Tibhar Hybrid MK

This table tennis rubber is very easy to play with, and I immediately found a connection with it. I would describe it as ever so slightly tacky and very grippy. Opening up on the third ball or directly from the serve is a breeze, and smashing feels reminiscent of ESN Tensor smashing.

Looping generates a high arc, and there is ample easily accessible spin. Tibhar states that its hardness is 48 degrees, but on a 5-ply offensive blade, it feels more like it’s in the range of 42-45 degrees. Nevertheless, the short game is excellent; the ball can easily be kept short and spinny, unlike with most similar-feeling softer rubbers.

The rubber produces a nice thumping sound and vibration when you brush the ball, and it provides good feedback with other strokes as well. Additionally, it chops well on the forehand (with a 2mm sponge), offering high spin and good control.

Serves are fantastic; while they may not reach the level of H3N, they rival those of Rakza Z. In my opinion, this is the best rubber among the jack-of-all-trades types, offering the most versatility among the options.

This rubber plays like a softer version of the Hybrid K3. The throw angle is very high, requiring players to use a closer angle compared to other tensor-type rubbers. Overall, I find it better suited for my style than the Hybrid K3.

Here are a few facts about this rubber:

The black rubber is 2.0 mm thick and weighs 108 g in its original packaging. When uncut, it weighs 65 g, and when cut on the blade, it weighs 44 g. The red rubber, also 2.0 mm, weighs 46 g when cut. Both rubbers measure 156 x 150 mm.

The sponge hardness is rated at 48 degrees, while the total hardness is approximately 52.4 degrees, according to Spin and Speed in Germany. The upper rubber has the ability to hold the ball momentarily, similar to the D 09c.

I have been testing this rubber for half a year, albeit sporadically, and I have experimented with various different blades. Unfortunately, I consistently reach the same conclusion: the controllability and overall control are very good; however, the spin potential could be higher.

Sadly, I have noticed that the durability of this rubber is not particularly great, though I cannot determine the extent to which the rubber’s care impacts this. In conclusion, I have yet to find the right blade for this rubber that works well for me, whether I use it for my forehand or backhand. Nonetheless, in my environment, up to the middle divisions, this rubber is played more often and with much enjoyment.

I believe this will become a new best-seller for Tibhar. I am using it in max on an inner carbon blade on the backhand side. The topsheet is very soft and grippy, while the sponge is undeniably on the softer side—possibly even softer than the stated hardness. It is very easy to compress and engage when hitting the ball.

What really stands out about this rubber is its ease of use and lack of spin sensitivity. This characteristic makes it excellent for pushes, drop shots, blocks, and advanced techniques like the fanning backhand chop block. You can definitely tell that Kenta was involved in the design of this rubber.

The maximum speed and spin of this rubber are quite decent, though they are, of course, less than those of other high-end rubbers that utilize harder sponges. There is a harder version available for players seeking more power, but I would argue that this version is sufficient for most players.

While equipment doesn’t make you a better player, the ease of use and the lack of spin sensitivity have enabled me to change my shot selection and overall tactics. This has increased the variety of backhand tools and shots at my disposal. Overall, this is a really impressive rubber, and I will continue to use it.

This rubber is a pleasure to play with, and I quickly found it easy and enjoyable. It has a slightly tacky surface and is very grippy, providing a medium throw angle with excellent loop effects. Smashing the ball with this rubber is effortless.

The rubber feels softer than 48 degrees, which enhances its performance in the short game. You can easily keep the ball short and spinny. It also excels in chopping and serves, making it an all-around impressive rubber. Overall, it offers great performance, particularly rewarding players who are hitting and timing the ball well.

I put the rubber on my Innerforce Layer ALC 24 hours ago and did some practice. Switching from Barracuda took a few minutes to get used to it. The whole setup feels lighter now, which lessens the pressure on my forearm muscles. I think it needs some time to break in, but I can already execute short returns like never before. It’s very insensitive to incoming spin, making practice with choppers much easier. I can take my time to execute a good topspin and can even attack the chop more effectively than I ever could before. I will provide an update later.

In my second session, I was hoping to practice my basic techniques while playing against a long-pimp chopping player most of the time again. However, this time felt different. The rubber has fully broken in and feels like normal rubber, just less bouncy. I could lift the chop with such ease that it felt as if I had been born with this skill. The topsheet gripped the ball exceptionally well, resulting in even shorter returns than last time. It felt like I exerted less effort, yet my topspin has noticeably improved. The opponent was amazed by the change.

My backhand loops now have better control, allowing me to block returns long or short with ease. I managed to smash the ball a few times at much higher speeds than ever before, using only a small backhand movement. The ball consistently landed two feet from the bottom of the table, meaning there was plenty of topspin. Because of this performance improvement, I have increased my speed rating from 8.5 to 9.

This is an excellent rubber, but I’m finding it difficult to adapt from the softer Andro Grip.

The services are amazing and easy to place, offering loads of spin. Returns are also straightforward, as the rubber is not sensitive to incoming spin. Blocks, smashes, and drives all perform perfectly.

The only area that perplexes me is topspin variations. I usually switch between fast, heavy topspin and slow, higher loops, but I’m still working on my angles.

Overall, I would say that this rubber is fantastic for training technique. It is not too fast, very linear, and, when you master it, deadly! It can be used on either side, but in my opinion, it is best suited for an off blade.

I tested it on a Nittaku Caron Inner.

This rubber offers excellent control and feels great after a few training sessions. I would recommend it for use with offensive (OF) and offensive-defensive (OF-) woods.

Typique de Tibhar, cette plaque offre une très bonne rotation. Son angle de rejet est un peu plus élevé que celui de l’Andro Powergrip. Elle est similaire à la Fastarc G1, mais elle procure un peu plus de rotation et son angle de rejet est légèrement supérieur.