OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I've bought quite a few sheets of table tennis rubbers over the years but when I think about it very few of the purchases have been because the rubber has worn out - in fact the only a sheet of rubber I've removed due to wear problems was a sheet of stiga neos sound which I removed after a couple of months use after it lost a lot of its grip. I've still got all my short pimpled rubbers, some going back 8 years or so.

This got me thinking.
1. How often do you replace your match play table tennis rubbers for new ones - and by this I mean repeat purchases of the same rubber, not changes due to the EJ virus,
2. What is the name of the table tennis rubber,
3. What's the usual reason for the change, eg loses grip/tackiness, speed or goes hard?
4. How many hours a week do you normally play with this table tennis rubber?

I always buy a spare bat.
I have some 30+ year old th anti, I changed only because of it not having the ittf logo (even though still legal in england local league). Still playable a little quicker than when 1st bought.
Replacement been on 10 years and is fine.
My first sriver L is still on a bat at mid 20 years of age, split it though recently, the double hapiness is fine but not so sticky now. Neither gone hard.
Only play matches don't practice, until comeback 2 years ago when I practice now but hardly play matches. The 30 year old anti played a lot though as it wasn't mine.
Had 4 or 5 years with lp's and never had to change the rubber until the ban and this was spilt by 5 years of no play so 10 year old lp's.

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Another one bites the dust.

I was thinking about this around a month ago since I was contemplating on rubber costs.

1. Every month using Chinese rubbers. Using Tenergy 05/25, it goes to two months.
2. Haifu Blue Whale II (last time)
3. Spotty friction areas.
4. 8-13 hours a week, averaging 10 hours a week.

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Viscaria. H2 Neo 2.15. Tenergy 05 1.9.

Yuzuki, speedplay you guys change your rubbers far more frequently than players I've spoken to in our league. Some players leave the same inverted rubbers on for years. I don't know anyone who changes it as frequently as you guys. Does anyone know what the manufactures "life expectancy" is for the rubbers they make assuming normal wear and tear?

1. LP, 1.5 to 2 years. Invert, approximately 2 weeks.
2. LP: Long A 1.1; Invert: Outlaw 2.2.
3. Invert: Crack and splits on edges and sometimes in center.
LP: Lost of pips.
4. 21 hours, average 3 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If I can find an invert rubber play as good as Outlaw and last as long as my LP rubber, I 'll be very happy.

1. Between 2 and 8 weeks.
2. Tensors are 2-5 weeks. Tenergy05 was 7-8 weeks. 999Nat and H3BS (both glued) was around 3-4 weeks. Mark V & Sriver FX was about 3 or 4 weeks too.
3. Most are surface grip. Tenergy 05 tends to go harder (and faster) after about 4 weeks.
4. The low numbers are usually due to tournament play.

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Chasse Patate

Yes.

I can't remember what a rubber felt like originally and unless it goes off very quickly I find it hard to notice any change - bear in mind I don't use tacky rubbers. Once a season is my change over period for inverted rubbers - unless I get the urge to experiment with a new rubber.

When you guys say weeks, is that the time rubber is put on the blade or number of weeks using it?

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Blade: Avalox P500 FL
FH: LKT Black Diamond
BH: Palio HK1997 Biotech Biotech(36-38)

1. How often do you replace your match play table tennis rubbers for new ones - and by this I mean repeat purchases of the same rubber, not changes due to the EJ virus

At least twice in a league season (Sep-Apr), using the xmas break to 'break in' the new rubber. I think my adoption of Gambler for f/h will mean it is more than this though.

2. What is the name of the table tennis rubber,

It was DHS G666 and Globe 999 nat - now changed

3. What's the usual reason for the change, eg loses grip/tackiness, speed or goes hard?

Partially it could be psychological - that the rubber starts to get marked up and I think it is not as efficient or spinny. I expect it is only actually a 5-10% drop but given I spend my time playing I'd rather invest another £20 and have total confidence in my bat. I'm quite careless with how I clean my bat mid-play (on shirt, shorts etc) which can mark the rubber.

4. How many hours a week do you normally play with this table tennis rubber?

Maybe 8-12 in season, a little less out of. So the rubber might have had up to 100 hours of play.

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Timo Boll ALC ST
FH Tibhar Evolution MX-P Max
BH Tibhar Evolution FX-S 1.8
185g

Ok, I emailed Andro, Donic, Joola, Stiga, Butterfly, Gambler, Spintech, DHS, Gewo and Hallmark and asked them:

"Can you tell me please how long you would expect a sheet of your "insert name of rubber" or any of your other inverted rubbers to last before they needed replacing because of a loss in either spin capability or speed assuming

1: approx 10 hrs use a week
2: it was cleaned after use
3: average wear and tear

Thank you"

To date only Joola have replied. They asked for clarification of the level I played at. I replied local league standard and that I was a hitter / counter hitter.

Joola explained that it is hard to give a precise answer regarding the life time and playing characteristics of the rubbers. Many things such as humidity, temperature,...etc can influence it, even some cleaners. However, for inverted rubbers, you are looking at 1 - 2 months use. It seems losing grip is the main reason for changing the rubber - not loss of speed.

I also asked about short pimples - tango ultra. Here the news was better. With the tango ultra you are looking at between 5 - 8 months use. The reason for the difference is that Express or other pimples in (inverted) rubbers have different production, different playing characteristics and a different surface compared to short pimples.

Thanks to Joola for replying.

Morale of the story. Play with pimples. You know in today's economic climate it makes sense

If any of the other manufacturers reply I'll post the results here.

Roughly speaking, yes. Assuming the bat is kept clean and away from humidity and sunlight.



Good for you! Good thing Joola replied. It is most likely similar between manufacturers.

Funny line there, economics.

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Viscaria. H2 Neo 2.15. Tenergy 05 1.9.

Good on you for asking the question Debater!

Good on joola for replying...sounds like a pretty honest answer too.


Sometimes I wonder why you fit in so well here... then every so often I get reminded...

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I realy do think some people change thier rubbers too often it seems many are changing 2 to 8 weeks and thats times 2 sides ,so that means if you played 40 weeks of the year and did an average change of every 5 weeks times Two sides then that will add up to 16 sheets of rubber . Some say they are changing more often and play more often.
I would expect a sheet to last 6 months miniumum. I couldn't and wouldnt play if it costed me more than 3 sheets in 12 months. I know you can still get spin out of rubber 5 years old . I would expect pro and semi pro players to change regularly but most people on here are not at any elite level.
please remember these are my opinions

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To be honest, I always perceived this forum to be money savers with most of you guys buying gear of Cheap Chinese products and LPs
Anyways, I always change my sheets every 3 months now and I think it depends on you when to change it. Most of the players here keep the same sheet on for 1 year or so and yet they can produce a huge amount of spin with it. My guess is that due to the months that pass by, they cannot produce spin due to rubber's aging condition so they were forced to produce more spin. But my reason for changing every 3 months is that I believe when a rubber ages, you'll have to adjust for the possible changes which will lead to later bad habits.

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Blade: Avalox P500 FL
FH: LKT Black Diamond
BH: Palio HK1997 Biotech Biotech(36-38)

From training with Coach Richard Mcafee he tells us you should change your rubbers based on how many times you play per week. For example if you play 3-4 times a week you should change your rubber 3-4 times a year. This is his philosophy and may not be your coaches but I feel it tends to work.

Hope this helps,
Mantis

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