For the past few weeks I have been using TIBHAR Evolution MX-S on my backhand.
This is a very popular rubber, which is designed to generate lots of spin when playing dynamic attacking strokes.
Since my backhand isn’t particularly dynamic or even that attacking, has MX-S been a good fit for my playing style or the wrong choice?
In this review, I share my experience of playing with MX-S, whether it lives up to the super spin claims and one unexpected benefit of using the rubber.
The rubber
The “S” in MX-S stands for “Spin”. It has a dense, smaller-pored sponge and a highly grippy, topsheet that is supposed to increase the ball contact time. It has a sponge hardness of around 47 degrees, but because the sponge is quite dense, the rubber actually feels a little harder than 47 degrees. The rubber is notably heavy. I have two versions of the rubber – max thickness and a 1.7-1.8mm version. The max sponge version makes the bat feel a little head-heavy. The thinner version is a little more balanced, but is still heavier than other max sponge rubbers I have used.
Spin machine
The standout feature of MX-S is you can generate a lot of spin, which is reassuring as this is what the rubber is designed to do! My backhand isn’t particularly spinny, but even I found it really quite easy to generate strong spin
I have read other reviews which suggest you can only really get heavy spin with MX-S if your strokes are dynamic and fast. I’m sure you can get huge amounts of spin with dynamic strokes, but I found you can actually get really decent spin even when your technique isn’t quite so developed (like my backhand).
Honestly, I have found MX-S the best rubber to loop backspin. I can really feel the rubber grip the ball and easily generate some heavy rotation. This is with the max sponge thickness, which may suit everyone as it is quite heavy. But if you don’t mind a heavy rubber, then you will find it super easy to attack those backspin balls.
In topspin to topspin rallies, the rubber performs very well too. It doesn’t have as much catapult as a rubber like TIBHAR Evolution MX-P, which is preferable in these faster rallies. You can counter-topspin very reliably with excellent grip from the top sheet, but with the denser sponge I find it easier to keep the ball on the table.
If you like to play further away from the table, you will need more dynamism with your strokes. It’s a fairly linear rubber – the arc is a little flatter with only a little catapult – so to get good speed and spin from further away, you have to put the effort in. I don’t play that strongly away from the table and if my shots are too passive, then I have found the ball struggles to clear the net.
When serving, the spin generation is excellent. And since the rubber isn’t too bouncy, I can serve with heavy spin, keep the ball low over the net and control the length of the serve pretty well.
Overall, the rubber does excel at the feature it is designed for … SPIN!
Insane control
I have found an unexpected bonus of using MX-S. Recently I have been experimenting with playing a punchier backhand, rather than a spinner backhand. When researching rubbers which might suit a punchier technique, my good friend ‘Google Gemini’ suggested MX-S.
Was this an AI malfunction, or might there be something to this? Since MX-S has a denser sponge, only a little catapult and a linear trajectory, in theory it should also be good for hitting flatter.
I purchased the 1.7.1.8mm thickness and tested it out. And OH MY GOODNESS, this is a crazy good rubber for doing punchier backhands. I can hit really quite aggressively and the rubber has just enough lift to clear the net, but crucially it dips quite earlier, which prevents the ball from overshooting the end of the table.
Hitting through an opponent’s topspin? … Easy.
Hitting through a soft mid table ball? … Easy
Hitting from some light backspin? … Easy
When I don’t have time to hit and have to block instead, then I can cope with a lot of topspin and still feel confident the ball is going to be returned low over the net.
The flip side of all this control and hitting potential is that the rubber doesn’t perform that well away from the table. The ball tends to dip too early and end up in the net. But since most players with a punchier style, prefer to play close to the table. I’m not sure this matters that much. Heck, it’s actually pretty decent to chop with when away from the table, so maybe this could work for players who like to combine chopping and hitting with an inverted rubber.
Who should use MX-S?
TIBHAR Evolution MX-S is an excellent choice for any player who favours a spin oriented attacking game. If you play at a high level and have dynamic strokes, you will get a lot of this rubber, both close to the table and further away.
But MX-S isn’t just for high level players. Even if you are a lower level player with less dynamic strokes, you can still have a lot of success with this rubber, especially if you like to play closer to the table.
And as I have found, it may have another unintended purpose. For players who like to hit flatter MX-S is worth considering. The dense sponge and linear trajectory really does suit this playing style. For flat hitting strokes, I’d recommend the thinnest version of the rubber.
MX-S is a heavy rubber, so you do need to consider this when purchasing. If you prefer a light bat, this rubber probably won’t be the right choice for you. But If you don’t mind a little weight, then MX-S is an excellent choice for either the backhand or the forehand wing.
TIBHAR Evolution MX-S is available to buy from Bribar Table Tennis.
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