Donic Bluestorm Z3

Honestly, I bought this rubber because it looked cool on my backhand (BH): blue top sheet on blue sponge, that’s beautiful on a blue-themed blade. However, I discovered it’s a very decent BH rubber: good control, average spin and speed. It doesn’t feel too hard or soft. I appreciate its light weight, and it seems durable.

This rubber should be a good option for beginners, but there are cheaper options available if you don’t need the blue top sheet. It’s not the best rubber around, and I wouldn’t use it on my forehand (FH), but overall I’m satisfied with its performance.

Z3 (2.1mm) thickness on the forehand and backhand side. It matches up and plays very well on OFF & OFF+ blades. The rubber has a great balance between speed, spin, and control.

Blocking is outstanding. Ball placement comes easily. Donic has done their homework in creating the BLUESTORM SERIES rubbers (well done). For me, Z3 (2.1) is a nice match for the Donic Waldner OFF & Persson OFF+ World Champion 89’ blades (IMO). It has nice touch and feel, good control, outstanding blocking, great speed when power hitting, and the sound is like a crack of thunder when hitting hard.

Definitely NOT a slow rubber and super fun to play with. Rating it a 10 because it is a well balanced rubber and does what it is supposed to do.

FYI: The rubber is medium to medium soft…

Can’t find a better medium to medium soft rubber. It provides a good balance of speed and spin, making it great for blocking. This rubber excels on an OFF+ stiff blade, offering precise ball placement and the ability to accelerate speed when necessary.

Its versatility makes it suitable for a wide range of shots, including looping, open-ups, and everything in between. I particularly enjoy playing with it on my Persson World Champion 89 outer-fiber blade.

The combination of the blade and rubber grants exceptional speed, enabling effective counter-attacking. Overall, this rubber is an excellent choice for players seeking both speed and control.

This was my first forehand rubber, and it significantly improved my game as a beginner. This is a suitable option for beginners due to its lack of speed. However, it may not be ideal for intermediate or pro players who require more speed. I used this rubber for 9 months, and it maintained its quality like the first day, demonstrating its excellent lifespan. (At the time, I played 6 hours a week.) I highly recommend this rubber to all beginners.

Stay away! I found this rubber so inconsistent on my Lin Gaoyuan ALC blade. I started off using it on the backhand, and it was very slow and inconsistent. When I changed to the forehand, I still hated it. Stay away!

The rubber does not rely on tackiness for spin, so you need a blade that gives it good dwell time. I use TSP balsa 5.5. On this blade, the rubber gives good speed and spin (I have 2.1 and max) with plenty of gears and good control. I am playing better table tennis than I have for many years.

Using the bat 3-4 times a week, the rubber has lasted me about 9 months, so much less time than rubbers I have used before.

This rubber was amazing on my BH for the first month, but three months later, it’s basically dead! This is despite cleaning it with rubber cleaner every time after use and using plastic sheet protectors. I play on average 2/3 times a week, so I expect a rubber to last longer than 2+ months, especially at the premium price point it’s sold at. The top sheet still feels grippy, but I feel perhaps the open pore sponge has lost its elasticity, so there’s almost no grip on the ball. This makes sense as the ball reacts like it’s sliding in the rubber during chops.

If you don’t mind changing and paying for new rubbers frequently, then you’ll love this rubber. However, if like me you expect more durability (at least 6 months of 2/3 times a week workouts), then find something more durable like the Tibhar Evolution M series. I’m going back to MX-S, which may not have the spin and grip of this rubber when it’s new but lasts at least 6 months and wears out slowly. From what I understand from a friend, the Z2 wears out just as quickly. I used Acuda P2 on my FH at the same time as this rubber, and it’s lasted longer, but it has also lost much of its initial playability. Sorry Donic… Great rubber when new, but they just don’t last the distance!

This rubber provides minimal spin. Upon purchasing it new, I noticed the spin was below average during the initial play session. After cleaning the rubber, the spin further declined the following day.

While the speed of the rubber is reasonable, it presents significant challenges for players seeking to execute spin-based techniques. Despite being advertised as soft, the rubber has a medium-hard feel.

Based on my experience, I cannot recommend this rubber. I believe Donic missed the mark with this product, and I regret the financial loss it has caused me.

Very good in speed, spin, and control. It provides a great feeling while playing. Although not perfect in any one aspect, it performs well in all areas. This rubber excels in topspin, blocking, and smashing.

I bought a maximum thickness Z3. Comparing it to Tenergy 05, it seems a tiny bit slower and noticeably heavier. However, it’s easier to loop spin than Tenergy 05. I love the sound this rubber produces.

I also previously played with Donic JP01 and Tibhar MX-P (maximum thickness). In my opinion, Bluestorm Z3 is a better rubber.