difference in feeling is obvious to me. If you control this, it will work so well for you, if you don't, then the beast will take YOU for a spin, and it'll make you cry as you pick up the ball. Control: Blocking with it is still not as solid as Higher, and thus the feedback is not there. However the blocks are just as good and controllable, just that the feeling is lacking. Pushing again is easy if you control how deep you're contacting the rubber, and loop placements are much, much easier than Chinese rubbers. Other Playing properties: The throw is actually quite low, and gets higher and higher as you hit harder. The rubber's not too sensitive to incoming spin and blocking is a breeze. Glue feel is present, but not to the extent of the Impuls Speed, perhaps a thin layers on a sheet of Bryce FX. Sound is there, but nothing to write home about. And the rubber's actually not too soft, perhaps similar to the Plasma 430 in feel, but plays much firmer when hitting. Other comments: Its crispness on hits and softness on loops makes it feel like a tensor. If I played with this rubber with the logo off, I'd be asking what tensor I was playing with. Does not resemble Tenergy (not even the 64 version) in terms of feel nor properties, so for those looking for a cheaper alternative to Tenergy, you'd better look elsewhere, like that Donic Baracuda rubber. Jan 07, 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Friendship/729 (3)
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Friendship/729 Cream on Magic Red Sponge (MRS)
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Review of Friendship/729 Cream on Magic Red Sponge (MRS)Disturbingly low throw for a Chinese rubber, yet it plays much faster because of it. Speeds still cannot match the Japanese stuff, let alone tensors.I find this rubber plays a decent serve and attack game, whilst still giving you the ability to rally from not too far away. Personally, I think it's a tad slow for players coming off the glue, or the boosters. Although you gain in control and spin what you lose in speed. Apr 11, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||
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Friendship/729 FX EL Super Soft
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Review of Friendship/729 FX EL Super SoftWithout glue or boosters, this rubber feels like that dodgy stuff that comes with the dumlop premades (bottom of the range too).It may work for choppers, but for a serious attacker who aren't just playing for others' mistakes, you'd need something faster and spinnier. Apr 11, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Friendship/729 Higher
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Review of Friendship/729 HigherA very good rubber for serve and over the table techniques. Timing and fitness plays a huge role when looping away from table.One of the few Chinese rubbers made pre-glue ban period that plays excellent without glue Oct 29, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Gambler (1)
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Gambler Six Shooter
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Review of Gambler Six ShooterWhat I really liked about this rubber (apart from its low cost) is the number of gears it has. You'll find that normal counters (thicker contact) will result in a medium paced ball...very linear. But you start brushing more and suddenly it plays much faster.As for the claims that the 6 shooter plays like Sriver...I'd say close, since it is faster but a tad less spinny than Sriver. Apr 17, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Juic (1)
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Juic Couga
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Review of Juic CougaIt feels like you're playing with short pimples. This rubber is non-responsive to incoming spin, you can hit through most bottom-spin balls. And slow high-arc opening loops with high spin are out of the question.I would recommend it for BH use, just as short pimples. Dec 16, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
LKT (Li Kuang Tsu) (1)
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LKT Rapid Power
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Review of LKT Rapid PowerFirst impressions: very nice pimple structure in terms of size, spacing and alignment (vertically aligned) and excellently grippy topsheet. Topsheet has a mild tack to it, and spins as much as a sheet of higher. The bounce is rather low, very controlled. Hopefully as the tack wears off the bounce will improve. At the moment it is looking like a great FH rubber...(but I was looking for a BH rubber...err..). Sponge is nice and I'd put it at mid-soft, a tad softer than normal Bryce.First of all, definately slower than Sriver. Sriver, although not being a super fast rubber itself, had a nice med-hard sponge at around 40 degrees. This was beautifully linear, that is, I would get as much power as I put in. Unfortunately I feel the 34-36 sponge of the Rapid Power combined with whatever they did to get that nice click sound (yes, I did manage to hit hard enough for a loud click even on a Hurricane King) has made the rubber slow on the top gears. To generate the blazingly fast topspin, you really need to take it off the bounce and rip the ball with maximum wrist in a forward direction with a closed angle (just as what JKC has said many times Razz). Its tack wore off quickly as dust gathered on the topsheet, although a quick clean returns that beautiful grip that I knew would remain. Over the table, it is really nice. It's got the liveliness of japanese rubber, but being on the slow side, much better control for flips and the short game. Even half-long balls can be punished with a heavy topspin loop, although killing such a serve/push proved difficult as the rubber has just too much dwell and favoured a spinny loop as opposed to a speed one. Its biggest weakness would be blocking, you have to be careful that you're not just sticking your racket out, as the slow speed would send the ball into the net, but if you countered every ball, it would fly off the table. So the stroke I found to work nicely is that disgusting Oh Sang Eun block, where you're pushing forward but the motion is left to right. That adds some nasty sidespin to the ball and keeps it very controlled, so that you may rip the next one off the bounce. All in all, SPEED is decent: you gotta be courageous enough to rip off the bounce to kill, SPIN is pretty good: closer to the jap stuff, but had more control, PUSHING is low and controlled, FLIPPING is nice and accurate, BLOCKING just needs a little getting used to. But I think I've found a really cheap alternative to the "classic" rubbers, and for its price, I'd say the adjustment is well worth it. Dec 16, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Stiga (3)
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Stiga Boost TC
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Review of Stiga Boost TCSoft sponged, feels very similar to a glued rubber. It does require a couple of sessions for the spin and speed to show up. Requires a good stretching when attaching to the blade.Surprisingly good speed off the table, but correct positioning is crucial. One thing to note is to not powerloop too hard, try to use feel/touch to prevent the ball sinking in too deeply and bottoming out the sponge. A very well balanced rubber, possibly the closest to glue in terms of speed, spin and control. Apr 12, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Stiga Boost TP
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Review of Stiga Boost TPThe harder brother of the Boost TC rubber. The TP fixes a lot of the problems with the TC, ie it has much better power over the table and killing backspin is much easier than TC. However it loses a little bit of power when you are counter-looping from far away.The TP has quite amazing spin on loop-drives, as long as you use thin contact and getting your wrist involved in the action. It serves much much better than the TC, since the hard sponge allows you to dig harder into the sponge before the ball is released and you can really graze the ball. With the medium to medium-soft sponge, I'd recommend using it on a good old all-wood 5 or 7 ply. Apr 12, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Stiga Innova Ultra Light
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Review of Stiga Innova Ultra LightUltra light sponge that is very soft. The sponge doesn't give even close enough speed for a thin contact loop. On harder contact, the rubber often bottoms out.Requires a position motion even on passive blocks, or the balls would likely to end in the net. Fairly insensitive to incoming spin though, which would help with the service returns. This rubber was a serious looping machine in the glue days, but in the post glue era, there are much, much better options at half the price. Apr 12, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Xiom (1)
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Xiom Omega 2 Asian
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Review of Xiom Omega 2 AsianThe Omega 2 is for all out attackers. If you can control this beast, it plays an UNCOMPROMISINGLY offensive game. But be warned, the bounciness and speed comes at a cost, this rubber could actually be THE HARDEST to play with in short game (unless you flick)...but I've also heard some people are okay with it...but "try before you buy", it's not for everybody.Oct 29, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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