Blades

Table tennis blades - Interesting facts about the heart of the bat

Of course, you can buy table tennis bats as so called complete bats, which are finally assembled for an immediate use. Depending on the materials used (kind of wood for core area, kind of wood for veneers, kind of rubbers), a complete bat can be quite inexpensive, or quite expensive when using materials of high(er) quality. As you might know, the individual gaming characteristics of a table tennis player must be perfectly in tune with the properties of the whole bat. To achieve this, it is usually recommended to individually compile your bat, for example, by choosing specific woods for the core and surrounding veneers, as well as choosing specific rubbers. This is particularly applicable for advanced players, but also for players in general, who want to combine and match their individual gaming properties with the properties of the bat: The single components of the bat will be chosen based on their properties. In this article, we want to provide an overview as well as emphasizing some special features of the table tennis blade.

The blades used for table tennis are sometimes very different from each other with respect to many mechanical properties, such as hardness, stiffness, elasticity, mass, etc. This results in the fact that the many different bats also exhibit quite different properties. These are, for example, ball control or speed. Particularly, both properties are usually indicated by an imprint on the table tennis blade (by the manufacturer). However, the manufacturer determines what / how to indicate these information. Hence, the information provided is quite unique and not uniform, and comparisons between different products may be somewhat hard to interpret. Still, they work pretty well to obtain a first orientation!

The gaming strategies - Also decisive in terms of the table tennis blade

As table tennis players, you should be aware of what kind of player you are to find the right bat. Are you a defensive type, working with lots of blocks; or are you an offensive type, being focused on aggressive strokes and attacks? Or maybe somehow in between, an allrounder perhaps? You should match your properties with the properties indicated at the table tennis blade. These properties are:

• Def-: Characterizes a highly defensive gaming style, representing uncompromising defending players. In those blades (and bats), the control of the ball is high (approx. 80), whilst the speed level is low (approx. 40).
• Defensive table tennis blade: Represents a defensive gaming style, suitable for defenders. This constellation is corresponds to a very high level of ball control, whereas the speed is low to medium (approx. 50).
• Def+: Describes a slightly defensive gaming style, mostly suitable for defending players who occasionally do attacks and who are sometimes a bit more offensive. The control of the ball is medium-high (approx. 70), the speed is low to medium (50).
• All-: All- corresponds to a defensive allround style, but also to defending payers. All- is recommended for a medium-large control (approx. 70) and a low to medium speed (approx. 50).
• Allround table tennis blade: Characteristic for the typical allrounder, who uses both, defensive and offensive strokes and techniques. A medium to large control (approx. 60) and a medium-high speed (approx. 70) are the key features.
• All+: Typical for an allround gaming style, which focuses on offensive attacks. A medium control (approx. 50) and a medium-large speed (approx. 70) are recommended.
• Off-: Describes a slight offensive gaming style. In other words: attacking players with a tendency towards an allround style. The speed is high (approx. 80).
• Offensives table tennis blade: A purely offensive gaming style, pure attackers exhibiting a high speed (approx. 90).
• Off+: Characteristic for a very offensive style, so called uncompromising attacking players. The speed is very high (approx. 100).

As already mentioned, the bats consist of many different blades exhibiting the above mentioned properties. These have to be matched to the individual gaming properties of the player. This also means that the blades have to be tested in order to find the individual gaming behavior and feeling of the corresponding table tennis blade.

Due to the ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) regulations, table tennis blades must contain at least 85% natural wood. Hence, 15% may stem from other materials, such as plastics or Carbon.

The table tennis blade and its structure

Bats consist of a core and many surrounding layers which are glued together, the so called veneers. Because of the immense diversity of materials, there are numerous combinations. Hard TT blades are usually used to create offensive properties. Likewise, soft blades and woods exhibit more control, corresponding to defensive properties. Often, there are also combinations of both properties integrated in the same bat. This is done to combine and use both properties and effects. Below, we briefly want to provide you some information regarding the most common materials used for table tennis blades (for further types of wood, please check out the table tennis veneers). Regarding their application in table tennis blades, the following materials exhibit some special features:

• Carbon: Commonly, the application areas of blades with carbon inlays are fast and offensive blades, whereas the carbon inlays are glued directly below the outer veneers. This leads to a longer durability and the properties persist for a long time. Carbon is a carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic.
• Fiberglass: This plastic (glass-fiber-reinforced plastic) is also integrated in between the veneers and leads to an increased stability and speed. Still, fiberglass is somewhat softer than carbon so that the relatively good control lasts.
• Balsa: This wood is extremely soft and exhibits a high elasticity. Often, Balsa is used as core material. Another property is a fast game when doing blocks and counters, however, at the expense of spin.

Further advice regarding table tennis blades

Another important criteria of table tennis bats is their mass/weight. The motto "the lighter, the better" is not always true, because too light bats lack feeling. Regarding the other way around, a very (too) heavy TT bat hampers fast movements. 100 g (0,220 lb) is considered to be the upper recommended maximum of the mass of a table tennis blade. Please note that there is no optimal or perfect weight, and testing the table tennis bat is essential (for example, ask club mates or friends). As a recommendation, however, a mass of 80-90 g (0,176-0,198 lb) is considered to be pleasant in most cases.

Additionally, table tennis bats have four different types of handles: Anatomical, straight, flared, and conical. Often, the bats are available in all four types. Most commonly, players prefer the straight and flared form. Similar to the kind of blades used, the type of the handle is also a very important and decisive criterion which should be tested thoroughly. If the bat feels good while being in your hand and playing, you will benefit from many positive effects (e.g. the feeling for the bat). It is well known that e.g. the anatomical type exhibits some negative accompanying symptoms, such as rubbing. The straight form may slide out of your hand (however, bandages help to reduce or to stop this). It becomes evident that testing is crucial and highly recommended.

For this, you may try different types of handles from your club mates or friends.

• Donic table tennis blades
• Tibhar table tennis blades
• Joola table tennis blades
• TSP table tennis blades
• Victas table tennis blades
• Stiga table tennis blades
• Yasaka table tennis blades
• Nittaku table tennis blades

Also, you are very welcome to contact us via email. We will be very happy to answer your questions!