DHS Hurricane 2: Controlled spin-offensive rubbers 

     Approximately four years ago, I switched from using European-style FH rubbers like Tibhar Evolution MX-P to hard and sticky Chinese rubbers, using first the Hurricane 8 for nearly two years before switching to Hurricane 3 (H3). Since then I have been itching to try out the Hurricane 2 series, wondering why no top players are using this rubber. In fact, I don’t know any player who uses Hurricane 2. Given the wide-spread popularity of H3 among professional and recreational players alike, this seems puzzling. I was accordingly stoked to be given the chance to evaluate both the parent Hurricane 2 (H2) and the factory-boosted Hurricane 2 Neo (H2N) rubbers. I tested both rubbers in their black, 2.15 mm, mid-hard versions (~39 degrees). As a reminder, 39 degrees on the DHS scale correspond to roughly 51 degrees on the ESN scale. 

     According to DHS, Hurricane 2 “is known for its decisive blows with outstanding power” and “can create much higher speed and spin while maintaining stable control”, rendering it suitable for “strong near-table offensive power to make the ball fly in a low arc, which frustrates opponent’s defenses”. 

     The Hurricane 2 Neo, on the other hand, is described as a rubber that will “break through the speed limit of aqua-glue and keep the speed, spin, and control of the former Hurricane 2”, enabling “quick attack, low arc, and strong low fast loop”.

     Both rubbers are covered with thin, one-time-use protective sheets. The H2N comes in a thin, blue wrapper inside a sturdy, vacuum-sealed plastic bag that preserves the rubber’s freshness, whereas the H2 comes in purple and gold cardboard packaging and is not vacuum-packed. The uncut sheets weigh 57g (H2, 2.15 mm black, height x width: 169 mm x 164 mm, four corners cut) and 56g (H2 Neo, 2.15 mm black, height x width: 163 mm x 163 mm, four corners cut), respectively. Cut to the 158 x 151 mm test blade, the sheets weigh 43 and 45g for the H2 and H2N, respectively, which actually is quite light, being similar in weight as Hurricane 3 and 8-12g lighter than Hurricane 8. The topsheets have a similar tackiness as H3, being capable of lifting a ball for several seconds. The H2N topsheet is slightly tackier and glossier than H2 or H3, which likely is a result of the booster treatment. The contours of the H2/H2N pimples are more visible - and seem larger - than the H3 pimples. The sponges of the H2 and H2N rubbers are rippled very slightly, solid without pores, and have a light-orange color. The H2N exudes a strong fishy smell, whereas this smell is far less pronounced with the H2. While the H2 sponge is non-sticky like most other rubbers, the booster layer on the H2N sponge is sticky and protected by an additional plastic wrapper. None of the rubbers dome. A blind press test revealed the following order of hardness (from firmest to softest): Hurricane 8 hard ~ Hurricane 8 mid-hard > Hurricane 3 > Hurricane 2 > Hurricane 2 Neo. 

Testing procedure:

     I tested brand-new sheets of H2 and H2N on my regular blade, the OFF-rated 7-ply Tibhar Samsonov Force Pro Black Edition, using Spinlord Waran 2 (W2, red, 2.0 mm) short pips in my BH. I evaluated the H2 and H2N set-ups side-by-side against an identical H3 (40-degree, orange sponge, provincial version) set-up. The H2 and H3 rubbers were lightly boosted using one layer of an oil-based tuner like Falco Tempo Long Booster. I attached the rubbers using three layers of Revolution 3 medium viscosity glue. The test paddles weighed as follows: H2 (170 g), H2N (170 g), and H3 (176 g).

     I evaluated the rubbers during the Covid-19 pandemic, while my club was closed. Consequently, I tested the rubbers playing against my Newgy 2050 robot at home, using a mix of mostly DHS D40+ and Nittaku J-Top training balls, with a couple of Joola Flash and Andro Speedballs in the mix as well. I programmed the robot to give me simple multiball-like drills (e.g., drives, blocking against heavy topspin, loops against long backspin, flicks against short backspin or topspin serves, smashes) and regular footwork drills (e.g., 3-point FH. Playing against a robot provides a more controlled environment than playing against normal opponents, but also has some limitations. For example, it is challenging to assess the amount of spin that is generated on the shots without having the benefit of seeing how an opponent reacts to the shot. Instead, I had to infer the amount of spin indirectly by noticing how the ball bounces. Please bear this in mind!

 

Hurricane 2 (mid-hard, 2.15 mm black) 

Impressions

Driving:

The first couple of FH drives immediately revealed that the H2 is considerably slower and softer than the H3. The ball trajectory is very flat and this coupled with the moderate ALL+ speed of the rubber means that the ball dips very early, often right around the net and much earlier than equivalent shots with the H3. As a result, an almost comical proportion of my FH drives got hung up on the net edge with the H2. The rubber worked better for me when playing footwork drills 1-2 steps further behind the table and using slightly bigger movements. Nonetheless, the ball arc is still very flat and has a tendency to dip early. Accordingly, FH drives need to be executed with a more open racket angle to achieve consistent clearance over the net. In other words, proper topspin motion is key to using this rubber. 

