Adidas Tenzone / Tenzone SF Review
Tenzone: Ready for Performance! The Adidas TenZone features a new pore structure of the sponge providing it with additional energy that will make the difference in tight matches. That extra energy transfers your wrist and forearm acceleration into ball speed and turns your topspins into even more dangerous weapons in your game. The compact structure of the top layer is the key to the increased spin capacities of the TenZone. Even on thin contacts the ball cleanly docks onto the surface without friction increasing the control over the ball during offensive topspin play. Technically versatile players with higher training volumes will get the full performance of the new adidas TenZone.
Tenzone SF: The adidas TenZone SF – keeping you up with the lightning fast pace of modern high-speed table tennis. The TenZone SF’s playing characteristics benefit from the same new sponge development as the TenZone. Its dynamic and energetic set-up is the basis for high-speed topspins with longer ball trajectories. The slightly softer set-up of 45° hardness results in a comfortable and more forgiving playing feeling, especially in the passive game. A modified pimple structure inside the top layer gives the rubber sheet an easy-to-use and stable playing feedback. Regular competition players which attack from both wings will feel very comfortable with the adidas TenZone SF.
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Review by Yogi Bear (with permission and thanks!):
Got these 2 rubbers from an Adidas executive today and i was really excited to try them out:
- Adidas Tenzone max black on an adidas power fibertech blade
- Adidas Tenzone SF max red on my stiga Eb7 blade
Tenzone Max Black
The Tenzone max black is a high quality rubber from adidas. when i saw the rubber for the first time i was impressed with its production. from the looks, the topsheet is less grainy compared to joola x-plodes’ topsheet. i would say it looks identical of the genius’ topsheet but differs in the pips structure and topsheet thickness. The Tenzone has a thicker topsheet than that of the genius. The sponge when i pressed it and played with it is medium hard. In the DHS scale hardness i would rate it as 38 degrees.
FH to FH & BH to BH drives:
Tenzone is very bouncy. The sharp and crisp sound produced when hitting the ball is distinctive of being an ESN rubber. The control is there but not its biggest asset.
Loops:
Tenzone produces a low to medium arc on both bh and fh. Tenzone is good for on the rise loop drives above the table. Spin is above average for both and fast loops and is enough to lift heavy underspin balls. during the first 2 days the rubber wasnt that spinny but now its very spinny after some time breaking in the rubber
Pushes and serves:
Spinny pushes are not hard to produce though you have to make some adjustments not to let balls pop up when making pushes but the adjustment is easy. serves on sidespins and underspins are average but fast knuckle or dead balls and topspin serves are very good due to the rubber’s speed.
Smashing, hitting and counter loops:
These are the areas that this rubber shines. i think its built mainly for speed than doing spins. Topspins are easy for countering mid distance to far from the table. Its power doesnt diminish that much. Smashing is awesome coupled with its nice whacking sound. On these 3 areas countrol is very good.
Initial impressions:
Overall the Tenzone rubber can be labelled as a very fast with above average spin rubber. Its speed is comparable to that of Tenergy 05, Hexer and Calibra. Its like Calibra LT but a little bit spinnier. Its built for speed and it has lots of it. i enjoyed playing counterhitting and smashing with this rubber far from the table. Receiving spinny serves are good since this rubber is not sensitive to incoming spin. This rubber is above average in blocking also. I would recommend this rubber for advanced players only because this is not everybody’s toy.
My Ratings:
- Speed – 9.5/10 (Tenergy 64, Calibra LT+ are considered as 10 in my scale)
- Spin – 9/10 (Tenergy 05 is a 10 and so is Baracuda and Genius)
- Control – 7/10
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Tenzone SF Red Max
I decided to glue it on my stiga eb7 blade. this bright red rubber with the same topsheet as tenzone regular differs in the sponge hardness. The regular tenzone has a 39 degree hardness and the tenzone sf has a 36 degree hardness in the dhs hardness scale according to my estimate.
Fh to FH & BH to BH drives:
I love the sound of this soft rubber and its loud, louder than the regular tenzone. The ball sinks into the soft sponge and you can feel it through your blade. Control is above average.
Loops:
Using it on both fh and bh loops i would say this is a looping rubber than a hitting rubber. Slow loops are very good and when i looped with this rubber (pure looping) i found it faster than the regular Tenzone. 2 things in its arsenal are spin and control on loops.
Pushes and serves:
Pushes are very spinny with some adjustments. Serves are very spinny also. This rubber is not sensitive to incoming spin. Sidespin and underspin serves favor this rubber. Looping arc is medium to high. Its very easy to loop spinny underspins with this baby.
Smashing, hitting and counterhitting:
Smashing is average and so is hitting though this may come down to personal preferences since i prefer harder rubbers in smashing and hitting. On counterhitting and counterlooping this rubber is in the level of Tenergy 05 fx, Hexer ++ and Calibra LT Sound. Control is very good with these strokes.
Initial Impressions:
I love this rubber and im planning in keeping this. Its not as fast the regular tenzone but its way better in terms of spin and control. Don’t get me wrong this rubber is still very fast and bouncy. i love the feel of this rubber especially when the ball sinks into the sponge. This is better near to mid distance from the table. I think i would describe this as a soft genius rubber with the good qualities of hexer and acuda s2 combined. I would recommend this to intermediate to advanced players.
My Ratings:
- Speed – 8.5/10
- Spin – 9.5/10
- Control – 7.5/10
Thanks to Allen for giving me the privilege in reviewing these wonderful rubbers!
Some pictures:
