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Donic Bluestorm Z1

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Hans Regenkurt View Drop Down
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    Posted: 06/14/2017 at 5:43pm
I got my sheet of max+ today. I glued it on with Revolution glue during the training, so I am not quite sure if it had bonded fully ( I am trying it tomorrow too anyway). The blade is a Korbel euro FL at 88 gramms. The balls that were used were the Donic P40+ *** and training balls and Donic celluloid training balls.

After I got it out of the package, I could immediately feel the smell of booster. However, it is not the smell that the Bluefire series use but another. The pores are not as big as in an M1 and I did not notice that the sponge would be overly thick. The topsheet might be a little thinner but there is nothing striking about it.

My opinion is extremely positive. Right after the first hits I felt I liked it a lot. It does not feel too hard, however, my practice partners said it is a bit rigid. It feels as hard as a 47 degree euro rubber should. Maybe it feels a little more rigid than an MXP but this difference is nothing to complain about.

To put it shortly, after today's two hour training, it is like a harder issue of an Acuda Blue P1 Turbo and it behaves similarly. I did not find the Blue Turbo particularly destructive, it was a mild OFF rubber in my view. The Z1 is an extreme weapon.

The quality that made me like Z1 immediately is its huge speed and the confidence it gives you on fully committed strokes. In terms of top speed, it is clearly faster than a T05, I would say also than an MXP. It is not jumpy in the short game, serves had decent spin. I will be testing that tomorrow. If you commit to your strokes, it is close to impossible to miss a loop or loopdrive. Even though the plastic ball is more sluggish, I was able to send extremely fast drives even from 2.5 meters from the table.

So far so much about the good, it has some less strong points. Everybody I tried the Z1 with observed that my loops were not as spinny. The rubbers we used for comparison were a tuned T05 on a texalium composite blade and an Omega IV Pro on the other side of my Korbel. The general observation was that balls from the Z1 were extremely fast but the curve was flat compared to the two rubbers mentioned above and spin was discernebly less.

My view is that it is a very good option for agressive speed players who have a good stamina. Those who like to play with spin might not like it as it rewards an active user. I guess the Z1 makes a devastating combo with ALC blades.

One interesting observation was that it noticeably works better with plastic balls. The relatively soft Donic training balls did not seem to get the best qualities out of this new Donic rubber.
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kurokami View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kurokami Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/14/2017 at 5:56pm
@hansare you saying it has less spin or that since it's faster, your opponents were less affected by the spin effect? 

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Hans Regenkurt View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hans Regenkurt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/14/2017 at 6:12pm
Yes, exactly.

It is more of a speed rubber than spin. T05 is still king as far as the spin and speed ratio is concerned.
EDIT: even when I tried looping slow arching loops it was not as spinny but it does not make so much of a difference with the plastic ball

This slight lack of spin does not bother me personally. I will be getting a Z3 in about 2 weeks, we will see how that spins the plastic ball.


Edited by Hans Regenkurt - 06/14/2017 at 6:27pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MindTrip Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/17/2017 at 4:26pm
A sheet of Z3 max+ arrived at my door step yesterday and I was able to hit with my wife for about 30 minutes. I haven't measured, but the sponge doesn't look anything thicker than BF M3 (what I use on my BH), though the pips look slightly shorter to the naked eye. Also, the topsheet feels more supple with a slight surface tack. I found out by accidentally sitting the freshly glued sheet atop some bread crumbs my son failed to wipe up. The crumbs stuck to the surface quite well. Twiddling while hitting and looping, I couldn't tell the difference between Z3 and M3 on an Allround Evo. Both have good touch near the net and tremendous catapult on loops, throwing the ball with med to med-high arc depending on stroke angle. I guess I was expecting a little more from Z3, but am actually relieved that it plays so much like M3. The "loud clap of thunder" or whatever the product description states is relevant, as this rubber is quite audible. My next club night isn't till Tuesday evening. Then I will be able to give a more accurate description after playing familiar, yet higher rated players than my wife. 
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slevin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote slevin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/21/2017 at 2:32pm
TT11 have made available for us 1 sheet each off the Z1, Z2 and Z3 available for testing that shall be circulated around for interested members - you would have to mail it to the next guy in the list. You would have to post a review here:
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Hans Regenkurt View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hans Regenkurt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/21/2017 at 5:09pm
I took my Z1 off my blade to reglue it and it looks like it is prone to shrinking.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gekogark1212 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/21/2017 at 5:24pm
Interesting. Same thing happened with my sheets of rasanter. It seems that this new generation of ESN is still heavily boosted...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote t64t64t64 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/23/2017 at 6:47am
is there any difference between z1 and rasanter r47 ?
http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=61764&PID=734709򳗵
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote petermoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/23/2017 at 12:41pm
Hans
Can you tell me about the weight of the rubber?
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Hans Regenkurt View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hans Regenkurt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/23/2017 at 2:12pm
@t64: I would like to know that too but nobody buys Andro in the team.