Looping:

     Given my impressions with FH drives, I was not overly optimistic about the next shot category, i.e., FH loops against backspin. Much to my surprise, the feeling was pretty good. The ball catches the tacky topsheet exceptionally well, resulting in exceptional spin generation and sufficient clearance over the net, although the trajectory clearly is somewhat shorter than with H3. The rubber feels softer than the H3 but offers a good feeling and consistency. 

Blocking:

     Blocking with the H2 is slower and flatter than with H3, and at times the sponge feels a little weak. Blocking right off the bounce results in many balls catching the net. Accordingly, I had to adjust my stroke and hit the ball a little later and higher than usual. Once I adapted, I was able to whack the ball very aggressively. Counter-topspins from mid-distance have a low margin for error due to the rubber’s low throw angle and again require a more open bat angle for the shots to clear the table. 

Smashing:

     Unsurprisingly, the H2 feels slow when smashing. In my opinion, more dangerous shots are produced when top-spinning the ball instead, as this produces a dangerous bounce. Flat hits are the H2’s  Achilles heel, that’s for sure.  

Pushing:

     Long pushes with the H2 feel softer and less direct than with the H3, resulting in slower but also spinnier pushes. As a result, I enjoyed excellent consistency in these shots with the H2. Short FH pushes are aided by the slightly bouncier nature of the H2, which renders it a little easier to get enough length on the shots. I enjoyed using the H2 for FH touch shots, which could be dropped very short, albeit it not as spinny as with the H3.  

Flicking:

     I found it easy to execute topspin FH flicks against backspin with the H2. The topsheet grabs the ball well, resulting in a stable trajectory over the net for stable, albeit slightly slow, flicks. Flat flicks – dubbed pancake flicks by some - on the other hand, are harder to execute, due to the rubber’s softer nature and the lower arc.    

Serving:

     As expected for a tacky Chinese rubber, the H2 is an excellent service rubber. Short backspin serves can be absolutely loaded with spin, while, at the same time, it is easy to calibrate input power and find the lines on long topspin/sidespin serves.       

Conclusion: 

     The DHS Hurricane 2 rubber is an excellent, albeit somewhat slow, control rubber. It shines in the looping, flicking, pushing, and service game, whereas its weaknesses lie with blocking, counter-looping, and smashing. The H2 is an inexpensive rubber that is well-suited for intermediate players operating close to the table. Higher-level players would probably find it to be too slow unless combined with a really fast carbon blade. 

Hurricane 2 Neo regular version (mid-hard, 2.15 mm black) 

Impressions

Driving:

     The H2N rubber is slightly faster than the regular H2 but slower than H3 in terms of speed (low OFF-). The throw angle is slightly higher than with the H2 (medium-low). Accordingly, FH drives dip a little later than with the regular H2, resulting in more clearance over the net and better consistency. However, like the regular H2, the H2N is not a fast rubber and considerable physical effort is needed to generate fast shots. 

Looping:

      Just like the H2, the H2N grabs the ball exceptionally well which renders it very easy to loop against heavy backspin. Loops are more dynamic than with the H2 and generate more feeling for the ball than H3 but are a little slower. The amount of spin that can be produced is exceptionally high, perhaps even slightly higher than with H3. However, due to the lower speed of the H2N, loops played with full commitment are less dangerous than with H3, in part because the loops are a little shorter.  

Blocking:

     FH blocking with the H2N feels more dynamic than with H2 but is less stable than with H3. Blocks are slower and flatter than with the H3 but offer a little bit more safety than with the H2. Most notably, the sponge feels more resilient, i.e., more capable of absorbing the incoming energy than H2. Much to my surprise, I found the H2N to offer the best feeling on counter-topspins from mid-distance of the three rubbers, although the strokes still require a rather open bat angle for the shots to clear the net. 

Smashing:

     I found the H2N to be the most effective on smashes of the three, producing moderately fast shots. Once again, however, I think you are better off top-spinning the ball rather than relying on brute flat hit power to finish off the point.   

Pushing:

     The H2N offers the best feeling of the three rubbers on long, as well as, short FH pushes. The ball grabs the top-sheet exceptionally well and since the rubber is a little slower than H3, it is possible to swing harder through the ball for maximum spin generation. My short pushes were very low and spinny and would be very difficult to attack for an opponent. Touch shots were of a similar quality as with the H2. 

Flicking:

     Since the H2N is a little faster, topspin flicks against backspin are slightly more dangerous than with H2. Yet, I enjoyed similar levels of safety over the net and overall consistency. The slightly higher throw angle also renders is easier to execute pancake flicks than with H2.     

Serving:

      The H2N behaves similarly to the H2 on serves, generating very high levels of backspin, yet being highly controllable and dangerous on long topspin/sidespin serves. In fact, if anything, the H2/H2N rubbers produce more spin than H3 on serves, which pretty much says it all! 

Conclusion:

     The Neo-version of the DHS Hurricane 2 is an interesting rubber. It lacks the stability on blocking and top-end power on looping and loop-drives that the H3 provides, which likely is the reason why top-players have been gravitating towards the H3-series instead. However, the H2N is an excellent high-spin rubber for the initial phases of any point, i.e., service, service returns be it flicks or pushes, and third-ball attack. In my opinion, the H2N is suitable for intermediate to advanced players operating close to the table and who value spin above all else.