Short Pips or Inverted Defense Rubber

I am not a defensive player, so I don't know any better. This makes it a good question for all the EJ's out there 

I coach several players now and I am looking for a defensive rubber. I want it to be still capable of attacking ( so probably no midium or long pips ), but with more control on defense. I was thinking short pips, but in reality it would be easier for me to adjust to inverted, but I guess a thin inverted rubber of some kind. I don't want to look for one, since I will only use it for coaching. I also don't want to spend a lot so basically:

Looking for defensive rubber that has good control on defense and still be capable of attacking. If you think a certain rubber is best for a specific type of a blade, please say so. Again, I have no experience in this, so I will be relying on gathered advice.

Thank you!

More for chopping and blocking, but also capable of control topspin.

Slice is by Donic? Sorry never used Reflectoid, could you provide a link?

Gambler Reflectoid (Zeropong.com), Donic Slice 40, Yasaka Mark V 1mm sponge.

Leshxa wrote: I am not a defensive player, so I don't know any better. This makes it a good question for all the EJ's out there I coach several players now and I am looking for a defensive rubber. I want it to be still capable of attacking ( so probably no midium or long pips ), but with more control on defense. I was thinking short pips, but in reality it would be easier for me to adjust to inverted, but I guess a thin inverted rubber of some kind. I don't want to look for one, since I will only use it for coaching. I also don't want to spend a lot so basically:Looking for defensive rubber that has good control on defense and still be capable of attacking. If you think a certain rubber is best for a specific type of a blade, please say so. Again, I have no experience in this, so I will be relying on gathered advice.Thank you!

Hi Leshxa
I think from inverted rubbers you could choose
Tackiness chop II 1.2 thickness
or maybe friendship 729 1.2 for a cheaper alternative.
For short pips I would recommend
TSP super spinpips chop with very hard sponge (55 degree) 1.2 -1.5
or
TSP super spinpips chop II with softer sponge (25 degree) 1.2 - 1.5
or
TSP Spectol 1.2
I think you find the pips cheaper than the tackiness. but both inverted and pips would allow your pupils great control and good attacking options. Also unlike long pips they would be able to learn a varied defence using chop and float.
As you say you are not a defender i would advise that the basic chop learned should be the Float. or light chop, with the heavy chop used as a variation. your pupils should concentrate on sending the ball straight back to the largest part of the table with no curling away due to sidespin. To do this its critical that the head of the racket is stable at contact and pointing in the right direction, no matter what tangle the chopper's limbs might be in1
good luck

JimT wrote: Try a thinner version of Reflectoid 1.5 or 1.8 tops.

Definitely a top choice.


For short pips, regular Friendship 802 with 2.0mm extra soft sponge is hard to beat.

roundrobin wrote: JimT wrote: Try a thinner version of Reflectoid 1.5 or 1.8 tops. Definitely a top choice.

Agree.

If you want control, but still ability to generate spin, then Reflectoid is hard to beat, especially at that price.

I played/owned Moristo DF 1.8/2.0 back in the days and they are VERY VERY good looping rubbers that are super controllable. I highly recommend them for your purpose.

Tinykin wrote: Leshxa, my personal opinion is that you are too good a player to play with Reflectoid. It's too limiting in its options. Actually Tenergy 05 is an extremely good defensive rubber. I just played a defender tonight who creamed me 3-0. He used T05 max both sides on an innerforce blade (I don't know which). He seemed to be able to develop heavy backspin from even short little jabs From my limited UK experience, there seems to be a trend towards using T05 as a defensive rubber. The advantage of course is that the attacking option is always there. Maybe it's because our no.1 female uses T05 both sides as a defender.

Tinykin wrote: Leshxa, my personal opinion is that you are too good a player to play with Reflectoid. It's too limiting in its options.

What level is Leshxa? Cause, I really don't understand which limitastions there would be with Reflectoid, unless he is an offensive player with at least a 2000+ rating. If so, then Reflectoid might be to slow, but if he intends to use it to play defensive against students, then I think it's an exellent rubber, cause it's very easy to control and it allows for spin manipulation along with the possibility to attack weak shots.

I actually considered using Reflectoid myself, when I decided to leave my anti behind, but decided against it, since my aim is to develop a more offensive game.

Another cheap, good option would be TopENERGY. Despite it's name (which to me is an obvious Tenergy rip-off) it's a really good rubber. It's on the slow side, but faster then Reflectoid, good spin and according to me, good control on defensive shots.

Tinykin wrote: I have played with Reflectoid for the last 2-3 years, with it gradually becoming my main BH rubber. It is not an easy rubber to control. Yes, in certain circumstances it has its advantages, that's why I use it.  <span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.3;">It is not slow. It's just that one has to have the right technique to exploit it. Those who find it slow are not applying the stroke properly, that's why I say that it's not easy to control.</span> But that's one of its advantages. One can play really slow balls, yet let rip when necessary. I think that a 2000+ player does not need the characteristics of Reflectoid and he will give up too many other aspects of his game to play the Reflectoid way. But it's only my opinion.

Looks as if we have very different experiences with the Reflectoid, cause according to me, it's one of the easiest inverted rubbers to control. Also, it is slow, very slow. I mean, sure, it can be used to hit outright winners with it, but so can any rubber, even a dead slow LP. The sponge used with reflectoid almost feels like the sponge of most anti rubbers, that is, more absorbing then bringing energy to the stroke. This is part of the reason why I liked it, cause the absorbing sponhe also absorbs spin (or, if it is that it bottoms out so easily) so you can block with it and create almost the same kind of effect as you get from anti.

Lexsha said he was going to use it as a defensive rubber against students, which is why Reflectoid was recommended. I don't think to many people here would recommend Reflectoid for a 2000+ offensive player.

Perhaps I should post a video of my chopping after I get it :)

I disagree on the Reflectiod.  I had the 2.0 and it was super slow.

Well, I guess if you are good enough, which he might well be, you can teach them that even with slow rubber, once you get the person out of position, that if you hit the ball somewhere they can't get to, you can win the point.

No, not arguing.  

Edited by Old-Man-Southpaw - 02/21/2013 at 1:48pm