DHS Gold Arc 9

I bought this rubber to try it out and I was surprised. It is very similar to the famous Butterfly Tenergy in terms of foam and the arc of the ball. It is just a little more sticky, but it has good control and very good speed. If you’re looking for an alternative to the expensive Butterfly rubber, this could be a great option.

It is available in hardnesses of 37 and 38 degrees, which are approximately equivalent to 43 and 47 degrees. It is really worth trying.

I bought two sets, one 37 and the other 38 degrees. There is a noticeable difference, but it’s not that big. I felt that the 37-degree rubber offers a little more control without significant loss of speed, so it’s up to each player to choose their best option taking into account their playing style and especially their blade.

I tried it with the Long 5 and the Nobilis All from Stiga. For me, the Long 5 was the most balanced option. I opted for the GoldArc 9 37° (without booster) on the backhand and the Hurricane 8-80 38° (with booster) on the forehand.

With the Long 5 blade, there was more permanence and a greater arc, making backhand shots easier and providing better control. With the Nobilis blade, I lost a little control and permanence of the ball but gained a little speed. I opted for the Long 5 blade and the 37° hardness version.

Good Modern Japanese Sponge Like Tensor Rubber

This rubber features a Japanese sponge that behaves like tensor rubber. It is not excessively fast, offering excellent control with a medium-high throw angle. I have used it effectively on a defensive blade for forehand attacks, finding it to perform well on various strokes.

Review: Donic Bluefire M2

I believe this rubber is overrated. It does not have 9.6 spin and 9.2 speed. In my opinion, this is an average non-tacky Chinese rubber. Although it’s advertised as a tensor, it doesn’t play like one. The top sheet is elastic, but that’s about it.

To generate decent speed compared to tensors, you need to loop every shot. You can play flat, but your opponents can easily hit them back. Blocking is similar to most other Chinese rubbers. You need to push the ball slightly to get good speed.

Overall, if you’re looking for a tensor, I recommend the Gold Arc 8 instead. It’s better in every way as a tensor.

Speed and Spin

This rubber offers impressive speed. When tested on the same blade with the DHS Goldarc 8 (47.5), flat hits were markedly faster. However, some consider it slow due to its lack of high catapult effect compared to modern tensor rubbers. Nonetheless, it provides a long ball dwell time. The speed primarily stems from the soft, thin, and elastic top sheet.

Control

The rubber excels in control. Smashes are bullet-fast and highly accurate. Compared to the GA8, aggressive serve receiving with quick loops is easier thanks to the energy-absorbing sponge. This advantage is notable given the GA8’s strength in this area.

Durability

The sponge requires a few hours of playing-in to reach optimal performance.

Very good. It has great speed and spin, but it has especially good control.