GEWO Hype XT Pro 50 impressions

Hype xt comparing to regular hype EL

Xt has relatively softer and thinner topsheet. And I agree hype xt has better control, factor.

Hype xt 50 is not so hard for me

arteepr wrote: Try a little bit more forward stroke. I'm using it on my Gewo force ARC and I found it is faster and spinier  than hype el 47.5  just need more strength forward stroke cause it need to hit the ball dig into its sponge to generate power and spin.

I have learned to take theseveral reviews with a pinch of salt until I have an objective idea of the technique or playing level.

Another round of testing on SK7. My theory about tuning was valid. I put one layer of tuner on it a couple of days ago and glued it back on today. It became noticeably softer but much more consistent and that was what I missed from it last time.

It can spin up the plastic ball very well and it is  plenty fast. It feels similar to Xiom Sigma II Euro (but faster) now that it has become a little softer. According to one of my practice partners, it was spinnier than an MXP that was on a Bfly Timberfeel. I used a Tibhar *** 40+ in the test.

EDIT: Although I have found it quite usable, I still think that there are other rubbers that play better out of the box.


Edited by Hans Regenkurt - 07/01/2016 at 6:42pm

Mine impression about the XT50 (max black) on forehand is a bit different. I like how topsheet grips ball. The Sponge is quite typical hard tensor sponge, it felt quite linear. If I remember correcly XT50 has a bit similar characterisctics as the MX-S (I have tried MX-S about one year ago for few sessions), but XT50 is faster on full committed shots and has least same amount of spins as the MX-S.

On previous six months I have used Tenergy 05 max on FH, so I am comparing XT50 mostly to T05. Before T05 I used MXP. I was planning to change back to MXP during summer, but then I decided to try this new XT50 rubber.

I did not had any trouble adjusting to XT50 rubber. I have now played with XT50 few sessions with robot and one session with two training partners who knows mine game really well. They blocked few opening loops over table so there was enough speed/spin for me. It is difficult to compare the spin amount T05, but I would say with fast racket speed spin was at least on same level as with T05. It seems that I am quite easily able to vary amount of spin on FH loops with XT50. I was also able to hit high speed loop/smash kind of shots if the ball was slightly high (or easy), on this kind of shots XT50 felt faster than the T05. Over table I normally like hard sponge rubbers with grippy top sheet, and for this XT50 felt good. It seemed that on serves there was about as much spin as with T05 due to good topsheet. Service return over table felt good (but this is probably mine personal preference to harder sponged rubbers). I don't normally chop from FH side, but I was able to chop with this.

Then to bad points. If I tried to loop little bit out of position, so I don't get enough racket speed, on those shots there was definetly less spin than on T05. So from that sense the rubber is less forgiving than T05 on looping. Based on mine experience rubbers with hard sponge normally requires a full committed (fast racket speed) shot to unveil their full potential. With Tenergy 05 you can get quite much spin with relative low racket speed, it kind of gives "free" spin. So with T05 you can still loop even if you are in a bad position (even though those shots are not optimal either with T05, and can be easily countered unless they are well placed).

Some information about myself. I have played as a junior with 38mm ball, on that time I was all out FH looper/hitter double inverted player. I had a quite long break from competitive play, now I have played about 3 years. I am currently learning to play as a modern defender with long pimples on BH (with 40+ ball it is difficult to play as a all out FH looper/hitter, and maybe I am not so fast anymore as I was as junior). I am still always trying to find out balls to attack with mine FH, and when I'll go to attack I'll try to end ball with 1-2 shots (I am trying to use a bit similar tactics as Chen Weixing/Fabian Akestrom). So I'll need quite fast FH rubber to be able to generate enough speed when I chose to attack. The XT50 seems promising, but I still need to try it a bit more against different opponents before I can really decide should I start to use it. Unfortunately during summer our table tennis club is closed, I so am not able to test it against different styles.

The XT50 was tested on allround+ blade with large head size (Soulspin Fichte-Ayous), and was glued with two layers revolution3 (medium viscosity).