OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I've been using short pips for ages (since about 2004) and I currently use 1.5mm short pips on my forehand. I have had great results with short pips (did well with smooth rubber too, but I never used overly fast rubbers) but I'm wondering whether changing back to smooth rubber is where I need to be headed. A lot of defenders seem to use Tenergy 05 or 64, why? If this ends up being the way to go, are there any good transition (or alternates) rubbers you would recommend so I'm not just jumping right into it?

I have managed to play at a fairly decent level with short pips, but I'm reevaluating my game and equipment these days.

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Standard Setup 1
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P1r 1.5mm

Standard Setup 2
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P4 1.5mm

Hardbat Equipment (Former Full-Time Hardbat Player)
Blade - Marty Reisman custom 5 ply Hock
Rubber - Yasaka Cobalt Alpha OX

where are you from mate?
I am using butterfly raystorm at the moment and keep going back to inverted now and then.i like the low throw of the s/p so a lot of inverted rubbers dont do it for me and i miss the table.mark v is decent and has a low throw.

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igorponger wrote:

Day -by-day inhalation of the speed glues is not any good for health..

As you are very used to playing with short pips on the FH I would agree with Peter that you should first try one of the newer faster short pips that have been launched in the last few years. Probably best to first decide whether you want spinny or classic pips and soft or hard sponge. then choose from the likes of:

Spinlord Waran
Raystorm
TSP spectol red or blue
TSP spin pips red or blue
Firestorm
etc. etc.

Waran in 1.5 or 1.8mm might be a good start as it is relatively cheap and not too spinny so easier to transition to from your 802. Waran also works well on def blades even flexy ones and is not too heavy.

Depends on weather you like to attack on the forhand or not. If you attack, inverted would be my choice.

The latest tensor sponge short pips don't lack speed for attacking, if anything can be faster than inverted, you just can't produce as much topspin.

Basically the UK.

I like the low throw of short pips too, and attacks tend to skid through rather than pop up, which can be useful when hitting as a defender. That said, inverted offers the ability to effectively hit away from the table if you need to mix things up.



Many thanks for your suggestions. I'm going to look into these. 802 is spinny to me because I previously used Yasaka Cobalt Alpha, which was basically a pure control rubber (I used the rubber for a number of years, so I got very used to it). I still managed to generate good backspin with it though, and the spin I can get with 802 is double. Extra speed and spin again would surely have a similar impact on my game.

According to ratings, 802 is fairly fast but not that spinny. Its sponge is medium firmness. I play really well with it, so pushing the same kind of thing further (more speed/spin) may be a good bet.

My blade is on the heavy side, so I prefer rubbers that don't weigh a ton.



I look to attack, but ultimately I'm still a defender so I do plenty of chopping on both wings. My game plan is basically a lesser version of Ruwen Filus (but I chop on the forehand as well) in that I vary the spin and look to attack at every opportunity. I'll continue to try faster, spinnier short pips though and see how it goes from there.



Well, that sounds up my street.

_________________
Standard Setup 1
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P1r 1.5mm

Standard Setup 2
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P4 1.5mm

Hardbat Equipment (Former Full-Time Hardbat Player)
Blade - Marty Reisman custom 5 ply Hock
Rubber - Yasaka Cobalt Alpha OX