Hexer +

[pingpongrob]

Well Fella's My hexer plus finally turned up. So I proceeded to put a Red 1.9mm Sheet on my Andro SuperCore Cell Off.

Firstly, the sponge hardness was actually softer than the Original Hexer. The sponge on the Hexer + has smaller bubbles compared to the Original Hexer. The color is still the same. The Topsheet feels grippier, but that could be because my Hexer has has some use.

Now how does it play - Well it feels better and faster and Spinnier than the Original Hexer, I won the first 2 sets against Supachop, but then I went downhill. My brain had a complete fade out - some would have even believed that the Brain decided to shut down, so I proceeded to lose set after set. Now lets not blame the Hexer+ here, as I tried an old BTY Gergely, and I still lost my games. I then went back to my Roxon 450, and guess what - more of the same. And I have a Tournament on Sunday.

I've now placed the Hexer+ on my Andro Supreme Kiso/Zylon Blade (Drool Speedplay), will train with my coach on Wednesday, Play Pennant after that, Then play the Local Legue on Thursday. I will report back. Hopefully my bad form will get lost or hide in the cupboard tonight.

[speedplay]

  You've got me drooling, that's for sure!

How ever, I do think you read in a little to much in to the equipment when you judge it by how you fare against Supachop. Some times you win, some times you lose, regardless of equipment. Heck, you might even be able to lose with Tenergy, even if it sounds impossible

The question is, if you were asked today, what would you chose to play with, Hexer+ or Roxon 450? I haven't tried the Hexer+, but my mind is set on the Roxon 450 for now. Might have to order some new sheets soon, cause I've only got one sheet left

[pingpongrob]

You've got me drooling, that's for sure!

How ever, I do think you read in a little to much in to the equipment when you judge it by how you fare against Supachop. Some times you win, some times you lose, regardless of equipment. Heck, you might even be able to lose with Tenergy, even if it sounds impossible

The question is, if you were asked today, what would you chose to play with, Hexer+ or Roxon 450? I haven't tried the Hexer+, but my mind is set on the Roxon 450 for now. Might have to order some new sheets soon, cause I've only got one sheet left

Its all about Feeling, and when you play loopers, its quite easy. Yet when you play someone that gives you, backspin, nospin, topspin, lobs etc, you have to work hard. I have to say converting Backspin Chops was much easier with the Hexer+, than with Roxon 450.

[butterfly Tenergy 05]

Rob I have seen and had a quick swing with that hinoki zlyon  blade and it is super sweet!

Hexer plus is softer with small holes! now that is really interesting.  Do you believe the topsheet is different or do you have Andro information that it is different.  As you say comparing old and new is not really what the review is about.

I was imagining that Andro was not going to focus on making are faster softer or possibly more bouncy rubber, but a harder sponge version for the pros that found hexer was too soft.

Anyway do you find the plus more bouncy with higher tension?  Is that the kind of speed we are taclking about or does it have more forward optimized throw so it encourages more blade hit.

What I mean is for example that with tenergy 05 by far I use hardly every any blade in the shot, where as with with tenergy 64 or tenergy 25 I hit into the blade, because of the angle it plays best at, and this I believe is why the rating say faster.

[pingpongrob]

Rob I have seen and had a quick swing with that hinoki zlyon  blade and it is super sweet!

Hexer plus is softer with small holes! now that is really interesting.

Smaller holes should mean harder sponge, I dont quite understand it either. I will put a sheet of 2.1mm on and test it. will get back with the results of that.

[butterfly Tenergy 05]

Well actually, there are big holes in tenergy and it is one of the heavier rubbers butterfly makes, so it might actually be a totally different sponge material to the HExer original.

If it is the same sponge they use for most of their other production to date, then Hexer + is another Tensor heading away from the porous sponge direction ESN was taking with many of the companies recently.

[priior]

wow this is exciting... i was just thinking the other day.. i wish my Hexer was slightly softer!!

and it turns out im not the only one who has been wishing for this!

sweet!!

i guess now i know what my next rubber will be :)

[butterfly Tenergy 05]

actually I have gone the other extreme, I just swapped a sheet of tenergy for some Bryce versions.
First I was like nah no thanks but I thought yeah might do a review of bryce speed fx.   I did try it a while ago but that was before my hardcore reviewing phase. 

