Joola Rhyzer Pro 50 Review
| Release Date: | 2018 |
| Sponge Hardness | 50.0 |
| Sponge: | V.Small Pores |
| Topsheet: | Hard |
| Catapult: | Low-Medium |
| Playing Level: | Advanced + |
In the summer of 2018 Joola released Rhyzer 50 pro as another addition to the Rhyzer range. Iv been personally looking forward to this rubber as im a big fan of the Joola Rhyzer 48 but I just wanted something a little bit harder and slightly stiffer topsheet. Queue Rhyzer pro 50!
Rhyzer Pro 50 is a different construction to Rhyzer 48 in both sponge and topsheet. Rhyzer pro 50 has a harder topsheet and a harder denser sponge than Rhyzer 48.
RP50 features a 50 degree pink dense small pored sponge with a stiff hard topsheet with a flat wide pimple structure. It is part of the ever growing thin topsheet / thick sponge generation which im also a fan.
On paper this was looking like it had good potential to finally prize me away from Evolution MX-P/MX-S on the forehand. I thought this could be ‘The one’ but it turned out this was not the case…
What I expected and what I got with rhyzer pro 50 turned out to be 2 very different things. I was expecting just a slightly harder topsheet and denser pimple structure than rhyzer 48 with a slightly harder denser sponge which would have been something quite special. Instead Joola went way overboard and made the pimple structure very dense with very thick pimples and an absolute brick of a topsheet. This meant despite the thin topsheet it still had an incredibly hard and stiff topsheet feeling. This is one of the toughest topsheets iv ever tried for a European/Japanese rubber. Its like Joola shot for the moon and ended up at Jupiter.
Manufacturer’s Description
The further development of the JOOLA Rhyzer series is the ideal rubber for players, who prefer a direct and dynamic playing feel. Just like it’s predecessor, it has a very thin and extremely grippy surface, which is under enormous tension. However, the pimple geometry of the Rhyzer Pro 50 differs radically. Wider built pimples, that are arranged in smaller distances from each other, in combination with the dynamic, pink coloured 50° sponge with mid-sized pores lead to maximum spin and speed performance.
If a high technical basic level exists, the JOOLA Rhyzer Pro 50 ignites the turbo!
Spin
In General Rhyzer pro 50 is a rubber that produces lots of spin but not as much as Rhyzer 48 and id be hard pushed to say it was spinnier than even Evolution MX-P. Unfortunately with all of the modern 50 deg rubbers now this is probably one of the worst for outright spin generation. Bluestorm Z1 Turbo, Gewo Nexxus El Pro 50 and Andro Rasanter 50 are all better options in the spin department.
Because of the stiff hard topsheet I just found it too hard to generate the same levels of spin to the Rhyzer 48, Tenergy 05 or the other rubbers mentioned above. The topsheet just has no elasticity and no give whatsoever and as a result it doesnt wrap around the ball enough. This forces you to use a thick contact instead of thin brush shots – something that rhyzer 48 excelled at. If you try to brush with Joola Rhyzer pro 50 you will have a tough time, its not very consistent and just doesnt generate as much spin compared to a thick contact stroke. Engaging the sponge with Rhyzer pro 50 is a must to generate meaningful spin.
Topsheet grip: As far as the surface goes I have no complaints its grippy and grainy but its just too rigid. It is like chinese topsheet hardness but without the tack. On slow brushing shots its ok, nothing brilliant but ok. With fast brushing shots its really not good, theres plenty of grip but grip will only get you so far if the topsheet is this unforgiving and non-elastic. This also meant as far as bat angles go a much more open bat angle is need to get good reliable contact. On closed bat angles it can still grip but it feels like its always on the limit of adhesion which isnt a good place to be, sometimes it will grip, sometimes it wont as much which leads to unpredictablity. There is occasionaly ball slippages especially with the new ABS ball.
Arc: Once you engage the sponge the arc is good, I would say its very similar to MX-P and lower than Rhyzer 48. if you dont engage the sponge as much the trajectory is a bit flatter.
Spin sensitivity: it varies quite a bit which can get hard to read, the more power that is given to you the more the topsheet reacts. Its like the more you activate the topsheet the more sensitive in becomes which can get hard to compensate for.
