KTL Red Diamond?

Ok then, had a long training session with the KTL Red Diamond tonight.  It's still tacky, and can still lift a ball for a few seconds.  I've just cleaned it, and it's still going strong.

 

I didn't like it on the OSP Expert, but on the Calix it worked really well.  It's a combo of soft sponge, slight tack, slight bounce.  Very forgiving when using.  Like an easy-to-use H3, or a lower-powered BW2.  It was the easiest rubber I've ever used to counterloop with, and it even smashed well.  If I had to point out a weakness, it's just a bit too slow for an all-out attack game, and I had to adjust my blocking a bit.  That could equally be Calix's slow low gear though.

 

You were right all along.  Now, the only problem is can I order some more and get the same rubber?  Or will it be totally different next time?

 

You are such an optimist!  Keep talking, you're cheering me up no end!

 

No, from tnha on ebay.

 

That's the best explanation so far.  So what was the old BP doing in a KTL package?  Well, here is the NEW KTL packaging for BP, with purple colour scheme:

 

 

My BP packaging doesn't look like that.  It looks almost like the old one:

 

 

BUT!  It does have KTL on the packaging, and not LKT.  So I think that KTL are still selling the old version of BP, in a slightly modified package (with KTL logo on the front, not the old LKT).  But it's old stock, so the rubber still has LKT on.

 

Dual, was your RD tacky when fresh from the package?

I'm talking about fresh sheets.  I just took the protective film off (not the sheet which comes with it) after I'd glued the cut rubber onto a blade.  And they're both tacky.  This RD can lift a ball for quite a while.

 

The topsheet and sponge are exactly as you describe.  But I can't describe it as non-tacky.  Maybe it will wear off quickly?

 

 

 

Well.  Nuts.

 

First off, the Black Power.  It was in the new KTL packaging.  However, the rubber inside had the old LKT stamp.  Looked like one of the earlier versions to me.  Black sponge, quite hard, quite heavy, slightly tacky.  So that's disappointing.  Is this an old version in a new package?  Is there even a new version available, or are LKT buring through their old stock?  As usual, confusion reigns.

 

However, the Red Diamond was the new one.  Rubber has the new KTL logo.  Completely different to the previous RD versions.  Much, much lighter.  Light pink sponge, very soft.  So soft it's difficult to cut.  Strange texture to it, almost feels like cloth.  The only other sponge I've seen with a textile-like texture was TinArc 3, but this is much lighter than that.  The topsheet is thin, translucent, non-tacky.  Reminds me a lot of the Shark 2 Red Sponge topsheet, but the pips are smaller.

 

I forgot to weigh the uncut sheets, and they're both in the press now.  I did weigh the cutoffs, and the RD was 16g, while the BP was 21g.  So, scaling up, RD is 76% of the mass of BP.  A LOT lighter, and a lot lighter than the original 1st gen RD.  Sorry I didn't get accurate figures.  :-(