Long Pimples vs Anti Loop - my first impressions - 08/11/2026

 Long Pimples vs Anti Loop - my first impressions - 08/11/2026

Its a good idea to practise some defensive techniques since these are relevant to everyone in the game, even offensive style players.  I use a Donic Defply inner carbon blade which has a large head and, as the name implies, inner carbon.  This blade allows me to loop and chop and to attack with speed and quality.

I began by using Donic Piranja Formula TEC (1.2mm) on my BH and Donic Bluefire M2 (MAX) on my FH.  I found that the long pimple rubbers thick sponge allowed me to attack, even to loop and flick, so it behaved rather like an inverted rubber although I could also chop with quality away from the table.  I won a lot of points as a result of the contrasting speeds of the rubbers, because Bluefire is fast and Piranja is rather slow.

Recently I changed my BH rubber to Donic Alligator Anti (1.5mm).  This anti loop rubber has a hard sponge so its possible to attack, using punches and flat hits which can be very effective.  Other anti loop rubbers have softer sponges and absorb spin and speed but this anti has a very brief dwell time.  I think it offers some spin reversal but not as much as the long pimples does.  In general terms, it offers more control than long pimples rubber, a bit more speed and less spin reversal just as the Donic catalogue suggests.  

I think I prefer anti loop to long pimples because its easier to learn and use.  Its almost impossible to miss the table using the Donic Alligator Anti because it has so much control.  When I used the Donic Piranja I often missed the table when hitting an attacking shot like a drive because long pimples doesn't create the topspin necessary to bring the ball down onto the table.  Hitting attacking shots with Donic Piranja is possible but there's a very limited window of opportunity to do so and its very easy to miss the shot.  The anti loop rubber has helped my chopping and defense but I have no plans to change and use this as a BH rubber.

I'm going to use an anti loop rubber for the next year or so and then change to Tibhar Grass D Tecs OX.

Paul Murphy

Paul Murphy