The Vega X is one of the newest offerings by Xiom, advertised as the “best rubber in the Vega line”. According to Xiom, it is an improved redesign of the Vega Pro, which we’ve also tested.
We tested the Xiom Vega X for more than 20 hours to understand exactly how it plays, and therefore which players it will suit.
Perfect for: Offensive players of all levels on either side. 1-15+ years of playing.
Ace
About the Reviewer
Alvaro brings 7+ years of playing experience. He’s tested 20+ rubbers for Racket Insight and his style is The Controller.
About the Review
Blade Used: Stratus Power Wood
Rubber Thickness: MAX
Hours Tested: 10+
Recommended Playstyles
We recommend the Xiom Vega X to players who want to bring controlled speed to their game, aiming to return the ball back to their opponent in awkward and precise places.
Design of the Xiom Vega X
The Xiom Vega X comes in a high-quality, colorful sealed páckage:
Inside, we can find the rubber, covered by a protective film.
The rubber we ordered is a shiny black, MAX thickness Vega X.
If we rub our fingers across the rubber, we find that it’s slightly tacky and very grippy.
As common in most offensive ESN rubbers, the Vega X also has a good deal of inbuilt tension.
The Xiom Vega X weighs in at 48 grams, which is similar or lighter than other rubbers in this hardness range, such as the Rasanter R47 (49 grams), the Yasaka Rakza 7 (50 grams), the Tibhar Evolution MX-P (51 grams) and the Yasaka Rakza Z (53 grams).
Upon pressing on the topsheet, we find that the Xiom Vega X is a medium-hard rubber. It feels as hard as the Nittaku Fastarc G-1, for example.
- Weight (Cut): 48g
- Speed: Medium
- Spin: High
- Control: High
- Tackiness: Slightly Tacky
- Hardness: Medium-Hard
- ITTF Approved: Yes
- Sponge Thickness: 1.8mm, 2.0mm or MAX
Summary: Create incredible levels of confidence with this European rubber perfect for offensive players at any standard of play.
Playtesting the Xiom Vega X
We playtested the Xiom Vega X mostly on the forehand side, but judging from our tests on the backhand wing, it’s also an excellent choice for the backhand side.
The Xiom Vega X is very controllable for an offensive rubber. Its arc is medium to medium-high and it isn’t too fast.
The Vega X has all the gears. It isn’t too bouncy in the short game, but when you start hitting hard, you get more and more acceleration.
It’s a dream to use when looping. You can really feel the ball sinking into the rubber and it has more than adequate dwell time.
You never feel that the ball shoots off the rubber violently. It is very stable and controllable, and this shows especially when counterlooping.
Something I liked about the Vega X is that it isn’t prone to overshooting.
With certain rubbers, especially very fast rubbers (e.g. the Tibhar MX-P), high-throwing rubbers (e.g. the Fastarc G-1), or long-throwing rubbers (e.g. the Tenergy 64), you will overshoot the table if you contact the ball slightly too thickly or slightly misread the spin on the ball.
The Xiom Vega X doesn’t have a particularly high or long throw and it’s also not too fast, giving the player a lot of confidence when looping.
I found it similar to the Rakza Z in this regard. Both rubbers have plenty of grip, lots of clearance over the net and they aren’t too fast, so landing loops on the table feels effortless with them.
Another thing I really liked about the Vega X was its feeling. I felt like it was stable, spinny, and controllable. It delivers a lively feeling on the hand and it produces a loud cracking sound when hitting hard.
As for speed and spin, this rubber behaves like an average European tensor rubber. It has enough speed and spin for every level of play, including advanced levels.
The Xiom Vega X is a bit more about spin than speed, in my opinion. My forehand open-ups in particular carried above-average spin.
It has around 20% less speed and spin than a Tenergy rubber but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You get more control with the Vega X and it’s also more spin insensitive while retaining more than adequate offensive capabilities.
Driving and looping
The Xiom Vega X is an excellent rubber for driving, looping, and flat hitting.
Drives clear the net easily and the lively feel makes it very tempting to hit harder and harder. The rubber will react to the amount of power you put in and keep adding speed to the ball.
Flat hits also work very well with the Vega X as its throw is not overly high and it has the right hardness.
The Xiom Vega X is an excellent looping rubber.
Loops travel with good power and are very consistent. I sometimes feel like I can’t miss the table if I’m hitting at 70% speed, and the rubber puts lots of spin on the ball.
Speaking of spin, one aspect I really liked was the spin it could generate on open-ups. The Vega X is not very fast but it has tons of grip, making it an ideal rubber for opening up against backspin.
You can graze the ball upwards and get as much spin as you want out of it.
Another highlight of the Vega X was its counterlooping capabilities. Countering close to the table is just perfect.
It has the ideal throw for countering. It’s not too high that you are likely to overshoot nor too low that you’re likely to clip the net.
In addition, it is not too spin-sensitive. However, at the same time it has more than enough grip and a long dwell time, so you can counter with lots of confidence.
