To get your table tennis game on point, you need the right equipment. But before you can bring your best game to the table, you need to find the best one for you. Table tennis tables vary in features, materials, size and more. This Pro Tips guide serves up everything you need to know.
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From fitting over pool tables to being used in the actual pool, there are an array of table types available for table tennis. Some tables also come in junior sizes or mini sizes to make the game easier to play for children. Here we’ll take a look at the three most popular varieties.
A standard table tennis table is 9 feet long, 5 feet wide and 2.5 feet high. A full-sized table is the best choice for someone who is serious about the game and has the space for a more permanent fixture in their home.
If you want your little ones to be able to get involved in full-sized fun, an adjustable height table can be the way to go. These tables have legs that can lower and raise the height of the table. This is useful for smaller players to be able to experience the full playing surface, yet still be able to reach the ball when it’s played close to the net.
A space-saving method, conversion tops can give you the ability to play table tennis at home, even if the size of your room may dictate otherwise. True to the name, conversion tops consist of only the surface of a table and can fit over the top of pool tables or other large tables you may already have in your home.
While typically thought of as an indoor sport, table tennis can also be played outside, but only if you have the right table. Indoor tables are more common and approved for competitive play, but due to their materials, which are often plywood, particle board and plastic, they can become warped or damaged from the sun and other weather conditions.
To prevent this from occurring, those who want to play outside will need to invest in an outdoor-specific table. These tables come with weatherproof playing surfaces and are constructed made with concrete and aluminum. Outdoor models will often have a thinner top surface, which can affect the bounce of the ball (more on that later). It’s also important to keep in mind that a higher-end outdoor table tennis table may come with a higher price tag than an equivalent indoor table.
Unless you’re purchasing a conversion top, an important element of your table tennis table is the undercarriage, which consists of the supporting frame underneath the table. Most have wheels, but others can be permanently fixed. There are two main undercarriage designs:
These tables have an undercarriage that is a single-trolley system and allows your table to stay in one piece and fold in the middle. Sometimes, this design is referred to as a “rollaway.” The advantages to a one-piece table are that it’s easy to align the halves and you can even use it half-open to practice alone. However, this design can take up a large amount of storage space.
These tables are divided into separate halves, which makes for easier and more space-efficient storage. But these models may be more difficult to align and begin play. Each side may have its own set of wheels, or the wheels may be incorporated into the center edge of the table.
One factor that will determine the price of your table tennis table is the thickness of the surface, which ranges from 12mm to 25mm. Tops with thinner surfaces tend to have less bounce. As you go up in thickness, the bounce tends to follow. Generally, the thicker the surface, the higher the price. Casual players can get away with a thinner surface than those who are looking for competition practice.
Some tables come with a net and post included, but others require a separate purchase. Nets can be attached to a table in three ways: permanently affixed, with a spring-loaded clip or with a screw clamp.
Now that you’re in the loop of how to buy a table tennis table, you can bounce around ideas as to which table is best for you.
What are the advantages/disadvantages to carbon blades versus all wood blades?
Answer by: Stellan Bengtsson, Only player to have won singles, doubles and teams at both the Worlds and Europe Championships. 67 International singles, doubles and team titles. Coached Jorgen Persson, JO Waldner, Peter Karlsson and Erik Lindh, all World and Europe Champions.
The advantages of the carbon blade are a bigger sweet spot and a faster ball. These days the carbon blades have pretty good feeling as well so there are really no disadvantages. The wood blades have a great feeling but many of them are slower. With the 40mm ball I recommend carbon.
Answer by: Massimo Constantini, ICC Head Coach, ITTF High Performance Coach.
The choice of equipment depends exclusively on the player’s style and features.
First of all it is important to know how a blade is made. The table tennis manufacturers combine wood and carbon in multiple layers, so to my knowledge there are no pure carbon blades. However, there are a lot of all wood blades. The combinations may vary like 3 layers of wood and 2 of carbon, or 5 layers of wood and 2 of carbon, or in some cases 2 wood layers and 3 carbon layers, and so on.
What we call a multilayer blade is a combination of various woods and carbon. When you add a layer of carbon you have the following advantages: precision, uniformity of bounce, stability and good quality of speed. In some cases you gain a good quality of control (block and push), but the spin is reduced because the blade has a sort of stiffness. The disadvantages, as I just said, are the reduced quantity of spin. But once again it depends on the combination (layers of carbon and wood).
