Yasaka Rakza XX

Looking for a backhand rubber, I read wonders about this Rakza XX and decided to give it a try. I will not lie that I expected a harder rubber, but the general feeling might be due to my combo, with a Yasaka Offensive 7 Power FL, this blade is almost like a 5-ply blade, flex and just a bit harder. Regarding the rubber, it is VERY responsive for a topspin game; I believe this is the best about it. It does not catapult the ball like Tenergy 05, but the feeling and control when looping or offensively blocking is outstanding, second to none. Actually, you must do a totally wrong stroke to miss the table. Another nice feature is the sound; it produces a pleasant pop sound when you hit the ball hard. Placement is also second to none, and the ball easily goes exactly where you want. Any negative? Maybe chopping. I found it tough to keep the ball short or put heavy underspin on it. It definitely performs better when topspinning. Will I keep it as my main backhand rubber? Yes, until I find something better, but so far this one is the best I have already tried on my BH.

I was really looking for an option for my backhand after the G1 and the ACC, as I wasn’t comfortable with one that was too slow and the other with too little backspin, but the truth is I wanted durability. Then I remembered that Yasaka rubbers have good durability; my first choice was the Rakza Z, but when I used it on the right side years ago, I remember it hitting a lot of balls off the table. So, after doing some reading, I found the new Rakza XX and decided to give it a try. To my surprise, I found a very stable rubber with great grip, good control, next-generation speed, and a very… versatile and safe, I loved it. It’s as fast as you want; you can hit long topspins with great spin, but short shots on the table will have good rotation, controllable for serves. Great control in every way; you can place the ball in the same spot 100 times, you can block with great confidence, and you can really play both close to and far from the table. I have a DHS H301, and honestly, it fits my play style really well. I recommend it to both intermediate and advanced players; it’s not for beginners, but I don’t think it would be difficult to adapt to. Honestly… The best thing about it is the durability. It’s been 6 months and it still maintains its properties. I just decided to put it on both sides and my shots have improved in consistency and safety; I play much more relaxed. I recommend them to all my friends… And to you too…

Playing this rubber on my BH, I felt it was an improvement in the speed and spin over the older Rakza rubbers, mainly the original Rakza X. However, with this extra speed and spin, I noticed my consistency dropped when trying to execute strong open-ups on half-long balls. Open rally and loose balls were easily put away, so if someone feels they need an improvement over Rakza X or Rakza 7 and has their fundamentals down, this rubber feels great for an attacking game.

Rakza XX has improved the spin and speed. It is very bouncy and shows a quick response with a soft feeling. Very good for smashing, looping, and counterattacking. Very stable and consistent. Love it more than Butterfly T05, Tibhar MXP, and Andro R47 rubbers. Highly recommended for close-to-table players. The best forehand rubber I have ever tried.

Черная в максимальной толщине — быстрая накладка. Жесткость 50°. Вращение и контроль средние. Мне подошла только под FH, слева не подходит. По скорости быстрее, чем К3. Но в К3 больше контроля, вращения и задержки. К3 играю слева, но К3 хороша и справа.

I was playing with Rakza from the early beginning, the last half a year with hybrids (mainly with d09c), and now switching back to tensors. So I glued Rakza XX on both sides to the Yasaka Reinforce AC blade (82g). From the first shots, it was clear that the speed is on another level after previous Rakza rubbers. Then I realized that having adopted the technique of hybrid rubber for spinning the ball with the forward movement, the Rakza XX is a beast—it generates tons of spin and speed. And unlike hybrid rubbers, you can spin the ball even without engaging the sponge (09c can’t do that) to play the soft spinny ball with a high trajectory or just a short spinny ball. After some time, it is easy to get used to it on a forehand and serves. On a backhand, I feel much improvement in the counter game, speed game, but still, I am not used to it when looping the ball from backspin on the backhand side. I still have to get used to it a little for that or move back to a Rakza X (but again, with Rakza X, I will lose in speed and the counter game). But my forehand became a beast with that rubber. So in short: a good combination of an elastic and soft topsheet with a slightly harder (compared to Rakza 9) but still highly porous sponge with big bubbles gives a way to improve your game after you get used to it.

I think that the past experience with the Dignics 09c rubber had a positive effect when switching back to Rakza, because with Dignics you are learning to play all the strokes forward (more or less, but the forward part is necessary), otherwise the ball was falling from the rubber with a loud grippy sound. Having this applied to Rakza XX and the Rakza’s possibility of playing the ball without engaging the sponge gives a perfect rubber for the all-round game with the focus on attack.

