A table tennis bat is one of the most important and valuable pieces of table tennis equipment a player can have. If you take early steps to safeguard your bat to ensure it is not damaged it will provide you with many years of service. Most players know how important it is to look after their table tennis bat and how to keep it safe and in good condition. In this article we will discuss how you can protect and properly look after your table tennis bat.

The Table Tennis Bat Case

When someone who doesn’t play table tennis glances at a table tennis bat all they generally see is a round wooden blade that is covered with a red rubber sheet on one side and a black rubber sheet on the other. What that person may not know is the combined cost of this small Fitem of table tennis equipment can run into hundreds of dollars. A good quality table tennis bat case is therefore another essential item of table tennis equipment you should have as it will help to ensure your bat is protected from being damaged.

Without the benefit of a bat case a bat can quickly become exposed to dust and grime if it is left lying around at home. Also if it was placed on a shelf in a room exposed to the sun’s hot rays it could warp the delicate wooden ply blade and if your bat was accidentally knocked or dropped the expensive rubbers could be damaged requiring replacement.

What Type of Bat Cases Are Available

Bat cases these days are supplied by most table tennis equipment suppliers in the shape of a bat or in the shape of a rectangle both of which have room for storing table tennis balls.

In my personal opinion the rectangular shaped case is a better shape to hold a table tennis bat mainly because with a bat shaped case you can sometimes catch the edges of your rubber in the zip if you are in a hurry and careless when zipping it closed. I have found that a metal zip can cause unnecessary damage to a table tennis bat’s expensive rubbers which you will want to avoid.

From my own experience I have found that rubbers are very easily damaged if the bat is not properly protected. Overall, investing in a table tennis bat case is a small investment when you compare the cost of replacing your rubbers because you failed to carefully look after them.

In my previous article The Benefits of Buying Table Tennis Equipment Online I outlined why you should consider shopping online for sourcing table tennis equipment products. In this article I will further expand on the subject and outline for you the key characteristics of a quality online table tennis store.

Frequent Updating of Inventory

I know when I buy online, nothing annoys me more than when I get an email saying the item I have just ordered is out of stock. It not only annoys and disappoints me but it leaves me with a negative buying experience. I believe a good online store should constantly be updating inventory records and indicate on each individual web page if they are running low on stock for that particular item, or remove the listing from the site altogether. By carrying out this simple exercise its will avoid potential buyers from being dissatisfied if the item they order is out of stock.

Service

A key strategy that online stores use to compete against each other for market share (without competing on price) is customer service. An online store that consistently provides good quality service has the added benefit of attracting return customers. Effective service can also be provided by an online table tennis store through customer support, which includes answering any query a customer may have promptly and professionally.

As general rule online orders of table tennis equipment should be fulfilled promptly with the customer being kept notified through each stage of the shipping process.

Item Shipping Updates

In order to enhance the customer experience through buying at an online store and to ensure they are satisfied with the overall process, the supplier should keep the customer up to date with each stage of the shipping process. This can be done by the customer logging into their account where they are presented with constant shipping updates. Another option used can be for the supplier to send customers frequent updates by email.

Conclusion

These days there are a number of quality online table tennis equipment suppliers online that you can choose from. Although the cost factor will influence what online store you deal with it is important to consider all eventualities. You will then be able to choose a quality table tennis store.

If you have been reading my articles then you will know I am a strong supporter of buying table tennis equipment online. From my own experience I have found that many table tennis items can be found much cheaper on the internet than from local suppliers (at least where I live). In this article I will discuss the advantages of buying online and how you can get the best deal when looking for table tennis equipment.

Compare Prices

What I like most about shopping online is the ease at which you can compare prices between different stores. For example, if one store is offering a table tennis item for a price which seems excessive then what I do is look for the same item at another online store and compare prices. Consumers have the power when shopping online because they have the means today through electronic means to compare prices between stores in a matter of seconds.

Note: It is recommended if you intend buying table tennis equipment online to factor in the shipping costs into the final price when comparing prices between stores. This is advisable because although one store may be selling the item you want cheaper than another store, if you factor in the shipping costs, then you may find the higher priced item may actually be cheaper.

Service

The key benefits of shopping online mean you can order table tennis equipment from the comfort of your own home anytime you want at the click of a mouse. This factor alone is very appealing to many people.

If you’re unsure about the product you are buying then you can simple read online reviews or visit popular forums such as mytabletennis.net and read what other people have to say about the product. If you want an honest opinion about a product then I suggest a table tennis forum should be the first place you should visit online. However, when reading some of the online reviews don’t forget that everyone has their own personal opinion and viewpoint.

