Air Scirocco SF specifically/Air rubbers generall

I'd test Illumina and AssassinS on an alternative blade (not my main setup) and report back here if I get my hands on them randomly (or someone gives me his old rubbers), but for now I'm playing with Scirocco and quite happy with it. Don't want to mess myself up by constantly testing things on my main setup. Once my Sciroccos get old...which may just take forever given the topsheet/sponge glue job and grippiness of the surface, I'm definitely going to give AssassinS and also possibly Illumina a try. Maybe even test them on a slow Chinese blade like LKT Instinct or whatever Stiga Allround alternative there is. 

That must be contact dependent.  Some years ago, I recall I finally gave up on Sriver EL because it would bubble after 3-4 hours of practice and I am not nearly as good as you are.

Then again, that was during glue days, although I was not a heavy gluer.

I ended up progressively playing with harder and harder rubbers partly because they lasted better.  Still, I do not think I have ever played with a rubber that could last a year of even moderate practice.

When I practiced three times a week, nothing lasted more than 6-8 weeks and that is really just 50 hours of practice.  With matchplay, rubbers lasted quite a bit longer though.  

The typical failure mode was pips breaking underneath the topsheet where I make impact most of the time.  The topsheet was still grippy, but with broken pips you effeectively had a dead spot.

ILya

Yeah, I agree with you.  Certainly for me the softer sponge is easier to spin.  But I think some (and I could be wrong) players with big enough swings get more spin out of the firmer sponge.  They can still deform it and when they do it snaps back harder?  The topsheet is a little different feel...perhaps he prefers that and just feels it as more spin?

Really, they're all fairly similar to me.  That's not to say they're all not different, but it's subtle.  I'll certainly welcome anybody else trying it out.  Maybe I should make a "family pack pick 4" different rubbers with the air trio and UL.  Right now while my stock's high, I would sell that for $40 plus 5 ship.  You can pick your own specs, but it has to be one of each.  

I probably should pay $50 marketing fees to the house for this. 

I know. I was just making sure that we're all on the same page. :)  Both of my sciroccos have a yellow sponge. Looks remarkably similar to what I remember Inspirit Quattro used to have.  Why are you asking? 

A couple of the last batches came on white or red sponge.  Yellow was the standard version for years.

I've not seen assassin on yellow sponge.

But I agree, there is a bit of a marketing kick from blue sponges

Also...what's the deal with the red sponge? Is it even faster than the already fast yellow sponge? Louder? More glue effect feeling? 

When I lull an opponent to sleep and they push long, I can put a lot of spin on that ball even in 1.5.  With thinner sponge I feel some ability to chop down some opening topspins or turn an opened point back into backspin, which I didn't used to have for a while with the illumina 1.8.

I have spent most time with AssassinS and Illumina Alpha.  DefenderS was short lived because I greatly struggle with sponges softer than 40 degrees in the short game and I only played Scirocco SF for two sessions, but I'll give my experiences based on use with a 5-ply OFF- looping shakehand blade and a 8.5mm 5-ply Jpen.  Also, I am not very good at being objective when giving reviews.  I only know how I've performed with each.

Illumina Alpha - 41 degrees, topsheet softer than AssassinS and grippy with slight tack.  My first love.  Blocking machine.  Even two of my buddies who crush or loop everything commented on the ease of blocking and feel of the Illumina.  Good looping, awesome all-arounder with good speed.  Incredible placement accuracy.  I tell all the new guys who are looking at Mark V to save their money and get a faster, better Illumina.

AssassinS - Sponge is marked 37 degrees but the topsheet is harder than Illumina.  It is grippy as well but has less of a tack feeling than Illumina.  This is my favorite rubber of the bunch due to the incredible amounts of spin I am able to generate, specifically with RPB and SH BH.  I've used tons of ESN rubbers and hybrids and none of them have been able to produce the heavy second-bounce dive of the AssassinS.  Maybe it is a product of my form but I've won lots of points due to the ball diving below opponent's blades.  I think once you get past the topsheet with enough force it brings out the spinniness of the softer sponge.  This is where I concur with Cole that a heavier stroke brings out more spin and snap.  It has replaced Illumina as my "comfort and consistency" rubber on BH.  Also, I have never had better BH flicks than I do with AssassinS--low, fast and spinny.

DefenderS - 37 degree sponge, softest topsheet of the bunch and very grippy, superb quality topsheet.  Was able to generate monstrous spin, lifting backspin was comedically easy, and service spin was awesome, but I struggled to get the ball over the net when looping a few steps back from the table.  Due to this I would say DefenderS is the slowest of the bunch.  The short game was bouncy and I struggled to keep pushes low and blocks accurate, but as I said <40 degrees+soft top and I have never gotten along.  I really wanted to like this one due to the easy spin, but to no avail.  Maybe 1.9 could tame some of the bounce (mine was 2.1).  Also, choppers or more defensive players might enjoy this rubber.

Scirocco SF - 45 degrees, waxy topsheet.  I play mostly with hard, tacky chinese FH rubbers like Battle II, H8 and hybrids like Big Dipper so I was looking forward to trying Scirocco SF though it isn't really tacky or bouncy.  The hardness reminded me of hard and tacky chinese rubbers (probably softer), but without the tack I didn't really find anything to write home about.  For me it felt very much like a "normal rubber" without any outstanding features which I had never experienced before.  I actually think I should have let it break in more for a full conclusion.  For some reason my service really struggled with this rubber--balls into the net and couldn't generate enough spin (too many dead ducks).  My brain couldn't quite pick out whether to serve Chinese or Euro/Jap style.  Mine was the newer version with the red Air sponge in 2.1, so I don't think its the same as topspinschuss'. 

Speed:  AssassinS > Illumina>=Scirocco SF > DefenderS

Spin:  AssassinS=DefenderS=Illumina=Scirocco SF  (This is kind of misleading because the spin is different with each rubber)

Blocking:  Illumina > AssassinS > Scirocco SF > DefenderS

Short Game:  Illumina >= AssassinS > Scirocco SF > DefenderS

Service Spin:  Illumina=DefenderS > AssassinS > Scirocco SF

Let me know if you guys have any questions.

I wonder the same because in my opinion the quality, performance and durability surpasses other companies like Yinhe/Galaxy, KTL/LKT, 729, and even some ESN rubbers I've tried.  They would surely last a year with care as mentioned (if only I could stop EJing...).  Its a joy opening one up an gazing upon the beautiful red sponge!

I can see that.  Although I played Mark V and Sriver for a long time and I could never generate the speed and spin that I can with AssassinS.  I think its more deadly (yes, another pun).