Friendship/729 729 OEM

Rubber description:

Friendship/729 729 OEM table tennis rubber is a non-tensor, inverted rubber with an offensive orientation, designed to provide an excellent balance of speed, spin, control, and durability. Its overall rating of 8.8 out of 10 is based on reviews and evaluations from players who have used it.

The rubber is known for its high level of control, rated 12 out of 10, which makes it suitable for players of all skill levels, especially beginners and intermediate players who are looking to improve their consistency and accuracy. It also has good speed (rated 9 out of 10) and spin capabilities (rated 11 out of 10), enabling players to generate powerful and spinny shots.

The 729 OEM rubber has a tackiness level of 5.8 out of 10, which provides a good grip on the ball, facilitating spin and control. The sponge hardness is rated at 5 out of 10, making it relatively soft and easy to generate spin, while still maintaining good control and feel. The rubber also has a weight of 3.2 out of 10, which is considered lightweight, allowing for quick and effortless strokes.

Players have praised the 729 OEM rubber for its consistency (rated 8.1 out of 10), as it provides predictable ball feedback and consistent performance over time. Its durability is also commendable, rated 6.8 out of 10, ensuring that it can withstand regular and intensive use.

Overall, the Friendship/729 729 OEM table tennis rubber offers a combination of speed, spin, control, consistency, and durability, making it suitable for players of various skill levels who seek a balanced and reliable rubber.

Recent Reviews

#1 — October 2017

I have been testing Chinese tacky rubbers for the past 12 months, using the Friendship 729 RITC (which I believe is the OEM) for the last 7 months. I usually order it from this link:

Friendship 729 RITC on AliExpress.

I paired it with the Stiga Allround Classic, and I have found it to be the perfect backhand rubber for me. The performance in various aspects—serve, serve receive, spinny push, flip, drive, and block—is excellent.

Wrist action is crucial due to the tackiness of the rubber. My spinny serve receive often fails if I do not counter it with my own spin. The long backspin push works great and frequently results in an opponent fault or a high ball, which I appreciate. I can generate moderate topspin with this rubber.

However, on the forehand side, I lacked the power to finish points effectively, and my lobs weren’t as good. As a result, I switched to the Palio AK47 red for my forehand. While the 729 provides better control and leads to improved consistency, the AK47 scores me more points.

Each 729 topsheet lasts me about 100 hours of play. It loses tackiness after around 10 hours and becomes less grippy after about 50 hours. After 100 hours, it is no longer playable due to the lack of grip. I clean the rubber with water daily. Currently, I am on my fourth topsheet and have already ordered two more. It is hard to find a better tacky backhand rubber for under £5!

#2 — April 2015

I just got this rubber on both sides with the Galaxy N9 paddle, and I am impressed with how it picks the ball up into the air.

The black side is noticeably more alive than the red side. While it may not be ideal for far-range looping, it handles close to mid-range play very nicely. I experienced good spin right from the first day of use.

However, I did find it to be slower than my T11+ carbon blade.

#3 — December 2014

I applied this rubber to my backhand. Considering the price, it performs remarkably well, and it was faster than I expected.

The red 2.1 model weighs 45 grams, which is average, while the 2.0 model weighs 42 grams. I believe the uncut 2.0 rubber was around 60 grams.

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