boosters – 360TT Blog

SpeedUp Pro booster user manual

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 13:36:00 -0300

SpeedUp Pro is here for those who are not satisfied with the standard. If you scanned the QR code on the bottle, welcome to the more elastic side of power. If you got here through the 360TT blog, sit down, because class is in session.

This is not just another generic booster: it is a formulation designed to penetrate deep into the sponge and give back what a lot of rubbers lose over time: dwell time, deep arc and that catapult effect that makes the ball leave the racket “glued” to it until the very last millimeter. But, like any high-performance tool, the Pro demands method. Follow this guide and transform your rubber without losing control along the way.

SpeedUp Pro is the opposite proposal to SpeedUp X: instead of preserving firmness, it softens and “releases” the sponge to generate more spin and more arc on the topspin.

Phase 1: surgical preparation (cleaning)

Before thinking about elasticity, we need cleanliness. The Pro’s oil has to penetrate the sponge, and layers of old glue are barriers that prevent even absorption.

New rubbers: they usually come ready. You can skip to Phase 2.
Used rubbers: you must remove 100% of the old glue from the sponge.

Expert tip

Is the glue hard to remove? You can use a little SpeedUp Pro itself to soften the old layer. Another professional solution is to apply our EasyGlue glue (white version) over the old glue; its formula helps create a single film that makes removal easier without damaging the sponge.

Phase 2: applying it to the sponge

With the sponge clean and free of glue, let’s start the treatment. Thanks to the oil’s low viscosity and to the spray, which spreads the product in an ultra-thin, even film (no thick drops, no waste), the 30ml bottle of SpeedUp Pro goes a long way, even with generous doses.

Step by step

Application:
- On rubbers that are already cut: 12 to 15 sprays.
- On new rubbers, still square (not cut): 15 to 20 sprays, since there is more sponge area to cover.
Massage: cut a small piece of the applicator sponge provided. Spread and rub the product well, pressing on the rubber’s sponge to help absorption. The Pro’s ultra-thin formulation penetrates quickly, so work with light, constant movements.
Working time: let it work for 2h to 4h between coats. Note: the criterion here is different from what you may be used to. The sponge must be dry to the touch, not necessarily dry to the eye. Don’t judge by sight, judge by your finger.

How many coats should you apply? Since it is a very thin oil, with less mass per spray, we recommend 3 coats for the ideal result in elasticity and catapult. Went beyond that, my friend? You have left the tested and approved comfort zone and entered a lawless land, where the only guarantee is your own courage (and the integrity of the ball).

360TT safety alert

The recommended limit is no more than 20 sprays per coat and no more than 5 coats. That said: only a madman, or someone who truly isn’t afraid of waking up with an impossible-to-control catapult racket, would get to 5 coats. Consider yourself warned. 😄

Bubbles and lifting

Each coat makes the sponge stretch more and more. The problem is that the top sheet does not keep up with this growth at the same speed, and this mismatch is what increases the tension on the glue line. As a result, the ever stronger impact of the ball when you hit a drive can favor the appearance of bubbles. That is why you should respect the recommended number of coats: the goal is extra elasticity, not a ruined rubber.

Material sensitivity

Note that rubbers react in different ways:

Sensitive rubbers (tensioned, porous European/Japanese): they already have a more pliable sponge, so the Pro’s effect tends to be faster and more intense. Use it in moderation so you don’t lose control.
Dense rubbers (Chinese/hard sponge): they are the Pro’s ideal target audience, since it penetrates deeply to soften stiffer structures. They may benefit from more coats to reach the ideal elastic effect.

Phase 3: professional assembly

Once the treatment is done, you will notice the rubber has become visibly softer and more pliable to the touch, the sign that the elasticity has been released in the sponge structure.

When the sponge is dry to the touch (remember: to the touch, not to the eye) and shows no traces of oil, it is ready to be glued.

The official recommendation

After releasing so much elasticity in the sponge, the choice of glue is what will define the final character of your setup. We have two recommendations, depending on your style:

EasyGlue Carbon: for those who want to balance the Pro’s extra softness with firmness and precision. The glue creates a more direct connection, holding back a little of the released elasticity and giving back that precise, crisp feel on fast balls.
EasyGlue Green+ (2026 release): for those who want to go the opposite way and extract the absolute maximum catapult effect and dwell time, adding the glue’s elasticity to the elasticity already released by the booster. This is the pair for those who think only about topspin with a deep arc.

