Friendship/729 Presto Spin Max

Friendship 729 Fastarc C-1

Upon its release, the Friendship 729 Fastarc C-1 emerged as a pleasant surprise. It offers versatility as a training or match rubber, catering to players from lower intermediate to advanced levels.

Initially, the rubber exhibits remarkable quality. Its elastic, grippy topsheet, despite being non-tacky, provides exceptional feel and control. The 46-degree sponge hardness ensures optimal balance. The rubber’s thickness consistency surpasses previous Friendship offerings.

Drawing comparisons to the Nittaku Fastarc C-1, this rubber shares similar qualities while offering slight variations. The responsive topsheet enhances ball grip, facilitating precise looping from underspin.

The dense, non-porous Japanese sponge provides a wide dynamic range, allowing for comfortable short play and explosive flicks. The linear power response maintains stability throughout most of the range, except at high power levels.

The fortunate combination of topsheet and sponge accommodates various playing styles and stroke lengths. The throw angle remains medium to medium-high, showcasing consistency in powerlooping.

However, it’s worth noting that the rubber’s topsheet can deteriorate relatively quickly in storage, diminishing its performance over time. The sponge maintains its state better, making the overall value proposition less impressive.

My 2021 rubber is not worth the price or too costly. It has the worst durability; after one month, the surface becomes dirty and quickly traps impurities. After using this, I only focus on buying rubber from Japan or Germany, not China-made again. Sorry. The spin is fantastic, but the durability makes me feel down when I play it. The speed is dynamic, and the control is not accurate. This rubber only makes you feel the spinny.

UPDATE:
After using this rubber for two additional weeks and playing matches, I have more observations to share.
Opening: The rubber handles heavy, long backspins incredibly well.
Short Slices: The rubber offers excellent control.
Attacking: While not the fastest rubber, it provides exceptional control. Even against slow, spinny balls, you can hit with quality that surpasses the Xiom Vega Pro.
Blocking: Blocking is effective, enabling me to return unexpected balls.
Overall, this rubber delivers impressive performance at an affordable price. The only unknown factor is its durability, which I will continue to monitor and update.

Initial Review:
This rubber, as its name suggests, excels in spin and control.
Paired with the Xiom Vega Pro blade, which is known for its control, I use this rubber on my forehand.
Speed: While the speed is sufficient, it’s not the rubber’s primary strength. Instead, the exceptional control allows for precise placement.
Opening: Openings are effortless with this rubber.
Blocking: Blocking is also effective, enabling me to return balls I initially thought were unrecoverable.
Sound: The rubber produces a satisfying sound upon impact.
This Chinese tensor rubber is highly recommended given its exceptional performance and affordability.

This is a great find for me. The rubber can be confidently used on both forehand (FH) and backhand (BH). I prefer it more on BH, because the throw angle is a bit too high for my FH. However, I tried to play and can adjust easily.

For BH, it is good at finishing shots with high speed power, slow loops, and flat push. The BH underspin push requires more skills, so it will be challenging for people with average or low skills. But if mastered, you can win many points by pushing fast long underspin balls. This is possible due to the throw angle and top sheet.

Speed: The rubber is not dead, it’s not your classic Chinese, but still feels harder than MX-S, but with more control. Aggressive flicks on serve receive can win outright points due to speed. You can receive medium or long serve this way.

Control: Very high, no concerns here, just watch out for underspin pushes as these may spring out fast.

Block: Due to high control, it is very easy. The medium hard sponge does its job very well. However, the quality of blocks depends more on the blade than rubber. A stiffer blade makes it easier to block. This is my go-to BH rubber these days.

Tibhar Aurus Clone

This rubber is a clone of the Tibhar Aurus, offering similar spin, gear, and arc characteristics. While it has slightly less speed (approximately 10% less) and more control (approximately 10% more) compared to the Aurus, it maintains a balanced performance suitable for a wide range of players. The rubber’s overall performance makes it a good alternative for those seeking the strengths of the Aurus with slightly adjusted speed and control levels.

Superb Chinese Off-Tensor Rubber

This Chinese off-tensor rubber is an exceptional choice for players seeking a high-performance, spin-oriented blade. Its unique formula combines the best of both worlds by offering a blend of high spin and moderate speed. The rubber features an advanced topsheet that generates unparalleled grip, allowing for precise shot placement and devastating spin variations.

Beneath the topsheet lies a firm sponge that provides ample power and support for aggressive strokes. This sponge also contributes to the rubber’s excellent touch and feel, enabling players to execute technical shots with ease and control. The result is a rubber that empowers players to dominate the table with a lethal combination of spin, power, and precision.