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What ping pong paddle should I get?

5 min read

Asked by: Dave Hernandez

If you like playing a fast paced game, you’ll want a blade with 5 or more layers of material. The lighter the better, so blades that incorporate rigid-but-light carbon fiber or titanium carbon are suited for your playstyle.

What kind of ping pong paddle do I need?

To be competition standard, a table tennis blade must be at least 85% wood, and additional materials must be less than 7.5% of the total thickness or 0.35mm, whichever is smaller. You might be surprised to learn that a ping pong paddle can be any size, and shape or any weight, as long as the blade is flat and rigid.

Is there a difference in ping pong paddles?

In most cases, ping pong paddles that have different colors on each side have a competitive advantage to each side. For example: the black side might allow for less spin than the red side, and vice versa. This allows the players to flip the paddle if they want to return the ball in a certain manner.

Are hard or soft ping pong paddles better?

In general, if you play closer to the table, you should choose a hard rubber. If you play a few steps away from the table, a softer rubber is probably the right choice. If you like to play aggressively and want to have maximum spin and speed then you’d probably want to choose a softer rubber.

Is a heavier ping pong paddle better?

If you are a fast player, you stay close to the table, and you love counter-attacks then you should choose a light and fast blade. If you play far from the table, with a bigger stroke, then you need a head heavy blade. You have more time to react with a bigger swing far from the table. So it’s up to you to choose.

Are expensive ping pong paddles worth it?

If you want to up your game, you should also consider investing in an expensive ping pong paddle. Besides improving your gameplay, it also offers durability and flexibility, unlike any cheap racket. Premium table tennis paddles only use the highest quality materials and modern technology.

What is the difference between red and black rubber in table tennis?

For tacky (sticky) table tennis rubbers, the difference quite noticeable. For more speed and less sensitivity to incoming spin, choose RED. For higher grip / tack choose the black rubber.

What paddles do professional ping pong players use?

The 3 Best Ping Pong Paddles for Professionals

  1. STIGA Pro Carbon Table Tennis Racket. The top contender on our list of professional table tennis rackets is none other than the STIGA Pro Carbon Table Tennis Racket. …
  2. Killerspin JET800 SPEED N1 Table Tennis Paddle. …
  3. MAPOL 4 Star Pro.

Are sandpaper paddles legal?

Generally, it is NOT legal to use a sandpaper covered table tennis paddle, but it depends on the rules of the competition you are taking part in.

How heavy should a ping pong paddle be?

2.47-3.53 oz

The weight of a Ping-Pong Paddle is between of 2.47-3.53 oz (70-100 g). Players looking for more ‘control’ of the ball should choose a thinner sponge thickness between .

What is the best table tennis racket for spin?

Top 3 Ping Pong Paddles for Spin

  1. STIGA Evolution. PrimeEligible STIGA Evolution. Performance-Level Table Tennis Racket. …
  2. Butterfly 303FL. PrimeEligible Butterfly 603. PING PONG SET – 1 603 Butterfly Table Tennis Racket w/ Butterfly Ping Pong Paddle Case in a gift box. …
  3. Butterfly 603. PrimeEligible Butterfly 603.

When should you change ping pong rubber?

Most table tennis rubbers last for 75-100 hours of playing before they need replacing. Inverted rubber is the least durable and usually lasts between 80-100 hours, whereas pimpled and anti-spin rubbers can last over 100 hours. Most table tennis players replace their rubbers every 6-12 months.

What is the difference between the sides of a ping pong paddle?

The difference in colors is stipulated by the International Table Tennis Federation’s official rules. The reason for the rule is fairness. In the 1970s and 1980s, players began using different types of rubbers on each side of the paddle and spinning the paddle to use the different sides to create different shots.

Why is a ping pong paddle red and black?

The red side of the ping pong paddle is generally faster and creates less spin than the black side. In contrast, the black side features a more tacky rubber, which offers more spin on the ball. There is a difference in the performance because of the way the rubber is constructed.

Does color on the ping pong paddle matter?

You should however note that there are no rules for the colors. Your ping pong paddle can be organized however you want it. Each ping pong paddle is made so that you can interchange which color is used for what on your paddle. It’s up to you.

What is the difference between using a white or an orange ping pong ball?

The orange balls are usually used in more casual games. For instance, if you are playing ping pong at your work place or in a club, you will probably use an orange ball. An orange ball is definitely more visible than a white ball, so unskilled players are able to see them more clearly.

What does 40+ mean on ping pong balls?

The reason the balls are labelled with 40+ is that when the ITTF made the plastic balls legal for competition, they also allowed the balls to have a bigger size tolerance. So a celluloid ball tends to be around 39.6mm whereas the new plastic balls measure around 40.2mm, making the plastic balls about 0.5mm bigger.

What do stars on table tennis balls mean?

Star Ratings

1-star and 2-star balls are less durable and they are usually bought in mass in packs of to be used for rallying or practice. The three star ratings represent the best balls and they are the only balls you should be using in matches and competition.