DHS Hurricane and Butterfly Tenergy are two of the most famous and popular table tennis rubbers on the market and they’re used by plenty of professional players all over the world. But which is the best option for you?
In this article, I’ll compare DHS Hurricane and Butterfly Tenergy in terms of their speed, spin, control, durability and price, as well as point out which rubber is best for different styles of playing and backhand/ forehand.
Hurricane vs Tenergy
DHS Hurricane is a Chinese-style tacky rubber, whereas Butterfly Tenergy is a high-tension rubber. Butterfly Tenergy is faster but offers less spin and slightly less control than DHS Hurricane. Tenergy is approximately twice as expensive as Hurricane rubber but offers a similar level of durability.
| Butterfly Tenergy | DHS Hurricane |
| More speed | More spin |
| Higher price | Lower price |
| Requires less effort to generate power | Requires more effort to generate power |
| Suits forehand mainly but can be used on backhand | Suits forehand and is less suited to backhand |
| Good for looping and smashing | Good for top spin and serve-returns |
Butterfly Tenergy 05 (image links to Amazon)
DHS Hurricane 3 (image links to Amazon)
Butterfly Tenergy Overview
The Butterfly Tenergy range includes 10 different tensor-style pimples-in table tennis rubbers. Tenergy is a Japanese-style rubber which is not very tacky but has a high tension sponge and rubber sheet. This gives Tenergy rubber excellent spin and speed capabilities making it a popular choice amongst Asian and European professional players.
Types of Butterfly Tenergy Rubber:
- Tenergy 05: this is the original Tenergy rubber and offers high spin and speed.
- Tenergy 19: this offers a higher-arc than Tenergy 05 and suits the backhand very well.
- Tenergy 80: this is the most balanced rubber out of the Tenergy line-up in terms of speed, spin and control.
- Tenergy 64: this offers the most speed out of the Tenergy rubbers.
- Tenergy 25: this offers less speed and spin but good touch and accuracy.
There are also “FX” variants of each type of Tenergy rubber which all have a softer sponge which gives them more spin and control, but less power. The Tenergy 05 also has a “hard” variant which offers more speed but slightly less spin than the standard Tenergy 05 rubber.
Check out my complete guide to the Tenergy range for more info.
DHS Hurricane Overview
DHS Hurricane is a very tacky Chinese-style rubber which comes in several variants. DHS Hurricane rubbers are well known for their very high spin capabilities and are used by many professional table tennis players, most of which are from China.
Types of DHS Hurricane Rubber:
- DHS Hurricane 2
- DHS Hurricane 2 Neo
- DHS Hurricane 3
- DHS Hurricane 3 Neo Provincial 39′
- DHS Hurricane 3 Neo
- DHS Hurricane 3 Provincial
- DHS Hurricane 3 National
- DHS Hurricane 3 National 39′ Blue Sponge
- DHS Hurricane 3-50 Soft
- DHS Hurricane 8 Mid-Hard
There are 3 main hurricane types: Hurricane 2, Hurricane 3 and Hurricane 8, with Hurricane 3 being the most popular.
There ae also “Neo” variants which have the same rubber top-sheet but a medium-hard sponge for more speed and spin without boosting. The provincial versions of DHS Hurricane 3 have a tackier rubber top-sheet to add more speed and spin compared to the standard DHS Hurricane 3. The national version of DHS Hurricane 3 is the most expensive and has the best speed and spin.
Check out my complete guide to the DHS Hurricane range for more info.
Tackiness and Hardness Compared
Butterfly Tenergy is a tensor-style rubber which is only slightly tacky and has a bouncier feel to DHS Hurricane which is a Chinese-style rubber which has a very tacky rubber top-sheet and harder sponge layer. These differences in the characteristics of the rubber top-sheet and sponge layer create differences in the speed, spin and control abilities of the rubber.
Which is the Fastest?
