Butterfly Tenergy 64 Review — Killer Pace
- Alex Horscroft
- Last updated
If you want a grippy rubber with explosiveness then Butterfly Tenergy 64 is the rubber you need to buy. Butterfly Tenergy 64 is fast, like super-fast. So fast in fact that it’s considered to be the quickest of the Tenergy family which is one of the reasons it is so well known. It was the first Tenergy rubber I ever bought and it really helped me take my attacking game to the next level.
Let’s begin our Butterfly Tenergy 64 review to see if the rubber’s properties meet your needs.
Table of Contents
Butterfly Tenergy 64 Review
Pros
- Very fast
- Spinny
- Widely used by table tennis professionals
Cons
- Tough to control
- Expensive
Specifications
- Speed – 9.3
- Spin – 8.8
- Control – 8.8
- Hardness – Medium
- ITTF Approved? – Yes
- Thickness – 1.7, 1.9, 2.1
- Price – $$$$
- Our Rating 9.3
Construction
Do you want to know what the “64” in Butterfly Tenergy 64 stands for? It is actually the development code for the pimples used to make this unique reversed rubber. With the specialized High Tension technology, you are promised a fast, dynamic rubber that utilizes the innovative and revolutionary Spring Sponge. Fun fact, you can find the Butterfly 64 pimple code for other rubbers the company makes, such as Dignics 64.
The one-of-a-kind Spring Sponge allows the player to carefully grip the ball with the rubber and catapult it back with formidable speed and spin, making it an excellent choice for the electrifying, attacking style. The underlying sponge is red, and the rubber is available in thicknesses of 1.7mm, 1.9mm, and 2.1mm.
Advantages
Tenergy 64 is an exceptional rubber, and this should come as no surprise given Tenergy’s widespread popularity, and the quality that Butterfly consistently put out. The main area Tenergy 64 shines is its speed, it’s damn quick and highly direct. It has a much lower throw angle than the likes of Tenergy 05 so you don’t get great big arcs on your loops. In fact, according to Butterfly rubber matrix, it is the joint 4th fastest rubber, only placing behind Bryce Highspeed, Dignics 64, and Dignics 80.
This makes the rubber an excellent choice for high-speed attackers. There aren’t that many rubbers out there that are faster. In addition to having excellent looping ability, I’m also a big fan of smashing with the Tenergy 64 rubber. Smashes felt crisp and very deadly. In fact, Tenergy 64 is probably one of my favorite rubbers when it comes to smashing. I felt very confident in this area, and I would frequently smash through backspin balls that were fairly low over the net rather than looping them. This is the kind of shot I avoid with my current setup as I don’t have the same kind of confidence in this area.
To put it plainly, Tenergy 64 is an attacking beast, and I feel like the way to get the most out of it is to vary your offense with smashing and looping. This helps to upset your opponent’s rhythm and makes you trickier to play against.
I should also note that Tenergy 64 performs well at all distances from the table. Its directness flourishes at a close to mid-distance, and the in-built catapult effect gives you all the pace you need when you take a few steps back and start to attack from a far distance from the table.
- Very fast
- Spinny
- Great for looping and smashing
- Tenergy is widely used by table tennis professionals
Disadvantages
While Tenergy 64 is a superb rubber, it is not without its issues, the first is its lack of control. It’s a tough rubber to use unless you are highly skilled. Its pace and speed sometimes make it very difficult to keep on the table, and its spin sensitivity even means lower pace shots can be troublesome.
There is no doubt in my mind that Tenergy 64 is only for advanced players. And even players at this skill level may take some adjustment if coming from rubbers that are dissimilar.
In my experience, I have also found durability to be a little underwhelming, although it appears this sentiment is not shared by most players. There are definitely more durable rubbers out there that are available for a lot less money. This brings me to my main critique of the rubber: its price. There’s no doubt Tenergy 64 oozes quality, and if money was no object I would certainly consider sticking with it for my setup.
Unfortunately, this is not the case, and we have to weigh up the rubber’s performance relative to its cost. And for me, it’s very overpriced. You can pick up just as effective rubbers for around $35 cheaper. That’s $70 cheaper for both sides, and a saving I simply cannot look past. If you don’t mind spending a lot of money on your rubbers, by all means, pick up Tenergy 64, but I feel most players will be driven to rubbers that offer more value.
- Takes practice to learn how to control
- Expensive
- Sensitive to incoming spin
Alternative Options
Tenergy 05
Tenergy 05 is one of the most popular rubbers of all time, so it makes for a great alternative to Tenergy 64. The rubber is characterized by a high throw angle, giving it a much more arcing trajectory than Tenergy 64. It is also a little slower than T64 but does offer more spin.
It has similar drawbacks in that it is tough to control, and is very expensive. However, this hasn’t stopped its mass adoption. It is one of the most widely used rubbers by table tennis professionals.
To learn more about the Tenergy series, check out the video below by Quadcober Sports. He provides a clear Tenergy breakdown that you might find useful.
For our full review of Tenergy 05 click here
Bryce High Speed
Bryce High Speed is a great choice for players seeking an even faster rubber than Tenergy 64. It is the quickest rubber that Butterfly makes and only falls a little behind Tenergy 64 in terms of spin. It also has a similar hardness and trajectory so the two rubbers do not feel all that different. You’ll be pleased to know that Bryce High Speed is cheaper, which is an added bonus.
If you want to save a little money and love to smash and punch the ball, I think Bryce High Speed edges Tenergy 64.
Read More: Tenergy 80 Review
Conclusion
Our Tenergy 64 testing found the rubber to be very fast with great spin. It’s so quick that many players will struggle to consistently keep the ball on the table. It’s certainly geared towards an advanced player base, and in our opinion, those who prioritize speed over all else.
If that’s the sort of game you play, it’s a good rubber to choose for your racket. Just know that Tenergy 64 is pretty pricey and doesn’t offer the best value, but the quality is undoubtedly there. If on the other hand, you want to continue looking for the right rubbers for you, give our best rubbers guide a read.
FAQs
Is Tenergy 64 Good for Backhand?
Butterfly Tenergy 64 is a great backhand rubber, provided it suits your style. Lots of players tend to favor slightly slower rubbers for their backhand so Tenergy 64 somewhat breaks this trend. But if you like to play fast on this side, Tenergy 64 on backhand is a great choice!
With Tenergy 64 you can explosively loop and counter with deadly intent. Just make sure you get your form down, it’s easy to get a little overconfident and miss shots.
What Is the Main Difference Between Tenergy 05 and Tenergy 64?
The main difference between the two rubbers is the spin and speed. Tenergy 64 offers a speed advantage but has a little less spin. As such, it is perhaps a better fit for players who like to power-loop and smash.
Freelance writer. Table tennis enthusiast. Lover of all things online. When I’m not working on my loop game I’m probably binge-watching some fantasy show.
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