Spin Testers
Nittaku Factive Review | Table Tennis Rubber Test
Is Nittaku Factive a Good Alternative Backhand Rubber?
The Nittaku Factive comes in a stylish silver-purple package matching the purple color of its sponge which is a real differentiator to other rubbers. Uncut, the rubber weights about 60g and about 40g when cut to match our favorite test blade, Butterfly Harimoto ALC, which we used for this review. In many forums and YouTube videos Nittaku Factive is claimed as one of the best rubbers for the backhand but is this true and why is that? Let's have a look.
Nittaku Factive: Topsheet Characteristic
Touching the matte topsheet for the first time, we immediately noticed that it has more grip than most other rubbers. Comparing with Butterfly Rozena or Andro GTT 45, we would say that Nittaku Factive is the grippiest of the 3 providing a lot of confidence when you want to go for that one all-in topspin to win a point. The grippinness can be compared to the topsheet of Nittaku Fastarc G-1, its bigger and more expensive, bigger brother but is the spin potential comparable? Before we answer this question, let us point you to another thing which needs to be mentioned when talking about the Nittaku Factive topsheet: It's very soft. Don't get us wrong. The overall rubber can be categorized as being medium in terms of hardness but this is due to a unique combination of a medium-hard sponge with a soft topsheet which we haven't seen in any other rubber yet.
Sponge Type of Nittaku Factive
Nittaku markets the Factive as an entry-level tensor rubber which means that it's built for the plastic ball and provides a bit of catapult effect which is not too overwhelming for intermediate players so you won't have to be afraid of the ball to overshoot the table when hitting too hard. The reason for this is the already mentioned very unique combination of a soft topsheet and a medium hard, slightly coarse sponge. This provides a lot of confidence and control when playing. When comparing the sponge with the earlier mentioned Butterfly Rozena and Andro GTT 45 rubbers, we think that it sits right in between the two in terms of sponge hardness.
Playing Characteristics of Nittaku Factive
When playing the Nittaku Factive for the first time, we immediately noticed that it does provide a bit of dampening effect when hitting the ball, most likely caused by the soft topsheet which allows the ball to sink in and give the player time to control and direct the ball into a direction it is intended to go. This is something which cannot be found with other rubbers which usually come with a harder topsheet which again decreases the amount of contact time with the ball. Once the ball has sunken into the topsheet, it makes contact with the rather firm, but not too hard, sponge which allows the player to produce more power and speed if needed. This acceleration however can only be created with the rubber if the ball is hit hard. If playing softer strokes, like for example when pushing close to the net, then you will almost always feel the dampening effect mentioned earlier. This is a characteristic which we only know from sticky hybrid rubbers like Glazyer 09C but given the fact that Nittaku Factive being not sticky makes this behavior quite remarkable. In addition, it is also noteworthy that Nittaku Factive is very insensitive against incoming spin. This is particularly useful when blocking heavy opening topspin of your opponents. With spinnier rubbers, your block might overshoot the table but with Nittaku Factive it is very easy by just closing the racket angle a bit and gently touching the incoming ball which should bring it back safely on the table.
How Good is Nittaku Factive's Spin?
Looking at the spin generation provided by Nittaku Factive, we would describe it as being good but not outstanding. Given the very grippy topsheet, we actually expected more spin power but it was a bit less than we anticipated. Still, given a good technique of the player, the spin provided by this rubber is definitely good enough for most people. Comparing with the other rubbers mentioned in this article, we think that Nittaku Factive has a bit more spin than Andro GTT 45 and slightly less than Butterfly Rozena. However, compared with spin-monsters like Nittaku Fastarc G-1 or Butterfly Tenergy 05, Nittaku Factive definitely provides a lot less spin than these toptier rubbers – even less than the much harder, but sticky, Glayzer 09C. This means, it is a bit more difficult to surprise your opponent with huge amounts of spin and you will have to expect your opening topspin to be returned in most cases or even land in the net if you don't accelerate enough with your body. This characteristic however, matches well with the overall feeling of Nittaku Factive. It's not a rubber to win the point with the first stroke. Instead, you get your points with secure, well placed shots throughout a rally, controlling the ball and the opponent. However, if you are a more agressive player, looking for that one-shot-kill, then you might be better of with looking at faster tensor rubber which we have tested in this article: Best Tensor Rubbers for Table Tennis 2024
Is Nittaku Factive the Best Backhand Rubber?
Well, we wouldn't say it's the best backhand rubber because each player has different needs when it comes to rubber choice. Having said that, after testing the Nittaku Factive for multiple weeks now, we are absolutely convinced that this is a great choice for intermediate players, especially if you are not stable with your backhand yet. It doesn't allow you to generate insame amount of spin and speed but it gives you this one thing most players need in their backhand game: Control. The reason being that many players are forehand dominant, which means that they win most of their points with the forehand while the backhand is just there for placing the ball right where you want it to be – ready to kill the ball with your next forehand stroke. This claim is supported by a YouTube review video from Catenaccio channel which you can find here: (Video) Nittaku Factive Review.
For players who are backhand-dominant however, this rubber is most likely too slow. In this case, we recommend to search for something spinnier and faster, like for example Xiom Vega Korea which we have tested as well: Xiom Vega Korea Test Review.
Conclusion
Summing things up. Is the Nittaku Factive a great backhand rubber? Absolutely, if you value control over spin and speed. This rubber is a great choice for any intermediate player and we definitely recommend to try it out if you are still developing confidence with your backhand strokes. At a price point of $35, this rubber provides amazing value and even the author of this review is currently using the Factive on the backhand and it needs to be said that currently there is no other product out there on the market which matches the unique combination of medium-hard sponge and soft topsheet, giving the Factive its outstanding feel for the ball which cannot be found in other rubbers available.
Similar, but not identical alternatives are Andro GTT 45 and Xiom Vega Europe. To find out more about these rubbers, have a look at our comparison article between these two rubbers against Nittaku Factive.