Butterfly Tenergy rubbers are faster than DHS Hurricane rubbers. Butterfly Tenergy has a bouncier sponge which creates a trampoline-like effect giving the player a more powerful and hence faster stroke. Although DHS Hurricane rubbers have a hard top-sheet, they do not generate quite as much speed.
There is a bit of debate when deciding which is the fastest between tensor and Chinese-style rubbers. It’s generally agreed that tensor rubbers allow you to generate more power and speed with less force, but Chinese rubbers can generate more overall speed and power when using maximum force. However, Tenergy is superior to most standard tensor rubbers so still feels faster than Hurricane.
Although, this relationship between force and speed still applies to some extent when looking at lower-level players. Even though Hurricane is a fast rubber, players with a less forceful stroke may find it much slower compared to Tenergy which requires less force to get a higher speed output. That’s why professionals may not notice a huge difference in speed between the two rubbers but amateurs may find Tenergy to feel much faster.
Which Offers the Most Spin?
DHS Hurricane rubbers have a higher spin capability compared to Butterfly Tenergy rubbers. DHS Hurricane has a tacky top-sheet which grips the ball and allows the player to apply more spin using proper technique. Butterfly Tenergy is still excellent for generating spin, but does not have as much spin capability.
There’s a bit of a caveat here though.
- DHS Hurricane rubbers offer a higher maximum spin capability than Butterfly Tenergy rubbers.
- Butterfly Tenergy rubbers make it easier to apply spin than DHS Hurricane.
For lower-level players who are not using perfect technique and a high-level of force, Tenergy may actually feel like it’s more “spinny” than DHS Hurricane because it is easier to apply the spin with less force. For professionals though, DHS Hurricane will feel more spinny because the tacky top-sheet allows you to generate more spin when using proper technique.
Which Gives You the Best Control?
Butterfly Tenergy and DHS Hurricane are both high-speed rubbers which can make them harder to control for amateur players. Some players will find Tenergy harder to control due to the high-tensioned, bouncy sponge, whereas some players will find DHS Hurricane harder to control due to the extra force you need to put into your stroke to generate a good-level of spin.
There’s a lot to consider when determining which rubber will offer you the most control, so it is really best for you to try them out yourself and see which feels best for you. However, here’s a table with control ratings to get a gauge on which feels the easiest to control for most players.
| Rubber | Control |
| Hurricane 2 | 12.0 |
| Hurricane 2 NEO | 12.3 |
| Tenergy 64 | 12.3 |
| Tenergy 05 Hard | 12.4 |
| Tenergy 64 FX | 12.8 |
| Tenergy 05 | 12.6 |
| Hurricane 3 National | 12.9 |
| Hurricane 3-50 Soft | 13.1 |
| Hurricane 3 | 13.1 |
| Hurricane 3 Provincial | 13.1 |
| Hurricane 3 NEO | 13.1 |
| Tenergy 05 FX | 13.2 |
| Tenergy 25 | 13.2 |
| Tenergy 25 FX | 13.4 |
| Tenergy 80 | 13.5 |
| DHS Hurricane 8 | 13.5 |
| DHS Hurricane 3 NEO Provincial | 13.5 |
| Tenergy 80 FX | 13.6 |
| Tenergy 19 | 13.7 |
Which is the Most Durable?
Butterfly Tenergy and DHS Hurricane rubbers both last a similar amount of time and need replacing after approximately 120-150 hours of playing. The high-end DHS Hurricane rubbers such as the Provincial and National rubbers usually last slightly longer than Tenergy rubbers.
Some players actually find that DHS Hurricane feels better when the rubber has been broken-in after around 50 hours of playing, when the sponge tends to soften.
