Bluefire JP 03 Review!

Ok, here it is! Between moving to NC and getting everything finalized and prepared to move to Taiwan (I'm still not finished yet ), I have not gotten around to writing the Bluefire JP 03 until now, as well as the Victas V>01 (check for that thread later today/tonight).

I primarily used JP 03 on my BH, in 2.0mm. I will make comparisons mostly to the Bluefire M3.

Look & Feel: The JP 03 is a very pliable flexy rubber sheet. Out of the package it bends and flexes very easily with your hands, more than the M3. Many people believe the pores are not as large. I disagree, and I'll explain why: I believe that the pores are more uniformed in the JP 03, while the M3 had more irregularities in its sponge's pore-size. This means that the size of the pores in JP 03 would all be close to or equal in size, while the pores of M3 would have some that were nearly twice the size as others right next to them, and thus the sponge's pores lack uniformity. Therefore, the feel of JP 03 is more linear and not as hyperactive as the M3 was, because the uniformity of pores produces a more uniformed response. This is just my opinion, and everyone is entitled to disagree if they like.

Also, the overall feel was a little bit harder than M3, but not drastically so.

Speed & Power: I'd say that the JP 03 had a slightly greater top-end speed than M3 because of the increased firmness of the sponge, but had less of a "pop" on the low-gear. However, I like this because I felt that M3 was way too "jumpy" and hyperactive on low-gears, so having the increased linearity of JP 03 was welcomed. Overall, I'd say JP 03 has just as much power as M3 (just a little more on the high-speed shots), while allowing for greater and more controlled variations of power on lower-speed shots.

Spin: Just as much as M3. No noticeable change here.

Throw Angle: No real change...maybe 5% lower, though that might just be my imagination.

Blocks/Counters: Better with JP 03, imo, due to the increased linearity of the power.

Chops: Not something I do during my game, and I'm not good at it, but I try it on rubbers for fun during practice and test sessions. M3 was terrible for chopping, but JP 03 seemed to provide some decent results, though not as good as Vega Japan did when I was testing it.

Overall: I prefer the JP 03 to the M3 ultimately because I felt that it had more control in all areas of the game. The original M series generates more power with less effort, but I think many players will appreciate the more linear response of the JP series, especially in the short game. If you felt that the M series was a great rubber, but too jumpy and hyperactive in the short game, then I suggest trying the JP series.

Thanks for your time, guys! Stay tuned for my review of Victas V>01.

- YY