Victas V > 15 Extra

This is a very popular rubber from Victas, maybe the most popular today. Several players in my club use it, either in the forehand (FH) or in both the FH and backhand (BH) positions. However, I haven’t been impressed by it.

Speed is very good, but spin is barely good, and control is average. It’s not a bad rubber, but I think there are better options in every regard. Just to give a few examples I have in mind: Hammond Z2 is as fast but spinnier and has better control. V>22, MX-P or R48 are faster. Vega Pro is spinnier and cheaper.

After playing Nittaku G1 (2mm), Victas V15 Extra will feel like a G1 with steroids. It is more powerful, more solid, and faster than G1, yet with the same excellent control of the famous G1. Both rubbers are also spinny, but the Victas V15 Extra has more gears.

Serves are very spinny and will force pressure on opponents. Looping is lovely. Smashing is good too. Pushes take some time to get used to, but it’s not hard at all after a few times. Blocking is easy. You don’t have to close the blade angle too much when blocking. It is quite a forgiving rubber.

I know Nittaku released G1 with 2.2mm recently, which I have yet to try. So, I cannot comment on whether the new G1 2.2mm is as good as the Victas V15 Extra. Don’t spend more money on the new V20 and V22 because they are virtually the same as V15 Extra.

This rubber is very hard, very spinny, and very fast. I play it on my backhand now since it was a bit too fast for my forehand. It is quite similar to the Fastarc G-1 that I tried on the same blade.

Best FH rubber is Donic Bluefire M3.

Very good backhand rubber. Control is high with a very nice feeling.

Top-quality rubber! It has a bit more “bite” than Fastarc G-1 (i.e., a bit faster and a bit more top-end spin on max power loops). Of course, it needs a higher level of technique to get the best out of it, but if you have the skills and are looking for a step up from G1, then this might be the one for you. It’s not too quick on low-to-mid power shots, but when you apply more power, there’s a significant kick. Imagine a cross between G1 and Evolution MX-P, and you’ve got the Victas V>15 Extra.

A very good rubber for the backhand. Unfortunately, after a month and a half (three times a week), it is finished.

Facts: Blue rubber in max. thickness (2.2 mm), 47.5-degree sponge hardness. “The most thorough table tennis shop in the world” (Spin and Speed) determined a total hardness of 57.6 degrees. My rubber has a weight of 49 g. (cut, 156 x 150 mm)

I know this rubber is extremely popular, but for me, it is not the measure of all things. If only it would provide more rotation, I could (possibly) imagine switching from the Nittaku FastArc G-1 to this rubber. However, the G-1 not only makes more spin but also a higher arc. The angle game also works better with it.

In the end, I only liked the V>15 better when smashing!

(… well! … and it is easier to control!)

Please note that I am reviewing this rubber as a backhand rubber (on ALC blade). That said, I will compare it to the best BH rubbers I have tried: Tenergy 05 and Rakza 7. V>15 Extra fits right between those two.

I found this rubber excellent for BH, especially in the power-control ratio. T05 is still a bit more offensive but harder to control. Rakza gives the same control but lacks the power Victas can produce.

I recommend V>15 Extra for those who like to open attack with BH topspin and also those who like to actively block. Unfortunately, I could not adapt it to my forehand. My FH style requires something with a harder sponge and more speed and spin (think of T05 Hard?). But for BH, I believe I will keep playing with it for a long time.

V -15 Extra is MH rubber. It’s 47.5* offensive rubber. Like most rubbers nowadays, it’s made in Germany but is not an ESN rubber. High-end rubber by TSP/Victas is not cheap for sure. It costs US$54, but I got it from TT11 for a lot less. No question, it’s a good offensive rubber, and the quality is there. But IMO, MXP is a bit better in feel and spin.

It’s great while it lasts. I switched from Andro Rasant Grip because of availability, and I wanted to be like Koki.

V15-Extra has 3 gears. If you hit flat you can bottom out the sponge easily. It feels a bit slow but control is good due to the low tackiness. At medium angles the rubber plays its worst - counter hitting has high throw angle with average spin.

Control chopping is ok, but nothing amazing. Looping is just insane! At fine angles it feels like I’m aiming at the back wall, but the ball dives very quickly due to the incredible spin. If you can hit it fine enough, backspin is also pretty mad. The soft sponge is forgiving throughout the loop, giving me a lot of confidence.

There are two problems I had with this rubber. Because it worked best at shallow angles I found that I edged the ball a lot more. Secondly, this rubber did not last very long at all. I went through 4 sheets of V15 in under 6 months - about 40 hours of play per sheet. At 40 hours there was obvious signs of wear on my contact points which caused the ball to slide out at shallow angles. The cost of the rubber and the short lifespan makes V15-Extra a pretty bad deal - a shame because I really wanted to love it.

Setup was V15-Extra 2.2 red (fh), Donic Bluefire M3 2.2 black (bh), TSP Swat Power, shakehand grip.

Very good backhand rubber. Control is high and forgiving. Inside out shots or snake shots are amazing.

Very happy with this rubber. I was trying to find a decent replacement for Tenergy 05. It plays a little harder and faster.

Spin is great, you get what you put in. “On average” my game has more spin across all strokes compared to the Tenergy 05.

More linear than Tenergy, not too bouncy in the short game but very fast on power loops.

Overall this rubber plays somewhat similar to the new Tenergy 05 Hard.

Using as a forehand rubber on the Marcos Freitas ALC, you can experience amazing speed, spin, and good control with a very nice feel.

It is considered one of the best alternatives to Tenergy.

Fantastic rubber!

Using this rubber as FH on a Tibhar Stratus Defense Wood IN 1.9mm, I switched to it a year ago from Tenergy 05. As a modern defender, this rubber meets all my needs. I’m able to loop just as well as I did with T05, although it does have less spin. However, the speed and throw arc are very similar to T05.

My short game has improved due to this rubber being far less sensitive to incoming spin. It chops like a dream as well. The top sheet does seem to wear out quicker than T05, but at 40-45 USD replacing it every 3-6 months is way better than the 75usd I was paying for T05.

I played with this rubber on Stiga Allround Evolution. On it, this rubber is very good in speed, spin, and control.
For faster blades, this rubber is very fast and very hard.

Speed like T80
Spin like T05
Throw Angle between T05 & T80
For me, it’s easier to use than T05 (more insensitive to incoming spin than T05, I am curving top spin better)
I am using it for FH, moved from T05 to this rubber on BTY ALC blade.

Although it emphasizes spin, the rubber is not particularly spiny. What is special is that it offers balanced performance with a non-tacky top sheet, making it less sensitive to spin. This benefits players who often take the chance to attack against backspin. In short, it is just another versatile medium-priced rubber.

This rubber excels in offensive gameplay.

However, using it on both sides of the paddle is not recommended as it is heavier than average.

My detailed review can be seen here: http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=73730&PID=910080.

Last year, I purchased three pieces of blue-colored maximum sponge rubber. The rubber performed well. However, after four to six weeks, all three pieces had shrunk by two to three millimeters. Given this issue, I do not believe the rubber is worth the cost.