It really depends on who you are.

Once, I was debating boosting, when a man who often gives me tips said "the boost comes from you". I agreed, and decided to not boost. And I use the hardest version available. I use H3 provincial blue sponge, 41 degrees, 2.2 mm, and still bottom it out on a regular basis. I don't boost because I do not want the rubber any softer than it is, I can generate the power myself. Like rocketman said, I am a kid. I don't consider myself as being in exceptional shape, but I am certainly not out of shape.

Another guy I know boosts everything, even rubbers like Tenergy, which I find too soft to use even before boosting. He doesn't lose anything from this, he gains from it. His shot selection and power benefit from boosting, and mine don't.

Everybody will have different things they want from their rubber, so if you need what boosting supplies, boost.

They are meant to be boosted. It's so hard to use them if they're not boosted. Also, not every 3-4 months lol. More like every 3 weeks to 1 month.

MLfan: if one time boost can last 6 months, I will try. For every 3 weeks to one month, I just don't have that much initiative. :) Someone should offer a rubber boosting service so people can send in their rubbers. 

Have a look at Yinhe Big Dipper/Yasaka Shining Dragon

You can keep boosting at least 6 months or 1 year.

I've tried boosting and I don't feel there is enough difference to bother with it. (Yes, the rubber will feel a little bit livelier but you also lose some level of control) Plus, some sheets might develop bubbles (a couple of mine did), and boosting your sheets shortens their life span. I am opting to boosting once a virgin sheet starts to feel dead after many many months of use. Then I'll boost it to get some extra mileage.

I use Hurricane 3 Blue Sponge on my FH. I don't boost my BH rubber at all.

FdT

Have a look at ALC blades for H3 Neo, or consider boosting with 1-2 layers?

Fang Bo 2 or Samsonov Stratus Carbon are great limba/alc blades

Everyone is enamored with H3N because that's what the CNT is using.  But players ignore the fact that what the CNT uses (rubber, sponge, "factory" tuning, etc.) is not exactly available to the general public.  Plus they are fit athletes to begin with.  I would suggest considering the Haifu Blue Whale 2.

http://ttnpp.com/store/haifu/492-haifu-blue-whale-ii-factory-tuned-upgrade-vacuum-packed-6.html" rel="nofollow - http://ttnpp.com/store/haifu/492-haifu-blue-whale-ii-factory-tuned-upgrade-vacuum-packed-6.html

No need for messy self tuning and also great mid court capabilities.  And tell him to stop covering his serves 

Some of the Blue Sponge H3's are absolutely amazing for those of us with less than CNT training. They are usually very "booster friendly" and perform at peak for a few weeks.

But, as discussed ad infinitum, those blue sponge variants aren't usually commercial offerings, and frequently have short lifespans. I'd almost argue that because those BS variants play so well for mortals, and generally run softer than what the pros use, the chance of fakery is very high.

Especially since they usually cost more than legitimate DHS product.

I'm pretty sure loads of the CNT women use orange sponge national H3 Neo right? And FTW

Yup, the orange sponge doesn't require as much self-power.

Seems like the lower performance rubber vs H3 BS/H3 orange, Liu Shiwen and Samsonov used to use Grip-S (clone of BW2) before changing to H3 BS and MXP respectively! No pros currently use it if that's anything to go by

That says a lot right there LOL!

I had forgotten than Haifu BW2 was a clone of Tibhar Grip-s. Or is it the other way around, can't remember....

Thanks.

H8 is probably your best bet, as the 'neo' rubbers run out of factory tuning after they are played with enough.

Would it be H3 Neo? Or TG3, TG3N, H2N or something else?

Best?

At my level, with my limited footwork:

TG2 was the most user friendly after Falco Long.

H3Neo was the most powerful, but only if your footwork and stroke was good...

TG2Neo is a bit of a compromise, more of the neo speed, but not as easy to use as TG2 boosted.

H2 was only useful for counterattacking topspin; the low throw made openings against heavy underspin more difficult than TG2 or H3.

They all perform best boosted, so it's just a matter of which one suits your playing the best.  I like h3n.  It's just savage when spinning hard, but has control in spades when slowing down.  It's topsheet + pimples are also quite supple for a traditional tacky rubber.

