Table tennis, usually known as ping pong, is a popular sport practiced all over the world. Commonly, table tennis rackets will be called table tennis bats. Also, table tennis rackets are known as the best budget ping pong paddles or Table tennis rackets in different regions of the world.

How to choose your table tennis racket?

• Purchase separately the blade and rubber

You obtain a lot of control over the parameters and features of your Stiga Pro Carbon Racket by buying the rubber and blade separately. If you buy them at the same time, you may have trouble finding a proper blade-rubber combination that suits your playing style.

• Selecting a blade

At least 85 percent of a blade should be made out of natural wood, according to the International Table Tennis Federation. Materials including carbon fiber, aralyte, and glass fiber can be used in composite blades, which can alter consistency, speed, spin, and ball feel.

Carbon fiber, for example, is commonly used for making the blade much harder and thus faster, and also to increase the blade’s “sweet spot.”

The quantity of plies of wood used has an impact as well. A larger ply count is typically preferred by offensive players, whereas defensive players can be the polar opposite. 

Whenever in doubt, stay away from the extremes and be assured that the differences will be difficult to detect for all except the most experienced and active players.

Another consideration is the blade’s weight. Players with a rapid game and a tendency to play closer to the table’s top prefer lighter blades around 77 grams, whilst larger blades are utilized for generating more power and spin.

Finally, there are many sorts of blade handles. The following are the most common handles: 

• • Flared – It can offer a very firm grip on your blade without making any compromise on your flexibility.
  • Anatomic – A bulge in the center which suits the form of your hand.

• Penhold – Good for any powerful attacking play.

• Straight – Backhand and defensive players will benefit from this. 

1. Selecting the rubber

The thickness of rubber can make difference in the speed, spin, and controlling the ball. Basically, there are 2 types of thickness:

• Thin sponge (it is less than 2 mm) is meant for better control, however, less speed. 
• Thick sponge (it is 2.1mm and above) to get more spin, however, less control.

Remember that you may need 2 rubber sheets for both sides of the bat, each of which must be trimmed to proper size of the chosen blade. Because table tennis rubbers degrade with time, you will need to change them regularly.

• Care for the racket

The first step is to get a top-quality racket case (also called racket cover) for storing it in. This can protect it against liquid spills, grime, and direct sunlight.

To keep the racket in good shape, you should follow a cleaning and maintenance routine. Chemicals or some other forms of treatment for in-competition rackets are now prohibited by regulations, therefore a simple wipe with just plain water will suffice.