Get Notified of New Equipment and Reviews
༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ No spam or other useless stuff. We plan to send out some newsletters from time to time with the latest reviews and project updates. Feel free to unsubscribe at any time.
The Victas VS > 402 Double Extra is a high-performance table tennis rubber designed for players seeking to elevate their game with excellent spin and control. Known for its exceptional playability, the rubber boasts impressive ratings with a speed of 8.8, enabling quick responses during fast-paced rallies. It’s especially revered for its outstanding spin capabilities, rated at 9.4, which allows players to generate heavy topspin and deceptive shots that can upset opponents’ timing and positioning. Additionally, the control rating of 9.4 ensures that players can place their shots with precision, making it an optimal choice for those who prioritize skillful placement over sheer power.
In terms of tackiness, the VS > 402 Double Extra is relatively low, rated at 1.2. This characteristic contributes to its playstyle, offering a balance between spin and control without overly sticky surfaces that may hinder competitive efficiency. The weight of the rubber is categorized as medium, weighing 6.5, which offers a solid feel on the paddle without adding excessive bulk. This balance allows for agility in shot execution while maintaining stability.
Durability is another strong point for the VS > 402 Double Extra, with an impressive rating of 8.1, ensuring that it can withstand prolonged play without quickly losing its characteristics. Players who are looking for alternatives may consider similar models like the Butterfly Tenergy series or Donic Bluefire, though the unique blend of control and spin offered by the Victas rubber remains a compelling choice for intermediate to advanced players. With an overall rating of 9.3, the VS > 402 Double Extra solidifies its place as a top-tier rubber that caters to competitive players aiming to improve their game.
I was very curious when I saw the designation subtitle of this rubber, “for the flexible allrounder.” This description makes sense when considering its playing characteristics. Victas has managed to produce something rather unique among many ESN-produced rubbers.
The base recipe features a hefty, but only medium-firm rubber topsheet combined with a hard 50-degree sponge. Additionally, there is a twist: the horizontal pimple geometry of the topsheet enhances the coupling with the sponge, creating a more direct feel—something I haven’t encountered in ESN-manufactured rubbers so far. This combination results in a hard enough feeling during powerful strokes, yet also provides good deformation ability and longer ball contact time on less powerful shots. It acts as a dampening buffer zone, making it easy to execute good-quality underspin/sidespin shots and precise power adjustments in short games, blocking, and drop shots.
This dampening effect is most noticeable when the rubber is new, but it remains evident even as it ages. The sponge underneath is lively enough, which means that while this rubber is not designed to win points through speed, it is still effective in mid-distance play. It can be used effectively on both sides for spin-dominant strategies; larger than usual swings are rewarded with greater pressure potential.
The throw angle appears to be medium to medium-high, ensuring safe arcs during play. However, hitting counter-spin on low backspin balls feels a bit more challenging due to the lacking initial bounce and longer contact time. This characteristic does, however, improve blocking security, allowing for easier rallying in most situations.
It is worth mentioning that while Victas creates silver wrappings for their (at least slightly) tacky rubbers, this particular rubber is not tacky at all. For those who find ESN rubbers too bouncy, this rubber is a great candidate to try. It plays reliably enough to support the player truly as an allrounder, making it my favorite choice for this purpose, even at higher levels.
The table tennis rubber performs adequately.
Overall, it meets my expectations and provides a reasonable level of play.
This rubber is fast and has a high throw, making it excellent for smashing and lifting backspin. However, due to its high throw, the rubber performs decently when it comes to blocking and chopping.
The spin generated is high, but slightly less than that of Tenergy. Overall, this rubber is more suited for offensive strokes rather than defensive ones. I personally prefer the VS 401.
༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ No spam or other useless stuff. We plan to send out some newsletters from time to time with the latest reviews and project updates. Feel free to unsubscribe at any time.