OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I've got boxes of table tennis equipment, blades, inverted rubber, short and medium pimpled rubber. I've got unopened sheets of rubber which I keep telling myself I've bought for filming purposes so it's ok to leave it sealed for now. I've changed rubbers many times in the last 4 weeks and still can't find a total package - blade, FH and BH rubbers I feel comfortble with. In many respects, I think too much choice for me is a bad thing. If there was only one blade and one rubber I'd spend a lot less money trying to buy happiness and a lot more time on my technique earning happiness. But I keep searching for that magical feel, you know when you pick up a bat with rubbers on and it feels just right. Maybe it's the journey I enjoy, maybe I get more of a kick from trying things out than actually playing the game. Maybe I'll never be happy with what I've got.

One look at peoples signatures and how often they change would suggest a lot of people here are still searching.

Is there anyone out there who can hand on heart say, yes, I've found the set up for me. If yes, what is it and why are you happy with it, what value does it add to your game experience that means you've stopped looking for alternatives?

I think it's a constant cycle. I was really happy with my setup yesterday. Was great to have an old friend back on my BH, and I can't imagine wanting to change that for some time. FH was just fine... no need to change that either. Blade likewise.

BUT - this morning, as I was tidying in my study, I saw my Avalox P700, with Spectol Max on the FH. I started thinking how that would feel with the Dornenglanz on the BH. Then I started wondering how the blade would feel with the Waran or Keiler on the FH. And if I made those changes, I bet it'd feel fantastic... until another idea came to me to try!

Moral of the story: EJs look for a fix.

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Yasaka Sweden Classic | 802 OX | C8 OX
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I've stuck with the same equipment for about 3 years, and much the same FH rubber and blade for about 6 years. I changed my LP from Pogo to Dtecs about 3 years ago, which was stepping up on the same equipment path. I did go from Andro Roxon 450, to Hexer+ to Rasant in those 6 years. Essentially though, my equipment has been fairly stable and a clear progression in that time. I'm pretty happy with it, but it did take me some years to get onto this path.

We won't go through the EJ masterclass I went through in the 2 years prior to those 6, except to say I'm not keen to ever be an EJ again. Not only was it expensive, but also quite frustrating. I would love to find some new Gergely's for a reasonable price now though. The way I treat my blades in my game style, doesn't make them last forever.

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I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
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Happy? Of course not.. When I find something that gets me to play about, oh, at the 1900 level I'd be happy. Of course, it doesn't exist...

Iskandar

After 5 years of lost time to change equipment after each defeat or advice read on the internet, I came to understand that the choice of a setup is a compromise between speed and control and or between risk and reward. Now I have 3 blades glued identically and same rubbers and pips in stock, and I only count on training for futur progress: better service, 2nd ball safer and more aggressive, better ball placements ... and now I can even read an review of a new long pips without slobbering! What better best sign of healing ?
But this period taught me about the differents topsheets, foams, pips'geometry, blades, tactics, that allow me to know what can ou can't be good formy game.



It appaears that I am now free of the terrible EJ addiction...But History only can tell for sure...

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61 sec 3003 FH 61 sec Lightning DS Pro 1.5 BH 802-40 ox

BTY Zhang Jike SZLC anatomic handle with T05 max on both sides. Originally bought in Feb 2014 but really only got to grips with it earlier on this year when I made a conscious effort of sticking with it.
Reducing the weight setup from 193 grams to 185-187 grams with a light max T05 was key. For that interim period was using a Xiom Vega Europe but the Straight handle was causing tennis elbow. Didn't get on well with the Flared handle where the XVE flexed too much - so the ZJ SZLC seemed perfect. Did try the XVP but we didn't gel.


Always liked the feel of ZLC and with the SZLC it seemed like the next step. Also liked the T05 from the first hit I had with it. I did try and move away for T05 but went full circle and went back to using them again. Managed to find a supplier who can do them for €51 with reasonable post - hopefully they'll continue to supply me. Did use a slightly softer T05FX but now prefer the extra edge of the T05 on the BH despite the additional weight. On occasions fall back to the Jun Mizutani SZLC which is an easier to use blade. This is just for a little variation but then go back to the crispness of the Koto outer pile of the ZJ SZLC. Having an alternative but similar blade with a different shaped handle (it's flared with a wrap) can help prevent RSI.


