With the hype created since the release of the Butterfly Tenergy 05, I had to give it a try and I have to admit that this rubber is worth the hype.
Being the first rubber in the Tenergy linked with both Spring Sponge and High tension technologies, Butterfly Tenergy 05 is the perfect combination of speed, spin, and high quality.
The top sheet is very grippy which is important for a table tennis rubber so that you get the spin. The sponge is 2.1mm and Tenergy 05 is a heavy rubber. When uncut it weighs 69 grams and when cut, it weighs 49 grams.
It is one of the most used rubbers in the modern game. It is meant for aggressive attacking players. The rubber has high quality and is used by the world’s top players including Timo Boll.
Tenergy 05 has a very good balance in all areas of the game and this includes up to and away from the table due to the high arc, you can produce. Due to the rubber’s high sensitivity to spin, you also need to have good ball control to be able to handle this rubber.
While playing with this rubber I realized that it requires a special technique. This rubber has a medium to hard sponge and medium to hard throw and due to its intense spin capabilities, can be hard for beginners who don’t have the skillset yet.
A slower softer less responsive rubber would enable me to do the basic shots slightly easier but less effective as the speed and spin would be reduced.
- The first in the Tenergy line, with both Spring Sponge and High Tension technologies
- This Butterfly rubber is best-suited for offensive all-round play, both near and far from the table
- Get the most out of your game as a looper with easy power and spin from this Japanese rubber sheet
Characteristics of the Butterfly Tenergy 05 Rubber:
| Class | Super speed |
| Surface | Inverted |
| Style | High Tension Pimples-in Rubber |
| Speed | 13 |
| Spin | 11.5 |
| Hardness | 36 |
| Color | Black |
| Thickness | 1.7, 1.9, 2.1mm |
Specifications –
1. Reliability:
Tenergy 05 gives you a consistent contact that is always reliable. You can also remain very relaxed as the rubber has a lot of propulsion on its own without always having to go for full power to create high amounts of speed.
When you do go hard on the ball the consistency does not change as much as other rubbers I reviewed in the past.
2. Spin:
With Tenergy 05, while playing topspin, I can be consistent even when playing at high speed. You have to make a good brushing contact with the ball to turn the shots from decent to deadly.
When playing topspin against backspin, this is the area where the rubber really comes into its own. It produces a lot of spins making it open up very easily.
Its ability to grip the ball allows you to produce tremendous amounts of spin. This works well especially against half-long balls, against serves, and against backspin.
Use your arm and wrist actively so as to generate power and spin. Not only on the first ball, but it also helps you produce spin in the follow-up balls which makes it very effective and puts the opponent under grave pressure.
- The first in the Tenergy line, with both Spring Sponge and High Tension technologies
- This Butterfly rubber is best-suited for offensive all-round play, both near and far from the table
- Get the most out of your game as a looper with easy power and spin from this Japanese rubber sheet
3. Speed
If you’re looking for a high-speed rubber, then the Tenergy 05 won’t disappoint. The amount of speed I can produce in the ball along with getting tons of spin at the same time makes it the standout attribute of Tenergy 05 for me.
The top sheet is very grippy and when combined with the sponge, produces topspin shots that are both extremely fast and spinning. It features Butterfly’s Spring Sponge technology which gives the rubber a high level of flexibility and elasticity.
As a result, the sponge has more air bubbles which become compressed as the ball makes contact with the rubber and then expands to impart more power like a spring to catapult the ball off the racket.
4. Control
Whilst Tenergy 05 is great for topspin attacks, it’s a bit more challenging for defensive play. I can push and block well with Tenergy 05 but my touch needs to be good. The margin for error is quite small.
If I get my bat angle wrong, the ball can pop up, giving my opponent an easy ball to attack. Due to how sensitive and responsive the rubber is, it can be hard to control for players who don’t have sufficient technique.
If you start using this rubber too early, then you may start playing too lazy and inefficient shots where you only use your arm because the rubber is so fast. This can make developing players forget that using your leg and body too is very important during topspin strokes.
5. Serve
After using the rubber for a considerable amount of time, I have to say that it is easier to do long, spinny serves with Tenergy 05, compared to short, spinny serves.
It is possible to do short spinny serves, but because the rubber is springy, it would need a very fine brushing contact to keep the ball short and spinny. Tenergy 05 offers quite decent side-backspin power and one can still perform heavy backspin with little effort.
- The first in the Tenergy line, with both Spring Sponge and High Tension technologies
- This Butterfly rubber is best-suited for offensive all-round play, both near and far from the table
- Get the most out of your game as a looper with easy power and spin from this Japanese rubber sheet
6. Block & Push
Tenergy 05 is amazing for blocking if you get the bat angle right i.e. if you have the experience and ability to handle it. I can block nicely with Tenergy 05, but I think there are other rubbers that are easier to block with.
Pushing can be a little tricky with Tenergy 05, especially with the forehand. The springy rubber can make the ball pop up when pushing. So I have to adjust my stroke a little bit and not brush under the ball quite so much.
Pros and Cons of Butterfly Tenergy 05:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Even if you’re not in the right position, you can still play good quality with this rubber. | 1. The Butterfly Tenergy 05 rubber is more demanding when it comes to defensive play. |
| 2. It is very good in the serve receives, backhand flicks, open ups against backspin. | 2. It is harder to chop and block. |
| 3. It is best-suited for offensive all-round play, both near and far from the table. | 3. It’s one of the most expensive ones on the market. |
| 4. The rubber provides amazing speed plus tremendous power due to the Spring Sponge technology. | 4. Due to its high speed and spin, it’s not the easiest to control and so not suitable for beginners. |
| 5. A short game can be made very easy with this rubber. | |
| 6. It has high quality and is durable. |
- The first in the Tenergy line, with both Spring Sponge and High Tension technologies
- This Butterfly rubber is best-suited for offensive all-round play, both near and far from the table
- Get the most out of your game as a looper with easy power and spin from this Japanese rubber sheet
FAQs:
Who should use Tenergy 05?
Tenergy 05 is most suited to advanced players, who like to attack with topspin. If you’re an intermediate player, who is developing a topspin playing style, then you could try it too.
If you are a cautious, all-around player, who likes to push and block, I don’t think Tenergy 05 will be right for you.
Is Tenergy 05 good for flat hits?
Whilst Tenergy 05 is great for topspin, I don’t think it is so good when flat hitting. The ball really springs off the rubber, so it can be difficult to control the length of flat hits.
Is Tenergy 05 good for a chopper?
Tenergy 05 certainly wouldn’t be my first choice of rubber to chop with. One will have to work quite hard to chop well with this rubber. But if you get the contact right, you can play some really wicked chops with Tenergy 05. like huge amounts of backspin.
What is the difference between Tenergy 05 and Tenergy 05 FX?
Butterfly Tenergy 05 FX has the same rubber top sheet as Tenergy 05 but a slightly softer sponge layer and is about 5% lighter than the regular version.
This has the effect of giving you slightly more control in your passive shots and a bit less spin.
What are the blade and the glue recommended for Butterfly Tenergy 05?
Tenergy 05 pairs best with Butterfly Timo Boll ALC, Viscaria, Zhang Jike Super ZLC, or other Butterfly blades. Butterfly Free Chack II table tennis glue is recommended when assembling Tenergy table tennis rubbers.
Conclusion:
In the article, I reviewed Butterfly Tenergy 05 rubber. It required a lot of effort, time, and money. It would be great if you could share this. Also, do comment in case you have any queries related to this table.