Xiom Jekyll & Hyde C55.0

I bought into this rubber since I’m a big fan of other Jekyll & Hyde rubbers with the Z52.5 being my main FH rubber. My first impressions were that the C55 is a high spin, decently fast hybrid. It feels much softer than 55 degrees, almost mushy sometimes. Practicing short touches and push variations showed that this rubber has good spin insensitivity for having such a grippy top sheet. This allowed me to play very confusing short touches, which gave one of my long-time practice partners trouble.

The C55 speed is respectable but didn’t really have the rally-ending speed of let’s say an MX-P rubber, which made me have to play more shots after 3rd ball opportunities. However, its control and spin usually made these follow-up attacks doable. Another thing that assisted attacking was a relatively low trajectory, definitely harder for opponents than popular tensors. I ended up swapping off of it though because I had a strange mushy sensation during some shots I didn’t like.

The one thing I couldn’t exactly get used to was the service, but I attribute that to the fact I just don’t use hybrids on the FH. So, decent speed, low throw, high spin hybrid rubber.

I’ve been using it on my fh for about 2 months. At the beginning, the rubber was medium tacky and slightly sticky. It could barely lift the ball. The sponge is very hard and dense, but the topsheet feels soft. It felt softer than the J&H Z52.5 when pressing with my fingers. This combination has a lot of advantages in my opinion. It offers a great feeling and you can do slow loops without needing to engage the sponge every time, making it more forgiving compared to other very hard Chinese or hybrid rubbers. Drives have a medium trajectory, with a very loud clicking sound, which means it comes heavily boosted. Topspins have a medium-low arc with a lot of spin and a strong kick once the ball lands on the table. It behaves very similar to H3, but much faster and longer trajectory. You need to perform full strokes and use your legs. Serves feel amazing and are loaded with spin. I can place my serves wherever I want on the table easily. Receive is also great, as you can keep the ball short, however you need to be a little cautious with your angle when you push backspin serves as they can go into the net. I assume it is because of the medium-low arc, but overall, the control is amazing. FH flicks clear the net quite easily and feel really good, even without proper technique (I suck at this) engaging the sponge. Blocks are easy to perform and have ok speed. I recommend active blocking because it absorbs a lot of energy. Durability-wise, I am a bit disappointed, as the topsheet seems to be worn out already because it has huge white spots and I can see the pimples through it after only 2 months. I clean my racket after I play and I use protective films. Overall, this is a great and intuitive fh rubber for fairly advanced and fit players (you can’t be lazy), with similar characteristics as Chinese rubbers, only much faster, however the durability seems questionable. I will give it another try because I really enjoy it. It feels very natural to play with it. The blade I am using is a Nittaku Septear Feel Inner.

Semelhante às borrachas chinesas tipo H3, mas ligeiramente mais leves. Boa para forehand.

Great rubber. Currently using it as a BH rubber in my setup. Great for playing off the table with loads of spin and control.

Not as tacky as expected but a very decent hybrid. Preferably used on backhand. It can be a cool combo with Yasaka Dragon on forehand.

Designed to have a grippy yet forgiving rubber, the sponge helps in passive as well as offensive action; on the other hand, the top rubber permits grabbing and catapulting the ball effectively.

Nice hybrid rubber with an interesting hard sponge. The topsheet is slightly hard and with enough grip, but could be tackier if Xiom’s claiming to be a Chinese style rubber. Overall, good rubber with enough grip but requires full strength to engage the hard rubber.

I have been playing with this rubber for 1 month already, it is very fast and has a lot of control.

Excelente equilibrio entre los híbridos alemanes hasta ahora. Giro masivo en bucles, sensación dura/compacta en los drives, velocidad suficiente para evitar el sobreesfuerzo, excelente control sobre la mesa, tacto y agarre fantásticos para los servicios. Es un poco lineal, se debe ajustar la técnica en el golpe, pero eso está bien para mí y es la mejor goma de revés que he usado.

Works well with soft blades like Donic Impuls 7.0 and 7.5.

There have been a lot of hybrid releases over the last few years. Adding some tackiness to a Eurojap rubber is always going to be something of a compromise - not really tacky like a Chinese rubber, not super catapult/bouncy like a Eurojap rubber. C55 has, for me, the best balance of all German hybrids so far. Massive spin on brush loops, hard/compact feel on drives, enough speed to avoid overexertion, excellent over the table control, fantastic touch and grab for serves. It’s a bit hard and linear, so the compromise is low gear catapult, but that’s okay for me and it’s the best forehand rubber I’ve used for as long as I can remember.

I think it’s a fairly good FH rubber, but it has its flaws. If you try to brush the ball without engaging the sponge, there is a good chance that the ball will slip through the rubber and literally fall off the rubber. With stronger shots, usually it’s not an issue. I guess grip is not great unless you engage the sponge. It’s a good rubber, but it may require some play style adjustment.