Difference between black rubbers and red rubbers???

There is a ton of circumstantial testimony here, but until there has been a scientific study and analysis, there is no evidence.

Until then, I conclude that the differences are only in people's minds, and there is no discernible difference in playing characteristics in any rubber, purely based on colour.

I have no particular preference on colour but I have always been an LP user. As per Rowden Fullen one of early years table tennis gurus "most deceptive Long pimples are Red." I have been switching colors and haven't notice anything significantly different. But who knows,.. hope some guys out there could come up with a study or some sort.

I know I use my black side for my forehand in hope to help mask my serves better. Seeing as its harder to see black as opposed to red.

Blackbird74 said:

There is a ton of circumstantial testimony here, but until there has been a scientific study and analysis, there is no evidence.

Until then, I conclude that the differences are only in people's minds, and there is no discernible difference in playing characteristics in any rubber, purely based on colour.

Click to expand...

Chinese top players using the black tacky rubber is science enough.. Jk, it is supposed that the Chinese has proven that black tack is better.

And I like your frying pan setup, Sir

Because I work closely with actual TT Manufacturers as well as ESN who is the european manufacturing facility for MOST rubber companies in Europe here is what I've been told. As these individuals have much more insight than any one of us might have I have to say that I believe what they say makes sense.

The first thing you have to realize is that dye used to color the rubber is not the same dye you or I would purchase to say mix with water to color and easter egg or to bake a dessert. Industrial dyes that are more consistent in producing an actual black and red color require chemicals that you would not think to mix. Basically I've related this to coloring ceramics in an oven. The chemicals used to color a vase white and red are not the same chemicals used to make a vase pink. While yes a white and red crayon or paint may turn pink in an oven you're dealing with a chemical reaction produced by heat. In fact if you mixed white and pink chemicals together to make a color you would get a gold-like brownish color when you bake it in the oven.

The same follows suit with rubber colors. Basically in the past in order to make the rubber a black color the dyes used created a more tacky surface than the dyes used for red coloring. In the past this is why a transition was made to have black on the forehand and red on the backhand (I have heard no such evidence concerning Red to be faster than black only that black was once spinnier than red).

In todays technology and production however the chemical process has been improved and there is actually no difference between separate colored rubbers. The only differences that one may notice are due to quality control rather than the color of the rubber. This is because a rubber cut closer to the center is going to have more speed and spin than a rubber cut further away from the center of the original roll.

The true difference

Black and red are two different colours. Black absorbs all the colours of the light spectrum. Whereas red absorbs every colour EXCEPT red. Therefore black is softer and thus better for looping. Most people tend to spin their forehand and punch and power on their backhand in OPEN play. Although you can't really notice the difference on most rubbers. This is why some players have black on their forehand and red on their backhand. 😜

Interesting stuff.

Someone I know apparently had a conversation with Dr Neubauer and was told that red rubber had less impurities making the rubber more consistent.

I was always told red was faster but no one ever seemed to know why.

Actually i never set 2 different rubbers, always the same on both sides and i never felt a difference between black and red.
I think it's something psychological about the colors, but who knows, maybe it's true about harder-softer

From what I've been told by manufacturers it was an issue in the late 90's and early 2000's that for many rubbers the dye used to create the black sheets made them more spinny than the red sheets. Rubber when in it's natural state is actually white in color. Adding the red dye and adding the black dye had different chemicals so therefore the black became known as the "better" color choice.

Since the speed glue ban most rubbers have the technology in them to be more durable and create even more spin than even a 5 years ago. And because of this the dye no longer takes effect on adding more spin. At least I'm told that this is the case excluding many Chinese brands that seem to use the older process of topsheet rubber production. This may be why many players choose black Chinese rubber on the forehand, but have no preference when using Tenergy on both sides.