Built-in Speed-Glue Effect
Even before the speed-glue ban, there were lots of rubber sheets that felt as if they had been speed-glued even if you used regular glue. Since the ban, there are even more rubber sheets with a built-in speed-glue effect. If the rubber uses any of the following technologies, it has a built-in speed-glue effect (this is not an exhaustive list):
- andro Tensor Technology
- andro Tensor 3G Technology
- Butterfly High Tension Technology
- Butterfly Spring Sponge
- JOOLA GP (Generation Power) Technology
- JOOLA Green Power Technology
- JOOLA Tensor Technology
Some rubber sheets that had a built-in speed-glue effect could be speed-glued, while others should only have been used with regular glue.
Rubber-Type Compatibility
Speed glue worked best with inverted rubber, although short pips could also be speed-glued. Long pips, medium pips, and antispin did not work with speed glue. There was no point in using speed glue with rubber that did not have an underlayer of sponge since the sponge was needed to soak up and absorb the glue.
Sponge
Speed glue tended to work best with soft sponge (although you could certainly use it with harder sponge, too). So manufacturers introduced many rubber sheets that were specifically designed to be speed-glued. Some of these play well without speed glue, while some are too soft (although some people like very soft rubber). Some of the words that manufacturers often used to indicate that the rubber was especially good with speed glue are “Energy”, “Sound”, and “GPS”. Generally, these terms just mean that the rubber has a softer sponge. (Not all manufacturers used “Energy” in this way, but STIGA did.)
Beginners
We suggest that beginners not use a rubber that has a built-in speed-glue effect. It is easier to learn to play using a traditional rubber, and it is less likely that you will develop bad habits.