Tenergy 05-FX - Initial Impressions/Review

As the existing thread about T05-FX appears to be the domain for only Boz and High Arc I thought I would create a separate topic to post my initial comments. Please feel free to contibute your own comments and reviews here in due course.

1. The reviewer: I'm a two winged attacking player who looks for 3rd/5th ball opportunities, but will rally it out if necessary. Hard to tell my level but would think I'm somehere in the 1900-2000 range, possibly slightly higher. Very good server so this factor is of importance to me. Tested on a Palatinus custom-made OFF blade - limba outers a la Korbel and Maximus. I have played with T05 almost exclusively on my forehand since it was released in May 2008 and so am familiar with T05's strengths and weaknesses.

2. Physical Properties: Very similar to regular T05. The sponge feels softer and is also perhaps slightly more porous though hard to tell. Topsheet looks the same. Package weight 87g, uncut 64g, cut to TBS shape blade 44g.

3. Speed:
- Speed on slow strokes. Counterhitting was very easy and there was a decent sound when the speed/power increased and you got deeper into the sponge. Blocking was also very easy and controlled. I was practicing rather than playing matches and so wasn't using many slow openers over the table but those I did hit felt similar to T05 - perhaps slightly higher throw.
- Speed on power loops. Speed on power loops was very good, but not extreme. Plenty of 'put away' power, but maybe missing the extreme 'Tenergy Ball'� power that T05 sometimes displays. A liitle bit 'mushy' perhaps but too early to tell fully though.
- Speed on power drives/smashes. T05-FX is a very easy rubber to hit power drives with and felt a bit more like a regular tensor here, e.g. Express 1, but in a Tenergy styl-ee.

4. Spin:
- Spin on a loops. Very spinny as you would expect from the Tenergy topsheet, however I felt that the softer sponge perhaps contributed to a bit less spin than regular T05 at higher speeds. Interestingly, I felt that T05-FX felt a bit lower throw than T05 on more powerful loops, but that it was higher throw on slower loops (more like T64 or Genius perhaps) - although it is too ealy to confirm this feeling for sure.
- Spin on serves/pushes. Wasn't playing matches so it is hard to comment on the short game. Did one or two routines beginning with a short backspin serves and T05-FX was very good for keeping these serves short and tight. Didn't utilise my �hook serve and will be interested to see how the softer sponge affects control/spin etc. in due course.

5. Control:
Overall I thought that T05-FX was easier to control (less extreme) than T05 -  though as I didn't use it in a match situation I cannot comment on serve return which is where the money really is.

6. Other Playing properties: As I said before, I wasn't quite sure about throw angle. Loop/drives felt lower throw and had a low and sharply dipping trajectory. On the occasions where I didn't fully commit and didn't get deep into the sponge it felt quite high throw - as I said earlier more akin to T64 and Genius. Nice sound on harder shots but not extreme like Energy Xtra or Nimbus Sound etc.

7. Reference: As you would expect T05-FX is a more controlled version of T05 that perhaps lacks that extra overdrive gear that T05 is able to produce on occasion.

8. Other comments I never liked T05 as a backhand rubber (or more accurately it didn't suit my style/technique) but found I could play OK with T05-FX. Will probably stick to something like Solcion or the Bryce Speed FX I am currently dabbling with.

Summary
I only hit for 2 hours last night and didn't get to use it in a match situation, however T05-FX was almost exactly what I expected (and hoped) it would be. I would need to be sure of it's capabilities in the short game before committing to it instead of regular T05 but I would not anticipate this being a problem.

Good and thorough review, thanks! I agree with all of it I think.

Of course you could have posted this in the other thread, I guess the title of "our" thread it is misleading. Perhaps we should even copy paste this review into the other thread or mine (and boz following one) into this one, what do you think?

Thanks. good to know T05 fx. I am using regular T05 on both sides. Hesitating  changing T05 fx for my backhand. Thanks again

I still don't know why my name is on that other review...

It was proposition. Anyway the review here sounds as though it fully supports all that Higharc said. Everything about the rubber is what I expected prior to release also.

Only thing I still am not happy about is that it isn't more than a couple of grams lighter than tenergy 64.

Boz!

Had to read your questions a couple of times to make sure I understood! I've been using Solcion 1.9 on my backhand for about a year now - haven't tried 2.1. If someone is having problems playing with Solcion then it is their technique and not the rubber. Very controllable with none of the unpleasant surprises you get with some tensors. Never played with it glued - I used to heavily wet glue back in the day and I suspect it just might have been too soft. Two sheets of Solcion on an ALL+ to OFF blade and you have a very decent control set-up.