If the rubber is very pliable and you have trouble gluing it, contact our team. We are here to help.

Now it’s your turn. Assemble your racket, go to the table and feel the wonderful sound and deep arc on your very first topspin. Enjoy your training!

At 360TT, it’s quality by players, for players.

SpeedUp Pro booster360TT ultra-thin spray booster: maximum elasticity and catapult effect, with a working time of 2h to 4h per coat. 30ml bottle. Buy in the store →

DHS Hurricane 3 NEO: The Guide to the World's Most Famous and Most Used Rubber

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 15:25:00 -0300

Historically, rubbers like the Butterfly Sriver and the Yasaka Mark V dominated the 80s and 90s. In the modern era, the Tenergy 05 carries enormous weight. But when we talk about absolute volume of users (driven by the gigantic base of players in China) and undisputed dominance on the world pro circuit, the DHS Hurricane 3 (and its NEO version) is, without a shadow of a doubt, the most iconic, famous and winning rubber in contemporary table tennis.

With the arrival of the era without speed glue (VOC-free), DHS introduced the NEO version, which comes with a factory semi-activated sponge to make up for the loss of speed, while keeping the famous “tackiness” and the aggressive ball trajectory.

But when a table tennis player decides to buy this rubber, they run into the market’s biggest question: what is the real difference between the DHS versions? Is there a secret ingredient?

TL;DR: the Commercial, Provincial and National versions use the same recipe; what changes is the precision of quality control, and you can tell each one apart by its corner cuts. The tackiness of the more expensive versions is more extreme, which is not an advantage for most players. Choose the hardness for your level (37° to 39° for most), count on booster and buy from someone with a proven source so you don’t fall for a counterfeit.

The big secret: same recipe, different precision

Let’s get straight to the point that surprises people the most: according to DHS’s own technical manuals, the Commercial, Provincial and National versions use exactly the same formula and manufacturing recipe. The real difference is not in the material itself, but in the precision of the technical tolerance (quality control).

The version X-ray and the “corner rule”

To stop counterfeiters from selling commercial rubbers at elite-version prices, DHS established a strict geometric rule. In practice, when you look at the rubber outside the packaging, identifying the cuts visually is very simple (as you can see in the cover image):

Commercial level (4 corners cut): the rubber comes with all four corners of the square cut off. It is the mass-produced version, with a wider tolerance margin at the factory, which makes it much more affordable. It offers excellent value for anyone who wants to step into the world of Chinese rubbers.
Provincial level (2 bottom corners cut): only the two bottom corners are cut. Aimed at professional teams from the Chinese provinces, the quality control is much stricter, ensuring consistent performance from one batch to the next. This is where you start to get frequent access to the famous blue sponge.
National level (no cuts, square): the rubber comes whole, perfectly square and with no cuts. It is DHS’s standard “cream of the crop”. The tolerance is absurdly tight: sponge hardness is accurate to within 0.5 degree and thickness to within 0.05mm. Restricted supply and a very high price.
Player Edition: like the National, it also comes perfectly square and with no cuts. It is a step above the National! These are rubbers made to measure, with the exact specifications required by the elite athlete whose name is on the packaging. For example: Ma Long and Liang Jingkun use 42°, while Wang Chuqin is the best example of an extremely specific setup, demanding exactly 41.5°. On the women’s circuit, where the vast majority use 40°, the star Sun Yingsha stands out using 41°. Your “Player Edition” will come with exactly the personal setup of the athlete you choose.

The truth about the “stickiness” (tackiness)

A common question is whether the more expensive versions “stick” to the ball more.

Thanks to the millimeter-level tolerance, the National version reaches the absolute peak of tackiness on its top layer (topsheet). However, “stickiness” that extreme demands monumental physical effort, flawless technique and perfect footwork to get the ball moving. If you don’t have the explosiveness of an Olympic athlete, the ball will end up in the net.

That is why the Commercial and Provincial versions have a slightly more moderate tackiness. This is not a flaw or a shortcoming, but rather an enormous technical advantage for the general public. They deliver the famous, devastating “Chinese spin”, but with a more friendly response, allowing smoother play without requiring you to be a professional at the table.

