OOAK Table Tennis Forum

The correct answer to this, and all material-related questions, is that of course it will make a difference. However, the key thing to understand is that the significance of these differences are greatly exaggerated by cognitive bias, and by contrast. If you make a change, it will feel different. Sometimes radically different. However, after a short while (could be as little as 30-60 mins, maybe a few days) your brain will correct for those differences, and what you have changed to will feel normal.

Similarly, the change your material makes to how your opponent experiences your play will be slight. And they will adjust accordingly.

This is why the recommendation you are receiving is not to worry about the material, and get on with improving your strokes. The only counter I have offered is that messing about with different rubbers is fun... but it is in direct conflict with improving your game consistently. So if you care more about your results and improvement, forget making changes.



As Leatherback says: all of them.

Yes, in theory, some are considered better for chopping, some are considered better for blocking, and some for hitting. Yes, some are considered easier, and some are considered harder. But in reality the differences are slight, and you could very readily play the game you want to with any LP rubber on the market, with any amount of sponge.



I've only used Dornenglanz and Agenda. Both are excellent. Dornenglanz is only OX (although Lars @ Japsko will add sponge to it if you want... Hannah Hicks does this). Agenda is an allround LP, and I'm happy with how it plays based on my (limited) experience.

I just need to know what pimples out there are good for chopping with good control I guess. I like the look of spinlord's pimples. Any suggestions?

Balls to it. I'm gonna stick to sort of 0.9mm to 1.2mm sponge and keep my Hellfire, P1-R and then I'm going to get Dornenglanz with sponge. That's it. No more messing. I will pick my favourite from those and improve my game!

I've seen some high ranked long pimple players in England changing from sponge to OX

Most known LPs for chopping have very good control. That's in part why they are known to be good chopping rubbers. As far as I know there are a couple of very controllable chopping rubbers:

Butterfly Feint III
Donic Spike P1
Donic Spike P2
TSP P1-R
TSP P4

I heard Feint II isn't very controllable, but I never used it, so I can be wrong about it. I used DTecs for a couple of years: that's a different chopping beast, but not controllable enough once you're at a certain level where they topspin the hell out of the ball (that is: if you're mere mortal, not known as legendary Joo).

Like who? I don't know of any high-ranked LP players in England at all other than Hannah Hicks and I'm not sure she's moved to OX?

...
One I know has changed to OX is James Hobson.

and now it turns out to be one dude (I'm not in UK, so don't know his ranking) ?

Like who? I don't know of any high-ranked LP players in England at all other than Hannah Hicks and I'm not sure she's moved to OX?

No sponge is ok if you want results at a lower level, but has its drawbacks if you want to keep developing and reach your full potential. The original frictionless ox was manufactured to give maximum return spin, you don't get this with the newer rubbers and more importantly the plastic ball. Ox is therefore extremely limited in alternatives, not least being the problem of extremely limited dwell time.

For me, OX isn't a great device for chopping. It's better for disrupting and chop-blocking. Better for setting up FH play potentially and definitely more effective against players who don't like LPs... but you can't generate your own spin and against players who understand pimples, you'll find it really hard.

I wonder how many of you are already playing with the poly ball?

Are they playing in the UK with poly ball or celluloid?

A few week ago i saw a top match in the german bundesliga. Two world top long pimple defenders (Filus, Wang Xi) were completely disassembled. No disruption, no backspin. BTW they were playing with Butterfly G40 poly balls.

A few week ago i saw a top match in the german bundesliga. Two world top long pimple defenders (Filus, Wang Xi) were completely disassembled. No disruption, no backspin. BTW they were playing with Butterfly G40 poly balls.