Friendship/729 God-Favored (SST)

Rubber description:

Friendship 729 God-Favored (SST) table tennis rubber is a high-performance inverted rubber designed for intermediate to advanced players seeking a combination of spin, speed, and control. With a speed rating of 12, spin rating of 12, and control rating of 11, this rubber excels in creating dynamic shots, enabling players to execute powerful attacks while maintaining precision.

The 729 God-Favored SST features a tacky surface (tackiness rated 5.8 out of 10) that provides exceptional grip and control over the ball, facilitating spinny serves, precise blocks, and devastating loops. Its medium-hard sponge (hardness rated 8.3) offers a crisp and responsive feel, allowing players to generate high levels of spin and power.

This rubber is praised by many users for its versatility and adaptability. It suits a wide range of playing styles, from aggressive attackers to controlled all-rounders. The 729 God-Favored SST's well-balanced characteristics make it an excellent choice for players seeking a reliable and high-performance rubber that excels in various playing situations.

With a weight of 7.2 grams, the 729 God-Favored SST is relatively lightweight, contributing to a comfortable playing experience without compromising power or control. Its consistency rating of 6.7 out of 10 ensures that players can maintain a high level of accuracy and consistency in their shots, even during intense rallies.

Overall, the Friendship 729 God-Favored (SST) table tennis rubber offers a compelling blend of spin, speed, control, and versatility. It caters to players seeking a high-performance rubber that enables them to execute a wide range of shots with precision and power.

Recent Reviews

#1 — May 2012

729 SST God-Favored Table Tennis Rubber Review

In search of a replacement for my 729FX that offered enhanced looping capabilities, I recently tested the 729 SST God-Favored in black with a 1.8mm sponge.

Upon using this rubber, I was immediately struck by its exceptional control. It significantly improved my game, particularly in executing straight shots and loops.

Despite its impressive qualities, the 729 SST God-Favored remains relatively obscure and deserves greater recognition for its superior performance.

#2 — July 2010

Review

This is a very hard rubber with no dwell time. The topsheet marks easily, and after just a couple of 2-hour training sessions and a couple of matches, it looked like a season-long rubber.

This rubber is not suitable for backhand play. I have it in Black 2.2mm and have tried it on a couple of Yinhe Carbon blades (Off) and one all-wood Yinhe blade. I couldn’t adapt to this rubber.

It would suit a player who relies on first-ball topspin smashes on a flexible blade. Avoid this rubber if you want one with feeling.

#3 — May 2009

Tianqi Spirit Review

I own this rubber with a 2.0mm sponge, which is notably firm. I use it on the forehand side of a Hao Shuai 1-sided Carbon blade, paired with Long Pips on the backhand.

My aggressive playstyle revolves around flat hitting on my forehand, occasionally incorporating chops and loop drives. The Tianqi Spirit excels at flat hitting, providing control even from mid-distance. Chop blocking, pushing, and flicking are also relatively straightforward.

However, this rubber falls short for looping. The stiff sponge severely limits dwell time, resulting in a loud impact sound even on gentle brushes. Consequently, it’s not suitable for slow loopers. As such, I intend to experiment with the Gambler Outlaw and Higher III rubbers.

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