Donic Bluestorm Z1

Fantastic rubber for backhand. It’s a little slower than Z1 Turbo (but still fast) and very controllable. Punches and loops are fast and/or spinny. Blocks are fantastic too.

One of the fastest 47.5 rubbers, this rubber is light and has a softer feel. On a press test, it feels like a 42-degree rubber because the top sheet is soft and elastic.

The catapult is just crazy intense. You need good technique to play with this rubber, as stated on the Donic website.

It has very little dwell time. The arc is low and long. Blocking is not automatic; you must work on blocking and go over the ball.

Lifting backspin is a bit harder because of the lower throw. The repulsive force of the sponge is very strong, so the ball doesn’t have much time on the rubber to get maximum spin values. However, the speed is there, and it has maximum values.

If you play with this rubber correctly, you will be rewarded. It is for advanced users only.

I’ve been using this rubber since 2017, so I believe I know it very well. I’ve tested it with various blades occasionally and have permanently used it with the DHS Hurricane Bo2.

It’s a highly aggressive rubber with limited dwell time, demanding good ball control and precise technique. I currently use this rubber on both sides of a Hurricane Long 3.

In close-range play, it tends to launch the ball high and long, hence the need for good ball control. Simply touching the ball with the topsheet provides consistency and spin in touch play, serve, and receive. Blocking with this rubber is acceptable, but it requires precise handling.

Attacking with this rubber is remarkable. It grips the ball and propels it outward swiftly. The speed can be exceptional without sacrificing spin. My coach also uses this rubber instead of Tenergy 05. For me, it lasts approximately three months, which is the average durability based on my usage.

I highly recommend it for intermediate and professional players. For beginners, I suggest Z2, which is slower and offers more consistency.

Works very well on my Donic Waldner World Champion 89 Blade. Using the (2.1) thickness on the blade (both sides) it gives me the speed and power when needed but most of all it is very controllable and ball placement comes easy.

The Donic Waldner WC89 blade is known for being a blocking machine and if you put Z1 on the blade it will definitely enhance the blocking (nice combination).

5 Stars and a 10.

I prefer using BZ1 on the backhand because of its strong catapult effect. It’s a very powerful rubber that’s perfect for middle distance play.

I pair with Donic Waldner Senso Carbon, but inconsistent top spin happens to me on both the backhand and forehand, even with a more closed racket angle. The ball sometimes unexpectedly goes out of the table. First impressions are that this rubber generates a huge spin, as advertised at 10+++, more than Bluefire and Acuda Blue! It’s new for me, so I still need to adjust my stroke and timing for this very spinny Z1.

Bluestorm Z1 is a very fast rubber that doesn’t compromise on spin. I currently have it on my forehand on a Xiom Hayabusa ZXi blade, where the shots are really fast and spinny.

All kinds of offensive shots are easily played, but the rubber really shines in the fast offensive game away from the table. The short game is also adequate, though occasionally the pushes tend to go a bit long than desired, but that could be due to the combination of a very fast blade with this rubber.

I really like the spin that can be generated from this rubber along with the drives. Services are very spinny and I can place them wherever I want to.

The only drawback is that the rubber is seriously not durable. I’ve been playing for 3-4 weeks now with this rubber, but already the hitting area has worn out. Overall, it’s a very good offensive rubber but with low durability. The sponge remains intact, but the topsheet becomes dead. I’m going to boost the rubber and update this again.

Review:

I paired BlueStorm Z1 with a max thickness for BH + FH with a newly purchased Butterfly Garaydia T5000. This combination is incredibly fast and can generate a lot of spin. I only have 3 hours of playtime with it and still need to adjust to the enormous speed. Many blocks go out, but this can be corrected with more practice.

Likes:

• Speed
• Spin
• Light weight, even with max thickness
• Reasonable price

Dislikes:

• Low durability, signs of wear already present after only a couple of hours.
• Sponge is too soft, especially with the Garaydia T5000. You can almost feel the blade ‘hitting’ the ball.
• Low throw angle when paired with a low throw angle blade, making it hard to lift heavy backspin balls.

Hi All! Since there is little information on this rubber, I will share with you my initial impressions, based on some hours of playtime. These new ultramax series rubbers are the next generation of rubbers that are truly meant for poly balls. It has been a long time since I have seen those flight curves of the balls, reminding me of the old days of celluloid balls. This Bluestorm Z1 is the next big step, which has a 47.5-degree sponge (similar to JP series) and a non-tacky surface. The first impressions which amazed me are: it is easy to attack close to the table, easy to counterloop, and dropshot. The rubber is very fast and requires precise timing with good technique. To be honest, I recommend this monster to those who are playing an all-out attack and are experienced players. Recreational, hobby, and mediocre players cannot tame this rubber. If you want to simply describe this rubber, I would say that this gives more speed and aggressiveness than T05, it feels a bit harder, but rewards more. I would say that Z1 exceeds T05.

For a more controlled solution, please try Z2, which resembles the bluefire M1, a bit faster and with the same sponge.

This rubber provides good topspin and is fast.