In terms of T05 and T05FX on the backhand, basically I never felt fully in control of T05. Yes I could do looping drills and routines with it but that was with secure/known footwork. The problem is when you are in a match situation and you are out of position and/or the footwork isn't quite there. T05 is not very forgiving in these scenarios - and that's where points are lost or not lost. Lower throw rubbers such as Solcion and Bryce Speed FX offer that bit more in those situations - for me at least.

T05FX felt quite nice on my backhand although I didn't give it an extensive work out on Friday night. If I trained hard with it I reckon I could use it as a backhand rubber, but not T05. Again just personal preference and style. I haven't tuned or glued a rubber since the glue ban came in and TBH I'm no longer curious. While I miss my wet glued Mendo MP and can find nothing like it I have successfully adjusted to T05 and like the consistency of play from day to day.

GW - thanks

Well expressed, you succinctly expressed why I used Solcion on my bh.

Thaidog wrote: I am this close to getting a T05 FX from tt-japan.net :) GW - how is the TT up in Scotland? Is it worth a golf/TT vacation trip?

The TT is good especially around the main cities Glasgow and Edinburgh. I play my TT in the West in and around Glasgow and so can advise you where and when to go - maybe even arrange a hit!

The golf in Scotland is superb ... but I'm biased! I live about 20 mins drive from Royal Troon and Prestwick Old (home of the first ever Open) and a further 20 or so mins South takes you to Turnberry! In the East there are ther gems such as St Andrews, Carnoustie (a brute!) and Muirfield. But even away from the famous championship courses there are many, many fantastic courses - both links (seaside) and parkland to be discovered and enjoyed. Courses such as Blairgowrie - the last course that Alastair MacKenzie worked on in Scotland before heading to the States and creating Augusta!

You can't go wrong!

I have now been using tenergy 05 fx for a very extended period of time and feel I have moved beyond initial impressions greatly.  I am totally used to it now after I am guessing almost half a year of using it I can say for anyone who thought tenergy 05 was too hot to handle then fx is against all my initial thoughts YES FX IS MORE EASY TO CONTROL.  I still prefer the original but am just finding for now the weight shorter length the rubber kicks forward more easy to control for my forehand which has always been weaker.  I thought I would update because in this video you can se me using it on my fh after a longer period.  I am using blitz bh and it is all on the yasaka balsa blade, so you can see a how 3 companies sit in one combination and maybe peeps dont think im a butterfly fanboy anymore.

Is FX better on I.F. ZLC or ZLF(BH will be Spinart).

good review. 

alborz wrote: good review.

Good grave dig.

Just tried 05fx on my Maze briefly, when doing looping drills my partner noticed how much spinnier my loops were, and at the same speed. Hmm... I stick with this for now, not too sure if I like it or not, due to the lack of power vs MX-P, but still really nice..

SmackDAT wrote: Just tried 05fx on my Maze briefly, when doing looping drills my partner noticed how much spinnier my loops were, and at the same speed. Hmm... I stick with this for now, not too sure if I like it or not, due to the lack of power vs MX-P, but still really nice..

Try EL-P.  It is great. No loss of power compared to MX-P, but very nice feel.  Sounds like you might like it a lot.

Tinykin wrote: @ Smackdat I notice that you use T05/MX-P on the same blade. It would be interesting to hear your comparison especially why you favour T05 on your FH.

SmackDAT wrote: Tinykin wrote: @ Smackdat I notice that you use T05/MX-P on the same blade. It would be interesting to hear your comparison especially why you favour T05 on your FH. Tinykin, this is just my personal preferance, but if you must know; I prefer T05 because the downsides of T05 are less noticeable on my forehand. For example, I rarely recieve serves with my forehand, and when I do, it will probably be a loop return off a fast serve. I feel the spin sensitivity does not matter on the forehand, in a way it is a good thing. I find T05 great for slow opening loops, as well as its counter looping abilities; I don't need the extra speed/linear control MX-P gives me, as the forehand is naturally a more powerful stroke which requires more arm. That being said, MX-P is a great rubber on the forehand as well. It all comes down to personal preference, but I find when I'm pressured to counter back a topspin or am out of position T05 is just slightly better than MX-P. I see you're from the UK as well, I get my tenergies @ £43 from a private seller/friend so I guess it comes down to price really. If you can get MX-P for £30-35 vs Tenergies £50 I do recommend you stay with MX-P but since I only change my rubbers every 5-6 months I only settle for the best :D On topic: I am liking T05fx on the backhand as much as MX-P; backhand loops feel more natural and backhand counter rallies feel easier to play without a loss of speed (in general)