Vega China MAX on AJH TMXi Pro blade. I tried out the Vega China recently and use it on my forehand side now because I really like it. According to Xiom's 2025 Catalogue, the Vega China is one of the spinniest rubbers within their range of rubbers. It is supposed to be as spinny as the Jekyll&Hyde C55 or the very recently released Omega 8 China.
Xiom Vega China feels like a well-boosted Hurricane 3 Neo and is a good alternative. It is a lot easier to get speed and spin out of the Vega China and the spin on loops and openups is enormous. The feeling of dwell and overall stability of VC makes the switch from H3N to VC quite easy. In terms of speed, the Vega China is faster and the arc is higher than H3N. The Vega China is cheaper than any Blue Sponge version and can be played without the need of boosting, which is convenient.
For serve-receive and touch game I still like H3N a lot more, though VC is quite good. For looping / blocking, drills and matches, Vega China is fantastic and has more than enough speed and spin for club level players. The spin is also alot higher in comparison to many of the newer hybrid rubbers.
The best thing about the Vega China is that you don't have to boost + the rubber is cheap since its part of the Vega line. Considering the price-performance, this is a hidden gem. Also a great alternative for dignics 09c for less than half of the price.
For a full review of the Vega China, see: https://doppeldropshot.wordpress.com/2025/05/16/rubber-review-xiom-vega-china/
-
Home
-
Tables
-
Robots
-
Rackets
- Types
- Hardbat Rackets (without sponge)
- Entry Level Rackets - Pips-In w/Sponge
- Entry Level Rackets - Pips-Out w/Sponge
- Intermediate Recreational Rackets
- Advanced Recreational Rackets
- Penhold Recreational Rackets
- Penhold Pro Combos
- Offensive Pro Combos
- Allround Pro Combos
- Defensive Pro Combos
- Oversized Rackets
- Outdoor Rackets
- See also
- Balls
- Cases
- Cleaners
-
Blades
-
Rubber
-
Balls
-
Assembly
-
Apparel
-
- 729/Friendship
- Andro
- Barna
- Butterfly
- Cornilleau
- Der Materialspezialist
- DHS
- Donic
- Dr. Neubauer
- Falco
- Gambler
- Gewo
- Hallmark
- IPONG
- JOOLA
- Juic
- KETTLER
- Maxi Pong
- MK
- Nittaku
- Paddle Palace
- PingPongBuddy
- Power Pong
- Practice Partner
- REvolution 3
- Sanwei
- Sauer & Troeger
- Sponeta
- STAG
- Stiga
- Tibhar
- TSP
- Victas
- Vinqui
- XIOM
- Yasaka
-
→ Allround Rubber → XIOM Vega China Reviews
→ XIOM Rubber Sheets → XIOM Vega China
11 Reviews for XIOM Vega China
← Back to XIOM Vega China
| Sort by Most Useful | Most Recent ▼ |
It feels a little like a boosted h3 but it doesn’t have the spin, a good choice for beginner to intermediate level players if you hate boosting.
Nowadays in 2024 it is still a very good choise, much better than new Vega Pro Hybrid with a mushy feeling and lack of tackiness.
Vega China VM shines at the table and at the mid distance, far from table needs more effort.
I have paired it with Timo Ball CAF on FH, so the blocks/services/short game and tops are all easy to play due to forgiviness of this combination. My next step is to pair it with TB Innerfiber ALC.
Vega China VM shines at the table and at the mid distance, far from table needs more effort.
I have paired it with Timo Ball CAF on FH, so the blocks/services/short game and tops are all easy to play due to forgiviness of this combination. My next step is to pair it with TB Innerfiber ALC.
