Nittaku Refoma

Rubber description:

Nittaku Refoma is a high-performance table tennis rubber designed to provide exceptional control, speed, and spin. It is an excellent choice for players seeking a well-balanced rubber that excels in all aspects of the game.

Speed: Nittaku Refoma is rated 11 for speed, making it one of the fastest rubbers in the market. It delivers excellent acceleration, allowing you to execute powerful shots with ease. The rubber’s speed enables you to generate a lot of pace on your shots, making it ideal for aggressive playstyles.

Spin: With a spin rating of 10, Nittaku Refoma provides exceptional spin capabilities. The rubber’s tacky surface grip the ball exceptionally well, allowing you to impart heavy spin on your shots. The high spin potential of this rubber makes it an ideal choice for creating deceptive spins and troubling your opponents.

Control: Nittaku Refoma is known for its superb control, with a rating of 8.9. The rubber’s well-balanced characteristics and linear response make it easy to control and place shots precisely. This control is crucial for maintaining accuracy and consistency, especially during intense rallies.

Tackiness: Nittaku Refoma has a slight tackiness, rated at 1.2, which contributes to its excellent spin capabilities. The tackiness allows the rubber to grip the ball for a longer time, providing better control and precision when generating spin. However, the low tackiness level also makes it less susceptible to dirt and dust, ensuring consistent performance even in challenging conditions.

Gears: Nittaku Refoma offers a wide range of gears, rated at 7.6, making it suitable for various playing styles. It allows players to transition seamlessly between different strokes, from soft touch shots to powerful attacks. The versatile nature of this rubber enables you to adapt to changing game situations and execute a wide array of shots effectively.

Throw Angle: With a throw angle of 3.7, Nittaku Refoma produces a relatively low to medium-high trajectory. This trajectory provides a good balance between control and power, allowing players to keep their shots on the table while still generating enough power for attacking shots.

Consistency: Nittaku Refoma boasts exceptional consistency, rated at 10. This means that the rubber performs consistently shot after shot, providing predictable and reliable performance. This consistency is crucial for maintaining high levels of accuracy and control, especially during long matches or intense rallies.

Durability: Nittaku Refoma is known for its durability, with a rating of 8.5. The rubber is made from high-quality materials that resist wear and tear, ensuring long-lasting performance. Its durability makes it a worthwhile investment for players who demand longevity and reliability from their equipment.

Overall: Nittaku Refoma is an exceptional table tennis rubber that offers a perfect blend of speed, spin, control, and consistency. Its versatility and well-balanced characteristics make it suitable for players of all levels, from beginners to advanced. Whether you’re an aggressive attacker or a controlled all-around player, Nittaku Refoma is an excellent choice for enhancing your game.

Recent Reviews

#1 — October 2014

In my search for a rubber that does everything well, I found one that does just about everything—sub-averagely.

I was initially attracted to this rubber because it’s heralded as a “classic” style rubber, able to handle the slow, down-and-dirty play that modern manufacturers seem to forget in their quest to make the game harder for beginners. It certainly delivers on that front. My first impression upon bouncing the ball was that it was just a hair slower than a Sriver, but much less lively than modern rubbers.

However, the true test came when I tried playing with it.

Now, don’t get me wrong; it’s a lovely rubber. It’s well made, well packaged, and features a pretty sponge and topsheet. Yet, it just didn’t quite live up to its immediate competitors.

I had read that the harder you play with it, the better it gets, suggesting that you would need to push your skills to the limit before discovering its potential. So, I tried. I pulled out everything I had—every last drop of skill. I asked everything from this rubber, but I simply didn’t get what I expected.

The pushes lacked any real spin, and the flicks didn’t have any zing. Slow blocking was great due to the wonderful control, but faster blocks posed no difficulty whatsoever. My serves and topspins were unsatisfactory. While chops landed precisely where I intended, they were returned promptly with minimal effort. Even on flat smashes—where I normally obliterate the ball and expect top performance—this rubber just didn’t have the velocity I anticipated.

In summary, I didn’t find the promised land. While it offers oodles of control, that’s something a Mark V also provides. The spin was lackluster, and the speed… well, it certainly doesn’t add anything significant. It might be worth trying if you are more inclined toward the ALL to pure defense range than I am, as it simply wasn’t what I was looking for. It’s close to a Sriver, but it doesn’t quite possess that magic. The Mark V is much more dynamic and outperforms it in every aspect, even in the modern era.

Sorry, Nittaku.

As far as I know, it’s supposed to be a repackaged Nodias, which was intended to replace the old JO Waldner.

#2 — September 2008

My current backhand rubber is something I truly love. It is not too expensive and lasts for a decent amount of time.

Previously, my backhand was the weakest and most inconsistent part of my game. However, now I can counter-loop with ease and execute some very accurate and powerful topspins.

#3 — April 2008

This is an excellent rubber for topspin players. It does everything well and has a great feel.

This rubber has become one of my favorite backhand rubbers.