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Keywords: ping pong paddles
Word count: 427
The three things you must know about ping pong paddlesWhen it comes to choosing the right ping pong paddle, these are the major characteristics you need to understand
To the casual observer, the most recognizable feature of ping pong paddles is that they are red on one side and black on the other. When it comes to choosing the right paddle for you, however, there will be three major characteristics of ping pong paddles that you need to understand: the handle, the blade, and the rubber that covers the outside of the blade.
Handle
Ping pong paddle handles vary in shape and design, but comfort is the most important consideration. Approximately 50 percent of the world champions use a straight handled paddle. Also popular are flared handles (which are wider at the base), and ergonomic paddles (which are flared handles with a slight bulge in the middle).
Blade
The blade of ping pong paddles is made of "plies": thin strips that are laminated together. Eight-five percent of the material in these plies must be wood, but that leaves another 15 percent for other materials used to strengthen the blade while minimizing weight. These internal plies are often carbon, glass fiber, and even compressed paper.
Rubber
It is the rubber that makes contact with the ball. Serious players custom order blades and rubbers separately. The rubber on the outside of ping pong paddles is of two types: ordinary "pimpled rubber" or "sandwich rubber."
Pimpled rubber may be natural or synthetic non-cellular rubber. It has small "pips," or pimples, that extend outward from the surface to provide greater control over the ball. These pimples are required to have a surface density between 10 and 30 per square cm to be legal for tournament play. The thickness of the rubber and the adhesive that holds it to the paddle must be no thicker than 2 mm (.08 in).
Sandwich rubber consists of a single layer of cellular rubber covered with a single layer of inward- or outward-pimpled rubber. The rubber and the adhesive together must have a thickness of no greater than 4 mm (.16 in), with the thickness of the pimpled rubber not exceeding 2 mm (.08 in).
Recommendations
Now that you understand the handle, the blade, and the rubber, here are some recommendations for beginners.
Beginners are wise to start with an "all-round" blade of not more than five plies and made of softwood. Select outward-pimpled sandwich rubber for your early ping pong paddles. This combines a slower blade with slower rubber, but it will provide greater control that allows for skills mastery. As you develop a fast attacking style, you should consider upgrading to a faster paddle by combining a harder blade and inward-pimpled rubber.
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