How to choose the rubber for your table tennis bat

The choice of ping pong bat rubber will also depend on the type of game of each player. In this way, we can differentiate between five types of rubbers which in turn have different characteristics depending on the thickness and hardness used. Each model is manufactured with different thicknesses of sponge and different hardnesses.

If you already know how to choose the best ping pong wood, don't miss these tips to also choose the right rubber for your paddles.

Types of ping pong rubbers

There are 5 types of ping pong rubbers:

• Smooth rubbers: These are the most commonly used rubbers, as there are so many types that it is very easy to find the right one to achieve the desired speed, control and spin.
• Long spiked rubbers: Designed for defensive players who base their game on cut balls, mainly cuts from far away from the table, although some players also use them for attacking games in which the ball has a destabilising trajectory that disturbs the opponent a lot. The extension of the spikes gives a great spin to the ball. The longer and thinner the spikes are, the more difficult they are to control, but the more they bother the opponent.
• Medium-long rubber spikes: These are rarely used as they are not used to their full potential, neither for attacking, which is more difficult than with short spikes, nor for defensive play, as they are less useful than with long spikes. It is usually used by players who play close to the table and base their game on not very strong attacking shots and moving the opponent.
• Short spikes: These are 100% attacking spikes, although some modern defensive players use them to defend from behind the table as it is easier to vary the effects and combine them with attacking shots. They are mainly used to hit the ball with flat and fast strokes and with aggressive blocks that send the ball a little with cut effect to the opponent, although they have some disadvantages as they hardly give effect to be able to make top spin (only to raise cut balls), on the other hand they are very advantageous when receiving the opponent's serves as it is easier to control the effects of the serves and to be able to receive them more easily.
  Not all short spikes are the same, they vary according to their width and length, the wider and shorter ones are easier to control, although they have less cutting effect on the blocks.
• Antitop rubbers: These are very slow rubbers that do not give effect to the ball, but they help to control the opponent's attacks by stopping the ball and returning it with a "destabilising" trajectory to the opponent.

Thickness of the ping pong rubber:

The ping pong paddle rubber is made up of two components: The outer rubber sheet, which can be smooth with inner spikes or vice versa, and the inner sponge.

Although it is also allowed in some models of rubbers to play with only the upper part and without any kind of sponge. The latter are known as OX or sponge free rubbers and are usually short or long spiked rubbers.

Which ping pong rubber thickness to choose?

Depending on the thickness of the sponge, the rubber will have different characteristics. The thicker the rubber, the more speed it will have, and the thinner the rubber, the more control it will have.

Depending on the type or style of play of each player, we can generally distinguish the different mili-metres of rubber between the different playing strategies:

• DEF / DEF+ player: Your rubber thickness will range from OX (no sponge) or 0.2mm to 1.5mm.
• ALL /ALL+ player: They use from 1.5mm to 1.8mm
• OFF-, OFF and OFF+ players: They play from 1.9mm to 2.3mm which is the maximum thickness, they are the most powerful and most used rubbers, practically 100% of the professional table tennis players use the maximum thickness to be able to take advantage of the best performance of the rubber.

Which hardness of table tennis rubber should I choose?

Depending on the manufacturing technique, the sponges are produced in different hardnesses. Depending on the hardness, the rubber has different playing characteristics. In general, the hardest rubbers are the fastest and the softest are the ones with the best control and ball feel. Normally, manufacturers usually make several versions of the same rubber model, usually three (hard, medium and soft). Some incorporate a fourth very soft one, so that the player can choose the one that best suits his type of game.

Not all manufacturers use the same measurement systems. These are usually measured in degrees of hardness, although some use the European degrees and others the Japanese ones, being the European the most used.

HARD sponge rubbers

They are the most used by professional players and the most powerful are those between 46º and 60º of European hardness.

MEDIUM sponge rubbers

They are the most used because they provide a great speed and control, their sponge is made between 41º to 46º.

SOFT sponge rubbers

For offensive players who want to feel the touch of the ball and have more control in their game. Its hardness ranges between 37º and 41º.

VERY SOFT rubbers

They have the most control and are used by players who base their game close to the table, their hardness is below 37º.

Conclusion

If you are looking for advice on which ping pong racket rubber to choose, do not hesitate to contact us. The specialists in our table tennis shop will be happy to help you.

Find here all the models of table tennis rubbers that we have available at VSport.