Friendship 729 Battle II vs Yinhe Big Dipper: Which Should You Buy?
| Friendship 729 Battle II | Yinhe Big Dipper | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.5/10 | 8.4/10 |
| best_side | FH | forehand |
| control | 8 | high |
| speed | 8 | medium (offensive) |
| spin | 9 | extreme |
| sponge_hardness | hard | 38/39/40 degrees (provincial-style blue sponge; 39 measures roughly 51 ESN) |
| type | tacky | hybrid tacky (blue sponge) |
| weight_uncut_g | 68 | 68 |
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Both are budget tacky Chinese rubbers aimed at forehand spin, sharing the same 68-gram uncut weight, but the Big Dipper uses a modern porous blue sponge. The Battle II is a hard, tacky sheet with elite serves, a low diving arc and linear no-catapult control. The Big Dipper is a hybrid tacky rubber with exceptional spin on serves, brushed loops and pushes, outstanding stability with almost no ball slippage, and high control for a Chinese rubber, with its national version approaching a boosted blue-sponge Hurricane 3.
On style, both reward full active strokes and are weak at low power. The Big Dipper is rated extreme for spin and comes in 38, 39 and 40 degree hardness options, with a stiff sponge that needs break-in time and may benefit from boosting. The Battle II is the more linear sheet but loses tackiness after roughly two months and weakens far from the table.
Choose the Battle II if you want a simple, linear tacky sheet for Chinese-style serving and looping at the lowest price. Choose the Big Dipper if you are an intermediate-to-advanced spin-oriented attacker who wants Chinese-style tacky spin on the forehand at a budget price and will play with full, active strokes or pair it with a fast blade. The Battle II rates 8.5 to the Big Dipper’s 8.4.
FAQ
Which has more spin?
The Big Dipper is rated extreme for spin with exceptional grip on serves, brushed loops and pushes. The Battle II is rated 9 with elite tacky serves. Both are very high-spin Chinese rubbers.
Does the Big Dipper come in different hardnesses?
Yes. The Big Dipper is available in 38, 39 and 40 degree hardness options, with 39 measuring roughly 51 ESN. The Battle II comes as a single hard sheet.
Which is better at low power?
Both reward hard active hitting and are weak at low power. The Big Dipper is slow and demanding at lower power, and the Battle II demands full committed strokes to extract its spin and speed.
Which needs break-in or boosting?
The Big Dipper has a stiff sponge that needs break-in time and may benefit from boosting. The Battle II plays as supplied but loses tackiness after roughly two months.