Choosing a suitable table tennis rubber is very important to level up your game and accelerate the ability to execute intricate shots. Being very less popular as compared to Tenergy 05 and Tenergy 64, Tenergy 25 wasn’t on the top of my priority list.
Still, I took a risk and decided to go for it. I became comfortable with Butterfly Tenergy T25 quickly. It plays differently from anything else I have used before.
It is an interesting rubber with the fact that the pimples of this rubber are bigger than normal. A larger pimple means less dwell time but the sponge is a tad softer than T05 to help compensate for this.
The ball leaves the rubber faster as the top sheet reacts with the sponge. The lightness and less bounce enable fierce attacks to be countered. Be very careful not to pair the rubber with a hard carbon blade as the lack of dwell time makes the combination difficult to control.
The big pip design has proven to be the best for playing close to the table following extensive tests by both technology and players.
Adept at drop-shots, flicks, short pushes, and quick counter-attacks, it has proved to be the best rubber for playing close to the table.
It enables you to attack with both spin and power, whether close to the table or at a half distance for those with exceptional abilities. Butterfly Tenergy 25 is softer and the pimples are much bigger than those in Tenergy 05.
These pimples are 2.65mm in diameter and more than 1.56 times that of Tenergy 05. When serving or playing a push stroke, the large dimension makes it easier to put a high degree of spin.
Buttery Tenergy 25 is a satisfactory rubber that is dynamic in nature. This means that putting effort into hitting the ball harder pays off. It is the perfect answer for the player of today and tomorrow.
Characteristics of the Butterfly Tenergy 25 rubber:
| Surface | Inverted |
| Class | Super speed |
| Speed | 13.25 |
| Spin | 11.00 |
| Thickness | 1.7, 1.9, 2.1mm |
| Density | 36 |
| Color | Black, Red |
Specifications –
1. Durability:
I have played with both Tenergy 05 and Tenergy 25 for a considerable amount of time. Tenergy 25 rubber lasts as long as Tenergy 05, which has proved to be very durable as long as you don’t accidentally rip off the rubber.
If you play mostly over the table or use low-throw Chinese rubbers, then Tenergy 25 suits you well.
2. Spin:
Thanks to the grip of the Tenergy top sheet, the rubber stands at the top in terms of spin. Loops near the table and away come with super spin and speed, and depending on how I loop, come with a superb arc.
They are consistent and have sufficient power. Most people would have to block very well to receive the spin. It is much similar to a traditional tacky Chinese rubber.
After playing with Tenergy 25 numerous times, I will say that spin on serves/ pushes is adequate on top sheet contact. Likewise for serve returns.
You can really do everything with this rubber, be it aggressive pushing, dropping it short, or flipping it. Using the sponge would give some more spin.
3. Speed
Power loops or drive smash loops are the absolute strength of this rubber. It is insanely fast and if you are my kind of player who likes to go all out and make a killing shot, this rubber is the best for that. Besides, smashes are fast and very controllable as well.
It doesn’t always seem as fast as Tenergy 05 or Tenergy 64 because it does play like hard rubber. If you let your arm speed work and use your feet and hips with your swing, this rubber’s speed and trajectory are unmatched.
In short:
- Speed on slow strokes: Slow-medium, with the ability to control pace well.
- Speed on power loops: fast
- Speed on power drives/smashes: fast
4. Control
Less catapult effect on stiff carbon blade gives more control/ predictability which assists in making it easier to increase the level consistency of the balls on the table during short/ mid-game.
It is a fantastic rubber for blocking and punching, especially, close to the table. With this rubber, I have better control and I am able to vary the deepness and placement of my shots.
It helps to absorb the energy of an incoming loop and make a short and dead block or accelerate. Driving is on the positive side in the sense that this rubber is quite fast.
5. Punch Hit
In my opinion, the sponge and rubber serve as a disadvantage. There is little chance of digging into the sponge and rubber for you to feel the nature of the blade. The only time you have a deeper rubber and wood contact is when you are performing hard power shots at full strength.
Tenergy 25 is not made for hitting through the spin. You may think of doing topspin away from the table with the top sheet and sponge, but it is not advised as the rubber performs best when you stay close to the table.
Pros and Cons of Butterfly Tenergy 25
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. This rubber is ideal for playing close to the table and at mid-distance. | 1. The rubber is heavy due to larger pimples. |
| 2. The rubber has enough power even when the ball is contacted poorly. | 2. It requires more energy to return the balls on the table than T05. |
| 3. It plays with many gears. | 3. Players at the beginner level may find controlling difficult. |
| 4. Topspins and flicks are easier and don’t require much effort. | 4. The low throw angle may serve as a disadvantage. |
| 5. Performing shots like smashing, blocking, and pushing is easier. | |
| 6. For counter looping near the table, T25 is better than T05. | |
| 7. The throw is better when compared to traditional Chinese rubbers. |
FAQs:
Why has my rubber shrunk?
There can be many possible causes for the shrinkage of the rubber. Some of them are as follows:
– In case the rubber is applied in a stretched state
– In case the rubber is peeled off and re-applied
– In case the rubber is stored stacking among rubbers.
Is it possible to reapply the rubber in use?
I would not recommend that you re-apply the rubber. Because if you remove and re-apply, the rubber may shrink and the performance will decrease.
Residual glue from the first application may also cause uneven bounce or impact the feel of the rubber if re-applied.
Does the rubber color affect the performance of a rubber?
The pigment mixed during the production of the surface sheet determines the color of the rubber. The performance of Tenergy 25’s sheet is different from the performance of Dignics 09C’s sheet.
If both are Tenergy 25, the performance of the sheets is exactly the same. And since only a tiny amount of pigment is added to the sheet, there is almost no difference in performance between the same type of rubber.
How is the spin of Tenergy 25?
Butterfly Tenergy 25 enables spin to be imparted on the ball due to the large impact areas. It is less affected by the opponent’s spin due to the small impact area.
While playing long, it is less affected by the opponent’s spin as the pimples deform on impact and react to cause changes in spin and speed.
What are the differences between Tenergy 05 and Tenergy 25?
| Area | Tenergy 05 | Tenergy 25 |
| Speed on power loops | High | Medium |
| Touch for short game | High | Higher |
| Sensitivity to spin | High | Medium |
| Accuracy for block/ hits | Medium | High |
| Throw angle/ trajectory | High | Medium |
| Glue effect/ feel | Medium | Medium |
| Speed on loops | High` | High |
Conclusion:
In the article, I reviewed Butterfly Tenergy 25 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.