Tibhar Evolution EL-S and FX-S

Expensive, though.

I'm interested in comparison with another spinny 45 deg ESN new-gen rubber: the Omega V Europe.

Setup 1: Hurricane Long V (90g) / H3 Neo 39 (unboosted) / EL-S (max)

Setup 2: MJ-SZLC / H3 Neo 39 (boosted) / Omega V Europe (max)

Basically, the EL-S is the most T05-like rubber out there by a long mile. A bit softer than T05 and all the ensuing properties of the softness follow (a bit easier to spin than T05, max spin potential reaches at a bit lesser arm speed, etc). Medium-high throw (higher than MX-P). Excellent synergy between topsheet and sponge (much better than that in XVE or Rasant Grip).

By T05-like, I mean that a T05 user would feel at home right away with this one. I never thought MX-P was like T05 at all (MX-P, to me, is closer to a highly boosted H3 Neo).

Cut to a Hurricane Long V (which is a larger blade than the standard Butterfly ones), the EL-S max was 50g including glue (so, not too heavy at all).

It is spinnier than the other 45 degree ESN tensors out there once one uses the sponge (XVE is a shade spinnier if you brush only).

Perhaps, the sponge is 0.5 - 1 degree harder than that of the Omega V Europe. Still, I was hoping that it would be a shade harder than it currently is. My mini-beef with ESN 45 deg rubbers (I saw this in Rakza 9 and XVE - both of which I love when new) is that they become softer after 2 weeks and start bottoming out sooner.

For those who don't know yet, the EL-S has been getting fantastic reviews on the German TT forums. Quite a few players who did not think that MX-P was a T05 quality rubber are now thinking of leaving T05 for the EL-S.

Definitely worth trying!

Thank you!

I can totally see where both slevin and NextLevel's are coming from about EL-S.  It feels remarkably like T05 for general, medium effort shots.  The most important thing is that lifting backspin with an active stroke and counterlooping feels very similar, and is ridiculously easy.  It shares the spin sensitivity in passive play (but not the bounciness so much) and I had a hard time with pushing long initially.  On really hard strokes I didn't feel like the spin was quite there, but this does give EL-S an edge when smashing and blocking heavy incoming stuff IMO.

I had FX-S on my BH side and I really didn't like it, which surprised me.  I'm a big fan of FX-P, but for whatever reason I had real issues with FX-S and how its catapult behaved.  It's sensitive to incoming spin but pretty dead on slow impacts, and then throws high and gets fast, quickly.  Service return was giving me fits in particular, whereas EL-S was much more predictable and steady in comparison.  I usually like softer rubbers on by BH side, but I'm more used to bouncy behavior I think.  I guess FX-S's topsheet is absorbing the incoming pace.

Of course, I need a training session.  Going straight into a competitive match with untried rubbers is crazy and not great for evaluating the basic characteristics.  I still won my 3 matches though and that says something - as much as I didn't feel comfortable with FX-S, and as much as EL-S was more demanding in some ways than my usual FH rubber, they are pretty easy to use and it wouldn't take too long to adapt if I wanted to. 

I've not been able to make sense of FX-S either even though I trained with it a bit yesterday.  I just assumed that my Tenergy 05 usage has left me unable to deal with these rubbers as patiently.  I give them credit for improving the throw angle of the series, but I still think that people looking for a Tenergy sub underestimate the role the spring sponge in making Tenergy Tenergy.  I think what distinguishes Tenergy is the wide range of swing speeds at which it gives heavy spin and appropriate speed for a short stroke.  If you want to do all the work yourself, find a more neutral rubber.  But EL-S is in my sweet spot for looping - I don't loop hard enough to not like it.  But the slow ball effects will take some getting used to and I doubt it will be as forgiving when I am late to the ball.  And in this era when the plastic ball is so hard to get moving, the extra help from Spring sponge helps a lot, IMO.