|
This article was obtained from a newsgroup
(author unknown),
and is an excellent summary of the general difference between Chinese and
Japanese/Euro style rubber, and how they have blended together;
The first thing to note is the difference
between typical Chinese style rubbers by companies like 729 and DHS, and
Japanese and Euro style rubbers by companies like Stiga, Donic, Yasaka,
Butterfly etc. Firstly the Chinese rubbers are significantly cheaper because
productions costs are much lower in china. The main difference between Euro and
Chinese style rubbers is the philosophy for spin generation. In Euro style
rubbers i.e. Sriver, Coppa, Mark V, etc a thin elastic non tacky top sheet is
typically placed on top of a soft to medium sponge. On contact the ball
penetrates into the rubber sheet which grips the ball, thus producing
"Mechanical spin". With Traditional Chinese style rubbers like 729FX
or Hurricane 2 the top sheet is thicker and harder. In order to make the rubber
spinny it has a very tacky or sticky surface. As a result of the top sheet being
sticky traditional Chinese rubbers have a hard sponge in order to drive the ball
off the sticky top sheet. Since traditional Chinese rubbers have a thick top
sheet and hard sponge they tend to be heavier. Chinese rubbers tend to produce
the most spin on serves, pushes and grazing loops. Euro rubber tend to favor
spin generation on strokes that carry the ball, like away from the table loops
and loop drives.
I have tried to differentiate between
"Traditional" Chinese rubbers and Euro rubber since each year the line
between the 2 styles of rubbers becomes more and more blurred. For example 729
supersoft does not have a tacky top sheet or a hard sponge and it is extremely
light. You should also note that many of the Japanese and European companies
have rubbers in their product line that are Chinese style. An example of this
would be Yasaka Do. Hard Sticky top sheet with firm sponge.
In general Chinese rubbers tend to favor 3rd
ball attack and over the table play, while the euro stuff is favored for away
from the table play. This is by no means a hard and fast rule since many people
do just the opposite. In the US it seems most coaches prefer euro style rubbers.
I think this is likely more the result of butterfly's generous sponsorship
programs than what will produce the best results. Looking at the equipment that
the top players are using pretty well establishes that it is possible to win
with either style of rubber.
Out of the Chinese rubbers my preference is
729 since the quality control is good and you can play on stuff of the same
grade that the top players are using. With DHS there are too many different
versions: Nation Team, Provincial Team, Export, Domestic etc. It is difficult
for the typical player to get the same DHS product that the top players are
using. IMO 729 Higher blows away H3, and Wang Nan (SP) on transcend or ESN is
superior to H2. Cream MRS is another great do it all rubber with a more euro
feel than traditional Chinese rubbers sheets.
|
