DHS Hurricane II Review: The Classic Paddle and What Replaced It (2026)
In This Article
- DHS Hurricane II Review: The Short Answer
- What the Hurricane-II Tournament Paddle Was
- The Rubber Behind the Name: Hurricane II
- How the DHS Hurricane II Plays
- Current DHS Pre-Assembled Alternatives
- Better Routes to a Hurricane-Style Paddle
- Buying a DHS Ping Pong Paddle Safely
- Verdict: Is the DHS Hurricane II Worth It?
- Frequently Asked Questions
DHS Hurricane II Review: The Short Answer
The DHS Hurricane-II Tournament racket is a pre-assembled shakehand paddle that pairs a tacky red Hurricane-series rubber with DHS G555 on an all-wood blade. It was a solid Chinese-style setup, but no current Amazon US listing for it could be verified, so it is best treated as discontinued or hard to find. Today, the closest route is a current DHS premade or a custom bat built around Hurricane 3 Neo.
This DHS Hurricane II review covers what the paddle actually was, how it plays on paper, what to watch for if you find one, and the DHS options worth considering instead.
What the Hurricane-II Tournament Paddle Was
DHS (Double Happiness) is the Chinese brand behind the Hurricane rubbers used for years by China's national team. The Hurricane-II Tournament racket put that name on an affordable, ready-to-play bat.
Quick Facts
- Type: Pre-assembled shakehand racket
- Blade: DHS Hurricane No. 2, described by Racket Rampage as 5-ply wood with no carbon
- Red Side: Tacky Hurricane-series rubber (an older Amazon listing named Hurricane 3; a later review named Hurricane II)
- Black Side: DHS G555
- Handle: Long, flared shakehand
- Weight: 167 g, per Racket Rampage
The mismatch between listings matters. If a seller cannot tell you which rubber is on the red side, you cannot be sure which version you are getting.
The Rubber Behind the Name: Hurricane II
The paddle takes its name from Hurricane II rubber. DHS's own description, as listed on Revspin, says Hurricane II was designed for Wang Liqin and Yan Sen at the 2000 Olympics and highlights strong near-table attack with a low ball arc.
Users on Revspin describe it as tacky with a hard sponge, which is the classic Chinese recipe: lots of grip and spin when you brush the ball hard, less free speed when you do not. Hurricane 3, its better-known successor, follows the same idea and is covered in our DHS Hurricane 3 review.
How the DHS Hurricane II Plays
Spin and Serves
A tacky red side is the main reason to want this paddle. It grabs the ball on short serves, pushes and slow loops, which is why Hurricane-style bats appear on lists of the best ping pong paddles for spin.
Speed and Control
An all-wood 5-ply blade is slower and more forgiving than carbon. That helps control, but hard Chinese sponges need full, fast strokes. Players with short, gentle swings may find the ball feels flat.
The G555 Backhand
G555 is a less tacky DHS rubber, so the backhand side behaves differently from the forehand. That contrast suits a forehand-led style but takes some adjustment.
Pros
- Tacky forehand rubber for spin
- All-wood blade for control
- Ready to play out of the box
Cons
- Hard to buy new
- Inconsistent listing specs
- Rubber on old stock may be aged
Current DHS Pre-Assembled Alternatives
DHS's long-running A-series premades are the nearest relatives of the Hurricane-II. Specialist reviews describe them as below, though rubber pairings have varied between batches, and none had a current Amazon US listing that could be verified.
| Model | Blade | Rubbers (As Reviewed) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane-II Tournament | Hurricane No. 2, 5-ply wood | Hurricane-series + G555 | Hard to find new |
| A4002 | Wood, shakehand | Hurricane 3 + G888 | Budget entry point |
| A5002 | 5-Star, 5-ply wood | Hurricane 3 + Skyline TG2 | Expert Table Tennis saw little gain over the A4002 |
| A6002 | 6-Star, 5-ply wood | Hurricane 3 + Tinarc | Top of the A-series; reviewers note a heavy feel |
| H7002 | 5 wood + 2 carbon | Hurricane 3 + Hurricane 8 | Faster carbon option |
Better Routes to a Hurricane-Style Paddle
Because DHS premade listings are hard to verify in the US, many players build their own. Gluing Hurricane 3 Neo to a blade lets you pick the speed instead of accepting whatever a premade uses. Our best table tennis blades guide covers suitable all-wood and carbon frames, and custom ping pong paddles explains how to assemble one.