Understanding hardness: the Chinese scale vs. the rest of the world

In the DHS universe, sponge hardness changes everything. Since the Chinese scale is different from European (ESN) and Japanese (Butterfly) rubbers, we created this approximate reference table to guide you:

37° (approx. ESN 45~~47° / BTY 35~~36°): the big ace up your sleeve. Extremely efficient for the backhand, but also the ideal starting point for the forehand of beginners and intermediates, since it lets you activate the rubber’s sponge without brute force.
38° and 39° (approx. ESN 48~~50° / BTY 37~~40°): the gold standard for most amateur and advanced competitors on the forehand. Interestingly, professional Chinese players often use up to 38° on their backhand for extra reactivity.
40° (approx. ESN 51~~52° / BTY 41~~42°): high hardness, it requires excellent weight-transfer technique to be used, usually on the forehand.
41° and 42° (approx. ESN 53°+ / BTY 43°+): rubber “bricks”. Reserved for players with massive strength and impeccable technique, usually the Player Edition setups and, in that case, practically exclusive to the forehand.

Blue sponge, orange sponge and the reality of booster

Make no mistake: the Hurricane 3 NEO was made to be used with booster. The reality of high-performance sport is undeniable: virtually 100% of the world-class athletes who use the Hurricane 3 NEO apply booster to activate the sponge’s tension and maximize the catapult effect.

The coveted blue sponge has a structure that makes it absurdly more responsive to booster than the orange sponge. To activate this rubber the right way, a high-tech enhancer such as our SpeedUp boosters is the key to unlocking the Hurricane’s “turbo mode” without damaging the material.

Global dominance: far beyond China

The Hurricane 3 NEO is not exclusively Chinese. The table tennis world has realized that spin (hard Chinese rubbers are bad for smashing) dictates the modern game, and non-Chinese stars from many national teams have built their careers trusting DHS material.

Current players

South Korea women’s team: the absolute domination of DHS. Stars such as Shin Yu-bin, Jeon Ji-hee, Joo Cheonhui and Kim Na-yeong use the tacky rubber to guarantee heavy attacks and set the pace with spin variations.
Hina Hayata (Japan): the current big star and ace of the Japanese team built her top-level game using the Hurricane 3 on the forehand to generate huge arcs and absurd spin.
Jang Woo-jin and An Jae-hyun (South Korea): very strong names on the South Korean men’s side who adopted the Hurricane 3 Blue Sponge on the forehand, dramatically increasing the weight of their first attacking balls.
Nicholas Lum (Australia): a young talent (currently top 34 in the world) who has been shocking the world circuit, recently beating big names such as Darko Jorgic, using the power of the Chinese rubber.
Doo Hoi Kem (Hong Kong): one of the rare athletes in the world elite who used tacky rubber on both sides (forehand and backhand). She recently switched.
Zeng Jian (Singapore): a strong name on the Singapore team who trusts the Hurricane’s precision for her offensive game.
Fu Yu (Portugal): the experienced penholder who represents Portugal shows that the Hurricane 3 is lethal even for an adapted traditional European style.
Andreas Levenko (Austria): an excellent example from the current European circuit who trusts the power and massive spin of the Chinese material.

Retired legends

Kasumi Ishikawa (Japan): one of the most beloved players in the world, Kasumi was one of the main people responsible for popularizing the Hurricane 3 on the forehand outside China. She proved that the classic Japanese speed-based playing style benefited enormously from the arc and the “weight” generated by the Chinese rubber.

Counterfeits and the 360TT verdict

As we saw, the geometric rule (the sponge corners) helps, but the “parallel market” improves its replicas every day, forging holographic seals with a frightening resemblance.

The only way to be sure you are playing with the real material is its source. We at 360TT are official DHS distributors in Brazil. When you buy from us, you can be absolutely certain of getting a 100% original rubber, free from the Russian roulette of counterfeits on the internet.

Which version should you choose?

Beginners and intermediates: start with the Commercial (38° to 39° on the forehand; 37° at most on the backhand).
Advanced players and competitors: go with the Provincial (with sensible use of booster).
Professionals and collectors: National or Player Edition for the peak of precision.

The millimeter precision and technology of the Chinese National Team are at your disposal, but it is your sweat in training that will make the ball land on the other side of the table.

Don’t stop at curiosity! Get your Hurricane 3 NEO with the security of 360TT, glue it onto your blade and test it at your next training session.

