Are you looking for the best ping pong paddle in 2021?
Surprisingly, the best ping pong paddles are not far away from you. Most new players always ask this question all the time. Moreover, with technological advancement, you can get whatever you need online.
However, just because the ping pong paddle design is fine doesn’t make it the best. In fact, the paddle’s outlook has little or nothing to do with the quality. Nonetheless, a good ping pong paddle should not be too heavy else you find it difficult to swing from side to side.
Apart from disclosing the best place to shop for your ping pong, you also find out some important buying guide if you stay tuned.
Parts of a Ping Pong Paddle
A ping pong paddle has four parts. Also, a little knowledge of each part of the paddle will help you get the best paddle for your style and experience level. The four main parts of a paddle are:
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Handle: As the name implies, the handle is that part a player grips to swing the paddle from one position to the other. Interestingly, there are three shapes of a ping pong paddle. They are flared, anatomic and straight handles.
The only difference is how the handles are shaped in the middle and towards the end. The flared handle is wider towards the end while the anatomic is wider in the middle. However, the straight handle has the same width till the end of the grip.
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The Blade: This part of the ping pong paddle is manufactured with multiple layers of wood. It can be about 5 to 9 layers of wood. Meanwhile, the best ping pong blade is manufactured with balsa wood.
In some cases, blades are made from layers of carbon fiber. Also, carbon fiber is light and lets you swing in any direction faster.
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The Sponge: You can find the sponge in between the paddle blade and the rubber. Most often, the sponge can be as thick as 1.2 mm or 2.5 mm. Also, if the sponge is thinner, you will have more control over the paddle.
However, professional players prefer a paddle with a thicker sponge. Your shots would be vigorous and very fast too. Similarly, offensive players prefer paddles with a thick sponge.
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The Rubber: A rubber covers both sides of the blade surface. The rubber surface makes direct contact with the ping pong ball. However, the thickness of the rubber can affect your shots.
Features of the Best Ping Pong Paddles
What makes the difference in a ping pong paddle is usually the grip and the weight of the paddle. The color or the size doesn’t have much to do with the performance of the ping pong paddle. Your style of play also determines the kind of paddle you need for your games.
For instance, most offensive ping pong players will prefer a lighter ping pong paddle. On the other, the defensive players tend to go for heavier ping pong paddles. Below are features of the best ping pong paddles:
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Speed: Check out the speed rating of the paddle you want to buy. If it is fast, then you can smash the ball faster and respond to smashes quickly. Also, the speed of the paddle determines how quickly you can respond to your opponent’s hits.
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Spin: A good paddle should generate more spins when you hit the ball. Paddles with a firm grip help you generate a lot of spins. Also, the thickness of the rubber often determines how quickly a paddle would generate spins.
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Control: The most important feature of a ping pong paddle to look out for is the control. If you can control the paddle without any difficulty, then you have met your match.
The Best Place to Buy Your Ping Pong Paddle
With the advancement of technology, you can either purchase your ping pong paddle from the online stores or a retail shop. Nevertheless, it appears that most players prefer to purchase their paddles from online stores. Similarly, your major interest should be whether you are buying from a reliable vendor.
You can also read reviews about these paddles at pongplace.com.
As a beginner, if you can visit a ping pong retail shop that will be fine. It gives you the chance to test various paddles before you settle for one.
Final Verdict
Don’t be carried away by the ping pong paddle brand. Look out for quality and control. Finally, you can find some cheaper ping pong paddles made of quality materials too at retail and online shops.