Friendship/729 GeoSpin Tacky

Started using this recently in black on Donic Defplay blade. Initially found it very slow having previously used various faster rubbers on it. But after using it for a fair while and the tackiness drops off a bit, it’s great. Amazing control paired with the Defplay is still very slow. If control and placement are your game (which is mine, being primarily a defender), I don’t think you could get much better than this.

You can really go for those heavy chops and occasional loops without fear of the ball going off the end of the table. This rubber being rather slow and tacky seems to wrap itself around the ball, as is probably the character of Chinese tacky rubbers. After using Japanese/European rubbers for many years, I will now be sticking with this style of Chinese rubbers. Particularly this one takes a bit of practice to get used to, but patience definitely pays off.

A really good rubber for BH. It has much spin, is easy to control, and has enough fast and not too hard, and has the catapult effect. I tried it on TTSPORT OFF. It is also good for FH.

Short game: 10/10
Chops: 9/10
Topspin loops: 9/10
Topspin against backspin: 10/10

Choose a good blade.

Thank you, Alex, for the insight on tt11 testing. Alex’s comment that “my standard is not good enough for this rubber” gave me pause for thought. I’ve had many good rubbers (Rasante 48, 42, Stiga Mantra H and M, Yasaka Shining Dragon, and so on), but I’ve never been fully satisfied. Now I’ve got 729 Geospin Tacky, and it’s the best rubber I’ve ever had. Yes, I’m not a world-class player, more like an intermediate with 20 years of playing. This rubber gives me monstrous spin and control. The speed? Not like the most advanced rubbers, but I can hit the table where I want when I’m looping. Blocking is like a child’s game. Again, thanks, Alex.

I use it on a very fast hard blade, (DHS G9) and for me this is a perfect combination.

Slow Rubber:

• Excellent spin and control
• Black rubber has higher tack than red
• Suitable for beginners

Looping Rubber:

• Flat hits require a hard blade
• Compatible with various blade types (defensive, offensive)

Additional Features:

• Easy to flick and lift back/underspin
• Sensitive to incoming spin

Good for spin from under the table.

Very slow rubber, and I mean REALLY slow, especially with the poly ball.
So, what purpose does it still serve in modern table tennis? Well, it actually works very well as a chopping rubber!
I have made the heaviest chops ever with this thing. Looping is okay, but it needs a LOT of effort. However, if your chop gets pushed back and you attack that backspin with a loop drive, it works quite well. Somewhat similar to the Victas VS>401, but not as versatile, perhaps, as its offensive capabilities aren’t as good. But the chops really are LOADED!.

Saya menggunakan rubber merah dan hitam. Rasanya berbeda. Setelah diberi booster, rubber hitam menjadi lebih tacky. Sponnya agak keras, memberikan kontrol yang bagus dan spin yang mengesankan, tetapi terasa keras. Menurut saya, rubber ini lebih cocok digunakan pada blade defensif karena terasa kaku.

First of all, this rubber (red, 2.0mm) does not have loads of speed. However, it has lots of spin. Forehand loops are very easy to get on the table, and chops are very spinny and floaty.

Spin on the service is great, and short pushes are very easy.

I have had this rubber for about a year, and apart from the topsheet losing its tackiness after a few months, it still plays well with good spin.

It has been banged on the table several times and only has one very small chip on the edge.

Enjoy your table tennis!

I tried this rubber at 2.2 mm, and it was a disaster.

I suspect I got botched rubber, as it had no tackiness, a super low throw, and a damp feel.

However, I changed the sponge to Kokutaku Blutenkirsche Japan 1.5 mm using the boiled water method, and voila!

The rubber became spinny, slow, but with a very high throw, which I like.

I use the red 1.5mm and stick it with SG as my BH chopping rubber on my Xiom Aigis, an oversized head def blade.

It chops very well, very spinny.
The speed is enough for me to chop the ball away from the table.
The control is good, very good indeed. I can put the ball where I wanted.
I have tried this rubber on LKT Transformer XC, the spin on serves is better than when I use it on aigis, maybe because of the head heavy effect on the aigis. IMO… That’s it, a good rubber for all level players. Chop chop!!

This rubber is too slow for me nowadays. Earlier, it worked pretty well in fast blades like the Galaxy T11.

I expected this rubber to be very tacky based on other people’s reviews. However, it is not as tacky as people say it is, especially the black sheet I’m referring to. It can hold a ball for about a second before dropping it. DHS Hurricane 2 and 3 are both tackier than this. Nevertheless, it is a nice alternative to the hurricane series as it is lighter and cheaper.

Spin is good, but the throw is a bit high.

