Nittaku Hurricane 3 (H3) Pro

Background:

As a seasoned player with an aggressive Powerlooping FH style, I specialize in 3rd ball attacks and all-round offensive BH. According to my American friends, my skill level would place me around 2100 in their system.

Hurricane 3:

I believe Hurricane 3 is often misunderstood. My experience has been solely with the provincial orange sponge at 39 degrees, so my comments refer specifically to this version.

Characteristics:

1. Firmness: Contrary to popular belief, it’s not exceptionally hard. I compare its feel and hardness to MX-P at 47.5 degrees.
2. Versatility: It offers a wide range of possibilities, including an exceptional short game with touch shots. However, it’s far from slow or dead. When you infuse it with power and spin, it becomes lightning fast.
3. Speed: Hurricane 3 is comparable to MX-P in speed for power loops (even surpassing Tenergy 05) and opening loops. It’s fast and spinny but lacks the raw power of some rubbers. This means that flat hit smashes are slower, but counter loops are faster as it absorbs the opponent’s energy. Blocks, on the other hand, are slower due to its limited catapult effect.

Strengths and Weaknesses:

Strengths:

• Looping: 10/10
• Power loop: 10/10
• 3rd ball: 10/10
• 5th ball: 10/10
• Counter loop: 10/10
• Flicks: 10/10
• Serves: 10/10
• Placement: 10/10

Weaknesses:

• Flat hit smash: 6/10
• Power without spin: 6/10
• Blocks: 6/10 (passive blocks tend to go into the net)
• Out of position panic random hit: NET
• Out of position gentle spin: Excellent placement and kick after bounce

I would say that the Nittaku Hurricane Pro is the best version of Nittaku’s Hurricanes. It is often underestimated by those who prefer playing with Chinese tacky rubber. The Pro is 2.2 mm thick, which is more than Nittaku’s Neo 2.1 and Turbo Orange’s 2 mm.

The Pro plays very similarly to the Nittaku’s Neo, which is actually a factory-tuned DHS Neo. However, unlike the Nittaku’s Neo, the Pro has a Nittaku sign on the topsheet and goes untuned. Because of its sponge thickness, the tuned Pro excels the Neo and Turbo Orange in topspinning.

I would say that all the Nittaku’s Hurricanes fit more blade types than those by DHS. Both Nittaku’s Neo and Pro can be successfully used with hinoki-carbon. If you have never tried Chinese tacky rubber, I would recommend starting with the Pro Turbo Orange. If it is your second or third rubber of this type, go with the Neo. If you do not want to spend over 80 bucks on the DHS Hurricane 3 National, which is highly likely to be fake, choose the Pro.

When comparing the Pro to the DHS Hurricane 3 National, which has the same hardness of 39, the Pro is a bit softer, slower, and less bouncy. However, it is almost equal in terms of spin.

Great rubber for Forehand. It took a month to adjust my skill from Japanese rubber to this high-quality rubber.

This rubber provides excellent ball grip, allowing for the creation of exceptional spins. It is ideally suited for looping shots and performs optimally at mid-distance from the table. Additionally, it matches well with hard blades.

Lack of Speed and Power

One potential drawback of this rubber is its perceived lack of speed and power, particularly when playing from a distance or at the mid-court table. This could be a factor to consider if you are an aggressive player or rely heavily on powerful shots.