FOR BLADES AND RUBBERS
Every table tennis player has his own individual style of play – as has every blade and rubber.
It is now possible to obtain a distinctive match between the two, it easy for a player to find the perfect match of blade and rubbers.
Few players have only one way of playing.There is a distinct basis of play but with other elements.For example, all-round players will take the opportunity to win the point by attacking when possible but attacking players are also sometimes forced into blocking or passive play during certain situations.
Similarly the performance of blades and rubber is not only one-dimensional. There is always a wide range of performance,
which we can now illustrate.
From DEF (defensive) – and + graduating through AR (all-round) to OFF (offensive).
The first step is to analyse yourself: what type of player are you? A rough distinction would be the following four categories.
DEF (Defensive)
You are a defensive player who prefers to slice the ball.
AR (All round)
You are an all round player who uses all TT techniques: chop, block, spin, and smash.You prefer tactical play and exact placement of balls or a speedier game.
OFF (Offensive) • focal point spin
You are a strategic player who uses reversed pimpled rubber. The main characteristic of your game is topspin. Playing close to the table or only from a short distance, you try to win your points with spin strategies.
OFF (Offensive) • focal point smash
You prefer speed to spin. The main characteristics of your game are hard blocked balls and smashes with exact placement.
You usually play with ‘pimples out’ rubber on the backhand.
P i m p l e s – i n r u b b e r s
The elastic properties of the top sheet determine the control of the ball and the characteristics of your rubber. We therefore outline the following categories
according to the characteristics of the top sheet.
• High friction and control
These rubbers are not fast, but provide high grip. Their control is excellent. Due to the weak elasticity, the grip can only develop its
effect on topspin when slow balls are played. Low spin dynamicsin fast topspin games.
• Sticky
These rubber sheets offer good control and are very sticky, providing good spin when playing slow balls: i.e. service and first spin.
• Control-elastic
These rubbers develop spin elasticity even at low speed giving you more control and providing more playing fun. Suitable for control orientated players.
• Sticky-elastic
Slightly sticky rubbers with very good spin dynamics and ball control when playing at high speed. Very sophisticated technology.
• Offensive-elastic
Fast offensive rubbers. Speed is the predominant characteristic rather than spin. Interesting rubbers for fast aggressive players.
• Spin-elastic
Professional rubbers for today’s top table tennis players. They not only have the speed of the offensive elastic rubbers but also the addition of spin characteristics
The rubber sheet:
Pimpled-in rubbers are mainly used. Pimpled out rubber for speed players and long pimpled and anti spin rubber
for defensive players are encountered less frequently.
The sponge:
Sponges are available in several thicknesses. The thicker the sponge, the more difficult to control, but the more
spin for topspin shots and the less spin for chopping. See our points for control, spin and speed in the Compact Description boxes.
Sponge hardness:
Modern rubbers usually have three differing degrees of sponge hardness. We indicate these in our Compact Description.
• SOFT
Soft sponge provides better ball control. The spin remains the same while speed is slightly reduced.
• MEDIUM
The standard sponge offering a balanced relationship between control, speed and spin.
• HARD
These sponges provide more speed but less ball control. The right sponge thickness. we recommend
DEF 1.0 to 1.5 mm
AR 1.5 to 2.0 mm
OFF 1.8 to max mm