If you are going to break the rules anyway why not do it right and use some real stuff like speed glue 

Yeah.  Don't be a wuss about it.  If you're gonna break the rules, you might as well break 'em right.

I, as a reformed speed gluer who saw the light in 1997, highly recommend Rema (Tip-Top) vulcanizing fluid.  It's cheap, $2.43 for a 5 gram tube, works great on sealing up your bicycle tires, and was the choice of champions before a whole bunch of manufacturers came up with their own speed glues.  

try Sanwei Target National.

It plays like a faster spinnier version of tinarc, but feels more like a controllable, harder sponged H3.

Sure it's lacking the top end speed of boosted H3... But the spin to speed ratio is good (the kick, after table contact) and the arc is low when you drive... I really don't have any complaints.

only if you are a professional playing international competitions.

for making the rubber more lively and fast, juicing the rubber with solvents will last for up to a week before it falls off

you can make your own speed glue as good as or better than the old stuff with parts readily available at ace hardware/ lowes etc

2. as someone who uses chinese rubber exclusively I can tell you that almost any tacky chinese rubber will respond to speed glue well.

Can anybody play this game anymore without having to be some sort of friggin' Professor Irwin Corey searching evermore and evermore for the Holy Grail which will impart all the technological acumen that science can bring to bear for ever and ever for ever and ever hallelujah amen to the Chernobylized megaradiated wasteland that could once call itself a sport?

yes, you could pay $80 a sheet for tenergy 05 and have no need to boost.

Problem solved. think about it.

i am very happy with Sanewei Target National and Rasant. 

Really, zero complaints.

Chinese rubbers have to be boosted in order to be used.  If you don't boost the rubber, you cannot play with it.  

But no, it absolutely does not need to be boosted.  I use it un-boosted as do a few other players in my club.  None of us boost it.  If you are looking for a linear rubber that gives exactly what you put in, slow and controlled in the short game, a powerhouse on power shots, with every gear in between.  Then use it un-boosted.  If I wanted a rubber that was fast and spinny even without a powerful stroke I would get a tensor rubber, but the very reasons I like Chinese rubbers are the things you get from them non-boosted.

FdT

I think 100% of members here aren't pros. 

it is very direct, ie the rubber does what you make it do, it doesnt add any personality of its own.

I use slow tacky chinese rubber mostly. in the last three months my rating went from 1365 to 1677 using $5 unboosted rubbers

I noticed that as I was playing a higher level of players, my chinese rubber seems to put me at a disadvantage. Its not fast enough to stress the opponent, but not slow enough to be a pure defensive rubber. the opponents ball is coming back to me quick, and I have no answer,

for grins I decided to juice my rubbers since I have some solvents at home.

WHOA NELLY! HOLY Speed n spin batman. 

with a boosted rubber I can step back three feet from my normal position and still have more speed and spin on the ball than the unboosted rubber. 

on the backhand, a flick of the wrist returns a faster ball than a full stroke with unboosted rubber. 

now I understand why ALL the pros were juicing when it was legal, and why ALL the pros using chinese rubbers are STILL boosting- the advantage of a boosted rubber is that huge.

BTW, speed glue and boost are NOT illegal in club play so boost to your hearts content if you are a club player.

one thing I like about boosted chinese rubber vs european rubber is the feel. it feels so good and still so much control- until you put a little swing behind it and then watch out.

not disagreeing with you, and I have to state that only a very small % of my rubbers are boosted by me, so my question is more or less just for knowledge and maybe more important for people who boost extensively

chop or anyone that that had a sheet of rubber bubble on them:  how does this bubble look like?  Is the bubble really obvious (high dome) or does it look like a spot that is freshly lumpy from too much glue being applied?

http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=63577&title=h3-neo-bubble-after-1-month

BTW, my sheet doesn't look like the above, it is a slightly lumpy area about 1 1/2 inches by 3/4 inches

my problem looks like the sheet in the Oct 3 2007 picture by "Mafia"  except larger.  I find the rubber dumps more balls into the net than usual.  Do you guys still play with a rubber in such a condition?