(By Tawny Banh)

Butterfly Tenergy 19 is the newest performance rubber from the Tenergy series, encompassing the “spring technology” and “high friction.”  It comes in 3 sponge thicknesses:  1.7 mm, 1.9 mm, and 2.1 mm.  The thicker sponge is the most popular amongst the offensive players.  The sponge hardness is 36 degrees which is soft and great for topspin looping.  There’s not a huge difference between Tenergy 19 vs flagship Tenergy 05.  The pimples from the top sheet of Tenergy 19 are dense and slightly thinner than all Tenergy series.  It is slightly faster and has more spin than Tenergy 05.  One advantage Tenergy 19 has over Tenergy 05 is it has more “dwell time.”  It grabs and grips the ball longer, resulting in a higher ball arc and stability.  Because the ball sinks into the rubber, it’s particularly great for looping, serving, and receiving.

Tenergy 19 seems to be more suitable for mid or half distance players that like to take a step back.  For those that prefer closer to the table, I suggest using Dignics 05, Dignics 09c or Tenergy 05. Additionally, Tenergy 19 has a great ball sound, mimicking the sound of the good old “speed glue”days.  Since it is a bit faster than Tenergy 05, it creates a “catapult” effect when a player is initiating an offense.  However, it still performs well against passive shots such as blocking.  Overall, Tenergy 19 can do so many things!

For aggressive players, I recommend using Tenergy 19 with any Butterfly carbon blades. Butterfly chack water base glue when you apply Tenergy 19 to your blade.  When you are done playing, use the Butterfly refresh to clean both of your rubbers and apply the adhesive rubber protective film to protect the surface of the rubber.  By doing this, it will prolong the tackiness of the rubber.

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