Which Colored Inverted Rubber Stands Out? A Practical Rundown
1. Hurricane 9 — The Colored Hurricane Brand
Hurricane 9 comes in four colors: peach-pink, dynamic blue, purple, and fruit green. The first two feel like they exist purely for the color — in my view they do not even match a standard Hurricane. Without the color, there is no real reason for them to exist. The surface friction is barely adequate.
Purple and fruit green are essentially the colored editions of Hurricane 8-80. Hurricane 8-80 is slow, but its friction performance and transparency are decent.
2. Best Blues: V22 Double Extra and V15 Extra
The finest blue rubber is arguably the Victas V22 Double Extra or V15 Extra. In discussions about colored rubber, the dye can have varying effects — sometimes significant, sometimes not. But simply put, both of these blue versions offer excellent grip, and they are comfortable for flicks and loops.
The V22 in particular has broadly earned strong praise. High margin for error, easy grip, safe against backspin, good spin output, and not easily caught by heavy topspin. Purely from a backhand rubber standpoint, it borders on magic — like the Lin Gaoyuan ALC or Arylate Carbon 45 of rubbers.
3. Most Memorable Pink: Tibhar Quantum X Pro
The most striking pink rubber, used on Szocs’s backhand, is the Tibhar Quantum X Pro pink — medium-hard 38-degree cake sponge. Spin is not exceptional, but the dwell feeling is comfortable. It is springy and easy to block with, and defense is reasonably stable.
For players who want a balanced backhand that does not overwhelm with raw aggression, it is a solid choice.
4. F1 — Blue and Pink Versions
F1 also comes in blue and pink, though I have not played them. From a blocking standpoint, regular F1 is extremely satisfying — fast exit. With the right push technique, the spin variation between heavy and no-spin is easy to produce. Note: to produce real spin with F1 on a push, do not push deep with force — use a “dabbing” contact point.
F1 can also produce heavily topspun loops, but side-loop is better. Looping into the side of the ball is the easier way to generate spin.
For Chinese domestic colored rubbers, Yinhe Blue Moon also offers good value.
5. VENOM Series — The Green Legend
At the 2022 WTT Doha Challenger, Aruna famously upset three Chinese national team players in succession, and overnight the green VENOM series became legendary. He used VENOM 53 on both sides.
Compared to Andro Rasanter R53, these two share common ground. Both are sharp when looping half-long backspin balls. Upper-spin exchanges also feel powerful on both. The VENOM series feels like it grips deeper, and passive defense is more stable; Andro feels slightly faster. Within the VENOM series, 48 receives the most praise. 45 is softer with deep grip, but easy to load up — under power it is very stable. 53 is good on the forehand, though for amateurs the backhand may be challenging to control.
6. Joola Rhyzen CMD Blue
The Joola Rhyzen CMD blue satisfies many basic backhand requirements. Relatively light, suitable for penhold reverse backhand. Metallic sound, very fast exit speed. It qualifies as a high-density German-style rubber but the dwell feeling is quite pronounced — looping and topspin work well. The blue somehow feels more powerful than the red to me.
7. Andro Hexer Grip CMD Blue — Mid-Range Standout
In the mid-price bracket, the Andro Hexer ACC blue left a deep impression on me. If I were an Andro-sponsored player, this might be my backhand choice. The sponge has a Tenergy-like gelatin sensation — the feel goes from firm to soft progressively, meaning the harder you swing the more reliable the contact. And the speed is genuinely fast.
The one downside: the sponge is a bit brittle. Peel it off carefully or it may tear.
8. GEWO Proton Neo 450 Pink
Performance is not spectacular — it sits in the light, linear category. Slightly coarser pimples than F1, but with a bit more spacing, so it grips and holds the ball marginally better. Pushes are not heavy topspin, but it grips better than traditional high-density German rubber like F1. Easy to penetrate, more settled on outer arylate-carbon blades. Overall, friction and initial speed are adequate — solid and measured. Fans love it; detractors find the ball quality flat.
9. Joola Rhyzen CMD PRO Colored Edition
I have not played the colored version yet since it just launched. I have played the red Rhyzen CMD PRO XH — elasticity and ball exit are both better than the Red Dragon despite the Red Dragon having slightly better surface friction. But Rhyzen CMD PRO also carries that classic Japanese-style dwell sensation, and spin output is very good. After loading up, the explosive pop is satisfying.
