Racket/Paddle & Blades
A racket can be also be called a bat or a paddle in table
tennis but they all serve the same purpose: to send the
ball back and forth across the table. A good racket should
have a comfortable grip and should not feel too heavy. Its
rubber surface should not exceed a thickness of 2 mm and
should be able to offer a good control of speed and spin.
If you are just buying your first bat and rubber, don’t
buy one that is too cheap because it may be of low quality
and not help you learn properly or quickly.
The blade is the largest part of the paddle and is the
area used to hit the ball back and forth. It can weigh between
70-90g and is rated by speed and control with fast for offensive
aggressive matches and slow for better defence. They can
be made from a lot of materials but layers of wood, about
85%, must be the majority in each paddle. The middle layer
can be a thin layer of some harder material but if it comes
out of the wood and touches the rubber part, it can be deemed
illegal. One of the most popular layers used is fiberglass
because it is lighter and provides a stiffer, larger and
faster blade.
The rubber part of the paddle covers the blade and must
be red and black on alternate sides. It is supported by
a spongy but very flexible base that will help with the
control and speed of the rubber. Make sure that this combination
of rubber and sponge does not exceed 4mm or it could become
illegal. It comes in a variety of thicknesses and textures
for different kinds of plays and can be either pimpled or
inverted.
Table
Tennis requires the use of a ball, a few rackets, a net, a
table and perhaps, some cleaning accessories for a successful
game. There are different types of each due to many manufacturers
to suit the skill and preference of the players. Finding the
one that is best for you could help you with your game and
allow you to become better.
