How to Choose Ping Pong Paddle - Explained in Detail

A ping pong paddle is an object that you use to hit the ball. Some players call it paddles or bats. There are different types of tennis rackets available in the market, leaving the players perplexed. As a result, players end up choosing the wrong paddle for them, which may kill their skills. It is a crucial factor for beginners as well. A right racket can create an impact on your playing style. To have a better experience, one should know every aspect of how to choose ping pong paddle. This article will help you to end your struggle and to make an informed decision.

Table Of Contents hide

1. Why is this important?

2. Four basic types

2.1. 1. Plastic molded bats

2.2. 2. Rackets with no sponge

2.3. 3. Pre-made rackets:

2.4. 4. Custom made rackets:

3. Equipment:

4. Four types of blades

4.1. 1. Balsa:

4.2. 2. One-ply hinoki blade:

4.3. 3. All wood blade:

4.4. 4. Carbon blade:

5. Four types of rubbers

5.1. 1. Regular rubber:

5.2. 2. Short pimple rubber:

5.3. 2. Long pimple rubber:

5.4. 4. Anti-spin rubber:

6. Conclusion

Why is this important?

Before getting into the informative part, you should know why this is important to you? It is an essential factor for three main reasons- right racket is needed for your style, to save your time, to save your money. If you pick a wrong one, you would not be able to trace your pattern or the way you play. Picking up an unsuitable bat is going to kill a lot of your time as it will not help you to develop your skills fast enough. Lastly, no one would prefer to waste their money on something that is not useful for them. Some ping pong paddles can be very expensive.

Four basic types

How to choose ping pong paddle is a crucial fact. There are varieties of ping pong paddles. We will discuss four categories that will help you to pick the right one easily at the initial stage.

1. Plastic molded bats

We often see beginners playing with a plastic molded bat that has no grip on its surface. It is okay just for hitting a ball. But if you keep playing with this gradually, you will find out that the ball is not listening to you. You would not be able to control it in the way you want. It will give no spin to the ball, which is undoubtedly an essential aspect for this game. So ignore these types of rackets.

2. Rackets with no sponge

You will spot some of the bats in the market that have no sponge underneath the surface of the bat. These bats have the pimples but no sponge at all. So when you hit a ball with these, you will hear a sound which indicates at the fact that you are slamming a ball only with a piece of wood. Not a good option to generate spin.

3. Pre-made rackets:

These rackets are available in sports stores. There are two types of pre-made rackets. One that has got a little bit of sponge underneath the rubber, another one that has a thicker layer of sponge. First one is a good option if you are only playing table tennis for recreational fun. But the downside is that they can wear out soon enough. In the beginning, you will be able to spin the ball, but with time the surface of the racket will be dead. Generally, you can continue playing with them for a couple of months, but then you will have to upgrade it. So not a good option for those who are planning to compete. Your strokes are not going to work the way you want. To make your stroke work and to learn how to control the ball, start with the second one. It has a good quality of rubber, has a better grip on the surface that can generate spin. It is quite a slow racket that will allow you to develop your strokes. Do not go for fast ones if you are a beginner. Once you learn to control your strokes entirely with pre-made bats, shift to the next level.

4. Custom made rackets:

Custom made rackets can give you more performance by providing a little bit of more speed and spin with the strokes that you are playing. Here you have to buy the blade and the rubber separately. Choose them according to your preference. Then put two of them together. Of course, this is an expensive choice. But without any doubts, this is the best option. If you are looking to dig into the depth of table tennis. Make sure to choose a suitable blade and rubber for your style.

Equipment:

A ping pong paddle is usually made of wood and rubber. Some people use plastic made rackets as well, but that is bad for developing your skills. The racket will be called a blade if you remove the attached rubber sheet from the surface. Usually, players think that rubber contributes the most to your playing style. But in Chinese philosophy, it is believed that the blade decides 80% of your performance. So make sure to get the best of both. The rubber supports the blade. There are varieties of blades and rubbers available. We will be highlighting the best options for you.

Four types of blades

Picking the right blade for you is not an easy task. The market will offer you a bewildering range of models. Generally, there are four types. These are-

1. Balsa:

It weighs light and has a low density. It will give you excellent control. If you are a blocker and long pimple user go for it. Not a good option for looping style.

2. One-ply hinoki blade:

If you are a hitter, it will be the right choice as it is very thick and the surface is very soft. Good for fast attacks. It blocks very well too. If you are still working on your strokes, I would suggest to ignore them as these generate very forceful hits.

3. All wood blade:

It is a very consistence blade. An excellent choice for controlling the looping style. Can loop the ball at mid-distance. Recently ZLC, ALC layers have been added to these blades to increase the power. It will not only increment the level of efficiency but also will give you the feeling of using an all-wood blade.

4. Carbon blade:

If you are looking for the fastest blade, go for this one. Good for hitters and powerful loop hitters. Do not generate a lot of spins — not a good option for the beginner.

Four types of rubbers

Picking the correct kind of rubberq is also an essential aspect as it helps you to produce different effects. There are various categories. There are regular rubbers, rubbers that have short pimples or long pimples, anti-spin rubbers, etc.

1. Regular rubber:

It has a lot of grips, will give a lot of spin to the ball. Will have an impressive backspin as well. To return a backspin ball with regular rubber, you will need to hold your bat very openly. If your opponent topspin the ball towards you, you will need to turn this bat over to counter the grip as the ball will be gripping into the rubber.

2. Short pimple rubber:

With short pimple, you will get a little bit of grip and spin. It will give you a little bit of the effect of backspin. The ball will not come back to you fast enough. To hit a backspin ball, you can close the bat a little bit while holding it. You will need to keep the bat in a bit flatter position while facing a topspin ball.

2. Long pimple rubber:

They have less grip and spin. Comparing to short pimple rubber, you can close it even more while hitting backspin balls. In case of topspin, the ball does not grip much into these bats. So you will have to hold them flat enough, or you can also turn the bat backward to reverse the spin. Not a good option for the new players as it makes it harder to learn the basic strokes due to the grip it has. But it is an excellent defensive rubber.

4. Anti-spin rubber:

With anti-spin, balls slide very quickly across the surface. Will not be able to produce spin or backspin. You can hold your bat completely flat while hitting backspin ball. While facing topspin, you can reverse the spin. Not recommended for the beginners as it cannot generate its spin. Suitable for defense as well.

Conclusion

Every player should have a minimal amount of knowledge about how to choose ping pong paddle. Choosing the right paddle is going to help you in a lot of ways by burnishing your skills. Based on the aspects mentioned above, you can pick the right racket on your own. But to know what is best for you, you have to practice regularly. Try not to change your bat once in a while. Learn how to fit. In this way, you would be able to trace the unknown facts of your playing style.

If you consider ping pong only as a source of entertainment for you, then pick the racket that makes you comfortable. Research on yourself if you are aiming to become a professional player. At the initial level, you can start playing with pre-made rackets or with the rackets that are slow. Once you overcome the primary phase, try to customize a racket that is best suited to you.

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