Genuinely feel that it gives my game an extra edge where I'm more competitive. It does give me a buzz. Can play for a good 2-3 hours and not suffer any shoulder strain since it has its own power. Needs constant practice to stand on top of the setup. Not something you can leave down a month and then go back to it. Very similar to a IF ZLC which I really liked but the SZLC plays with more consistency. Re-assuring to know that the fall back JM SZLC setup can be used as a stepping stone. Reckon that if I had to play with a cheaper setup I would probably drop a division. Getting the SZLCs at the price I paid helps ease the conscious. A lot cheaper than my brother's Big Bertha.

I've been using an Acoustic for 6 years and Tenergy for 7 without change



I haven't actually played for 4 years

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Chasse Patate

Nope. Never. But more so I'm never settled on a style.

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Blog: "Holy Chtchet!" ⇝

Projects: Player Equipment Grid ⇝ Comprehensive Thin Inverted Chopping Rubbers Grid ⇝ Please send me corrections or new submissions

I think I am (at the moment) - at least as long as we talk about broad categories: slow oversized blade, OX LP, spinny but not so fast inverted.

This does not stop me from trying other stuff that is quite close to what I have, just to see what it does and how different it is. Competition setup stayed pretty much the same for the last 6+ months, however.

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USATT: 1807 | League: 1887

I have been playing with the same Nittaku carbon blade for at least 20 maybe 25 years. I have never seen the reason to change it.

The only reason I have changed rubbers is that they have worn out. Currently I have different rubber back- and fore-hand, but usually I have the same on both. The rubber I felt most at home with is 729 RITC Tack Speed 2000, max thickness, but then again I was playing pennant and tournaments back then. The only reason I am not currently using it is that someone convinced me that it was not being made any more. Currently I have 729 Geospin Tacky max on backhand and Yasaka Xtreme 2.0mm on forehand, which I have had for a couple of years. Next could be either the Tack Speed 2000 if it is still on the market or the Geospin Tacky if it is not, both sides, both in max sponge.

I have always had a reliance on spin (all different, not just top) and the retriever mindset, so have always gone for spin rather than speed in rubbers. This is only the 2nd blade that I have used in 34 years of competition play. I guess you could say that my style is rusted in.

In my opinion, I could use just about any non pimple and non anti-spin rubber and play the same game, but my preference is for something that accentuates spin.

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Retriever (sometimes golden, but often leaden)
Moderator, Inverted Retriever Technique sub-forum - http://ooakforum.com/viewforum.php?f=74

I was happy with Super Block, since the FLP ban I've been less happy by comparison.

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My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

The only thing about my set up that I don't like is that I cant get a ST handle. Also, in general there is a poor stock of ST handles in the blades that I would like to get, as it seems there is only a few about, but in FL I could get anything I wanted.

I just like the ST handle and the way it feels in my hand. So apart from that I only change equipment now when its a suggested opinion with very strong data and reasoning to back it up from a coach.

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CORNILLEAU Hugo Calderano FOCO OFF+
FH: ANDRO Hexer Powergrip 2.1
BH: ANDRO Hexer Powergrip 2.1

After $3300 in 7 years, I've come to peace of mind with my set-up.

The Gambler Reflectoid (on both sides) is medium hardness, and medium spin. And it's slow, which I find useful for: giving me options for very controlled blocking, hitting at wide angles (because I don't overhit when under pressure), chopping, and another very positive attribute: it allows for semi-passive hits against loops because it's slow and it does not feel incoming spin like fast spinney max rubbers. The rubber allows me to do things that are different than your standard high speed high spin approach.

I am pretty happy for the moment. I don't think I will change anything this year, perhaps only the FH rubber back to T80. But that does not mean I am not curious of Spinlords latest rubbers. That does not mean I am not very curious of how SP would feel on my curreny blade. But I just don't have the time at the table to find out. I practice like 2 hrs per week this time of the year, I can't afford to use that time to experiment on stuff I don't expect to be using a lot later on. But when der Materialspezialist puts out a new fl anti I will surley try it out...

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Thanks for all the replies.

I find it interesting that "feel" gets mentioned quite a lot. And to a lesser degree spin and control, and spin to a degree does compliment control.

Also interesting that blades seem to get changed a lot less often than rubbers. Perhaps if they wore out quicker, like rubbers that would be different but for me, I select the blade first because that's what I actually hold so it's the connection between me and the ball. There was a thread here one time about what you choose first, blade or rubbers. For me it's always blade and I'm much less likely to change that.