Choosing the Perfect Table Tennis Equipment: A Comprehensive Buying Guide
Table, also known as ping pong, is a popular sport enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. How to choose your ping pong equipment? – This is a big headache. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, having the right equipment is essential to improving your game and enjoying the sport to the fullest. In this comprehensive buying guide, we’ll take a look at the perfect table tennis equipment to help you make an informed decision when purchasing your gear.
Table Tennis Racket
The table tennis racket, also known as a paddle or bat, is the most important piece of equipment for any player. When choosing a racket, consider the following factors:
Grip: The grip is the part of the racket that you hold onto.
It’s important to choose a grip that feels comfortable in your hand and allows you to maintain a firm grip on the racket. The grip is officially called a handle in Ping Pong, and there are generally 3 types of grips:
CS handle is a Chinese short handle based on chopstick holding. It was popular until the 1980s. It’s used for left-push and right-attack styles. It’s also used on the back rubber for a horizontal style, increasing backhand power to compete with Europeans.
FL handle is a common cross racket with a curved inner side for power concentration during forehand attacks. It requires hand adjustment for backhand swings. Since most players use forehand attacks, it’s popular among table tennis fans.
ST handle is a long straight handle for horizontal rackets, similar to the Chinese straight handle but with differences in appearance. It’s good for fast front and backhand switching, especially smooth backhand attacks. Popular in Europe, it’s great for chipper players with fast backhand reversal and maximizing backhand and long rubber playing style.
Blade: The blade is the main body of the racket.
It’s important to choose a blade that is made of high-quality materials and has the right amount of stiffness and flexibility for your playing style.
No splicing hinoki: it bases plates are made of pure hinoki wood without compression or splicing. Liu Chengmin uses cross-board hinoki very little. The advantage is high flexibility.
Five layers of pure wood: it bases plates are thin and light, made of five layers of glued timber. Each layer has three vertical and two horizontal grains. It provides a clear and soft feel, like eggs on a mattress, but may cause some shock when hitting the ball.
Seven-ply pure wood: seven-ply pure wood deformation relative to five-ply pure wood to small, power, speed is greater than five-ply pure wood, if the pursuit of “whip” technology can be considered seven-ply pure wood base plate.
The 5+2 structure is an advanced base plate with faster and more elastic ball speed. Expensive doesn’t always mean better. We need to grasp the base plate’s performance to avoid swings. Carbon fiber base plates have a layer of woven carbon mesh near the core, increasing ball speed while retaining the soft feel of pure wood.
External carbon fiber base plates are common in the market. Fan Zhendong uses the butterfly king, which is an external fiber base plate with two layers of carbon fiber closer to the surface material.
Rubber: The rubber is the part of the racket that comes into contact with the ball.
It’s important to choose a rubber that provides good spin and control, as well as durability.
Sticky rubber: The sticky rubber has slow ball speed, good rotation, more spin on serve and roll, and is suitable for fast arc play (near table fast attack).
Astringent rubbers: Astringent rubbers are fast and flexible, suitable for fast arc play (holding on the middle and far table), pulling burst arc circles or backhand burst bombs.
Table Tennis Balls
Table tennis balls are small, lightweight, and made of celluloid or plastic. When choosing table tennis balls, consider the following factors:
Quality: High-quality balls are more consistent in terms of size, weight, and bounce, which can improve your game.
Color: Table tennis balls come in a variety of colors, but white and orange are the most common. Choose a color that is easy to see against the background of your playing surface.
Table Tennis Table and nets
The table tennis table is the playing surface for the game. When choosing a table tennis table, consider the following factors:
Size: Table tennis tables come in a variety of sizes, but the standard size is 9 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 2.5 feet high.
Surface: The surface of the table should be smooth and even, with a consistent bounce across the entire surface.
Frame: The frame of the table should be sturdy and durable, with legs that are strong enough to support the weight of the table.
Table Tennis Net
The table tennis net is the divider that separates the two halves of the table. When choosing a table tennis net, consider the following factors:
Height: The net should be 6 inches high and stretch across the entire width of the table.
Tension: The net should be tight enough to prevent the ball from passing through, but not so tight that it affects the bounce of the ball.
Material: The net should be made of high-quality materials that are durable and resistant to wear and tear.
Conclusion
In conclusion, choosing the perfect table tennis equipment is essential to improving your game and enjoying the sport to the fullest. When selecting your equipment, consider the factors mentioned above, such as grip, blade, rubber, quality, color, size, surface, frame, height, tension, and material. By taking the time to choose the right equipment, you’ll be able to play your best game and have fun while doing it.
