OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I have been playing this style for years and still don't really know the answer for sure, but think know that I am getting closer. They last a lot longer than any inverted, but the top sheet will not really tell you by visual inspection. I think the sponge degrades before the top sheet and it is a gradual process that you barely notice. After about two+ weeks during which I have not been albe to sustain my usual BH attack I changed a six-month old sheet of Raystorm 1.9 mm and things were back to normal. Control, spin, power, all recovered. Part of it is that the top sheet looks normal, but is in fact less grippy (important for the way I play). Also, my BH takes a pounding against some of the people I play who hit the ball really really hard with lots of spin. The tips of the pips probably lose something from this, and the sponge may lose some elasticity (although I could not see any signs of it visually after removing the old sheet).

Anyway, I would say the answer is about four-six months for someone who plays 12 hr per week.

What is your experience?

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH

Hi,

I keep my spectol sheet during 4 months, after the sponge isn't the same as a brand new one at all (lacks power), i think that hard sponges could be more durable (for exemple spectol speed).

Hope that helps.

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Blade : Avalox C555 Ma Wenge
Forehand : BTY Tenergy 80 2.1
Backhand : BTY Raystorm 2.1

yeah, i concur with you guys. it's the sponge's deterioration that seems to make the rubber play differently. being a chopper though, in my case, i thought that a stale sponge actually works better for me. control on chops seems to be much higher when i play with my old 802 than the new one i got (both supposedly on a 35deg sponge).

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Blade: NITTAKU Haneyoshi
FH: Tenergy 64 FX
BH: TSP Spectol

Now that's an interesting perspective. Never thought of that. I've always heard talk about 'my old sheet was better than this new one, *grumble*', but never thought about the sponge...

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Viscaria. H2 Neo 2.15. Tenergy 05 1.9.

Proves the point that with short pips the performance changes even though you can't see any change by just looking at it.

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH

If you use pips to attack with spin, the pips will break. They won't fall off immediately like long pips, usually half of the pip becomes detached and you can tell either by close inspection as it looks a little white, or try to wiggle the pip with your finger and you'll see it lift up. For some of the former pros who looped forehands with pips, it's possible that their short pips needed to be replaced more often than their teammates who used inverted.

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Equipment: Matsushita PowerDefence, Spin Art 1.9 black, Xiying 979 ox red
Style: American | US Rating: barely 2000

Long pips last longer than the short pips. I think it may be due to the fact that the tops of the short pips are damaged with the hard hitting.

Pips like Raystorm definitely don't break, at least I've never seen it happen in five years, not the way medium or long pips do. But I think the tips get a bit worn and there is no doubt that the sponge takes a beating where you can't see it.

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH

yeah, i had the problem of "loose pips" when i was using Dr.N Leopard. never once happened since i switched to 802 though--not even a single pip.

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Blade: NITTAKU Haneyoshi
FH: Tenergy 64 FX
BH: TSP Spectol

I use a new 802 sheet every 2 months at most, the pips start to get soften and lack bite and the impact feels scattered,everytime you hit or block a loop the vibration goes all tru the sponge like seismic waves and the sponge gets weak.

People who attack with long pips (in the manner of Deng Yaping) need to change their rubbers almost daily because the pips break that fast. I managed to do it myself once when I tried a sheet of attacking LP, I can't remember the number. I decided that even at 7 bucks a sheet or whatever it was a paid for it, this was going to get expensive!

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH