A couple of days ago I opened up my new package of DHS's latest rubber supposedly used by Ma Lin and Liu Gouzheng in the recent WTTC06.
Straight out of the package the rubber looks almost identical to its predecessors H2 and H3 with a few tiny differences. The rubber is slightly more translucent (very slightly, dont get your hopes up) and the sponge (I got 2.2mm 39 deg hardness) looks pretty much the same as the sponge the provincial H3 generally gets bundled with. The back of the sponge had a gritty feel, on close inspection tiny ridges could be seen.
I primed the rubber with 3 coats of Sanding speed glue the day before and another coat last night before playing.
I tested the rubber on my Gergely Carbon (most definately not what I would recommend for Chinese rubbers at all).
The Sky3 made by bat really heavy instantly reminding me of why I have always shunned Chinese rubbers, at least it was slightly lighter than the rock stone Hurricane series but only just.
Sky3 is still a low throw rubber, if anything slightly higher than the H's but it produces really fast, deep drives all with that cracking Lin Ju sound that all the Chinese guys are making.
Serves were spinny with this rubber and flips and drives were effortless, I had real problems with blocking (absolutely no feeling) and pushing spinny serves back.
In truth, I really should have tested this rubber like the Chinese do on a springy Stiga or Stiga-like wooden blade. Its clearly an upgrade on the Hurricane series and the quality control and packaging are clearly better. (My Chinese coach also tested the rubber and confirms that Sky3 is faster than H3)
If you like H3 or H2 you will clearly love Sky3 (slightly faster, spinnier and lighter)but if you were hoping for a Eurolike rubber at Chinese prices (BTW Sky costs quite a bit more than H2and 3) Then you'll have to wait some more.
No comments:
Post a Comment