After switching to these rubbers, I became more unpredictable to opponents, faster, and more stable. As a result, I have grown in the table tennis ranking in my country.

Yasaka Rakza X Soft Review

Previously using Rakza X, I upgraded to Rakza X Soft upon its release. I employed it with maximum thickness on my forehand, utilizing it on both 7-ply wood blades, primarily the Yasaka Falck W7, and several inner carbon blades.

Compared to Rakza X, the upgrade proved moderate, but not significantly so. I could have continued using Rakza X with satisfaction. The rubber exhibits linearity in its performance. My pushing and blocking with it are passable. It serves effectively. Overall, it is a solid all-around rubber. When paired with my inner carbon blade, however, I found myself wishing for a slightly softer sponge.

2.00mm on FH:

Most Impressive Features:

• Unbelievably compliant in the short game: The ball remains low and controlled during pushes and drop shots, outperforming even “Hurricane” rubbers.
• Exceptional spin on loops and serves: Despite feeling less spinny, opponents face difficulties returning shots.

Compared to Donic A1 2.0:

• Instant ball release when looping: Provides a quicker feel than A1, despite uncertain max velocity differences.
• Flat arc and perceived lack of spin: Opponents struggle to block despite the apparent lack of spin.
• Deadly flat drives/smashes: Require precision timing and hand speed.

Not So Impressive Features:

• Limited access to higher gears: Only gears 1, 2, 5, and 6 perform well, making slower loops/drives less effective.
• Sensitivity to dust: Requires frequent cleaning every ~45 minutes to maintain performance.

Yasaka Rakza Max Speed: A Comprehensive Review

Impressed by its blistering pace, this rubber boasts a perfect blend of grip, spin, and speed. The shots dip in mid-table with a medium-high throw angle, accompanied by a distinctive clicking sound. Compared to Rakza 7, it offers less spin and control but excels in handling low balls and kill shots.

The slightly hard sheet feels medium-hard while driving, providing ample dwell time for optimal ball control. The rubber’s tackiness enables powerful counters and precise serves, chops, and flicks. However, it exhibits a slight spin sensitivity on incoming topspins and can be challenging to block fast drives due to its spring effect.

While the Max Speed excels in attacking, it requires precise footwork to reach its full potential. It is an exceptional backhand topspin rubber with a 1.8mm sponge, but the regular X variant may offer better control and blocking capabilities.

Overall, this is a highly recommended forehand rubber for offensive players. Its impressive speed and grip make it a formidable weapon, but requires skilled footwork for optimal performance. Yasaka’s reputation for durability ensures longevity, although it tends to be slightly heavy.

This is a very impressive rubber, second to none. I am particularly surprised by its durability. After three sessions, it shows no signs of wear, unlike many hybrid rubbers.

I have been using this rubber on my forehand, and I have been able to generate an incredible amount of spin on my shots. Even with the thinnest version, there is still sufficient speed. Playing topspins against chops is effortless with this rubber. I have been using it for an extended period, and it appears to be of very high quality. In my opinion, it will last for a very long time. Its only major drawback is its sensitivity to dust. However, I believe this is the best rubber I have used thus far.

Excellent upgrade from Rakza X. It maintains the incredible balance we’re accustomed to with Rakza X, but now with even more speed and spin, while still offering superb control.

Blade/Type: N/A

Sponge Hardness: Hard

Spin: High

Control: High

Speed: Fast

Pros:

• Excellent control
• High spin
• Fast and responsive
• Versatile for various strokes (spin, chop, smash)

Cons:

• N/A

Comparison to Other Rubbers:

• Similar spin and control to Dignics 05
• Similar speed to Hammond Z2

Overall:
This rubber offers exceptional control and high spin, making it an excellent choice for players looking for versatility and performance. Its fast speed and responsive sponge allow for aggressive shots while maintaining precision.

Rakza XX is a great rubber for my backhand; it has a great combination of spin, speed, and control. I find it easy to play all strokes, especially the backhand counter, and open up from backspin. It has gears to the rubber, meaning you can play at different speeds without worrying about the ball going in the net or off the end with the correct touch. The downside of this rubber is the softness of the topsheet; it damages very quickly. I have ordered two sheets of this rubber. Although I love the characteristics, it is hard to compete with this rubber as it flakes and chunks fall off the edge frequently, meaning the amount of times you need to replace this rubber will make it very expensive.