When playing with the Vega X, I felt like I could play any shot I wanted and that the rubber would do the rest of the work.
The Vega X is also good when countering away from the table.
Countering away from the table requires more effort but it is a very consistent rubber, and it puts a lot of spin on the ball.
It doesn’t generate as much pace as the MX-P or the Tenergy 05, for example, but you can land as many balls on the table as you want.
Serve and receive
The Xiom Vega X is a great rubber for serving and receiving.
Starting with the serves, it has tons of grip and you can load serves with spin. It’s also easier to keep serves short than with other faster offensive rubbers.
However, it wasn’t able to generate as much spin as the Tenergy 05 or the Yinhe Big Dipper, for example, and that’s why it didn’t get 5/5 for serving. Regardless, you’re still able to generate enough spin to cause your opponents problems.
In terms of receiving serves, the Vega X is also a very good rubber.
It’s quite easy to play out the short game and it’s also easy to flick the ball. It’s not hard to touch short with the Vega X, in fact, it’s easier to play out the short game with it than with most other offensive rubbers.
It’s also not as reactive to incoming spin as top-of-the-line rubbers such as the Tenergy range.
Blocking and chopping
Blocking with the Xiom Vega X is very good.
The rubber feels firm, stable and it has the perfect speed for blocking. Again, it’s not fast to the point you lose control but not slow to the point that your blocks aren’t dangerous.
In addition, it doesn’t have a very high throw, so blocks stay lower to the net than with other rubbers such as the Tenergy 05 or the Fastarc G-1.
Chopping with this rubber was enjoyable, if unspectacular.
The Xiom Vega X has more than enough control when chopping, even on an OFF- blade and in maximum thickness.
I think the Vega X is a good alternative for modern defenders on the forehand side.
On a slower blade, it would chop a lot better while retaining offensive potential.
Matchplay
When playing matches, the Xiom Vega X worked wonderfully.
Lots of rubbers are really good when performing practice drills. You know where the ball is going, so you can play confidently and get good-quality shots in.
However, some of these rubbers don’t work as well when playing matches, given that they’re too slow, fast, or unforgiving.
I found that, when playing matches, I could hit the ball with a lot of quality while also having the possibility of landing several loops on the table in a row.
I really liked that I could perform brush loops and go for spin, or hit-loops and go for speed.
The Vega X is an excellent rubber for opening up, for follow-up attacks, for counter topspins, you name it. All of this is because of its high control.
Alternatives to the Xiom Vega X
A faster rubber with more spin. Perfect for more advanced players who want to upgrade their Xiom Vega X.
A durable medium-hard, high-throwing, fast, spinny rubber with great offensive capabilities.
The Rasanter R47 is a medium-hard, direct offensive rubber that has great speed and spin levels.
Overall reflections on the Xiom Vega X
The Xiom Vega X is an excellent rubber that can be used on either side.
It’s the perfect rubber for intermediate offensive players, in my opinion. Open-ups are controllable and have good spin, while loops and counterloops are very consistent.
However, beginners can also make use of the Vega X in its 2.0mm variant, and so can advanced players if they put it on a fast offensive blade.
As of writing this review, I couldn’t bring myself to take it off the forehand side of my main racket. I really like playing with it!
In addition, its low price makes it an even more appealing rubber for players all around the world. The playing characteristics are superb and it’s one of the cheapest ESN offerings in the market.
Alvaro’s a qualified ITTF Level 1 Coach who's been playing Table Tennis since he was 15 and is now ranked within the top 50 in his native Argentina. He loves to compete in provincial tournaments and is always looking for ways to improve. Alvaro made his favorite memories with a racket in hand, and he joined the RacketInsight team to share his passion with other players!
Blade: Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC | Forehand: Butterfly Dignics 09c | Backhand: Butterfly Tenergy 19
Playstyle: The Controller
Agree with everything said in this review. I don’t have much experience in table tennis equipment, but I agree this rubber is excellent for controlled, all-round offensive playstyle. The price is a huge plus, and I think xiom and this rubber deserve more love from table tennis community. One question though. How do you compare this rubber with vega pro?This rubber is supposed to be an upgrade of vega pro, so comparison between the two is appropriate.
Hello Erriza,
From my testing, Vega X is a better rubber than Vega Pro. Vega X is ever so slightly slower, but it plays a lot safer and it’s easier to get spin out of it. The arc on the Vega X is not as flat, it’s a lot more forgiving, and it’s a lot better for open ups and brushed loops.
Vega Pro is better for direct shots but you have less margin of error.
Hi, Vega Pro suffers from quality deviations, unfortunately. Normally, it should have a high and relatively short trajectory, and speed-wise I’d say it should be below Vega X. It seems to me you were trying out a faulty piece. I didn’t have experience with sharp and low trajectory, bur I got a piece that was very slow and lacking spin unless the ball was brushed.
Regarding Vega X, I used two so far and thankfully, they were identical in their playing characteristics.
Hello
What are the différences with yasaka rakia 7 or vega Asia?
Thanks you for yours answers.