Here’s a table showing the average durability of each type of Tenergy and Hurricane rubbers.
| Rubber | Approx. Durability |
| Hurricane 3-50 Soft | 120 hours |
| Hurricane 8 | 120 hours |
| Tenergy 19 | 120 hours |
| Tenergy 64/ FX | 125 hours |
| Hurricane 3/ NEO | 125 hours |
| Tenergy 05/ FX/ Hard | 125 hours |
| Hurricane 2/ NEO | 125 hours |
| Tenergy 80/ FX | 125 hours |
| Hurricane 3 Provincial | 140 hours |
| Tenergy 25/ FX | 140 hours |
| DHS Hurricane 3 NEO Provincial | 140 hours |
| Hurricane 3 National | 150 hours |
Price Comparison
DHS Hurricane rubber is cheaper than Butterfly Tenergy table tennis rubber. DHS Hurricane rubbers range from approximately $30-$75, whilst Butterfly Tenergy rubbers cost roughly $85, making them around twice as expensive the mid-range DHS Hurricane rubbers.
Here is a table comparing the average prices of each type of Hurricane and Tenergy.
| Rubber | Average Price |
| Hurricane 2/ Neo | $30 |
| Hurricane 3/ Neo | $30 |
| Hurricane 3-50 | $35 |
| Hurricane 8 | $40 |
| Hurricane 3 Provincial/ Neo Provincial | $60 |
| Hurricane 3 National | $75 |
| Tenergy 05 Hard | $80 |
| Tenergy 05/ FX | $85 |
| Tenergy 25/ FX | $85 |
| Tenergy 64/ FX | $85 |
| Tenergy 80/ FX | $85 |
| Tenergy 19 | $85 |
Playing Styles
Players who use a fuller stroke which involves their whole body movement tend to like DHS Hurricane, whereas players with a shorter stroke tend to prefer Butterfly Tenergy. Hurricane rubber is good for offensive/ all-round players, whereas Tenergy is suited to fully offensive players due to its higher speed.
- DHS Hurricane: suits all-round+/ offensive styles
- Butterfly Tenergy: suits offensive styles
Here is a table comparing Tenergy and Hurricane for different types of shots.
| Butterfly Tenergy | DHS Hurricane |
| Powerful even when stood far from the table | Less powerful so players need to stand closer |
| Requires less effort and body movement | Requires more effort and body movement |
| High speed for smashing | Less speed for smashing |
| Good for blocking due to high-tension | Good for serving and serve-return |
| Can be hard to control incoming spin | Easier to control incoming spin |
Backhand vs Forehand
Many players like to use both DHS Hurricane and Butterfly Tenergy on their table tennis blades with one type on the forehand and the other on the backhand. Generally, when this combination is used, DHS Hurricane is used on the forehand and Tenergy on the backhand.
The issue with using DHS Hurricane on the backhand is that it is harder to generate spin because most players have a weaker backhand, and Hurricane requires a fuller stroke to generate a good level of spin and power. Butterfly Tenergy works well on either the forehand or backhand. Some players may find it too bouncy and hard to control on the backhand and prefer it on the forehand to get the most out of the speed and spin.
Tenergy: suits either forehand or backhand but is mostly used for forehand.
Hurricane: mainly used for the forehand.
Which Should You Choose?
If you are an offensive-style player who is looking for the most speed, then Butterfly Tenergy is a better option than DHS Hurricane. If you are an all-round/ offensive style player who is looking to generate more spin and have slightly better control, then DHS Hurricane will usually be the best option.
Both rubbers are hugely popular and will suit different playstyles and techniques, so switching between them is a huge adjustment. However, if you are currently using one type of rubber, I recommend trying the other type at some point as you may find that it actually suits you more. You won’t know unless you try it!
Switching Rubbers
It is often harder for a player to switch from Butterfly Tenergy to DHS Hurricane because to get the most out of Hurricane, you’ll need to significantly change your technique by opening your body more and generating a fuller stroke.
Tackier Chinese rubbers like Hurricane are not suited to beginners who will often find them hard to generate speed and spin. If you are willing to put in the effort to adjust your technique though and are looking for more spin, then it may be worth changing from Tenergy to Hurricane.
You can also switch from Hurricane to Tenergy if you are looking to generate more speed, however you will again have to adjust your technique. Tenergy is a faster rubber so requires a softer touch to avoid the ball flying off the table compared to Hurricane which is not nearly as bouncy.
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