How is this related to Hexer + ?  mmm  Once I venture outside tenergy territory again a myriad of other rubbers become possible matches.  I think Robs andro tensors all fall into similar quick punchy territory as this fx i put on my backhand last night.

Rob is the sponge of the Hexer + still similar to Hexer original? or is it more like roxon sponges?

[pingpongrob]

Rob is the sponge of the Hexer + still similar to Hexer original? or is it more like roxon sponges?

The color is the same, but as I stated before the Bubbles are much smaller. Still no where as small as Plasma or Roxon.  Just a smaller version of the Hexer Sponge.

John, dont get confused - Roxon is no where near as punchy as Plasma was.  In fact I believe it slower & Spinnier.  I believe that BigEars has changed to Tenergy 64 on his forhand,  I always stated that Tenergy 64 was similar to Roxon, and in my mind the better Tenergy.

Having said this, just finished playing a Vets Tournament, and beat every Tenergy player - finally losing to a Jpen Roxon Player.  It was interesting to hear comments like the following

Question  Why do you like Tenergy 05 ? Answer Because its so spinny.

Yet when I played them, they could not block a single topspin back onto the table - I use Roxon 450 on my Forehand & Hexer on my Backhand, and on a fast Carbon Blade.  Most of these Veteran Tenergy Players use it to Flat Smash  .

Anyway had another hit with Hexer+, cant say its for me. Its quicker than Hexer, and more linear, whereas Roxon 450 has a higher arc.  Maybe I'm just not good enough to use Tenergy 05 or Hexer + .

But I am good enough to use Roxon 450.

[Skippy]

How dumb to get T05 for the spin, and flat hit with it.  Just get something cheap if you're going to just flat hit. 

What's the throw like on the Hexer+?  I like medium to medium high throw on my backhand side, but don't like the really high throw of T05 on the backhand side.  Just too much blade angle adjustment for my backhand that is slightly too slow for big blade angle adjustments in the speed of points from time to time. 

[pingpongrob]

Hexer+ is faster and lower throw than Regular Hexer.

[Nhung]

Hexer+ is faster and lower throw than Regular Hexer.

Hexer+ is indeed faster and lower throw, has a longer curve and is more lineair than Regular Hexer. Because of different sponge and topsheet Hexer + is HARDER (not softer) and less forgiving than Regular Hexer. It has also less spin.

[pingpongrob]

According to my Sponge measurements, Hexer plus has a softer sponge - this could just be the sheet I'm using, Its the configuration of the pimples that make it feel softer in my mind.  Although its good to get another opinion.

I just tested Hexer PowerSponge, and it feels quite good as well, the topsheet is Hexer, and it has a much softer sponge - Around 26 degree's on my scale.

[Nhung]

It am using 2.1mm Black Hexer and 2.1mm Red Hexer+ on the TBS.  For many rubbers (for example Samba, Chinese LKT rubbers) the red sheet feels harder than te black sheet. That might also be a factor. For me looping with hexer has also more dwelltime than with the Hexer +.
The way I glue Hexer is very important, I have to glue it more than once (each time wait until the glue gets dry) if it is a new rubber. Otherwise it would be very slow. I have also been told by Andro to glue that way.

[pingpongrob]

I recieved this clipping in an email yesterday, and was quite impressed with the wording. His feeling are exactly how I feel about Hexer+ at the moment.
I now have it on both sides.  The more and more I play with it, the better it feels.

[Skippy]

I think the most interesting thing about Hexer+ is how long it holds the ball.  The dwell on this rubber is just tremendous.  There are certain strokes with the Hexer+ that are so easy that even if it's fairly unnatural stroke for you it's still easy with this rubber.  I hate flipping the ball.  It feels completely bizarre, but with the Hexer+ it's one of the easiest strokes to make and despite it still not feeling great as a stroke it's tremendously effective.  This rubber is fast but not quick.  Revofire, and Hexer Duro have lousy dwell time but if you punch with them they both seem alot faster than Hexer+ because the ball hits the rubber and is gone in an instant.  The Hexer+ is completely different.  It really grabs the ball holds it and releases it with alot of control.  It's very easy to manipulate the ball mid stroke.  I would dare say this rubber has more dwell than any other rubber I have ever played and that includes T05, Sriver........... 