Hello Chris,
The Vega X is softer than Vega Asia, and faster than Rakza 7.
Cheers,
Álvaro
What about a comparison with Vega Asia?
We’ll take it into account!
Hello! Since there is an Omega series from Xiom which are more high-end/top of the line compared to the Vega series, I would like to know which do you think is the Omega equivalent of Vega X?
Hey Alvaro!
How much Vega X is faster than Rozena? are comparable or on a different level? is this still an easy rubber as the Rozena?
Thank You!
Hello Gaetano,
The Rozena is bouncier, but the Vega X can deliver more top speed because of the harder sponge. I believe that in low and medium speed shots, the Rozena will be faster, but come a certain point, the Vega X would benefit from the harder sponge and produce a faster shot.
These two rubbers are in a similar speed range, but I do believe that in most shots you’d find the Rozena to be a bit faster. The Vega x is indeed an “easy” rubber like the Rozena.
Cheers,
Álvaro
Could you please compare Vega X to Fastarc G1.
I’m using G1 on both sides, but a lot times I Overshoot the table.
Hello João,
Vega X is slightly slower and lower throwing, it is indeed more controllable and it can help you overshoot the table a bit less. Another good alternative would be Rakza Z.
Cheers,
Álvaro
Hello Álvaro,
Whats your view on tibhar SPW with Xiom vega X on FH, Andro hexer grip sfx on BH, i am an advance beginner with dominating FH, and improving BH, other option is using vega x on both sides, open to suggestions.
Thanks.
Hello Shikhar,
I’ve responded to your comment on the other article. I think Vega X and Hexer Grip SFX may be a bit too fast on SPW unless you’re training quite a bit and you have the guidance of a coach.
I’d recommend Vega Intro on both sides to start with, but you may be able to pull off Vega X and Hexer Grip SFX, just know it’ll take some time adjusting to it and you may feel a bit overwhelmed by its speed at first.
If you’re training at a club, try your clubmate’s rackets and see how they feel – that may give you a better estimation of what speed range you’re prepared for.
Cheers,
Álvaro
Thankyou for the reply, I play as a hobby in a sports complex near me (and theres no coach); i am playing for last 3 months regularly, and before that on and off for about 4-5 years like total of 2 months in a year, is vega intro a good intermediate rubber, because if after few months i would have to upgrade to vega x, i think i wouldnt mind some time to adjust to it, else i would go for vega intro. Whats your take in this?
Also i am confuse for the thickness, should i go for max thickness?
Thankyou in advance.
Shikhar,
I think it’d be better to start with Vega Intro to be honest, it will also take an adaptation period to get used to SPW with two Vega Intros coming from your premade racket.
Vega Intro is plenty fast enough to learn how to loop consistently with, it’s a professional grade rubber catered to players who are putting together their first racket. Here’s our review: https://racketinsight.com/table-tennis/xiom-vega-intro-review/
I remember when I started I bought an ALL+ blade with Sriver and Flextra and it still took time to get used to that coming from my first premade, so don’t worry about the racket being too slow.
As for thickness, try MAX on forehand and 2.0 on backhand and go from there.
Cheers,
Álvaro
Thanks for the clarification, ill go with vega intro.
What’s your suggestion for the blade, would stratus power wood be controllable, or i consider yasaka sweden extra or ma lin extra ? These are the 3 blades i am confused with.
I’d go for Stratus Power Wood if you want to have an offensive style, and for Sweden Extra for a more allround option.
Cheers,
Álvaro
Contacted few local retailers, for vega intro i have to wait for some time as its not available.
He suggested 2 options
1 SPW + vega pro/X on both sides.
2 SPW + FH genius spreme + BH sonex jp gold.
Should i wait or get any of these, both options are at almost similar price .
SPW and 2 Vega X sounds good!
Hello what’s your thoughts using Vega X in Viscaria? in FH
Hello Pat,
I used it on my FZD ALC which is basically a Viscaria and it was relatively good, but, if you’re good enough to use a Viscaria, it may be a good idea to spend a bit more money on rubbers with more speed and spin than this one, especially on the forehand side.
Vega X is good, though, especially if you’re an intermediate level player. I’d prefer a Donic Bluestorm Pro AM, Glayzer, Rakza XX, Gold Arc 8 or a similar rubber, though. Those still have great control but are better suited for a high-performance blade like the Vis.
Cheers,
Álvaro
Hello Alvaro,
I’m building a new setup, Xiom Cho Daeseong TMX Pro Blade with Hurricane 3 Neo Provincial Blue Sponhe on my forehand and either Xiom Vega X or Xiom Omega VII Pro on backhand. Have you ever tried the Omega series, and which would you recommend for Backhand on this blade?
Hello Josh,
We haven’t yet tested the Omega series but Omega VII Pro is faster and spinnier than Vega X by a relatively large margin.
If you’re an advanced player with a strong backhand go for the Omega, otherwise the Vega would be the better choice IMO.
Cheers,
Álvaro
What max thickiness of vega x? 2.2 or 2.3?