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Sticky 14 reviews
Much research was done to attain this rubber. I personally find this rubber to have a Rakza 7 soft kind of feel, but it outperforms Rakza 7 soft. It does not have a biting feel as Rakza 7 may have at times, but instead, the sponge absorbs and then releases with control.
There is plenty of grip to loop with speed and control from close to mid, but I feel it needs to be somewhat flat hit on a closed angle further away to not only make the table but keep pressure on. This rubber can produce heavy spin and speed. It is able to lift underspin easily. It feels very controlled.
I use this rubber on my backhand and recommend it to anyone. I use it on a YEO7 blade. I read that this rubber performs better on harder composite blades, and I strongly agree. It is much better than MarkVHps.
Review:
As usual, WoodhOUSEse in Sweden, the distributor of Yasaka, is the worst company ever in terms of marketing their rubbers and blades. However, occasionally, you can discover a few Yasaka masterpieces. This rubber has received high ratings on both Swedish and Japanese table tennis websites.
Regarding Rigan Spin, despite the success of Rigan, its successor, which is now the fourth best-selling rubber in Asia, Woodhouse never released it. It is the worst company ever. They don’t even have a marketing department! Shame on such a good brand that releases only three rubbers a year, all of which are very good, while Donic releases 30, half of which are just equal to the others.
Like Andro, which is so desperate that they have released Rasanter in versions 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, and 52, instead of giving us something new!
Totally underrated and overlooked by many due to the lack of effective marketing by Yasaka, which has never been their forte. The dominant presence in the industry is held by Woodhouse of Sweden.
I hate this rubber. It says “made in Japan,” but it plays like ESN rubber. It is not Japanese style, but rather German rubber. It is not a modern Mark V, and there is no connection between these two rubbers.
Decent Japanese rubber, great for backhand (BH) and also good for forehand (FH). The ball clicks into the rubber well upon contact, enabling the production of a lot of spin. In my opinion, it is one of the best choices for reverse penhold backhand.
Really nice rubber. A lot like Dignics 05 but with a little bit less spin and a little bit more speed. Both are relatively hard and at the same time light. Valmo is the lightest.
I am using this as my backhand (BH) rubber, although it was planned as my forehand (FH) rubber after reading reviews here. However, when I used it on my Yasaka Zebarate, it was a bit slower than my Rakza 7 Soft. The spin is almost the same, and with a lower throw angle, it is very easy to block and control the ball. I think this rubber has some similarity to the old Mark V with new technology added, i.e. a faster and spinnier top sheet with a medium hard tensioned sponge. It is by no means the fastest rubber made by Yasaka; that title belongs to the Rakza 9. If you are a fan of the old Mark V, I suggest you give this a try. However, it is not recommended for advanced users on FH. It could be a very good intermediate-level rubber too.
So when I first got this rubber, I was a flat hitter. Although very fast when flat hitting, this rubber is better for looping. It produces a bit more spin than the TSP Super Ventus, as well as the Hexer Grip.
I believe the most prominent feature of this rubber is its feeling. It feels almost as soft as the Rakza 7 Soft, but unlike the R7S, it never bottoms out. Even when you blast the ball as hard as you can, it will barely get down to the blade. Nobody ever needs to hit it that hard in a game.
And unlike a lot of rubbers I have used (Hexer Grip, Super Ventus, Rakza 7, Rakza 9, among others), this rubber doesn’t “bite” the ball. Instead, I’d say the ball sinks into it before being propelled out with lots of feeling and control. I personally use it on my forehand on three different blades currently:
I don’t like it on my BH because of the propelling feeling, as I prefer the “biting” feeling on my BH.
Overall, I personally think this is far superior to the Rakza series when it comes to a looping play style, generating slightly more spin and and a tiny bit more speed than the Rakza 9 with a unique feel. The durability is great, being primarily made out of a very flexible rubbery natural gum.
9.5/10.
One of the best rubbers! It has identical characteristics, great speed, and spin. The trajectory is brutal and requires proper technique. Hit lightly for a slow response, and hit hard for a fast one.
This rubber has a noticeable slower feel when combined with the DHS Hurricane Long 5 at maximum thickness on the forehand (FH), even though it is not the slowest rubber out there. Compared to other rubbers like T05, MXP, and BlueStorm Z1, it is still slower.
However, its control is excellent for serve receive and topspin blocks. The backspin lift is impressive, and the high arc provided by the rubber offers a wide margin for clearing the net. This makes it an excellent choice for the backhand (BH) but may be too slow for aggressive forehand (FH) play.
Valmo, the latest pips-in rubber from Yasaka, is made in Japan. This rubber embodies the Japanese approach to creating hybrid rubbers, specifically tailored to the modern-day tournament plastic balls. The resulting product is truly exceptional.
In my opinion, Valmo is perfect for backhand play. When paired with the Yasaka Max Carbon 3D blade, it becomes a formidable combination. Spins and loops can be executed effortlessly, while the speed that can be generated (with proper technique) is unparalleled. The control is adequate, making it suitable for blocking and flicks.
This rubber excels in close-to-table play and performs admirably in mid-range and away-from-table gameplay. The only minor downside is the placement of the logo and rubber code, which are not centered and may be aesthetically unappealing. The manufacturer, TT11, attributes this to a manufacturing issue. However, if you can overlook this minor inconvenience, this rubber has the potential to elevate your skills to a new level. It is highly recommended for players who prioritize backhand play.
I recently purchased these rubbers after extensively researching reviews and watching a helpful video that demonstrated their performance in real-world conditions. After approximately 2 hours of play, I must commend these rubbers for exceeding my expectations.
Pros:
Con:
Conclusion:
These rubbers have proven to be highly effective, enabling me to counter aggressive opponents and control the pace of play. The transition to these rubbers was remarkably quick and seamless. Notably, I have been using Yasaka rubbers exclusively for the past two years, which has contributed to my positive experience with these products.
Equipment History:
Blade:
Forehand Rubber:
Backhand Rubber:
The fastest rubber in Yasaka’s range, the Yasaka Rakza 7 is recommended for fast, aggressive offensive style players. It can generate a decent amount of spin as well as a tremendous amount of speed. Highly recommended, it is faster than all Tenergy rubbers but has slightly less control, as it can be hard to control with the amount of speed it produces. Highly recommended for high advanced to semi-pros.
I bought it for 46 euros. It weighs 66 grams uncut. It folds inward when gluing it. (I will update the review after using it for a month.)
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