My review compares this Xiom Vega China (XVC) to unboosted Hurricane 3 neo (H3) and Skyline 2 neo (TG2). The XVC has a very high throw angle compared to H3, TG2, and the new Sanwei Target National. This made it unusable for me, because I am used to the low throw angle of Chinese rubbers. One thing I did find nice is that XVC is very fast. I tried it on forehand and backhand, and with backhand I could get a fast block by barely moving my hand. This rubber was hard to control though, because using more movement or a longer stroke often made the ball go out (to be fair, I'm not used to this high throw angle, and after 3 hours I could do decent topspin loops and I found that my reflex-blocks, which usually don't succeed, had a pretty good success rate with this rubber, presumably because a very small movement is sufficient to get the ball forward with topspin). The catapult tensor effect is very strong. I found this much less spinny than H3 and TG2, it was very hard to do slow topspin loops and also to loop against backspin.
I recommend this rubber if you use tensors like Donic Bluefire M2 and want to migrate towards harder rubbers without getting a low throw angle. I do not recommend this for people like myself, who used unboosted H3 and TG2 and wanted to get something similar but faster. I tried both XVC and the new Sanwei Target National and found the new Sanwei Target National to accomplish this purpose better.
I recommend this rubber if you use tensors like Donic Bluefire M2 and want to migrate towards harder rubbers without getting a low throw angle. I do not recommend this for people like myself, who used unboosted H3 and TG2 and wanted to get something similar but faster. I tried both XVC and the new Sanwei Target National and found the new Sanwei Target National to accomplish this purpose better.
I bought a pair of Vega China Max some months ago but didn't have time to try them. While cleaning my house last weekend I found an unused blade (a simple limba-ayous, 7-ply, Clipper-like blade) so I decided to try it during my training session this evening. Impressive. Adaptation time was very short (30 minutes warmup and I was ready to play a match with it). My conclusion after 2 hours: it's one of the most underrated rubbers around. It's basically a springy alternative to H3, much more forgiving, somehow similar to H3-50 but bouncier and faster on short game. Not as tacky as H3 series though. Usable even by beginners willing to learn Chinese technique. But in the right hands it becomes a spin monster, and quite fast. All those complaining about lack of speed from this rubber, sorry but I think you have skill issues. I love the hard feeling of the sponge! It's great for BH too, control isn't an issue as long as you are active. It's a pure offensive rubber. It's NOT a blade for passive/defensive game. One of the best hybrids (I call it hybrid because it's tacky but you really feel the tensor) I have tried (and one of the cheapest too). My only complaint is above average spin sensitivity. I don't understand why there aren't any reviews since 2014?
just like what amigo said above, this is for all out attackers. not for passive playing as well, you have to apply a stroke or the ball will just drop dead. you have to apply heavy stroke in order to utilize the rubbers abilities. but there are a lot other better rubbers for half the price of this one.
Impressions:
The Vega China came in a very sleek, and professional looking packaging, even the plastic used to cover the rubber was of very high quality. Didn't find the topsheet to be too tacky though, it was tacky, but just tacky enough to have any real tack. Bouncing a ball on the rubber shows how much of a chinese rubber it is: it has a very low and dead bounce.
Playing Impressions:
First thing I noticed when I landed my first forehand topspin was how the ball dived towards the floor after kicking off the table, the spin on this thing is just insane! Very easy to impart spin on it, I don't know if it's the slight tack combined with the tensor tech that afford this level of spin but hey, lots of spin is always welcome.
Despite being a tensor rubber with Xiom's Carbo Sponge + Hyper Elasto thing, the Vega China is definitely no speed demon. It's a tad bit quicker than my Mark V and a tad bit faster, but that's just it. The spin gives it an illusion of being tons faster than other rubbers.
Short game was awesome! I could put a friend of mine who I could not win against on the verge of losing because of my tight service returns. The dead-ness of the Vega China in the short game really helps with keeping receives short and low while the tack gives the return a fair amount of spin.
Power Looping is what this baby is made for. Most of the guys I had a hit with found it difficult to return my power loops with the Vega China, they are just so much quicker and are tons spinnier that it just becomes too difficult to block effectively.
Control wise, I can't comment. I came from a pure Euro rubber to a Chinese Tensor and only had a day to hit with it. At first it felt like it had little control because I kept over-hitting but after a few hours of playing, I got the hang of it and it wasn't so uncontrollable anymore. So control would largely be dependent on technique. Poor technique = low control rating.
