Class
The class of a racket describes the general purpose of the product and its ability to perform various table tennis techniques. The general purpose is clear from the name of the class: for example, for those who have not yet held rackets in their hands,
1* models are best suited, players with some experience who play regularly can pay attention to
2*, etc. As for techniques, the more stars, the wider the available range: for example, on “one-star” models only simulations of cutting and top spin are available, while “two-star” models allow you to perform these techniques with average strength, and powerful cutting and top spins are available starting from
3*.
It is worth noting that the term “professional” in this case is somewhat conditional: the class is indicated for the racket (see “Product type”), while professional athletes prefer to assemble equipment, choosing the base and pads themselves. Therefore,
the 5* marking corresponds to the most advanced class among ready-made rackets. However, this class is more often designed for experienced amateurs than for representatives of “big sports”.
Playing style
The style of play for which the racket is designed. For each playing style, optimal indicators of speed, spin and control (see below); The specific values of these characteristics may vary, but the general trend in models of the same style is usually clearly visible.
— Attacking.
The attacking style of play requires high speed - it is this parameter that, as a rule, dominates the characteristics of rackets of this style.
— Defensive. When playing in a defensive style, the speed of the ball is relatively low, which is compensated by the abundance of technical elements such as spins and cuts. Accordingly,
“defensive” rackets emphasize control (and some spin) and are also designed to absorb high ball speed (in case the opponent prefers an attacking style).
— Universal. A style of play that combines attacking and defensive elements. As a rule,
all-purpose rackets have approximately equal speed and control.
Each style has its specializations. For example, attacking rackets may be designed for maximum speed - or a combination of slightly lower speed with an increased degree of control; in universal models, the ratio between speed and spin depends on which direction the emphasis in the design of the product is shifted - towards attack or defence; and so on.
Also, note that a certain style may include not only ready
...-made rackets but also bases(see “Product type”).Base material
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Wood. A traditional material that has long been used in table tennis rackets, but has not lost its popularity to this day. This is due to the combination of low cost with practicality and ease of production. In addition, many different types of wood and many specific processing technologies are used in sports equipment, due to which this material can have different properties. As a result, the tree is very popular, it is widely used in all classes of rackets — from beginner to professional base blanks (see "Product type").
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Polymer. This option is also known as "plastic". Actually, both of these names cover not one material, but a whole class, including substances with different characteristics and with different costs. As a result, the overall quality of a model with a polymer base can vary, usually depending on the price category. At the same time, for a number of reasons, plastic is not allowed by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) as the main material for the base of rackets used in competitions; therefore, this option is not found in professional models, and it has not received distribution in non-professional models.
— Carbon. This material, also known as carbon fibre, combines carbon fibre filaments and a polymer filler. Thanks to this, carbon is characterized by extremely high specs of strength and rigidity at a very low weight. On the other hand, it is s
...ensitive to strong impacts and drops, the cost of carbon fibre products is quite high, and, like plastic, it is not allowed by the ITTF for officially certified rackets. As a result of all this, bases made entirely of carbon are extremely rare — in most cases this material is used in the form of inserts (see below).
— Wood + carbon insert. Bases made of wood and completed with one or more layers of carbon. The features of both of these materials are described above. Also note here that the use of carbon in a wooden base reduces weight and has a positive effect on rigidity, while the tree protects the insert from impacts, and such a construction costs much less than an all-carbon one. On the other hand, the price of such bases still turns out to be quite high, and the mentioned advantages are really noticeable only to professional athletes and experienced amateurs. Therefore, this combination is found mainly in class 5* models.
— Polymer + carbon. Bases combining a polymer base with carbon inserts. See above for more on each of these materials, and the main advantages of this combination are that rackets are lighter and stiffer than full polymer rackets, while being less expensive and less susceptible to falls than full carbon rackets. At the same time, this combination is not as common as the other combination described above — wood + carbon; this is due to the low popularity of polymers as a base material.
– Wood + basalt insert. Bases made of wood combined with one or more layers of basalt fibre. This material has been compared to carbon (see related paragraph) in the sense that basalt is also considered a premium material and is used in rackets of the appropriate level. As for the practical properties, it is believed that such inserts improve the feeling of the ball and feedback, allowing you to achieve good controllability even on "high-speed" rackets.Number of base layers
The number of layers that make up the base of the racket. The number of layers affects the degree of rigidity and elasticity of the base and, accordingly, the characteristics of the rebound of the ball. However, this moment is irrelevant for the simple reason that the materials used (see above), the presence of inserts, build quality, sponge thickness (see below), etc. also affect the mentioned characteristics. And given that modern table tennis rackets are very diverse (for example, wooden models can use different types of wood), the number of layers is today a reference parameter, which in itself does not affect the practical characteristics of a particular model.