Top rubber for mid-experience players. Very fast. It has good control and spin.

This was a good choice for my forehand. Very grippy and good touch. Only issue is that it seems quite delicate—even with edge tape it breaks easily at the edges. I would use it again.

Good offensive rubber, but not so good for a close-to-the-table game, and the rubber’s quality is not ideal; they tend to break easily.

Отличное качество, высокая скорость и вращение. Очень удобная дуга.

good

Es un caucho que demanda mucha técnica, ideal para bloqueos activos; genera un contrajuego muy rápido. Con el ángulo adecuado se logra un spin potente. Ahora bien, manejar el rebote es lo más difícil de este caucho.

2.00mm on FH:

Most impressive feature: unbelievably “compliant” in the short game. The ball doesn’t “jump” during pushes or “drop shots”. Not just compared to other ultra-fast rubbers, but compared to all rubbers, including the “Hurricanes”. Short, low serves are very easy to do.

2nd most impressive feature: Loops and serves do not feel very spinny, but the opponents keep having issues returning them.

Compared to the “hybrid” Donic A1, when looping, with XX the ball release feels instant. Not sure which rubber produces higher max velocity—A1 or XX—but b/c of the instant release, XX feels “quicker”. The arc is flat, feels like there’s no spin. But again, the opponents keep blocking them “long.” Flat drives/smashes are deadly, but require perfect timing and tremendous hand speed.

Not-so-impressive features:

1. I’ve not been able to “unlock” the 3rd and 4th “gears”. 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 6th are brilliant. If you get a little lazy or try to play a slow loop/drive—fuhggettaboutit.
2. Compared to other rubbers, XX is very “sensitive” to dust. While I could use other rubber sheets for the entire 2–3 hr practice without a single cleaning and not feel any drop-off in performance, XX needs to be cleaned every ~45 min, otherwise loops “stop working”.

In conclusion: 7 stars for the short game, 5 for high-speed stuff, and 3 for mid-speed offense. Overall/average: 5 stars.

Great speed, control, and spin. Medium arc. Suitable with OFF- blades…

Yasaka Rakza XX is an ideal table tennis rubber.

Мне нравятся 50-градусные накладки, раньше я использовал Dignics 05 2,1 мм.
Но попробовал новинку от Yasaka Rakza XX макс на основании Andro Synteliac VCO OFF с обеих сторон.
Эта связка очень хорошо работает, при наличии хороших навыков, конечно.
Разницы никакой не почувствовал, все движения остались прежние, а эффект такой же!
Все зоны доступны, можно и тонко сыграть, и пофилонить, в общем, эта накладка меня очаровала.
Рекомендую в первую очередь для атаки, СУПЕР! Да еще и по такой цене — в два раза дешевле Dignics.

Good rubber, very durable.

The thing about the large pores on the sponge is real; you can feel a significant deformation even though the sponge is hard. It has good bounce, the natural rubber surface provides excellent grip, and the rebound is quick when you need it, with a lot of control for subtle shots. It’s the German rubber that’s closest to a Chinese rubber in terms of control that I know of. However, it can produce exaggerated rebounds in some instances, which is why it requires a certain adaptation period. Personally, I prefer Chinese rubbers or hybrid ones like Sieger PK50 or Rakza Z, but this one works very well if you’re looking for more ball speed with good control. I recommend it more for the forehand than for the backhand.

I have been playing nearly exclusively with razka X on my forehand in max sponge. Low and behold a new rubber comes out, called XX, and like a fish seeing a flashy lure I bite. I can’t help it. I have tried a few sheets of razka XX in black on max sponge. Being a Yasaka product, they are of course identical and high quality. To me, the rubber is an incremental improvement to Rakza X. It is perceptibly spinner, and that tends to make the ball land on the table more. It may be a little higher throw. The rubber does not feel faster to me. If you want more spin, but still want decent speed, this is a good rubber to try. It is not a quantum leap in play, but with (presumed) ESN generational advancement, there is some difference. I have to admit I have not had the rubbers long enough to get a sense of durability. I have tried my sheets on different blades, and there is the annoying amount of removal of sponge as you remove the old layer of glue. If you like Yasaka rubber (and there is much to like with it imo), this is a good rubber to try. Price-wise, Razka X is still a better deal, especially with TT11's 4 for 3 deal, but R XX is much better priced than those Butterfly favorites.