Table tennis is an indoor game that gains fast popularity among the masses as soon as you have a table tennis kit set up in your club or game room. Owing to the limited space required for playing, a very gentle learning curve, and an opportunity to improve hand-eye coordination, tennis is very easy to pick up and learn even by a non-athletic person.
Another advantage of learning to play tennis is that you don't need too much, in terms of Tennis Equipment, to play a match.
This Raises a Challenge
Owing to the growing popularity of the game, there are many brands selling different tennis supplies. Hence it is very easy to get confused when you go to create your own tennis kit.
This article will list out the bare minimums you need for playing a tennis match as well as what to look for when you buy a table tennis equipment.
Minimum Requirements For Playing Table Tennis
A table tennis match is all about two players standing on either side of a and scoring points using paddles to place a ball on the play area divided by a net. Hence, it is understood that in order to play a match, you need two table tennis rackets/paddles, a ping pong ball, a table, and a divider net. Unless you plan on playing casually, it is important to ensure all your pieces of tennis equipment are compliant to either IFTT or USAFTT standards.
Optional Accessories
While the above paragraph only lists out the minimums to play a match, there are multiple optional accessories that may not affect the game but are worthy additions. Some of the optional accessories you can consider purchasing are:
- Soft Grip Tapes
- Table Tennis Shoes
- Paddle Cover
- Table Tennis Rubber Cleaner
- Edge tapes
Now that we have listed out the different elements of a table tennis kit, let us explore each article in detail.
Table Tennis Rackets
Table tennis rackets are basically ergonomically shaped wooden paddles sandwiched between a layer of a soft sponge and a rubber layer on either side. The kind of rackets you use largely influences your playstyle. You can either purchase a pre-made tennis racket or assemble one yourself to create a Custom Tennis Paddle better suited to your playstyle.
Yasaka Mark V Racket is a great readymade tennis paddle for those starting out or in the intermediate skill level.
Let's breakdown the necessary elements needed to assemble a tennis racket.
Custom Table Tennis Parts
Wooden Base Blade
This is the base of a table tennis racket. Commonly referred as a 'blade', the base made of a wooden veneer that contributes strength to manipulate the speed of a ball while being flexible enough to absorb the shock from the hit. Depending on your grip, the base of the paddle can be made flared, straight, or ergonomic.
Butterfly Viscaria Blade and Yasaka Blades are two of the most popular tennis blades opted by most athletes.
Top layer Rubber
In a table tennis match, you need to constantly manipulate the speed and the spin of the ping pong ball in order to trick the opponent to lose the point. This cannot be achieved with the wooden base alone and hence you need to attach a rubber top-layer on either side of the wooden base to guide the ball better. Most professional rubber mats come with a sponge base layer with a plain or grooved top rubber layer. The tackiness of the rubber grips the ping pong ball on hitting and this helps you change the spin, direction or the speed of the ball on return. You can have a spin rubber on one side and an anti-spin rubber on the other side for better manipulation of the ball.
The rubber mats are packed in a square shape and you need to cut it using rubber cutting knife for better coverage.
Federation standards dictate that the rackets must have a red and black face for better distinguishing the sides.
Butterfly Tenergy 05 / Butterfly Tenergy 05 fx, Butterfly Rozena Rubber, and Xiom Vega Pro Rubber are some of the most preferred ping pong rubber mats in the market.
Edge Tape
Since both faces of a table tennis racket are covered by individual rubber mats, the sides have a chance to peel off. An edge tape not only protects the sides from chipping but also provides aesthetics to the racket.
Butterfly Edge Tape is one such edge tape brand.
Ping pong Balls
Another important part of a tennis match is the tennis ball. Also commonly called the 'ping pong ball', these are small polyurethane balls of either white or yellow color and 40mm diameter. These balls are cheap and available in different star ratings. Ideally, a three-star ball is considered best for a professional level TT match.
Nittaku Ping Pong Balls are one of the most commonly purchased tennis balls.
The main play area is a of 9ft length, 5ft width dimension and placed at least 30 inches from the ground. These are made from hardwood and have a smooth surface to reduce friction as much as possible. One important thing to consider while buying a table for table tennis is portability. If space constraint is an issue for you, opt for a that can be folded and transported (i.e. the legs of the should have lockable wheels).
Table Tennis Net Sets
Scoring in a tennis match depends on the divider net. It is useful for distinguishing the two sections of the table, ensuring correct serve & return, and shot manipulation. As per federation rules, the Ping Pong Net should be six feet long and six inches wide. The upper white tape should not be more than 15mm wide. The net comes with a post that has a clamp to attach itself to the middle of the table.
Table Tennis Replacement Net from Butterfly nets are most widely used for professional matches.
Wrapping Up
In addition to the above-mentioned tennis equipment, there exist other tools that are add-ons such as training robot, catcher nets, table covers that are not mandatory but are useful to purchase. Did we forget anything? Have a suggestion? Share your views in the comments below.