Edited by Hans Regenkurt - 06/23/2017 at 2:13pm
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Hans Regenkurt View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hans Regenkurt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/23/2017 at 2:14pm
@Peter: I have not weighed it but it does not feel heavier than the other max ESN rubbers.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote slevin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/24/2017 at 2:58pm
Donic Bluestorm Z1 (max, red): 72g, 169mm x 169mm

Edited by slevin - 06/24/2017 at 2:59pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SmackDAT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/25/2017 at 3:20pm
Would this be a good backhand rubber on koto-ALC blades? 

I loved Rakza X, a low throw, a bit less spinny (vs T05) rubber on the backhand, I don't know why I changed tbh! 

For 30 Eur if you can recommend it I may buy some from Tibi!
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Hans Regenkurt View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hans Regenkurt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/25/2017 at 4:06pm
At such a good price I would not hesitate to at least give it a try.

I am putting mine back on the Korbel after a week off playing. We will see how it works out. That will tell a lot about durability and how the degradation of the factory booster has affected the sheet. Further results on Wednesday.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hans Regenkurt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/27/2017 at 3:49pm
So I went to pick up the Z1 sheet that was previously on a Donic Ovtcharov TC. It overhang on every side by about 1 mm. I left it to lie on the shelf for a couple of days before now. What I saw just now has  left my in a shock and so  appalled. The Z1 has shrunk so much that there is a 1-1.5 cm gap between the top of the blade and the start of the rubber's top if I put it to where the handle starts. I am seriously starting to think about getting me a cheap but usable chinese rubber for my FH and using a tensor only on my BH (I am laying my hands on a Sanwei Target National this weekend for a start).

Anyway, I have put some Revo booster on it to see if it stretches out by tomorrow afternoon when I am playing but I am extremely disappointed.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shifu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/27/2017 at 4:23pm
Contact Donic, maybe you will get a replacement!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AndySmith Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/27/2017 at 5:33pm
That sounds awful!

I haven't had that with any of my rasanters, and I've moved them around between blades a lot.
This was a great signature until I realised it was overrated.
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Hans Regenkurt View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hans Regenkurt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/28/2017 at 4:40pm
Originally posted by Fabian1890 Fabian1890 wrote:

Contact Donic, maybe you will get a replacement!


Thanks for the tip but I think it is inherent in the production technology unfortunately.

I put two layers of Revolution booster on it yesterday evening and I glued it on this afternoon. The size came back to what it had been before. It played very well in todays training so I have no complaints about how it plays now.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DreiZ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07/17/2017 at 1:21am
I got another try at this rubber (along with Z2) on a friends racket. First time i tried it was on a carbonado, dont remember which one but it was a blue handle.

Rubber felt very bouncy and fast, throw was deep (less arc than ELS/MXP/T05), and catapult was overwhelming on passive shots.

But today i tried the same rubbers on a Viscaria and Freitas ALC. This time they felt much more controlled and contained. The throw was still deeper/less arc than ELS/MXP/T05 but the spin was there, decent amount of it. On passive shots it didnt feel so bouncy and overall not a bad combination. Lifting underspin had good feeling to it. T05 still has the most grip IMO out of all of these and shines lifting underspin but Z1/Z2 wasnt bad at this at all. Rubber has a kick to it but it doesnt feel as aggressive as MXP.

The way i would describe Z1 is... a lighter, bouncier M1 with better ball feel.

Would i buy it? No. Would i try Aurus Prime since its the Tibhar version of this new rubber and cause im a Tibhar fan? Absolutely. 


Edited by DreiZ - 07/17/2017 at 1:23am
Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC 85g
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Carryboy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07/29/2017 at 5:17pm
Anymore thoughts on the Z1?? I just glued up a sheet Max plus on my Donic Waldner Legend Carbon.
Initial bounce test was positive; lively with a lot of feeling. I have clamped it up and left it for a day or two, so next week before I give it a try. Used regular Donic water base glue.


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Hans Regenkurt View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hans Regenkurt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07/29/2017 at 6:12pm
In spite of the shrinking in size it is still playing surprisingly well. The top speed is still very high with good spin but the arc is still rather low. A lot better than Z2.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rrepp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11/22/2017 at 3:13pm
I use Donic Z1 on my OTC and find it excellent. It's got plenty of speed, and adequate spin. The best part is the control. For me the control is exceptional. I can hit as hard as I can and still land on table. I think Z1 slightly faster and more spin than P1T, but both are really good. I put one thin coat of Falco Long on my 6 month old P1T. Caused slight dome. Put on OTC while still domed and I can't believe how well it plays. Slightly more speed and spin than when new, with still great control. I use 2.0 not max. Underrated rubber in my view.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote unstopabl3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/12/2018 at 6:23pm
So Z1 has less spin than MX-P and T05???
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote osmar92 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/15/2018 at 7:47pm
i had z1 on Korbel, my opinion is that very fast rubber, however, control is not good, requires high precision strokes. I returned to m1 turbo and  jp01 turbo. Very likely that due to little dwell time and flat arc it is not that easy to control it
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