icontek's Rubber Ratings
Back to icontek's ProfileHere are icontek's ratings and reviews. These ratings are useful because icontek 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.
DHS (3) 
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DHS NEO Hurricane 3 Provincial (Orange Sponge)
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Review of DHS NEO Hurricane 3 Provincial (Orange Sponge)When you get a real one, it's pretty pleasing. Not as high control as regular Hurricane 3 but faster, a little better for flat hitting and smashing underspin due to less tack and more speed. Surprisingly controlled blocks against big loops. Very good for mid distance counters/topspins. Definitely a longer arc than regular H3, which can lead to some long balls unless you produce topspin. Is very sensitive to technique and can produce both wanted and unwanted spin variation in a rally. Looping with sponge gives your opponent a very different ball than looping with topsheet.Feb 28, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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DHS NEO Hurricane 3
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DHS Tin Arc
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Review of DHS Tin ArcA great modern speed glue effect rubber from China. The sponge is very ESN/Tensor, but the whole package plays in a way that is more predictable throughout a range of topspins. TA is predictable through and works well enough from close all the way to mid distance. It also provides a lot more punch on medium topspins than classic chinese rubber. Very modern. Much better than classic euro, japanese or chinese rubber in terms of spin to speed ratio.Dec 31, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Donic (1)
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Donic Acuda S3
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Review of Donic Acuda S3For five years I've stayed away from ESN products on BH, preferring more "meat-and-potatoes" rubbers like Mark V or Mendo. No more. Acuda S3 is the first ESN product I've played with that matches enough of the short game control and touch of classics and adds a lot of over the table attacking options, while being almost as good at mid distance. Service spin was a step up to boot. Very forgiving considering how much it delivers. Durability is much better than previous ESN Tensor generations to boot. Still not on par with classic rubbers, but improved enough where it's worth it.Feb 28, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
JOOLA (1)
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JOOLA Samba+
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Review of JOOLA Samba+Joola promised a rubber that matched speedglued Samba, and barely beat classic rubbers like Mark V and Sriver. I bought this because Samba NTEC + booster was the best backhand rubber I had ever used (the most like a speedglued classic, with good control and disturbing spin). Joola Samba+ was expensive and nowhere near what NTEC was. If you are looking at this, you are better off buying a sheet of Rasanter, which will do more, better.Dec 23, 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Killerspin (2)
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Killerspin Nitrx 4z
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Review of Killerspin Nitrx 4zIf you finally realized you don't have the footwork to play with Hurricane 3, but still prefer the feel of a Chinese topsheet and firm sponges over mushy German Tensors, it might be worth a look at this underrated rubber. It feels like an upgraded Sriver L, and really grips ABS balls like the Nittaku Premium 40+ and newer DHS D40+. I agree that it it suitable for driving the ball (as you need solid contact to engage the harder sponge). I normally prefer a softer rubber for backhand, but was surprised how well the Nitrx 4z worked on both wings. It's consistent and reliable, and seems to pair well with 7 ply blades with Limba outer plies. If you like to apply pressure to your opponent with controlled attacking topspin from close to the table, this rubber is remarkable for the price.Feb 28, 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Killerspin GT2
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Review of Killerspin GT2It's like Hurricane 3 Neo if DHS had quality control. And maybe only slightly easier to manage than H3Neo. But far nicer cut of topsheet and sponge than any of the commercial and provincial versions. Rivals Nittaku H3 Neo for quality.Feb 28, 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||
KTL (LKT - Li Kuang Tsu) (1)
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KTL (LKT) Red Diamond (Golden Cake Sponge)
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Review of KTL (LKT) Red Diamond (Golden Cake Sponge)Good rubber for price. Whoever rated durability highly, never tried to move it to another blade. sponge tears easily.If left on a blade, durability is average. Better than tensors, but nit a hoops as traditional Japanese o'er Chinese rubbers. Aug 20, 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Nittaku (1)
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Nittaku Sieger PK50
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Review of Nittaku Sieger PK50These reviews are spot on if you take the time to read em all. Here's my take: Advances in rubber tech since the celluloid ball and the numerous plastic ball changes had me chasing a Chinese inspired forehand rubber that was good at serve, push, flick and brush or drive. Ideally, it would also be fast enough for passive blocking and stable enough to flat hit with. With celluloid I was happy with Stiga Genesis or DHS Tinarc, as Chinese Hybrids, both did everything well enough and had just enough "sauce" to let you know that they were better than Euro rubbers when playing inside the table. Fast forward a decade and I have used things like K1 and K3 for the past few years. K1 was a bit too soft and slow, but otherwise did everything well enough. K3 was a monster as long as driving and was even great when out of position, but it flat hit poorly/erratically, with strange sponge disengagement. A thin sheet (1.6, called Mid thick?) Pk50 does everything well enough, on a Virtuoso Carbon AC blade, with no glaring weaknesses. I really feel like this rubber fits how I play now, and how I want to play going further (a little further back from table, using spin, angles and drives to apply pressure).Jan 11, 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Sanwei (1)
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Sanwei Target National
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Review of Sanwei Target NationalAs a low level club player who prefers traditional chinese forehand rubber, i have been challenged by the classics like H3, always finding some variant like the Skyline series, or, when I am am playing smart, the Tinarcs. But that was before the plastic ball. STN is the best allround modern chinese classic. it has a tacky topsheet and a hard sponge, but is fast enough and dynamic with the plastic balls. it still does all of the things that a classic chinese sheet will do (block, chop, push, attack over the table) but adds a bit more punch on direct hitting and looping. occaisonal ball slips with a funny sound, but rare enough to be not a problem. topsheet will scuff easily and appear worn, but it plays well. this is the first non-boosted chinese forehand rubber i can use on my Yasaka Gatien Extra, and still feel like I have enough speed to end points.Dec 23, 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Yasaka (1)
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Yasaka Rising Dragon
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Review of Yasaka Rising DragonThis rubber promises a lot and then delivers a final product that's high priced like a current generation tensor, and plays like 2010 Haifu Blue Whale 2 or Tibhar Grip-S. Except without the speed. Unlike the Hurricanes or Skylines, it lacks a "killing gear" and feels mushy compared to traditional Chinese rubbers.Sanwei Target National is a much better interpretation of "Chinese Topsheet plus fast sponge" Sep 28, 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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