From Butterfly, Tenergy 25 (T25) featured pimples no. 25 to control/spin close to the table. These pimples are 2.65mm in diameter and more than 1.56 times no. 5 (Tenergy 05). The large dimension makes it easier to put a high spin when serving or playing a push stroke.
This is an interesting rubber with the fact that the pimples of this rubber are bigger than normal. My guess is a larger pimple means less dwell time, but I think the sponge is a tad softer than T05 to help compensate for this.
From the feedback of T05 & T64 users, I guess that the T25 lies in the middle, that is, while some say that T64 is be suited to mid-distance players, while the 05 is supposed to play better near the table, so T25 lies in between the two.
I knew from other reviews that T05 has been heavy and that T25 would be similar, but my racket did not feel heavier than before, maybe because it was 1.8mm thick.
Overall this is a satisfactory rubber, but it is heavier than I imagined it would be. The sponge felt harder than I thought it would. It is tough but dynamic, which means that putting effort into hitting the ball is harder pays off.
I became comfortable with T25 quickly. It is obviously slower than my friend’s speed glued Bryce Speed, and the spin was slightly better. It plays differently from anything else I have used before.
I tried this rubber on two different blades, YinHe W-3 and Yashima Training. The thickness of the rubber is 1.8mm. First, I tried it on the W-3, and I must say not a good combination. The lack of dwell time on a hard carbon blade makes the combination difficult to control. Fast, yes, it sure has speed, but lack of control means my returns are not going where I wanted the ball to go.
This setup made it rather difficult to loop with spin, but this combination is alright for hard-driving. For serving, the ball feels to be bouncy, maybe because the blade is a stiff one. Blocking is easy to place and play. In other words, there’s no weakness here.
Initial stroking with the T25 – this rubber produces a deafening and distinctive crack sound, almost remind me of using some old glued-up 729 FX or Sriver L. The sound is also unique. It almost sounds more like a crack than a click.
My initial findings of T25 are that it has a very low throw angle and is very spinny. This is, in my opinion, the best rubber since the end of speed glue. The catapult effect is, in my opinion, better than the ESN tensor rubbers. I can’t say whether it’s faster, but simply more similar to speed glue.
Thanks to the grip of the Tenergy top sheet, the rubber stands at the top in terms of spin; and the only rubber that outdoes it is the tacky Chinese rubbers. The longevity of the sheet will prove itself in the future, but I can already see good things in comparison to other rubbers that I have tried, more notable the 729 FX, which is currently being used on my backhand.
Looping
The catapult effect is convincing, and so is the feeling conveyed while looping. It is, for me, the first rubber that has enough power, even when the ball is contacted poorly.
Finally, you can employ small adjustments, in contrast to the ESN tensor rubbers, which play so linear. I hope you know what I mean. Loops near the table and away come with super spin and speed, and depending on how I loop, they come with a superb arc.
Loops were consistent and also had sufficient power. Looping near the table is good. It has great power away from the table, so it can be used by someone like me who likes to stand 5 feet back and loop, but as I said, you have to beware of the low throw angle.
Serves
Some people have claimed problems are creating short serves with the T25. This is complete nonsense! After a week of training, I can serve just as well, if not better. Likewise for serve returns. You can really do everything with this rubber, whether aggressive pushing, dropping it short, or flipping it. It’s perfect for me.
Blocking
The rubber is, for me, simply unparalleled. I feel the only controllability, as matching it with a stiff(hard) and fast blade makes this combination difficult in controlled blocking. Another observation is that the rubber has increased the vibration in my racket. This is most noticeable while blocking someone else’s power loops.
Driving
Excellent in the sense that this rubber is quite fast.
Conclusion: Good for hitters or smashers because of its speed.
My ratings :
- Speed – Fast
- Spin – fairly spinny
- Throw angle – very low
These are just some unorganized thoughts from my first play with T25. There is also another review of Tenergy 25 where you can refer to. My apology if the review seems too long. I hope it gives everyone who is interested a better idea of what it’s like. Next, I will pair this rubber with a pure wooden blade and see how it performs.