Speed
Rhyzer Pro 50 is a very linear rubber, much more linear than Rhyzer 48. Its doesnt have much of a catapult and is capable of being fast at high arm speeds. Rhyzer pro 50 has more potential for speed than Rhyzer 48 – which is very fast anyway – but I would say it feels slower than rhyzer 48 in slow – medium shots because Rhyzer 48 has quite a catapult effect whereas Rhyzer pro 50 doesn’t. I never really felt that Rhyzer pro 50 was very fast, until I started smashing and flat hitting with it. This is when I found out what this rubber is really made for – flat strokes, its so easy to hit with this rubber and the shots absolutely fly. It is so much fun smashing and hitting with Rhyzer pro 50.
Anything other than flatter shots that engage the sponge is just not fast in comparision to most high end attacking rubbers, in this regard and brushing in particular it reminded me a bit of evolution MX-S, similar speed in loops and similar effort needed to get loops to be fast but still has a decent grippy topsheet. I think I still prefer Evolution MX-S because its topsheet is not rediculously hard and I can play with more acute bat angles but there are similarities.
Control
This is the only part of the rubber I enjoyed more than Rhyzer 48. Control is very good, everything is linear and the topsheet at slow speeds is grippy and the hard stiff topsheet means you can be ultra accurate with your placement. The short game was really good with rhyzer pro 50. Touches feel crisp and blocks are incredible too, you can take away pace or you can add it and they are so easy to pull off.
Another particular plus point, especially over rhyzer 48 is that high speed shots (when you engage the sponge) are very very stable. The arc doesnt collapse like it does with rhyzer 48 and shots even from the back of the table can be accurate and consistent. If only Joola can merge Rhyzer 48 and Rhyzer pro 50 together they would have one hell of a rubber.
Feel & Hardness
In a word: super hard. Im afraid the hard topsheet does make it feel a bit like a brick sometimes, thank God it has a thin topsheet! I could only imagine what it would be like if it had an old school topsheet! Most rubbers of the new generation of thin topsheets feel a lot softer than the hardness of the sponge. Rhyzer pro 50 bucks that trend and feels harder than 50deg – more like 52-53.
What I did enjoy about the feel, in particular compared to Rhyzer 48 was the crisp nature of shots. One saving grace of the super hard topsheet is the crisp feel you get when playing shots, when you engage the sponge that is, if you dont engage the sponge you will be cursing that hard topsheet but if you make thick contact it feels good.
I really like the sponge on the rhyzers they are hard without being dead they are quite springy and you get good arc from them, sure they need to work on the topsheets but the sponge I think is spot on.
Shots
Serve: I didnt get on with serving very well, didnt really get enough dwell with the rubber at slow speeds and that hindered spin production.
Slow Loop: Not good, there is just no penetration into the rubber let alone the sponge, on humid days with abs balls Rhyzer pro 50 will become your enemy and you will not want to wait to peel it off your bat.
Fast Loop: With the sponge engaged it becomes pretty good, at medium speeds its very average but at high speeds its very good, lots of spin, good arc and good feeling, if you could just skip to the point in the rally to where your hitting this would be a great rubber – if only you could do that.
Drive: Pretty average if im honest, it is hard to put points away unless you flat hit with Rhyzer pro 50
Block: This is where RP50 makes sense – flat shots. Blocks are really good you can take pace away well or add your own, you can block all day – it is a little spin sensitive sometimes when hard shots are played at you but not very often.
Flicks: Really not good, no sink into the rubber at slow speeds, you have to be spuer precise and accurate. Requires a high skill level.
Smash: So so good! And easy! Flat shots suitthis rubber so well and its easy to smash, generate pace and its really easy to direct, its really one of the highlights of this rubber
Flat hits: iv never been much of a flat hitter but this rubber made it so easy for me to execute these shots. Like smashes so easy to execute and direct, flat shots is where Rhyzer pro 50 excells. A real highlight.
Counter: Very very hard shot to play with decent consistency, as I said before the spin sensitivity varies greatly in whether the topsheet is activated enough so compensating for that can be tricky, if there is little to no power coming at you yes it can counter really well but the more power and spin comes towards you the harder you will find it to be consistent.