The Vega China came in a very sleek, and professional looking packaging, even the plastic used to cover the rubber was of very high quality. Didn't find the topsheet to be too tacky though, it was tacky, but just tacky enough to have any real tack. Bouncing a ball on the rubber shows how much of a chinese rubber it is: it has a very low and dead bounce.
Playing Impressions:
First thing I noticed when I landed my first forehand topspin was how the ball dived towards the floor after kicking off the table, the spin on this thing is just insane! Very easy to impart spin on it, I don't know if it's the slight tack combined with the tensor tech that afford this level of spin but hey, lots of spin is always welcome.
Despite being a tensor rubber with Xiom's Carbo Sponge + Hyper Elasto thing, the Vega China is definitely no speed demon. It's a tad bit quicker than my Mark V and a tad bit faster, but that's just it. The spin gives it an illusion of being tons faster than other rubbers.
Short game was awesome! I could put a friend of mine who I could not win against on the verge of losing because of my tight service returns. The dead-ness of the Vega China in the short game really helps with keeping receives short and low while the tack gives the return a fair amount of spin.
Power Looping is what this baby is made for. Most of the guys I had a hit with found it difficult to return my power loops with the Vega China, they are just so much quicker and are tons spinnier that it just becomes too difficult to block effectively.
Control wise, I can't comment. I came from a pure Euro rubber to a Chinese Tensor and only had a day to hit with it. At first it felt like it had little control because I kept over-hitting but after a few hours of playing, I got the hang of it and it wasn't so uncontrollable anymore. So control would largely be dependent on technique. Poor technique = low control rating.
Rating for Xiom China VM @ Max.
Looks:
Professionally packed in typical Xiom Vega style (not a vacuum pack) with plastic cover over the rubber surface. Sponge is black but does not look much like rest of the Vega series. Not very porous at all, as a matter of fact it looks a little bit like a rubber material. Pips are medium height, or maybe on a shorter side. Very much like Vega pro or TG3 height (measured with the naked eye :) only). Tacky top sheet as all the rest tacky sheets will stain a bit over time coz of cleaning.
Spin:
Insane!!!! Short top spin (opening loops) are just as good if not even better then H3 or TG3 tuned. Rubber can open up game with no effort what so ever. It lifts under spin with such ease it is hard to believe. You get that relatively dead feeling which is perfect for those shots. Hard to tell in a short game that you are playing with tensor, very much Chinese pro style feel to it. All that up to incredible openings.
Medium distance is where the things get little bit confusing. I cant actually classify this rubber as china or tensor at medium distance. It will provide you with forgiveness of a tensor and better bounce then china rubbers. So it can save you easily when out of position or when you are in any kind of trouble (talking about those blocks that sort of look like drives or any other "in trouble" move you may make). Catapult effect will also be noticeable at this distance but nothing like typical tensor.
When you play away from the table spin is probably the best. Equals H3 or other pro rubbers. Feel is sort of the same to TG or H with additional help from tensor technology (again some forgiveness added). At this distance you will feel a lot of catapult and rubber will click continuously. If you hit with elbow bent then your spin will be less at this distance, otherwise you have a demon in your hands.
Speed:
In short game rubber is as dead as it can be. Deffo by far least bouncy tensor i have ever played with. Super good control in a short game.
Medium distance game just effortless i wont even bother elaborating on this.
When you go back 3m+ and start going hard this is where this rubber shines. Due to the hard sponge and springiness of a tensor technology you can go as fast as you like. Simply there is no way to bottom out that sponge. Compared to Vega Pro which i probably bottom out at about 80% of my strength this thing i can put in, imo 110% and it will still go strong. Sort of like DHS monsters.
Other characteristics:
Higher throw rubber great for bombing away from the table. Semi tacky with a huge bite on the ball. Rubber feels bit heavier then Vega Pro (i dont have a scale to measure exact weight), but it is not the heaviest there is.
Recommendations:
Would highly recommend this to a physical players and all out attackers with well developed skills. People who swing like mad and dont mind getting tired while during practice.