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On the other side, blades made only of wood can be inconsistent initially but, as per the characteristics of wood, over time they change, permitting an ideal feeling for the player who regularly plays with it. We say: “A wood blade is alive.” Time affects wood’s characteristics but at the same time players naturally adjust and adapt to obtain perfect habits. Usually the best bounce from a wood blade is at the centre with some weaknesses at the edges. Carbon blades can help solve this problem.
However from my point of view this is irrelevant because at the end of the day, what makes the difference is the feeling a player achieves and the confidence they can gain from choosing a blade that fits their own purpose.
Answer by: Jasna Rather, Head Coach Texas Wesleyan University Table Tennis Team
It really depends on which carbon blade or wood blade we talk about as there are differences between all carbon blades and wood blade groups.
Most carbon blades are very fast, but you can feel vibrations and you have less control. There are few carbon blades that have thicker layers which mean that there is less or no vibration at all, but they could be extremely fast. It also depends if the blade is hard, medium or soft on how much control a player can have.
Wood blades if made from good quality wood could be great because they have better control and overall feeling. It is true that now days it is more difficult to play with a blade that has no carbon or some fiber layers because there is no more re-gluing. In that sense, carbon blades have that advantage right now.
Every player has different needs and what works for one might not work for another because of style difference. All carbon and wood blades have their own advantages and disadvantages, it is on players to figure out what best works for them and to adjust the best possible to a new racket.
There are so many new blades on the market and they need to test them. They will be amazed how much a blade can change the game.
Answer by: Tahl Leibovitz, USATT National Coach and Paralympic Gold Medalist
When you are using a wood blade you will have more control and more feeling with the ball. It is easier to block with the wood blade and overall you have more control. Carbon blades tend to be faster. You will have more speed on your attacks but, less control. The best thing to do is to try and find a blade that is fast but, at the same time still has good control. In my opinion the Stiga Clipper Classic has great control and very good speed.
Answer by: Sara Fu, Texas Wesleyan University Team, NCTTA Women’s Singles Champion and Mixed Doubles Champion, Rated .
The advantages of carbon blades are that they are very powerful and fast. They are really good for attacking by high level players. The disadvantages of carbon blades are that they are very hard to control especially on short ball games. The advantages of wood blades are very easy to control, but it is not good for long distance loopers.
Answer by: Samson Dubina, Rated , US Men’s National Finalist.
Generally, carbon blades are faster and more suitable for the advanced player. For a beginner, it is best to choose a very slow, controlled wood blade. This will allow the player to develop solid strokes because the ball has more dwell-time on the racket. A faster blade is better for an attacking player who contacts the ball at the top of the bounce. A controlled blade is better for a defensive or all-around player who plays from many different distances from the table.
Wood blades have more feel and vibration than carbon blades. As a beginner, it is important to “feel” the ball. For this reason, I would suggest using an all-wood blade for the first three years. After a player has excellent strokes and feeling, it would be advisable to possibly move up to a carbon blade for added power. At the elite level, players who mainly use power to win points generally play with carbon blades for a hard feel. Elite players who use touch to win points generally play with all-wood blades for a much softer feel.
Carbon blades have a larger sweet-spot due to the reinforced layers and harder feeling of the blade. This will give slightly more room for error if the player doesn’t contact the ball in the center of the racket.
The final factor to consider is the cost. Most wood blades cost between $40-$100. Most carbon blades cost between $60-$200. If a player uses the racket for at least 1 year, paying the extra money is possibly worth it. The racket will last for 5-10 years.
In the first 3 years of playing, I would encourage the beginner to select the 5-ply, all wood Nittaku Rising blade. For those players wanting to use a fast carbon blade, I would suggest using the Nittaku Survellian. For those players wanting a fast wood blade, I would suggest the Nittaku Ludeak (which I personally use).
1. Carbon blades are generally faster (but not always)
2. Carbon blades have less vibration and a harder feel
3. Carbon blades have a larger sweet-spot
4. Carbon blades cost more
Answer by: Scott Lurty, Rating , SPIN New York Coach
An all wood blade will provide a better ball feeling, tend to have more flex when looping and allow for easier time imparting spin on the ball at lower racket speeds. On the other hand, most Carbon blades provide a larger sweet spot, a more rigid feel and are generally better suited to softer rubbers to balance the stiffness unless you are a very high level player who can control a carbon blade with hard fast rubber.
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