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This time I tried putting the Bugler Red 1.7 on a Centric Carbon and hitting with it.
The weight was 39g.
I want to compare it to the original Killer, another variation-type rubber that's easy to generate speed with.
The biggest difference from the Killer, I felt, comes down to how fast the ball leaves the rubber, due to the difference in sponge.
The ball-release speed sits somewhere between the Killer and the Killer Pro — the difference is especially noticeable when brushing up under backspin to lift the ball: the Killer lets you sink the ball in a bit and hold it, while the Bugler lifts it more through the sheet and a springy rebound.
As for the amount of variation, it falls a bit short compared to the Killer, but even just blocking with it produces plenty of variation.
It also has more spring and speed than the Killer, so beyond that it probably comes down to personal preference.

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I'm using this on my backhand.
When I bought it I didn't know much about rubbers yet, so I ended up getting the max thickness version, but it produces solid knuckleballs, and you can still put spin on it if you try to.
True to its name, it really messes with your opponent. My coach from junior high even said it's hard to return.
It's hard to get used to, but once you do, you can produce really good shots.
I wouldn't recommend it as a switch from tension rubber, but I'd recommend it to short pips users who want to add a bit of knuckle to their game.

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I'm using this together with a Korbel (98g) and a Bugler (max thickness)!
I'd been using fairly thin short pips (Spectrum, Hummer, etc.) up until now, but the bounce felt lacking and I was starting to fall down the equipment rabbit hole, so I thought "why not just try a wildly bouncy variation-type" and switched.
Basically the short pips side is for creating chances — you get a nice, well-balanced long-and-short control mainly for finishing on the forehand, and it's great for easily choosing whether to leave spin on the ball or turn it into a knuckleball.
Also, I've been practicing lately, and chiquita is super easy to do with this! It curves properly, and if you understand the contact angle, it seems easy to do both a chiquita that curves and one that stays flat!
There are definitely downsides too — it's heavy.
If you mess up the weight matching on your forehand rubber, you can go over 200g total.
Another point is that the hitting feel is kind of mushy/spongy, which will probably split opinions!
Since it's on a wood blade you can control it, but if you're using a carbon blade, I think it's safer to pair it with something that holds the ball relatively well, like an acoustic inner carbon.
My conclusion: it's got some of that "wild horse" rubber quality to it, but overall it's a relatively manageable, bouncy variation-type short pips. I think it's great for choppers or anyone using variation pips who wants more bounce!

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