Cheaper Prices

As I mentioned above in the introduction, I have generally found prices for table tennis equipment online to be much cheaper than that of a physical store. This is because retail stores often place a costly mark up on their products making table tennis equipment look expensive.

Since online stores are not burdened with overhead costs that physical stores have in order to operate, they are in a position to reduce costs which can be passed onto consumers meaning lower prices for table tennis products.

If you want further information on how to identify an exceptional table tennis store then keep a look out for my next article: Identifying Quality Table Tennis Stores

Table Tennis is a sport where most players like to look and feel good with what they are wearing. In my personal opinion, compared to many other sports played in the world table tennis players wear some of the most unique and stylish sports clothing you will find. In this article we will look at some different styles of clothing being worn as well as some of the well known table tennis brands who specialise in producing clothing especially for table tennis players.

Butterfly is a well known butterfly brand that creates a number of unique and stylish table tennis shirts for both male and female players. They sponsor some very well known players around the world including TIMO BOLL (Germany), Jun Mizutani (Japan) and Liu Shiwen (China). By accepting sponsorship these players and other top sports people are able to showcase the Butterfly brand at international tournaments they compete in all round the world.

For example Timo Boll is frequently seen wearing sponsored table tennis clothing. Here are some photos below of him wearing butterfly table tennis shirts.

What to Look for When Buying Table Tennis Clothing?

My advice would be to look at the sizes of table tennis clothing that are available because sizes vary between brands. Be aware that just because you may fit a particular size brand of clothing does not mean you will be the same size in another.

It is important to ensure you don’t have a shirt that is too big because sometimes (rarely) a player wearing a shirt that is too big can get their bat caught up in their clothing when playing a shot causing them to lose the point. This scenario can be avoided by ensuring when choosing clothing that it is the appropriate size.

Also ensure any tee shirt you buy is not a white colored fabric as you may find an umpire during competitive play will ask you to change it. The reason given will usually be that your opponent could be disadvantaged by him having difficulty seeing the white ball during play against your white shirt.

Personal Choice

It is also important to choose clothing that you feel comfortable wearing. This is particularly relevant if you live in a country with hot climatic conditions. If you live in these types of conditions you can now buy some very smart looking shirts made from lightweight fabrics specially designed to absorb sweat without it sticking to your skin.

If you play table tennis frequently then you will be wearing your table tennis apparel regularly so the last thing you want is to not feel good. Again what you decide to wear is a personal choice, for example there are a wide range of smart trendy shirts that have collars, round necks and V necks marketed by all the big brand table tennis equipment suppliers that will suit any taste.

Photo of Timo Boll: By courtesy of the ITTF

In this article we will go into more detail and look at the advantages of these robots and how you can properly utilise them in order to improve you all round game.

Will I Need An Opponent?

One of the main advantages of owning your own robot as part of your table tennis equipment is that you can practice whenever and wherever you want without having to find an opponent to play against. Table tennis robots are also very precise at placing the ball exactly where you want on the table. Playing against someone else does not offer the same precision as a robot basically because there is always the possibility they may miss the ball, hit the net or stroke it off the table.

Improve Your footwork

Getting your stance right and placing your feet in the right position in table tennis is crucial as the power you put into a shot comes from properly utilizing the power in your legs. A table tennis robot is therefore the ideal piece of table tennis equipment to have for practicing foot placement because it can be programmed to move you around the table giving you valuable practice to perfect your footwork. By programming the appropriate areas on the table to fire balls you will find that your footwork will quickly improve your game and shot making ability.

A Coach’s Full Attention

If you have a coach often you will find they have to focus on returning the ball as well as examining your technique and footwork to ensure that you are executing the shot correctly. As table tennis is a played at a very fast pace, this makes it difficult for the coach to do both. However, with table tennis robots your coach can focus solely on your technique and footwork without having to worry about returning balls on the table. The main advantage here is the coach will be able to watch exactly how you are playing the shot and offer any suggestions or improvements.

Reinforcing a Technique

As I mentioned in my previous article, repetition – involving practicing a shot multiple times is one of the most important factors in order to improve a player’s skill level in table tennis. Table tennis robots allow you to repeat a shot consistently one after another with the result you will instinctively remember how to execute the shot when necessary either during training or in competitive play.

I have found that in the game of table tennis the age old saying “practice makes perfect” could not be more apt.

The reason why practice is essential for table tennis is that it reinforces key techniques and strokes so that you can implement them automatically in a game situation.

By practicing a particular stroke over and over again you will naturally remember how to exactly execute that shot – the angle of the bat, the position of your feet, the stroke of the ball and the weight at which you hit the ball are all factors that will be stored away in your mind so that when it comes to an actual game you will be able to execute the shot flawlessly, just like you executed it in practice.

