Xiom Tau

The table tennis rubber is exceptionally spinny, making it a great choice for players who prioritize spin in their game. The high level of spin allows for effectively controlled shots, giving players the ability to place the ball with precision. Overall, this rubber enhances the spin potential, greatly benefiting those who excel in spin-based play.

Review Text: Tank for Defenders.

I can name 100 rubbers that have more spin than this one. I bought mine from TT11 and was surprised by the speed, as I’m not used to such slow rubbers. Someone mentioned that it has good spin, so I decided to check it.

To assess the spin, I hit around the net a few times and focused on my serves, which are my main weapon. Additionally, I played sideloops and topspin shots. Sometimes, I even use a machine that counts how many times the ball spins per second; that’s a neat way to measure spin.

However, the spin on this rubber wasn’t impressive. I don’t mean to say there is no spin at all, but when I compare it to other semitacky rubbers, like the Nittaku Fastarc G1, Nittaku Hurricane 3 Pro (both orange and blue), Yasaka Rakza Z, Rakza Z Hard, R48, Butterfly Spinart, and Tibhar MX-S, it falls short. This is especially true when compared to the new Nittaku rubbers.

The spinniest rubber on earth, this product is suitable for the stiff wood Clipper and offers very good durability. After 200 hours of play, the rubber remains in excellent condition.

However, the control is not perfect when used on artificial blades, such as the Harimoto ZLC or Joola Zelebro. In contrast, when paired with a soft wood blade, this rubber is truly a miracle.

The red color is preferable due to its reduced tackiness and it rates more at 60 degrees rather than 57.5 degrees. I highly recommend this rubber for amateur players who enjoy spinning the ball.

After using three sheets of this rubber, I have come to a conclusion: it’s a decent product, but it does have some issues. The main problem is that the sponge is weak; it tends to give out or tops out very easily. When playing against fast balls, you need to brush up on the ball to help prevent the sponge from degrading. It lacks the gears necessary for optimal play.

The overall feel of the rubber is unstable. On the first day of use, it feels excellent, but by the second day and thereafter, it turns into mush. Similar to Thors and Vega China, this rubber requires a stiff blade to help tame its performance.

While it is better than Thors and Vega China, it still falls short compared to Tenergy, Spin Art, H3 National, and even TG3 Neo Commercial.

Table Tennis Rubber Review: Butterfly Innerforce ALC with Xiom Tau and Xiom Sigma Euro I

Use:

I have been using the Butterfly Innerforce ALC with Xiom Tau on the forehand and Xiom Sigma Euro I on the backhand. After using H3 NEO, I found that this rubber could be the closest alternative to a Boosted H3 NEO. However, it is faster but with slightly less control.

The packaging is professional and visually appealing, similar to all other Xiom rubbers. The rubber has a somewhat square shape, akin to the Sigma series, with an oval shape on both sides along with a black sponge that looks great. It also comes with a transparent plastic cover that can be used for protecting the rubber when not in use, which I really appreciated.

Upon gluing it on, I noticed it felt a bit heavier than the H3 NEO, making my setup noticeably bulkier. When I dropped the ball on the rubber, it bounced a few times more than on the H3 NEO, but it quickly stopped due to the tackiness of the rubber. This is where control comes into play. However, I was surprised to find that the rubber isn’t as tacky as I expected; I believe it should be tackier.

Play:

The first thing I noticed while playing is that the rubber is quite fast. The loops are nice, similar to H3 NEO, but less controllable due to the increased catapult effect. In comparison, H3 NEO feels more “dead.” Although the rubber is hard, the ball digs in deeply, allowing for better ball feel and making looping easier. Counter-loops were impressive, but smashes felt a little tricky; the ball would often miss the table by a few inches, possibly due to my familiarity with H3 NEO. This is something I can adjust as I continue to play with it.

The forehand drive felt slightly unusual. I had to modify my stroke to make a more upward movement.

Short Game:

In terms of the short game, the rubber is as controllable as H3 NEO. It does have a bit more bounce, but it’s easy to regulate how to receive. Flicks were also effortless.

Blocks:

Blocking is almost as controllable as with H3 NEO, but the rubber shoots the ball back a little faster due to the catapult effect.

Serves:

I found that my serving improved significantly with this rubber; I adapted to it within a few hours. I could generate a lot of spin, and both underspin and sidespin serves were quite fast. Whether I executed slow or fast serves, I saw improvement. The catapult effect and the rubber’s slightly softer feel compared to H3 NEO make serving easier.

I haven’t tried this rubber on the backhand yet, as I believe it is primarily designed for forehand loops. Although this setup is heavier, I consider it my ultimate configuration so far, especially with the Xiom Sigma Euro on the backhand. The Xiom Tau could be enhanced with a tackier sheet.

If you are a user of H3 NEO and looking for a faster alternative, I would highly recommend this rubber.

As Xiom says: “Raise your standards and win with us!”