DHS Hurricane 3 NEOThe most iconic rubber in table tennis, with a factory semi-activated sponge and DHS's classic tackiness. Commercial version 39°; other versions and hardnesses in the store. Visit the store →

The table is the only place where the truth shows up!

Now I want to hear from you: are you already on Team Hurricane, or do you still play with traditional tensioned rubbers? Tell me in the comments!

Discover the DHS rubbers in the store

Stop "Licking" Your Racket: Let's Raise the Level of Our Vocabulary?

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:26:00 -0300

Brazilian table tennis is going through an incredible phase. We have world-class idols, top-level equipment and a passionate community. But we need to have a serious (and slightly painful) conversation about our vocabulary (the Portuguese one, that is).

It seems we’ve been invaded by a legion of “Google Translate parrots”. Plenty of good people keep repeating terms that, besides being wrong, border on the comical. Today I decided to play the “annoying friend” so we can look at three linguistic crimes you probably commit (or hear every day at the table).

1. “I’m going to change my lâmina” (careful not to cut yourself)

Friend, if you call your racket a “lâmina” (the Portuguese word for a razor blade), I sincerely hope you’re wearing protective gloves.

This happens because, in English, the wooden part is called the blade. The automatic translator, which doesn’t play table tennis, translates it as “lâmina” (as in a razor blade or a microscope slide). But let’s be honest: calling a structure of 7 plies of noble wood, carbon and an FL handle a “lâmina” hurts the ears.

🤓 360TT technical view

The correct term here is MADEIRA (Portuguese for “wood”; or just blade, if you want to be international).

“Lâmina” implies a single cutting surface. A table tennis blade is a technological “sandwich” of pressed layers (sheets, or plies). The correct terminology honors the engineering of the material.

2. The so-called “hexagonal racket” (geometry sends its regards)

I think this mistake is the pirates’ fault. Stiga launched the novelty Cybershape. Then the copycat “factories” looked at it, were too lazy to count the sides and called it: “raquete hexagonal” (hexagonal racket).

And the Brazilian table tennis player embraced it. But let’s go back to 5th grade for a second? No jokes, okay…

A hexagon has 6 sides. Count the sides of the head of your “different” racket.

Top, upper diagonals, straight sides, lower diagonals… Oops! It went past 6 a long time ago.

🤓 360TT technical view

Geometrically, the Cybershape (and its copies) has 7 visible sides in the playing area, which would make it a heptagon. But we have to count the base of the handle as a side (where the rubber’s lettering is), and with that it becomes an irregular octagon.

Calling it hexagonal is a gross observation error that oversimplifies a complex impact-area distribution technology. Still in doubt? Remove the rubber from the lâm… oops, madeira, and count the sides. You found 8, right?

3. “Ponto doce” (what does it taste like?)

We’ve reached my favorite. The famous sweet spot. In English, sweet in this context means “smooth”, “just right”. But then they translated it word for word as “ponto doce” (literally “sweet point”, as in sugar-sweet).

Honestly, does your rubber taste like strawberry? Do you lick your racket after a winning drive? If the answer is no, stop saying that your racket’s “ponto doce” is good.

🤓 360TT technical view

The correct technical term is IDEAL IMPACT AREA (in Portuguese, “área de impacto ideal”) or even CENTER OF PERCUSSION (“centro de percussão”).

It is the region of the blade where vibration is minimal and energy transfer to the ball is maximal. There is no taste involved whatsoever, it’s pure wave and vibration physics.

Precision in speech, power in play

It may look like I’m just nitpicking (with a bit of humor, come on…), but precision in our terms reflects how seriously we take our sport. At 360TT, we are obsessed with this technical precision.

It is this same obsession with detail that led us to develop the SpeedUp X booster. While some people are busy translating wrong, we were in the lab creating a booster that truly delivers speed and spin, with no “papo furado” (empty talk). If you want to stop making mistakes at the table (and in your vocabulary), count on the people who understand the science behind the racket.

SpeedUp X booster360TT high-viscosity booster: power without losing the firmness of the rubber. 60ml bottle with applicator tip. Visit the store →

Now I want to hear from you: what other bizarre term do you hear at your club? Tell us in the comments!

