| This article is a summary of the most notable / special | | | | some other rubbers with reasonable success. The |
| rubbers and blades from the Joola brand. This is not | | | | Japanese-made like Mambo, Mambo H, the Samba, |
| meant to promote or criticize the brand or products in | | | | and also the (presumably Chinese made) Drum and |
| any way, it's simply a summary of opinions of the | | | | Drum CWX all enjoyed some popularity, but don't |
| more famous and highly regarded products of the | | | | stand out as much as the Tensors. With the speed |
| brand. | | | | glue ban now in place, they may become less popular |
| Overview: | | | | as some of these need glue to really come alive. |
| The JOOLA brand has its origin in the 1950s when it | | | | The Tango Ultra is one of the most successful short |
| was popular to combine the names of companies and | | | | pimple rubbers, offering great spin potential and control, |
| cities. The sports section of the department store | | | | thanks to the wide pimpled grippy topsheet and the |
| JOOss in LAndau was involved in the production of | | | | Tensor sponge. Joola Snabb also deserve a mention. |
| the first table tennis tables in 1952. Joola has grown to | | | | For the more defensive players, there is the Joola |
| become a major player among the table tennis | | | | Tony Hold Antitop which is held in high regard. Some |
| manufacturers, offering the complete range of | | | | of the long pimpled rubbers, like the Fakir and Razor, |
| equipment, and having shown some great innovation in | | | | did not survive the ITTF frictionless long pimple ban, |
| their products. | | | | although Octopus, rumored to be made by TSP Japan, |
| Their blades are believed to be made in Germany, | | | | has gained some popularity since it's release. |
| Hungary, Sweden and possibly some in China. A large | | | | Blades: |
| portion of their rubbers are made in the German ESN | | | | Joola is not one of the most popular brands for its |
| factory, home to the majority of top Tensor (Tensor is | | | | blades, although they have enjoyed some success |
| a trademark of ESN) rubbers in the world. The | | | | with some of their range and are generally regarded |
| remainder of their rubbers are made in Japan and | | | | as high quality blades. The Balsa core blades appear |
| China. | | | | to be the most successful. The Joola Kool, Panther |
| After talking to many people, and getting lots of great | | | | and Cat were quite popular for a while, but the Kool |
| feedback from people on the table tennis forums, I've | | | | appears to be the only one still made, as is easily the |
| summarized the most popular Joola rubbers and | | | | most popular of the three. More recently the Joola |
| blades below. Although the popularity can be biased by | | | | MC1 and R*1 have gained some popularity too. |
| marketing and availability, there are some that many | | | | The K-series appeared to have been very popular in |
| agree on to be great products, so there must be | | | | China, although only their most popular, the K5 appears |
| something to it. | | | | to be still made. A few others like the Fever, Viva, Guo |
| Rubbers: | | | | 3C deserve a mention, but have never become very |
| Joola Tango has been without a doubt the most | | | | popular. Similarly some of the Rosskopf blade, like the |
| popular rubber. It was one of the first Tensor rubbers | | | | Fire, Force & Allround deserve a mention. |
| released onto the market, and the unique feel and | | | | For a modern defensive blade, the Chen Weixing is |
| inbuilt speed-glue effect made it very popular. As | | | | easily the most popular and highly regarded blade from |
| demand for more speed grew, they released the | | | | Joola. The Hold White deserves a mention as well and |
| Tango Extrem, a considerably faster version of the | | | | has a small following. |
| Tango, which also became quite popular. | | | | Final words |
| The Tensors appear to be the most popular rubbers. | | | | It is likely that a player of any level and style can find |
| The Energy Green Power in particular, and more | | | | something appropriate from the Joola brand, but this is |
| recently the Energy X-Tra and Air Rosnet have | | | | the case for many of the other major brands too. |
| enjoyed moderate popularity. Only very recently Joola | | | | Hopefully this summary will be useful for Joola fans or |
| released the Express One and Express Two rubbers, | | | | those that only have this brand available to choose |
| but it's too early to judge how good these new rubber | | | | from. Joola do have a range of other table tennis |
| are. With several other major manufacturers releasing | | | | related items, in fact they pretty much sell everything |
| Tensor rubbers, it is getting harder to retain a | | | | related to table tennis, but blades and rubbers are the |
| competitive advantage. | | | | extent of this write-up. |
| Tensor are not for everyone, and Joola has released | | | | |