Chop: Suprisingly I really liked chopping with Rhyzer pro 50 the topsheet is grippy and grainy and this particular shot doesnt need to sink into the rubber much. Even away from the table it was pretty good at chopping, you can absorb a lot of pace and redirect. Chopping is good.
Rhyzer Pro 50 V Rhyzer 48
Rhyzer pro 50 and Rhyzer 48 are 2 very different rubbers and do not play the same. Rhyzer pro 50 has a dense, small pored 50 deg sponge with a stiff ultra hard topsheet with a flat and wide pimple geometry. Whereas Rhyzer 48 has a 48 degree medium density, medium pored sponge with a soft topsheet and narrower taller medium density pimple structure.
This means Rhyzer pro 50 feels very hard in play whereas Rhyzer 48 feels much softer. The topsheet on Rhyzer 48 feels much more elastic and more extreme angles can be played along with insane brush shots. Rhyzer pro 50 favours a much flatter approach and thick contact needs to be made for a consistent reaction. Rhyzer 48 generates more spin and is amazing for looping whereas Rhyzer pro 50 is a lot more linear, has more potential for speed, a lower arc and is deadly at flat hits and blocks.
Who Does This Rubber Suit / Playing Style
For some reason I came from the angle that this rubber was designed to be a more linear looping rubber (like Evolution MX-S) but I was so wrong. This rubber is categorically for flat hitters, blockers and smashers. Somone who stays close to the table, contains and likes to dictate play by blocking and redirecting and then smashing the final blow. It also suits choppers and blockers that like to keep everything tight.
If you can handle the hardness and you play with flatter stroke selection this wouldnt be a bad choice for a backhand rubber… Your touch however would have to be silky smooth.
Quality & Durability
My only complaint in the quality department is what the topsheet is made of, it feels quite plasticy and only adds to the overall hardness of the already tough topsheet. Other than that the quality is good. It also doesnt shrink very much when you move it from blade to blade which is nice for a change.
Durability is ok, I mean dont get me wrong hell will freeze over before that topsheet bio-degrades its that tough, but when the surface grip goes and you are left with a super hard topsheet, this rubber will be next to useless. Thankfully the surface grip lasts a while and the speed doesnt seem to degrade so overall, not bad, should last 3-4 months playing 2-3 times a week before the topsheet starts to wear, the grip on Rhyzer 48 lasts way way longer though.
Price / Performance
Overall its ok but as its slightly more expensive than Rhyzer 48 and I feel you dont really get any advantages, if anything its a very particular rubber that suits particular styles rather than being an allrounder. So id say slightly below average for value for money.
Overall
Joola Rhyzer pro 50 leaves me frustrated as to what this rubber could have been, its not simply a professional version of Rhyzer 48 – its a completely different rubber. A couple of pro’s have jumped ship recently from Joola (Kamal Achanta & Quadri Aruna) and while I believe it was mostly money related I cant help but think if the equipment had something to do with it too. You have rhyzer 48 which is an excellent rubber but not ideal for pro’s and you have rhyzer pro 50 which is something completely different and unorthodox for top players.
What really let me down for me is how it performed when I played in a tournament in the summer with the ABS ball. Humid conditions and slippery balls are a not a hard topsheets friend. And I had ball slippages and inconsistency all day and that was the last time it was on my bat and probably ever will be.
For someone who mainly blocks and hits with a flatter shot this will be a great option. For loopers I think there are many better options from the same generation and same hardness. Gewo Nexxus El 50/53, Donic Bluestorm Z1 Turbo, Andro Rasanter 50/53 all are more geared towards an allround looping game and of all the thin topsheet generation rubbers Rhyzer Pro 50 is pretty low on my list.
Iv been pretty down on Rhyzer Pro 50 but its not a bad rubber by any stretch but it just suits a specific style, which is quite far removed from my own. Its strengths come out when you engage the sponge but sometimes that can be a task in itself! I have never been able to hit flat hits and smashes with such ease before and its really fun and rediculously easy it is a bit of a let down in the looping department compared to other offerings.
Have Your Say on Joola Rhyzer Pro 50 And Leave Your Review Below!