SpeedUp X Booster User Manual

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 20:02:00 -0300

SpeedUp X is for players who won’t give up precision, even under pressure. If you scanned the QR code on the bottle, you’ve found the booster that delivers power without losing a firm touch. If you got here through the 360TT blog, get ready to understand the technology behind the brand’s new generation of optimizers.

Unlike traditional treatments, which usually soften the sponge to gain speed, SpeedUp X takes a different path: it works on the structure of the material to generate propulsion without compromising the original firmness (stiffness) of the rubber. The result is a lethal attack with the same direct, solid response you already know, without that feeling of “excessive softness” that gets in the way of control. As a bonus, the formula also improves the glue’s grip on the sponge, helping prevent that annoying lifting at the edges of the rubber.

SpeedUp X is the opposite approach to SpeedUp Pro: while the Pro penetrates deep to make the sponge extremely elastic and pliable, the X preserves the structural firmness for solid, direct strokes. If you are looking for the middle ground between the two approaches, SpeedUp 360 is the in-between choice.

Phase 1: surgical preparation (cleaning)

Before thinking about speed, we need cleanliness. The booster has to penetrate the sponge, and layers of old glue are barriers that prevent even absorption.

New rubbers: they usually come ready. You can skip to Phase 2.
Used rubbers: you must remove 100% of the old glue from the sponge.

Expert tip

Is the glue hard to remove? You can use a little SpeedUp X itself to soften the old layer. Another professional solution is to apply our EasyGlue glue (white version) over the old glue; its formula helps create a single film that makes removal easier without damaging the sponge.

Phase 2: applying it to the sponge

With the sponge clean and free of glue, let’s start the treatment. The 60ml bottle of SpeedUp X has an applicator nozzle (no spray here) and a safety cap.

Step by step

Application: draw a generous “X” of SpeedUp X on the sponge, covering the whole surface well.
Massage: cut a small piece of the applicator sponge provided and use it to spread and rub the product in well, pressing on the rubber’s sponge to help absorption.
Waiting time: unlike other boosters in the line, SpeedUp X has a high-viscosity formula, which means a longer curing time. Let it work for at least 12h, but the ideal is to wait 24h per coat for a complete effect. The sponge must be dry to the touch, with no trace of oil.

How many coats? We recommend 2 coats for the ideal result: power with the firmness intact. Went past 3? Good luck. You’ll need it.

360TT safety alert

The recommended limit is 3 coats at most. Go beyond that and you are no longer optimizing the rubber, you are challenging physics, and physics, historically, always wins.

Bubbles and lifting

As with any booster treatment, applying too many coats can increase the tension between the sponge and the top sheet, making bubbles more likely to appear. This risk is the same with any booster, regardless of the formula. What SpeedUp X reinforces is something else: the glue’s grip on the sponge, helping prevent it from coming loose on the underside with use. But that does not replace being careful with the number of coats.

Material sensitivity

SpeedUp X has an interesting profile precisely because it does not push the sponge to a single extreme:

Sensitive rubbers (European/Japanese): they are naturally softer already. The X helps keep them from becoming even looser, preserving response and control even with the gain in power.
Dense rubbers (Chinese/hard sponge): if you like the natural firmness of these rubbers, the X is excellent: it adds speed without softening what already works well.

Phase 3: professional assembly

Once the treatment is done, you will notice the rubber has curved, forming a dome. The rule here is the same as with SpeedUp 360: the higher the dome, the more tensioned and faster it has become.

When the sponge is dry to the touch and shows no trace of oil, it is ready to be glued.

The official recommendation: EasyGlue Carbon

To unlock 100% of SpeedUp X’s potential, the combination is essential: the stiffness of the carbon particles in EasyGlue Carbon complements the firmness preserved by the booster treatment, creating a setup with maximum speed and absolute precision.

Since SpeedUp X reinforces the glue’s grip on the sponge, successive coats of booster can make that grip more sensitive. If you have any trouble when gluing, contact our team. We are here to help.

Now it’s your turn. Assemble your racket, go to the table and feel the explosive power without losing precision on your very first attack. Enjoy your training!

At 360TT, it’s quality by players, for players.

SpeedUp X boosterHigh-viscosity 360TT booster: power without losing the rubber's firmness. 60ml bottle with applicator nozzle. Buy in the store →

SpeedUp 360 booster user manual

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 17:03:00 -0300

If you just scanned the QR code on the bottle of your new SpeedUp 360, congratulations: you now hold the right tool to unlock the full potential of your equipment. If you got here browsing the 360TT blog, get ready for a technical lesson.

