DHS Skyline 3

A couple of days ago I opened up my new package of DHS's latest rubber supposedly used by Ma Lin and Liu Gouzheng in the recent WTTC06.

Straight out of the package the rubber looks almost identical to its predecessors H2 and H3 with a few tiny differences. The rubber is slightly more translucent (very slightly, dont get your hopes up) and the sponge (I got 2.2mm 39 deg hardness) looks pretty much the same as the sponge the provincial H3 generally gets bundled with. The back of the sponge had a gritty feel, on close inspection tiny ridges could be seen.

I primed the rubber with 3 coats of Sanding speed glue the day before and another coat last night before playing.

I tested the rubber on my Gergely Carbon (most definately not what I would recommend for Chinese rubbers at all).

The Sky3 made by bat really heavy instantly reminding me of why I have always shunned Chinese rubbers, at least it was slightly lighter than the rock stone Hurricane series but only just.

Sky3 is still a low throw rubber, if anything slightly higher than the H's but it produces really fast, deep drives all with that cracking Lin Ju sound that all the Chinese guys are making.

Serves were spinny with this rubber and flips and drives were effortless, I had real problems with blocking (absolutely no feeling) and pushing spinny serves back.

In truth, I really should have tested this rubber like the Chinese do on a springy Stiga or Stiga-like wooden blade. Its clearly an upgrade on the Hurricane series and the quality control and packaging are clearly better. (My Chinese coach also tested the rubber and confirms that Sky3 is faster than H3)

If you like H3 or H2 you will clearly love Sky3 (slightly faster, spinnier and lighter)but if you were hoping for a Eurolike rubber at Chinese prices (BTW Sky costs quite a bit more than H2and 3) Then you'll have to wait some more.

 

Definitely a better version of the Hurricane series rubbers.  Better control, better for looping and easier service - and more like Provincial/National H3 than anything else.  The sponge felt much more springy.  It soaked up speed glue much better as well.  Not like commercial H3 where you need to prime the sponge and maybe 2 - 3 sessions later the sponge is good to go.  I thought it was slightly lighter to commercial H3.  Not much though.

i dont like skyline.  h3 still better

Thanks Petermoo, we missed your reviews.  Keep them coming.

iamconfounded wrote: I don't like sky3 either...  less springy and lower throw (without glue) than H2.  Sky3 has better control at the expense of speed and a smaller dynamic range.  Yes, better sponge, softer topsheet, but hardly anything to write home about.  If you don't glue, and like H2 or H3, better to stick with those.

Agreed.Whats most important is a rubber that fits your playing style.Not because its new and used by the pros.They have their own style,you have yours.Sky2 and Sky3 just provide more choices to the consumer.Alot of people are still sticking on to H3 as it suits the playing style of most people.

You can use any type rubber with any type of blade.  It's personal preference.

Clipper is a fast blade.  And if you have the CR, it is very hard.  But I would suggest a rubber with control.  Skyline is a good rubber and is medium soft so it would defintely have control.  But it wouldn't have as much speed as you are used to with your Bryce.  It would be more like your Sriver EL but tackier.  I've used Skyline on a Stiga Energy and Cliper CR WRB and it works fine.  I'd worry more about how it feels to your stroke rather than how it feels on a particular blade manufacturer.

I'll have to get back to you on the weights, but which specific RITC were you speaking of?

I'll find my scale and try to figure out the weights for you as soon as I can.

ughhh i stoppped using h2 coz of the weight and my blade is too heavy maybe ill consider using wang nan jap sponeg as a replacement for my hurricanes

skyline 3 on my Super Carbon is quite comfortable...and with glue its not that slow. It's just a little bit slower than Bryce. But the fact that it creates a lower arc makes it even faster than Bryce when it comes to 3rd ball topspinattack.
My Skyline brought in China is definatly ligher, softer than H3, but is not stickier.
I've primed it with 3 coats energy the day before...and before playing I put 2 coats on it.
It's just a little harder than my Bryce with two coats energy.
At the moment Skyline 3 on my wood is to me the non-plus setup.So the question is...should I try an all-woodblade like OC, Tube Off or Clipper, so that the performance gets even better that it is now.

I can, too. But H3 is stickier.
So what about the blade?Should I trie an allwood-blade and which one?

im also planning to use skyline3 as a sub to my defensive game?? on a joo se hyuk blade...

Chinese rubbers not match with hard blades like Gergely carbon. The Skylines are super on Stiga OC Cr or Nittaku Violin "All wood" not that stiff blades.