[scaredy bat]

Im close to try buying a new set of rubbers for my blade. Still using my roxon 450 1.8 on both sides. Reading all this hexer stuff is getting me keen. Maybe i should try the roxon 450 max first for more spin and speed? or just buy the hexer duro? I have bought so many different rubbers over the years. It would be good to have them on tap like Rob, try them all.

[RebornTTEvnglist]

Im close to try buying a new set of rubbers for my blade. Still using my roxon 450 1.8 on both sides. Reading all this hexer stuff is getting me keen. Maybe i should try the roxon 450 max first for more spin and speed? or just buy the hexer duro? I have bought so many different rubbers over the years. It would be good to have them on tap like Rob, try them all.

If you like R450 go for Hexer Plus. It really is awesome! I have it in 2.1, where I loved R450 in 2.0. So you might want 1.9 perhaps?

[pingpongrob]

If you like R450 go for Hexer Plus. It really is awesome! I have it in 2.1, where I loved R450 in 2.0. So you might want 1.9 perhaps?

Hexer Duro is the one thats more of a hybrid between the Roxon 450 & Hexer Plus.  I've had great verbal reviews from players I've sold it to.

[scaredy bat]

yeh i like Roxon 450 1.8 but feel i want more gears now. I like the spin and looping ability, also the speed. Just want a bit more with similar feel. Have tried the hexer power sponge but found that it was hard to control looping.

[speedplay]

I used to love the Roxon 450 as well, but I could never get along with the Hexer, regular Hexer that is, haven't tried any of the others. How ever, if it's more gears you want, why not try the Roxon 500? That was a great rubber, al though a bit demanding to play with, as it only rewarded good efforts and wasn't very forgiving.

[pingpongrob]

yeh i like Roxon 450 1.8 but feel i want more gears now. I like the spin and looping ability, also the speed. Just want a bit more with similar feel. Have tried the hexer power sponge but found that it was hard to control looping.

Yes thats right, cause of the grippier topsheet and the higher throw, its harder to use, but once you get used to it, its hard to go back. I started off with the Powersponge, and then when I was comfortable with it, I progressed to the Hexer. I absolutely love it, and cant believe how much my game has improved - I suppose all the training helps as well.

[scaredy bat]

Well tried the hexer duro on a bat we have for sale at the club, well second hand now. Oh well, had to test it out?
Not bad, fast. Awesome speed and bite when you power loop with the sink thrown into it. So your on the Duro both sides on your bat Rob? does it last longer than the roxon in wear. Also what blade are you using it on. I have the Andro KINETIC cf light off and club bat blade is Andro supreme off.

[pingpongrob]

Well tried the hexer duro on a bat we have for sale at the club, well second hand now. Oh well, had to test it out?
Not bad, fast. Awesome speed and bite when you power loop with the sink thrown into it. So your on the Duro both sides on your bat Rob? does it last longer than the roxon in wear. Also what blade are you using it on. I have the Andro KINETIC cf light off and club bat blade is Andro supreme off.

I have Regular Hexer on my forhand, and Hexer Duro on the Backhand. I was using them on a Virtuoso Off- for a while, but have now been given a Expert.

[scaredy bat]

Got the Hexer rubbers today, just glued them onto my Dawei wavestone blade, off to table tennis now. Will se how it all goes? should be fast? hope not too fast though.

[scaredy bat]

mmmmm well? Its slower and has a lower throw that my roxon 1.8 setup. I thought it would be faster. Maybe its the blade or how i glued it on. Would sponge thickness make it slower, I thought thicker the sponge faster the rubber.
I was reading about putting a couple of layers of glue on the rubber? just pulled it of to try this. Far out it came off easy, Will put more glue on it and have another crack. I thought the sponge felt funny when putting the glue on the first time.

[RebornTTEvnglist]

which Hexer and sponge thickness did you get scaredy?

[scaredy bat]

Hexer normal 2.1

[RebornTTEvnglist]

ah, I haven't used normal Hexer. Hexer plus in 2.1 doesn't seem much slower than Roxon 2.0, but its a bit spinnier.

[scaredy bat]

Holly hell its faster now, it has heaps more speed with amazing spin on loops. Its strange though, it feels slow when i hit soft but realy powers off when it digs into the sponge. I have been using 1.8 rubbers too long i think.