Would not recommend to people with less experience, people who like nice and fun game, definitely would not recommend this to defenders who like to block and chop from distance or close to the table most other rubbers are FAR better alternatives.
Since this rubber has been rated only 3 times before this review i hope this will help a bit. Dont be afraid to buy it if you like to smack the ball from time to time. Keep in mind that on most forums people rate H3 as slower rubber (version does not matter) but somehow H3 is fast enough for Ma Long so i bet most of us hit stronger then he does :).
Best of luck all and have fun playing TT.
Looks:
Professionally packed in typical Xiom Vega style (not a vacuum pack) with plastic cover over the rubber surface. Sponge is black but does not look much like rest of the Vega series. Not very porous at all, as a matter of fact it looks a little bit like a rubber material. Pips are medium height, or maybe on a shorter side. Very much like Vega pro or TG3 height (measured with the naked eye :) only). Tacky top sheet as all the rest tacky sheets will stain a bit over time coz of cleaning.
Spin:
Insane!!!! Short top spin (opening loops) are just as good if not even better then H3 or TG3 tuned. Rubber can open up game with no effort what so ever. It lifts under spin with such ease it is hard to believe. You get that relatively dead feeling which is perfect for those shots. Hard to tell in a short game that you are playing with tensor, very much Chinese pro style feel to it. All that up to incredible openings.
Medium distance is where the things get little bit confusing. I cant actually classify this rubber as china or tensor at medium distance. It will provide you with forgiveness of a tensor and better bounce then china rubbers. So it can save you easily when out of position or when you are in any kind of trouble (talking about those blocks that sort of look like drives or any other "in trouble" move you may make). Catapult effect will also be noticeable at this distance but nothing like typical tensor.
When you play away from the table spin is probably the best. Equals H3 or other pro rubbers. Feel is sort of the same to TG or H with additional help from tensor technology (again some forgiveness added). At this distance you will feel a lot of catapult and rubber will click continuously. If you hit with elbow bent then your spin will be less at this distance, otherwise you have a demon in your hands.
Speed:
In short game rubber is as dead as it can be. Deffo by far least bouncy tensor i have ever played with. Super good control in a short game.
Medium distance game just effortless i wont even bother elaborating on this.
When you go back 3m+ and start going hard this is where this rubber shines. Due to the hard sponge and springiness of a tensor technology you can go as fast as you like. Simply there is no way to bottom out that sponge. Compared to Vega Pro which i probably bottom out at about 80% of my strength this thing i can put in, imo 110% and it will still go strong. Sort of like DHS monsters.
Other characteristics:
Higher throw rubber great for bombing away from the table. Semi tacky with a huge bite on the ball. Rubber feels bit heavier then Vega Pro (i dont have a scale to measure exact weight), but it is not the heaviest there is.
Recommendations:
Would highly recommend this to a physical players and all out attackers with well developed skills. People who swing like mad and dont mind getting tired while during practice.
Would not recommend to people with less experience, people who like nice and fun game, definitely would not recommend this to defenders who like to block and chop from distance or close to the table most other rubbers are FAR better alternatives.
Since this rubber has been rated only 3 times before this review i hope this will help a bit. Dont be afraid to buy it if you like to smack the ball from time to time. Keep in mind that on most forums people rate H3 as slower rubber (version does not matter) but somehow H3 is fast enough for Ma Long so i bet most of us hit stronger then he does :).
Best of luck all and have fun playing TT.
This rubber is good to me. Nowadays I use lighter rubbers to be more agile on top of the table.
A little more useable than Thors, but that's not saying much. It does a few things well, and everything else is sh*T. Serves are very good and flat hitting is good. That's about it. H3 neo and TG3 neo are better and cheaper. I rate this 5/10, goes into the trash with Thors.
Nighmares!! Powerful spin but so so slow even with speed glue. Looping is great but with a lot of strength. Smashing and pushing is very difficult. Blocking is so and so..no way to compare it with dhs hurricane. I stick to hurricane and sword king..don't waste your money..
← Back to XIOM Vega China