We will show how our universal booster works (it acts on any brand or type of rubber, including pips!) and, most importantly, how to apply it safely so your racket does not become uncontrollable.

SpeedUp 360 is technology and science working for your game. But, like any high-performance tool, it requires method. Follow this guide to get a “national team level” result.

Phase 1: surgical preparation (cleaning)

Before thinking about speed, we need cleanliness. The booster has to penetrate the sponge, and layers of old glue are barriers that prevent even absorption.

New rubbers: they usually come ready. You can skip to Phase 2.
Used rubbers: you must remove 100% of the old glue from the sponge.

Expert tip

Is the glue hard to remove? You can use a little SpeedUp 360 itself to soften the old layer. Another professional solution is to apply our EasyGlue glue (white version) over the old glue; its formula helps create a single film that makes removal easier without damaging the sponge.

Phase 2: applying it to the sponge

With the sponge clean and free of glue, let’s start the treatment. A bottle of SpeedUp 360 goes a long way: it treats up to 10 rubbers (one coat) or up to 6 rubbers (two coats).

Step by step

Application: spray an even coat of 8 to 12 sprays onto the sponge.
Massage: cut a small piece of the applicator sponge provided. Spread and rub the product well, pressing on the rubber’s sponge to help absorption.
Waiting time: let it work until there is no visible trace of the product. The sponge should be “dry to the touch”. This usually takes 12 to 24 hours.

Want more speed? Once it is completely dry, if you want even more speed, apply a second coat following the same process.

360TT safety alert

Don’t get carried away! We do not recommend more than 15 sprays per coat, or more than 3 consecutive coats. If you overdo it, the rubber can become excessively fast and almost uncontrollable. Balance is the secret.

Material sensitivity

Rubbers react in different ways:

Sensitive rubbers (soft European/Japanese): they react quickly. They may be ready in less than 12 hours, as long as there are no traces on the sponge.
Dense rubbers (Chinese): hard sponges are less permeable. They may need a longer wait and, sometimes, more coats to reach the ideal effect.

Phase 3: the secret trick (reviving the top sheet)

SpeedUp 360 is not only for the sponge. It also revitalizes the surface (top sheet), restoring grip to a rubber that already feels tired.

Deep cleaning: clean the surface thoroughly with our SpinUp cleaner to remove sweat and grease.
Light application: apply only 3 to 5 sprays of SpeedUp 360 to the rubber, spreading it well.
Don’t rub: just spread it gently.
Rest: let it work for a few hours until no trace of the product remains on the top sheet.

Phase 4: professional assembly

Once the treatment is done, you will notice the rubber has curved, forming a “dome”. The rule is simple: the higher the dome, the more tensioned and faster it has become.

When the sponge is dry to the touch and shows no traces of oil, it is ready to be glued. But note: gluing a tensioned (curved) rubber requires a glue that can hold it.

The official recommendation: EasyGlue Green

To finish the setup in style, we strongly recommend EasyGlue Green. Why?

Catapult effect: Green creates an elastic layer that produces a “spring effect”, boosting the work done by the booster even further.
Reliable grip: it was designed to keep a secure bond even under tension, so the effect lasts longer.
Optimized performance: we recommend 3 or more coats of EasyGlue Green on the rubber to get the most out of this potential.

If the rubber is very curved and you have trouble gluing it, contact our team. We are here to help.

Now it’s your turn. Assemble your racket, go to the table and feel the difference on your first drive. Enjoy your training!

At 360TT, it’s quality by players, for players.

SpeedUp 360 boosterUniversal 360TT booster: works on any brand or type of rubber, including pips. Treats up to 10 rubbers per bottle. Buy in the store →

Let's Talk About Boosters?

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 17:26:00 -0300

At the 2020 Brazilian Championships in Rio de Janeiro, a young player asked me:

“Auad, what is booster and what is it for?”

After I explained it, he asked me why this kind of information wasn’t known by every table tennis player. That’s when I decided to write about the subject.

TL;DR: booster is an oil that expands the sponge and makes the rubber faster. European and Japanese rubbers already come with factory booster, and the ITTF rule only requires a maximum thickness of 4mm and no VOC. In 2019 tests, the ITTF caught players who sanded their blades to hide rubbers up to 4.18mm thick: every booster increases thickness, and more thickness means up to 10% more performance. But the opposite is also unfair: a rubber that has lost its factory booster plays worse. Within the rules, booster only brings benefits; see how often to reapply it.

