Xiom Vega Pro

Certainly my favorite forehand rubber of these last years. I've made lots of changes in my setup during several month, coming from flexible blades and very soft rubbers, and gradually came to stiffer blades and harder rubbers. I quickly came to love the Vega Pro for many reasons : - It's affordable, and yet very durable (lasts around one whole season for me). The build quality is extremely good. Though the sponge is firm, the topsheet is quite thin and suple so the overall feeling is firm, but not that hard (I'd say around 42-43°, depending on the thickness and the blade underneath). - It's quite fast, but very linear, so you don't feel like you're playing with an uncontrolable rocket. You get the speed you expect, no surprise, no tensor effect that comes into play when you don't expect it, and yet it's easy to play. On the contrary, the Vega Europe is a little easier on this side, speed is easier to "trigger"... but Vega Pro can be really fast as well if you have a good technique and hit the ball correctly. However, during short play or opening topspins, the rubber offers lots and lots of control... - ... and spin ! Vega Pro is a very spinny rubber. I never played with Tenergys or modern alternatives so it's hard to compare, I'd say it's a bit behind, but really not far. Throw angle is high or medium-high so very suited for topspin play. All in all, this has been my favorite rubber for the last 2-3 years, never really needed to try anything else. For this price, and if you

high throw, medium-hard sponge, medium-soft topsheet. a bit difficult to control, a bit unpredictable. becomes softer after a week or two. very spinny, a fast mid gear but slow in the top gear.

Weighs around 48g cut (2.0mm on Primorac Carbon). This harder rubber is suitable for softer surface(hinoki) blades. I first had it on Powerwood and it felt hard but slow and not spinny due to the harder surface of the blade. I then switched to Primorac Carbon and boy what a difference it made! The rubber seems to be made for this blade. The softer hinoki surface of the Primorac Carbon is a good match to the harder sponge of Vega Pro. Together the shots are fast and extremely spinny with vicious spin. Side spin shots can be spectacular curvy; topsin shots will dive into the table without going long. I never knew this blade can produce such a huge spin! This is my fastest and spinniest blade by far. I also own T-11+, PG7, Powerwood and N9. Unfortunately, the sponge deteriorated after 2 month of hard hitting 6 days/week; was once a hard rubber with medium throw now has became soft and high throw. Due to this, I will try the 1.8mm or the Donic Bluefire series next time.

Cheap T05 replacement, for FH only. Vega Pro is a surprisingly linear rubber for ESN standards. It has many gears which make short game easy but power looping far from the table a breeze, too. Catapult kicks in only on big strokes. Hence, I cannot recommend it on BH. It just feels to dead and hard there. Compared to newer generation rubbers, or T05, this rubber is much more linear, but also needs more physical effort. Looping is very pleasant, with high arc and good balance of speed and spin. Combine with stiff blades only and use hard outer ply, for example BTY Timo Boll series (with fiber). Best T05 replacement on FH.

I have used this rubber since 3 month after my 3,5years break from table tennis. In the past i used tibhar evolution EL-P, Tenergy 05 but this my favorite rubber so far for forehand. Powerful topsin, easy block i great control and placement the ball. I recommend play close and midle from the table, because if u use this rubber far from the table u will be must use more power due less catapult effect than tenergy. I use 2.0mm thickness on the FH side on the Primorac OFF- and i will probably try a max thickness next time or Xiom Vega Tour