The GeoSpin Tacky is highly developed, standing out for its magnificent spin and control. While it may not excel in speed, it is user-friendly, particularly suited for loopers and offensive players.

However, the GeoSpin Tacky is not compatible with all blades. To unlock its full potential, I recommend pairing it with Stiga or Friendship 729 blades.

You’ll make spinny balls with a little effort, but it’s really sensitive to oncoming spin.

This rubber is great. I wanted spin for driving and looping more than anything, and this rubber delivers. It’s the best I’ve played with.

At first, some reviews talking about a lack of speed concerned me, but rest assured you’ll be fine. When you smash, you’ll get enough speed to put away points.

As I hit with this rubber, I’ll notice how good the spin is. It feels great. But not once while playing did I notice any lack of speed. It’s a complete non-issue in my opinion.

My favorite rubber and great price.

Very nice rubber for spin-based play. If you want to topspin easily, you have to take at least 2 mm and apply a booster. If you have a large spin move, you don’t need a booster.

The throw angle is low, so it needs to be accommodated.

Serves returns restitute a lot of spin, and I think it’s hard to play against pips out with this rubber because the ball often finishes in the net.

This rubber is a great choice if you’re looking for something that excels in spiny serves and pushes, while also offering improved looping capabilities compared to the classic 729FX. This is attributed to its softer topsheet and sponge.

Not once in my short table tennis career have I played with a rubber that has so much spin on the ball. I absolutely love this rubber! My style of play supports all-around offense, with precise placement.

I love this rubber for its ability to create spin, not for its speed. I require spin to control nearly all of my shots. I like this rubber in its lowest thickness (1.5mm) for the added control on pushes and chops.

It is fantastic for serving, and I am able to hit brush loop strokes with extreme spin fairly well, and chop with very heavy backspin.

This rubber is great! The ball really digs into the sponge and gets amazing spin. The sponge is definitely on the softer side, but the top sheet is hard, so you don’t lose speed. You can get some fast balls with this rubber. You don’t have to worry about it being too slow. Let’s just say that.

I use this for FH with black, but have never tried red though. Once you get used to it, it is a great rubber, especially for strong loops and spinny serves. Chopping takes a little getting used to, but it’s good for it once you figure it out. If you like looping with good control, get this rubber!

I love this rubber very much. I have been using it for more than a year now.

Black holds onto its stickiness more than the red.

Great for playing against strong loops, you can chop it back every time even in 2.2 mm thickness.

It lacks in speed, but makes up for that in spin and control.

One of my favorites in the 729 range.

Review:

I purchased this rubber with high expectations, particularly regarding its “power sponge.” While it delivers excellent spin, speed is a different story. I prefer loop drives and smashes when possible, but I found that even players who typically struggle with these shots were able to return them.

In my opinion, this rubber is better suited for players who prioritize controlled looping at close distances and spinny serves. If you’re looking for a similar rubber with faster speed and comparable spin, I recommend the 729 Transcend.

Very spinny on serves and other strokes, but way too slow for attacking shots.

GeoSpin Tacky offers excellent spin and control, making it popular among loopers. However, for an all-round attack/counterdrive style, it’s recommended to pair it with a highly offensive rubber on the other side for contrast, creating a versatile combination.

This rubber boasts exceptional tackiness, likely the highest I’ve encountered. It provides amazing spin initially, but its spin quality diminishes over time. Despite this, it remains a practical choice due to its affordability and the ability to replace it frequently.

I read some reviews about this rubber claiming it to be very tacky. However, I found it to be only moderately tacky, rating it at around 7 or 8 on a scale of 10. When you press the ball down hard with the rubber, it will lift it about 4 inches, then drop. The sponge is hard, and the top sheet is somewhat medium-soft.

Power is decent, and the rubber allows for both Chinese and European strokes. Serves are spinny, and loops are not bad. Overall, given its price, I would rate it an 8. It’s worth noting that the black and red versions of the rubber have slightly different tackiness levels, which becomes more noticeable with extended play. I did not use speed glue while testing the rubber.

This is a good rubber, with versatility as its key characteristic. There is a stark difference between the black topsheet (very tacky) and the red topsheet (significantly less tacky). The rubber plays well off the table and in close, making it suitable for a variety of playing styles. It also excels in the short game.

However, the rubber’s one weakness is that it lacks speed. Players who prioritize looping off the table may need to consider speed gluing the rubber to enhance its performance.

I use the regular version of this rubber because when I tried the tacky version, I found it to be too tacky. Even after some of the tack had worn off, the ball stuck to the rubber and slowed down the ball too much. This is probably the spinniest rubber I’ve ever tried.

There is a significant difference in tack between the red and black versions of this rubber.