What booster is and how to use it

Definition of booster: it is an oil that, when applied correctly and properly to the sponge (and/or the top sheet, but that is a subject for another time…) of a table tennis rubber, expands it and makes it more responsive. In other words, it makes it faster.

Definition of oil: substances in a viscous liquid state at ambient conditions. Oils are hydrophobic (they don’t mix with water, which is why there is no water-based glue with booster) and lipophilic (they form a homogeneous mixture with other oils). They can be of vegetable, animal, mineral or synthetic origin. In the world table tennis market there are basically two types of booster: mineral-based and vegetable-based.

Now that you know what booster is, let’s look at how to use it. Booster must be applied to the rubber’s sponge (it can also be used on pips rubbers), and then you have to wait for it to work. A single coat of booster normally takes 12 to 24 hours to act, depending on factors such as the booster’s viscosity, its origin (vegetable, mineral, etc.), the type of sponge (porous or not) and the sponge’s hardness. Room temperature and humidity can slightly change the time it takes, but I consider that difference negligible.

Booster makes the sponge “grow” in every direction, and since the top sheet doesn’t grow along with it, the rubber bends toward the top sheet side.

Now, to keep it very simple: if we only thought about using booster on new rubbers, the subject would end here and the only use would be to make the rubber faster (a little softer and launching the ball higher). But it is not quite that simple…

What the ITTF says about booster

The ITTF says in its rulebook: “Racket coverings must be used without any physical, chemical or other treatment.” (ITTF Handbook, rule 2.4.7). That makes the subject controversial, but in practice it allows the use of any rubber listed on the LARC (List of Authorised Racket Coverings) that does not exceed 4mm in thickness (including the glue layer) and does not release VOC.

The ITTF doesn’t worry about booster use, because it fenced everything in with the two rules I mentioned above: a 4mm thickness limit and no VOC release. Many rubbers already come close to that 4mm maximum, leaving no room for much booster, except those that are not tensioned, such as Chinese rubbers.

Factory booster: what nobody tells you

What the ITTF doesn’t say, and neither do manufacturers, is that tensioned European and Japanese rubbers released since 2007 come treated with booster from the factory. Some more, some less, but all of them have it. That changes our whole perspective on using booster.

The booster in the sponge, whether from the factory or applied by the player, does not last the whole life of the rubber. It is used up with play (the impact of the ball), and the harder you hit, the faster it is used up. Although we always talk about booster durability in days or months, the right way to measure it would be in hours of play. In my experience, based on the rubbers that come with the most factory booster, it is completely used up within 40 to 50 hours of play at most, and in some cases much sooner.

In Brazil, because of the high dollar and absurd import taxes, rubbers are very expensive and we end up using the same rubber for months, sometimes for a year or more. As a result, after some time all the factory booster is used up and the rubber no longer has the “tension” of a new one, losing a good part of its performance. The more booster a rubber receives at the factory, the more it will lose. Note: rubbers made in Japan are generally the ones that receive the least booster at the factory and, consequently, lose less performance once it is gone.

You can confirm that rubbers receive booster at the factory by the smell some of them give off when new, and also by how much they shrink relative to the blade after being peeled off following some time of use.

Think of a bicycle: a solid wheel, usually metal, and a rubber tire. For that tire to work properly, it has to be inflated with a certain amount of air. When a tire goes flat, do we replace the tire or simply put back the air that was lost? Right: we grab a pump and fill it up again, or take the bike to a gas station and set the tire to the right pressure for use. Bringing the example to table tennis, the racket is the wheel and the rubber is the tire. When the rubber’s air/booster “goes flat”, we can replenish it to give that rubber back its factory tension/speed. To me, this is the best use of booster and there is no reason for it to be “illegal”. Quite the opposite: it should be encouraged, because it is a practice that gives the rubber a longer life and, consequently, means less waste on the planet.

The ITTF test in 2019

In December 2020, the ITTF held a webinar on YouTube about table tennis equipment. One of the topics was the use of booster, which they call After Treatments.

