Yinhe Mercury II Review: The Five Dollar Tacky Rubber That Punches Way Above Its Price

By UltraSpin · 2026-06-07 · rubber

The Yinhe Mercury II, also branded as the Galaxy Mercury II, is one of the most recommended ultra budget rubbers in table tennis. Yinhe, which is also sold under the Galaxy and Milkyway names, built its reputation on cheap gear that plays far above its price, and the Mercury II is the poster child for that idea. A brand new sheet typically costs around five dollars, yet it pairs a tacky Chinese style topsheet with a softer, more elastic sponge that the brand markets as a cream sponge. The promise is simple: real Chinese spin and grip, but with more forgiveness and control than the famously demanding professional Chinese rubbers. This review pulls together a dedicated test from Racket Insight, a detailed breakdown from PpongSuper, and the lived experience of dozens of players on the r/tabletennis community to see whether the Mercury II lives up to the hype.

Performance

The headline trait of the Mercury II is tackiness, and on this every source agrees. Racket Insight calls it extremely tacky and notes it can lift the ball off the table for several seconds, while PpongSuper goes further and says it is even more tacky than a DHS Hurricane 3. That grip translates directly into spin. Both review sites rate spin near the top of their scales, with PpongSuper putting it at 9.5 out of 10, and both single out serving, looping close to the table and especially chopping as where the rubber shines. Racket Insight calls it the best rubber the reviewer has ever used for chopping, and PpongSuper describes it as nearly perfect for close to the table looping thanks to its high success rate and the way it produces low, spinning shots that hang around net height. What separates the Mercury II from harsher Chinese rubbers is the sponge. Instead of a hard, bouncy block that demands perfect technique, the Mercury II uses a medium to medium soft sponge in the region of 36 to 38 degrees on the Chinese scale that absorbs incoming energy and forgives off center contact. Racket Insight credits this for making the rubber far easier to use than most Chinese options, and rates control very high. PpongSuper compares its control to a premium rubber like the Yasaka Mark V. The trade off is speed. Both reviewers agree the Mercury II is medium paced at best and lacks the gears of German tensor rubbers. The bigger issue is distance. The soft sponge gives less support at mid to long range, so you need pronounced, active strokes to clear the net, and because the throw angle is medium the ball stays low and will clip the net if you are passive. It is also described as mediocre at flat hits and weaker on fast counters right at the table. The real world Reddit reports line up neatly with the lab tests. Beginners who switch to a Mercury 2 setup suddenly start feeling their opponents spin because the rubber actually grips, and players on a tight budget repeatedly say it plays well above its cost while they build fundamentals. At the same time, one self taught player who put it on a Yinhe T11 found it a little fast and demanding, with weak loops and chops sailing long, a reminder that the spin and grip reward proper strokes rather than replacing them.

What Reviewers Agree (and Disagree) On

There is broad agreement that the Mercury II is tacky, spin heavy, highly controllable and absurdly cheap, and that it is best deployed close to the table for spin and the short game rather than as a power weapon. The disagreement is mostly about feel and demand. PpongSuper frames the sponge as soft and absorbing, ideal for controlled and defensive play, while one Reddit player on a fast carbon blade found the same rubber a touch fast and unforgiving for a beginner. The truth is that the blade and the player matter: on a slow all wood blade the Mercury II feels controlled and easy, while on a faster setup its spin and grip expose technical gaps. The other small split is durability, where PpongSuper does not raise concerns but community lore around cheap Yinhe rubbers suggests the topsheet tackiness fades over a few months, especially on the black sheet.

Who Should Buy It

Buy the Mercury II if you are assembling your first custom racket, if you want to learn or sharpen spin without spending money, or if you play a control, all round, chopping or defensive style. It is a superb backhand rubber for spin and blocking and an honest forehand option for developing loopers, particularly on slower all wood blades. Pick a Soft sheet for the backhand and a Medium sheet for the forehand if you want a little more support. It is less suited to players who want raw speed, flat hitting power or fast counter driving at the table, and advanced attackers chasing maximum quality will eventually outgrow it. But as a learning tool, a budget control rubber, or simply a way to try real Chinese tackiness for the price of a coffee, it is hard to beat.

FAQ

Is the Yinhe Mercury II tacky or non tacky?

It is genuinely tacky. Every source agrees the topsheet grips the ball strongly, and PpongSuper rates it as even more tacky than a DHS Hurricane 3, so it can lift a still ball off the table for several seconds.

How much does the Yinhe Mercury II cost?

A brand new sheet typically sells for around five dollars or five euros, which is why it is one of the most recommended ultra budget rubbers in the sport.

Is the Mercury II good for beginners?

Yes, especially on a slower all wood blade. Its very high control and forgiving sponge make it beginner friendly, though its spin and grip reward active strokes, so on a fast blade it can feel a touch demanding.

Forehand or backhand, and which sponge hardness?

It works on both sides. Players commonly run a Medium sheet on the forehand for a bit more support and a Soft sheet on the backhand for control and spin on blocks and chops.

What are its main weaknesses?

Speed at distance and flat hitting. The soft sponge and medium throw keep the ball low and slow, so passive strokes from mid to long range can clip the net, and it is not ideal for fast counters right at the table.