That is where a table tennis robot is another item of table tennis equipment that can be very beneficial to a player who is committed and keen to improve their overall skill level.

For those of you who don’t know anything about table tennis robots I can provide you with a brief introduction as follows.

Briefly, table tennis robots are machines designed to reinforce table tennis shots by firing balls in multiple succession in an automated sequence programmed by the player. In simple terms, what this means is that you can program the robot to fire balls to a specific area on the table with a certain speed and spin allowing you to practice returning them.

To put this in perspective let’s say I wanted to practice my forehand flick because I felt it needed working on. So what I would do is program the robot to “feed” the first ball short with backspin and then fire the second ball long to my backhand which I can finish off with a backhand loop.

This is just an example of what can be programmed into one of these robots. In reality, you can program the table tennis robot to fire balls in sequences that you specifically choose. One factor that I especially like is the fact that many table tennis robots allow you to save multiple shot sequences into the robots memory allowing you to quickly pick up where you left off after your last practice session.

Keep a look out for my next article – The Benefits of Table Tennis Robots where I go into detail why these robots are an essential piece of table tennis equipment for any serious player.

Table tennis balls are rated based on their quality ranging from a single one star, which is often a low quality ball found at local sports stores, to three star balls which are the very best quality of balls and preferred by tournament organisers and are often the ball of choice used by professional table tennis players throughout the world.

Colours and Dimensions of Table Tennis Balls

Table tennis balls are available in two primary colours – orange and white. However these days white coloured balls are most commonly used ball and is generally the choice of ball used in many international tournaments around the world.

The standard diameter of a table tennis ball used to be 38mm but this increased to 40mm in the year 2000 due to the ITTF announcing new regulations. This was mainly done for the benefit of spectators as a larger ball would travel slower through the air making it easier to follow making the game much more enjoyable as a spectator sport for television viewers.
The weight of a table tennis ball is 2.7grams mass although a ball size anywhere between 2.67 and 2.77grams is also an acceptable weight.

What Are the Best Table Tennis Balls Available?

Throughout my time playing table tennis I have played with a number of different graded orange and white balls. If you take table tennis seriously then I would recommend you look at purchasing the white three star table tennis balls as I have found them overall to be the best quality balls you will find anywhere. In general a three star ball is also a lot more durable than a one star ball and they have a tendency to last a lot longer.

Today, there are a number of different brands of table tennis balls available but in terms of what would be the best brand to buy I would recommend you try either Butterfly or Nittaku three star balls. Both these brands are well known and respected for producing good quality table tennis equipment and their table tennis balls are no exception. I have found both these brands of ITTF approved balls are durable and very good to practice/train with.

Finding The Best Table Tennis Ball To Buy

If you have only just started playing table tennis or have a table set up in the garage for the odd social game then a one star ball would be perfectly alright to use in the short term, but if you’re a more experienced player or someone looking to use the best table tennis equipment available then I would recommend you use a good quality three star ball.

What are your thoughts on table tennis balls? Do you have a personal favourite? I invite you to share your thoughts on this question in the comment section below.

Pre Made Bats

In my previous article – Pre Made Bats, I discussed why pre assembled bats were ideal for the beginning player. However, once you have improved your playing skills and have decided to play at a higher level then it will be necessary for you to take the next step and look at buying a suitable customised table tennis bat as part of your table tennis equipment.

Customised Table Tennis Bats

The main advantage of having a customised bat is you can choose the style, brand, type of material it is made from handle shape and whether you want it to be a defensive or offensive model. With pre made bats you don’t have this option because the rubber and blade are already assembled when you buy this type of bat from the supplier. By having a customised bat you give yourself the option of designing a vital piece of table tennis equipment that best suits your needs and playing style.

Choosing a Table Tennis Blade

The first thing you should consider when deciding on a table tennis blade is the shape of the handle. There are 3 unique handle shapes – flared, straight and anatomic. There is no particular advantage of either shape of handle it’s just a matter of personal preference what style would suit you. For example I have always used the straight handle so I tend to gravitate towards blades which are available with a straight handle.

When buying a blade you will need to consider the type of material or ply your blade is made of. These days, table tennis blades are manufactured using a variety of different materials which are designed with specifications that have an effect on the blades weight, speed and control. For this reason some table tennis blades can be expensive so it is suggested you shop around or look at what is available from online suppliers.

Thankfully, many stores and table tennis equipment suppliers clearly categorize their blades as offensive, medium or slow to suit different player’s styles and requirements.