In 2019, after the Croatia and Poland Opens and the Team World Cup in Tokyo, they selected some players to have their rubbers peeled off, with no consequences for the player in case of non-compliance. The players themselves removed the rubbers, always after their last match of the tournament. The choice of player was based on the racket test, where the assessing umpire had doubts about the result.

Curiously, they caught several players tampering with their blades to allow more booster on the rubber, thereby defrauding the thickness test.

Important

It is important to clarify that every booster increases the thickness of the rubber: the rubber grows on all sides, including in thickness. And if it has more thickness, it gains performance. It is well known in the table tennis world that a rubber with a 2.2mm sponge is faster than one with 2.0mm, which is faster than one with 1.8mm, and so on.

The evidence found on the rackets

They found evidence on the rackets such as:

Sealant near the handle.
A dent in the rubber where the measuring device rests.
Very low thickness readings, like 3.58mm, on rackets of world-class players.
Thickness divergence measured with a magnifying glass.
The top veneer of the blade sanded at the point where the measuring device rests.
The appearance of the rubber’s top sheet showing the use of booster.

In measurements after disassembly, they found rubbers up to 4.18mm thick. Below is the measuring device used to measure the thickness of the rubbers after disassembly:

This extra thickness delivers up to 10% more performance compared to a rubber within the 4mm limit. Those rackets passed the normal thickness test with the racket assembled, because the blades had been severely prepared for it.

Below are some images:

From the images, the players caught were using Chinese rubber or were Chinese. Since the list of players was not disclosed, it is not possible to know exactly.

At the beginning of these tests there were heated discussions, but after they explained that the goal was to protect honest players from cheaters, reactions were positive.

What the ITTF concluded

After these tests, they realized that the performance advantage for a player using rubbers thicker than 4mm was enormous and equality among players would not be guaranteed that way. The players even suggested raising the thickness limit, a sign that they are still chasing performance through their rubbers and that simply switching to a faster blade would not solve it in this case.

And when the factory booster runs out?

That was a case of cheating to get better performance, and that is what racket control is for. But let’s flip the situation: a rubber whose performance has dropped because its factory booster has already been used up is also a factor of inequality. In that case, with the goal of restoring the factory tension, booster should be widely used, especially if the following conditions are met:

The European/Japanese rubber has been used for at least around 40 hours and still has usable grip on the top sheet.
Booster is not harmful to health, so the racket passes the tests as long as it is within the 4mm thickness limit.
Booster contains no VOC, so the racket passes the tests.

If the rubber is Chinese and does not have a porous sponge, such as the GoldArc (made in Germany), it was developed to be used with booster, and this is simply not said openly for commercial reasons. So use it from new, as long as it does not exceed the 4mm limit and the booster does not contain VOC.

Benefits of using booster

It is ecologically responsible, because rubbers will last longer and far fewer of them will be thrown into nature.
Your used rubber returns to factory tension/performance one or more times until the grip fades and it has to be replaced. Playing with a used rubber stays enjoyable for much longer, as if it were new.
The rubber’s spin/speed potential is kept for much longer.
If you bought a used rubber and it did not fit your blade because it had shrunk, booster can bring it back to its original size. After using booster on a shrunken rubber, it is normal for it to grow 0.5cm or even more around its entire circumference.
If you don’t play official tournaments, you can supercharge your racket and make it more pleasant and faster to play and have fun with.
You feel the ball better on a rubber whose factory booster has been replenished. The feel is spectacular.
The sound of the rubber gets much better, reminding you a little of the sound of speed glue.
The rubber lifts the ball more, which is great for attacking.

Tips for use

Now that I have probably convinced you that using booster is not wrong — on the contrary, it should be encouraged — let me give you some usage tips. If you train every day, replenish the booster every 30 days; otherwise, every 2 months. Prefer a booster that is very efficient, lets you control the amount applied, is not harmful to health and has no smell, has a physiological pH (it doesn’t harm the skin) and has technical support from the manufacturer. Our SpeedUp 360 offers all of that, plus an instruction manual via QR Code, an applicator sponge, and my regular technical support.

SpeedUp 360 boosterUniversal 360TT booster: works on any brand or type of rubber, including pips. Treats up to 10 rubbers per bottle. Visit the store →

Oh, and booster can (should?) also be used on the top sheet, but that is a subject for another time.

Now I want to hear from you: do you use booster? How often do you reapply it? Tell me in the comments.

Discover the 360TT boosters