How to choose your table tennis rubber

There's no hard and fast rule on how to choose a table tennis rubber. As an attacking player, i would typically choose rubber that are hard so that it gives the ball extra speed. For a more defensive player, i would recommend choosing something soft and sticky so that it gives an extra spin on the ball.

For the past 10 years, i have used various brand of rubber. My favourite is Donic Desto and Waldner. It is all a matter of preference and i am definitely not trying to sway anyone's decision here. Anyway before you make a decision, it is also important to note that the sponge plays a very important role. While the rubber provides the spin, the sponge provides the speed.

The thinner the sponge the better the control, a thick sponge gives you more speed with less control. It is therefore possible to slow down a fast racket by using a rubber with thinner sponge. Some players will use a fast offensive rubber on the forehand and a slower more controllable sheet on the backhand.

The best advice I can give you when selecting a rubber is to talk to an expert first - such as a coach or advanced player that you trust. Get them to watch you play and ask them what they would recommend for you, and why. Don't be afraid to get a few opinions if you can.

Once you have some ideas to work with, see if you can try out the rubbers. Perhaps you can find another player who uses these rubbers, and borrow his bat for a hit. Better yet would be to borrow the rubbers from him, and then try them on your own blade - it's amazing how different blades can affect the feel of a rubber. You might consider trying to start an equipment pool with fellow players so that you all can share rubbers for testing purposes.

When testing the rubbers, try out all your shots, and then play a few matches with them. See whether you like the feel of them, and think about how they compare to your old rubbers. Remember, you are looking for a rubber that will suit the style of game that you want to play - attackers won't need a rubber that can chop well, and most defenders won't need a rubber for fast attacking!

Finally, once you have chosen your new rubbers, give yourself some time to get used to them - it will take a while to adjust to the characteristics of your new rubber. Don't give up too soon on your choice - give it a few weeks at least. Hopefully though, you will love your new table tennis rubbers and soon be playing even better with them!