For a top-end version, DHS's Hurricane Long 5 blade is the frame associated with Ma Long, whose setup is covered in our Ma Long equipment guide. If you simply want a ready-made bat that is easy to buy, a current premade from our best ping pong paddles list is the simpler choice.
| Product | Best For | Type | Blade | Thickness | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DHS Hurricane-II Tournament Racket | Players who already own one or find a genuine unit from a trusted seller | Pre-assembled shakehand racket | DHS Hurricane No. 2 (5-ply wood per Racket Rampage) | — | Details |
| DHS Hurricane 3 Neo | Rebuilding a Hurricane-style forehand on your own blade | Inverted, tacky (Chinese style) | — | 2.1 mm (this listing) | Check Price |
| DHS Hurricane Long 5 | Advanced loopers building a Chinese national-team style bat | — | — | 5.9 mm | Check Price |
| Palio Expert 3.0 | Beginners who want a ready-made, tacky-rubber bat with simple buying | — | All-wood, flared handle | — | Check Price |
Buying a DHS Ping Pong Paddle Safely
- Check the packaging. Genuine DHS rackets carry a laser anti-counterfeit label with a code you can check with DHS.
- Question low prices. An unusually cheap listing is a common sign of a fake.
- Confirm the rubbers. Ask which rubber is on each side and compare it with the specs above.
Verdict: Is the DHS Hurricane II Worth It?
If you already own one, or find a genuine unit in good condition, the Hurricane-II is a reasonable all-wood bat for learning a spinny, forehand-led game. For most buyers, though, chasing an old listing makes less sense than buying a current premade or pairing Hurricane 3 Neo with a blade you choose.
DHS Hurricane-II Tournament Racket
Best for: Players who already own one or find a genuine unit from a trusted seller
An older DHS premade that pairs a tacky Hurricane-series rubber with G555 on an all-wood Hurricane No. 2 blade. It still describes a sound Chinese-style setup, but a current, verifiable US listing could not be found.
| Type | Pre-assembled shakehand racket |
|---|---|
| Blade | DHS Hurricane No. 2 (5-ply wood per Racket Rampage) |
| Red Side | Hurricane-series tacky rubber (listed as Hurricane 3 or Hurricane II, depending on the listing) |
| Black Side | DHS G555 |
| Handle | Long / shakehand (flared) |
| Weight | 167 g (per Racket Rampage) |
| Status | No current Amazon US listing could be verified |
Pros
- Tacky Hurricane-family rubber on the red side grips the ball for spin
- All-wood blade is easier to control than a carbon setup
- Pre-assembled with ITTF-approved DHS rubbers
Cons
- No longer easy to buy new, and listings are inconsistent
- Hard, tacky rubber needs a full, committed stroke
- Older stock may have aged rubber
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the DHS Hurricane II Paddle Still Made?
No current Amazon US listing for the Hurricane-II Tournament premade could be verified, and most remaining listings are on third-party marketplaces. Treat it as hard to find and check any unit carefully before buying.
What Rubber Is on the DHS Hurricane II Paddle?
Listings describe a tacky red Hurricane-series rubber, named as Hurricane 3 in one Amazon listing and Hurricane II in a later review, with DHS G555 on the black side. Because listings disagree, the exact rubber may vary by batch.
Is Hurricane 2 Rubber Better Than Hurricane 3?
Neither is simply better. Both are tacky Chinese rubbers with hard sponges, and Hurricane 3 is the one DHS sells most widely today, so it is easier to find in a range of hardness options.
Are DHS Ping Pong Paddles Good for Beginners?
Budget DHS premades are playable, but their hard, tacky rubbers reward full strokes and can feel dead on gentle contact. Many beginners find a softer, control-first bat easier to learn with.
How Can I Tell If a DHS Paddle Is Genuine?
Genuine DHS rackets carry a laser anti-counterfeit label on the outer packaging, with a code that can be checked with DHS. An unusually low price is also a warning sign, and Expert Table Tennis has warned about counterfeit DHS listings on Amazon.
What Do DHS Model Numbers Like 6002 Mean?
In the A-series, the first digit is the star level, from 1 to 6, so higher means a better grade. The last two digits describe the blade, and 02 means a shakehand bat with inverted rubber on both sides.
