Customer review for Donic Baracuda Big Slam

Review by aeroelastic_hyperma (Verified Customer) for Donic Baracuda Big Slam on December 17, 2013

The Donic Barracuda Big Slam (2.1mm, red) is soft like an draftsman vinyl eraser with more gummy density. The rubber sheet has a firm yet elastic stretch enough to lightly surround the ball upon contact. The soft sponge allows very good control against hard incoming balls at seven feet away from the table's edge. When returning the ball at that distance remember the trajectory is lower than most high tension rubber sheets. At the table and close to table the ball when "stroked" with an inverted lateral wrist movement produces a very shallow and very fast Helical Spin. As this kind of spin touches the net at low speed, the ball would "suspend" over the net's edge for a short milliseconds length before just dropping over. At higher speeds the ball seemed to "stasis" (suspended animation) at the edge going left to right side or vice versa depending upon the Chinese Penholder Grip player's wrist action with an "anchored" elbow close to rib cage. This results in the other player not able to contact the ball at all. Chinese Penholder Grip players do not have a "backhand" return. Though with a mobile and not rigid wrist he is able to create "Corkscrew Spins" (three dimensional spins) which are not possible with Shakehand Grip (neither forehand nor backhand).
Tried it but the balls only remain two dimensional spun balls.
For the Shakehand Grip player hitting the ball by scraping along the edge of the rubber sheet, the ball would be propelled like a Side Spin or with elbow inverted (backhand) become a shaking Top Spin ball.
As the player become older in age, his injury recovery is slow. And when the player still enjoys a Table Tennis game at age 90 years-- you shall know he is "playing" you for keeps.
Like all sports and physical activities-- its the "Innovator" that "stays in the game" even after the tournament is over. And he never takes his emotions to the tournament or to the the players. It is never about winning the point, nor winning the game, but about surviving your experiences as a player and returning stronger. The high technology equipment helps, but the techniques should be internalized and practiced. Recommend Donic Barracuda Big Slam for its careful and considerate engineering in creating a rubber sheet that is technically superior both for the Penholder Grip and Shakehand Grip players.
Although expensive its a consistent and durable product to develop ball manipulation techniques which gives no quarters.
This product deserves nine stars for Donic's engineering efforts.

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