Bw2:red sponge Review - Fruitloop

1. The reviewer:
I'm from Australia so i do not have a usatt rating. I've been playing for 3 1/2 years and I'm a two-winged looper. I have the bw2r "hard" which i think is 39-40 degree(?) in black on a timo boll spark. It's the tuned version. I'm using it on the forehand side.

2. Physical Properties:
It looks/feels like the original bw2 except with a deep red sponge. Topsheet slight tack like the original. Same tuning layer. The only difference i noticed was it felt slightly softer when you pressed down on it.

3. Speed:
- Speed on slow strokes - I was actually surprised by how fast this rubber was on slow strokes like counter-hitting. The rubber just seemed to exude power from the first ball I hit, even on my all-round blade. It wasn't overly fast like a bryce or even tenergy but just more than I had expected after my experience with the original bw2.
- Speed on power loops - Very, very good. Not much else I can say, it's just really good in this area.
- Speed on power drives/smashes - For smashing, this is the best traditional tacky chinese rubber that i've used. Drives and kill loops are every bit as good as the black sponge version. Best rubber i've played with in this area. Take this with a grain of salt though, as my technique has probably improved as well.

4. Spin:
- Spin on a loops - Like all tacky rubbers it's great in this area. It's definitely spinny enough for its speed but i do wish it had a little more spin (who doesn't wish they had more spin). It's not near hurricane levels of spin but still better than 95% of other rubbers. On par with tenergy imo.
- Spin on serves/pushes - Just like with loops i wish it was spinnier but serving was very easy and still loaded with spin. I felt heavily dug long pushes had a lot of spin and were very dangerous which i havn't exactly felt with other rubbers.

5. Control:
I think the control was the thing i was most impressed about with this rubber. Most notably the blocking. Being a little softer and bouncier blocking was a lot easier. Placement on loops i didn't find any harder than with any other rubber. Every shot went where I told it and the loops had enough dip to find the table. Short game was really strong as well. Short pushes were better than the original whale almost always 2 bounce not amazingly spinny but low and not attack-able. Aggressive flips were also really good with this rubber being a little bit bouncier once you engage the sponge. This isn't one of my best shots but the ones that went on were hard to deal with.

6. Other Playing properties:
Thow angle - i don't want to get flamed for the definition of throw angle but i struggled a little bit with the throw angle at first. On slow shots the throw was quite low and i'd frequently hit into the net and on faster shots i was hitting out of the table. This was mainly on the first open against no spin/backspin. At first i was perplexed but I adjusted and quite like it. The higher throw lets me hit lower over table balls with a more closed angle when i really want to hit hard making the shot almost unreturnable. In general, higher than bw2b but not as high as h3.

Sensitivity to spin - This rubber is actually really sensitive to incoming spin, which isn't a bad thing in my opinion. I feel that it gives me more options in terms of placement when in position. But out of position or even a misread of spin and you can send the ball off or into the net. Similar with most tacky style rubbers.

Sound/glue effect - I've never used speed glue so i can't really comment on the glue effect. Being a chinese rubber it doesn't make a lot of sound but when you loop hard it does make quite a big sound, akin to the old bw2. With the timobollspark it's a sortof "cork-ish" sound.

Bottoming out - Only happened once or twice when i was far off the table and really ripping into the ball. Pretty much non existent issue.

7. Reference: I felt the best reference point for this rubber would be the original whale and hurricane 3 pro neo. Probably the 2 rubbers i've used the most in recent times. To start with whale 2 black sponge. Red sponge is better. Fullstop. It's fixed the weight issue, everything else is better apart from the ability to hit the biggest booming forehand you've ever seen. If you want to hit those, stick with the whale 2. If you want to win matches and use a bw2, chose the red sponge.
In regards to hurricane 3. I've always felt as though h3 has more point "opportunity" whereas bw2 has a point "conversion" power. By this i mean h3 has better tools and advantage to get into control of a rally or have a chance to win the point outright but bw2 has more finishing power and it's easier to stay in control of the rally and finish the point easier. With the red sponge i think haifu have bridged the "opportunity" chance closer to h3. To this point i felt h3 was better, now i'm leaning more in favour of bw2r.

8. Other comments
Bw2r is amazing for counter looping. Close table, mid range. Hands down best rubber I've used for this. From far, best chinese rubber i've used. Side spin loops are also really impressive.

Please be kind, this is my first review(i think). Any feedback and constructive criticism is welcome and encouraged. I'll try to answer any questions. Hope you enjoy the rubber as much as I have so far


Edited by Fruit loop - 08/02/2011 at 12:48pm

AMonteiro wrote: Thanks.. this review made me want to try a chinese rubber after more than 15 years using Euro/Jap rubbers both sides.

Haha sorry. I promise I don't work for haifu or mytt

that's a great review. I'd agree whole heartedly with what you said.

mhnh007 wrote: Nice review.  I concur with OP on the review of this rubber.  However, I find that the spin is very good, but it could be because mine is medium sponge, and I play on a rather soft but stiff blade, so I was able to engage the sponge more to generate spin.  I love the old BWII, but wish it's a bit lighter, so this upgraded one has everything I need (lighter weight), and more (speed).

It is spinny! I said it was on par with t05. how much more do you want!?

and beeray, i got mine from ttnpp

I would get it from ttnpp, but I like picking my hardness vs. getting 'medium' or 'hard' because the 39dg one I played was great.

I am using BWII redsponge and Tin Arc 3.  I really like both of them.  BWII redsponge is a bit faster and spinner than Tin Arc 3 or H3 Neo.  I feel BWII redsponge is also spinner than Tenergy 05.  

Very good review.  Similar to my story.  I've been playing TT less than 3 years ago.  My FH rubber of choice changed from NEO H3 -> Neo TG2 -> BW2 -> BW2R and I had almost the same feeling.  I feel that even though NEo rubbers can finish the point faster in loop kills and spins, but BW overall is just more complete especially for developing different skills and stills can the power loops and kills when need it.  It seemed to be very durable so far as well.  

I will try and comment on durability as i continue to play with this rubber. I think this is where the rubber might come up a little short.

does anyone know the official website of Haifu Factory

I coudnt find it with google

beeray1 wrote: I would get it from ttnpp, but I like picking my hardness vs. getting 'medium' or 'hard' because the 39dg one I played was great.

I agree too, unfortunately 35 through 41 hardness was the first batch that was offered by Haifu, just like the black sponge, they offered so many different hardness ratings that it caused people to stay away from the rubber because of too high of a cost to find the perfect hardness for their style.

All future batches are only availble in soft, medium, or hard. 35-37 is soft, 38-39 is medium, and 40-41 is hard.

Btw, the black sponge BW2 is being phased out of production so the red sponge will be replacing it as the new lead for the product line.

I got my 36 degree last month..

Skyline wrote: To all BW2 red sponge users,   Do you only put waterbased glue on the blade or also on the rubber when glueing this rubber?   I'm afraid that if I only put glue on the blade that the bond is not strong enough and the rubber will play differently.

That's sad really. A product that costs 2$ to make, costs 30+ and needs to be replaced monthly.

I'm starting to sympathize with people who self tune; buying your factory tuning is cost prohibitive.

I dunno guys, mines are still great.. Way over 1 month, I even peeled the tuning layer off one and transferred it to different bats and still impressed by it. Speed and spin doesn't change one bit. I dunno....

So in your opinion fruitloop BW2 red is only better than H3 prov for the first month (or 10 days)? And after that H3 prov is better?

Maybe this only applies to the harder sponges, maybe 37 or 38 is ok for longer?




Edited by Vassily - 08/31/2011 at 5:13am