Anybody else's rubber struggling with the humidity?

[Michael Zhuang]

I'm in Southern California, and today was particularly humid. It felt humid, and it seemed like there was even mild dew forming on the tables today.

When I touched my rubbers, they felt oddly slippery and I was wondering why. Later it hit me that maybe the humidity was causing the rubbers to become wet and slippery. I played a few games and my rubbers really struggled to grip the ball the way they normally do. I felt like the ball was slipping off the rubbers.

 

[Tinykin]

I'm in Southern California, and today was particularly humid. It felt humid, and it seemed like there was even mild dew forming on the tables today.

When I touched my rubbers, they felt oddly slippery and I was wondering why. Later it hit me that maybe the humidity was causing the rubbers to become wet and slippery. I played a few games and my rubbers really struggled to grip the ball the way they normally do. I felt like the ball was slipping off the rubbers.

Not struggling. The issue is to realise early that the playing hall is humid. Usually, silly me, I am so focussed on the game that I blame myself for the missed stokes until I realise that the venue is humid.
However, when I do realise that there's humidity to contend with I adjust my game accordingly.
Some things to do:

• Wipe down the table after every game Don't wait for the end of the match. I carry an old cotton TeeShirt just for that purpose
• Wipe/dry/check one's bat after every rally.
• Wipe/dry your tossing hand and the ball if you are going to serve. Wipe the ball whenever the opportunity arises

Most opponent do not carry out these procedures as they can't be bothered. So expect a wet ball serve etc.
Ignore the above advice at your peril 😉

 

[dingyibvs]

I'm in Southern California, and today was particularly humid. It felt humid, and it seemed like there was even mild dew forming on the tables today.

When I touched my rubbers, they felt oddly slippery and I was wondering why. Later it hit me that maybe the humidity was causing the rubbers to become wet and slippery. I played a few games and my rubbers really struggled to grip the ball the way they normally do. I felt like the ball was slipping off the rubbers.

I live in the Bay Area, been having the same issue. Even the rubber flooring is getting wet and super slippery. We requested the club owner to turn on the AC from time to time to get rid of the moisture.

 

[Arkady]

I'm in Southern California, and today was particularly humid. It felt humid, and it seemed like there was even mild dew forming on the tables today.

When I touched my rubbers, they felt oddly slippery and I was wondering why. Later it hit me that maybe the humidity was causing the rubbers to become wet and slippery. I played a few games and my rubbers really struggled to grip the ball the way they normally do. I felt like the ball was slipping off the rubbers.

It's a well known fact that you cant really play table tennis, when humidity levels are high. The ball is "behaving" differently in every stroke, especially top spins.
The only solution is to install dehumidifiers. Buy a cheap hygrometer to check the humidity levels first. If the humidity is above 58-60%, then you definitely need a dehumidifier.

 

[Michael Zhuang]

It's a well known fact that you cant really play table tennis, when humidity levels are high. The ball is "behaving" differently in every stroke, especially top spins.
The only solution is to install dehumidifiers. Buy a cheap hygrometer to check the humidity levels first. If the humidity is above 58-60%, then you definitely need a dehumidifier.

Thanks, good to know that I wasn't just imagining things

 

[Tinykin]

"It's a well known fact that you cant really play table tennis, when humidity levels are high. "

Every player in the UK is laughing at that one, 🤣. It's better to say that humid conditions are different and you just have to know how to adjust.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

I live in Malaysia, a country near the equator and we have an average humidity of 80% and above. I live amidst tropical rainforest, orang-utans, tigers and whats-not. I never knew humidity and table tennis are related.I learned something new today.

 

[Michael Zhuang]

I live in Malaysia, a country near the equator and we have an average humidity of 80% and above. I live amidst tropical rainforest, orang-utans, tigers and whats-not. I never knew humidity and table tennis are related.I learned something new today.

If you play in the humidity all the time, I guess that slippery conditions are just normal for you

 

[lodro]

i wonder if pimples-out rubbers would play better in humid conditions than pimples in

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

If I have a chance to play at your area, will I suddenly become master of spin?

 

[Lazer]

I'm in Southern California, and today was particularly humid. It felt humid, and it seemed like there was even mild dew forming on the tables today.

When I touched my rubbers, they felt oddly slippery and I was wondering why. Later it hit me that maybe the humidity was causing the rubbers to become wet and slippery. I played a few games and my rubbers really struggled to grip the ball the way they normally do. I felt like the ball was slipping off the rubbers.

I'm telling You, You gott'a start using real rubbers and quit these toy ones... 😉

Seriously, Southern California has a desert climate, I lived there for 13 years. Anaheim, Garden Grove and Huntington Beach. Except for very close to the Pacific ocean I would say its a dry climate. Its more humid here in Sweden during summertime and I haven't heard any rubber complaints like this yet.

Cheers
L-zr

 

[igorponger]

Make your choice right now. Antarctic inland regions are my highest recomendation for having regular air humidity below 20% RH.

Be happy
https://zoom.earth/maps/humidity/

 

[dingyibvs]

I'm telling You, You gott'a start using real rubbers and quit these toy ones... 😉

Seriously, Southern California has a desert climate, I lived there for 13 years. Anaheim, Garden Grove and Huntington Beach. Except for very close to the Pacific ocean I would say its a dry climate. Its more humid here in Sweden during summertime and I haven't heard any rubber complaints like this yet.

Cheers
L-zr

I used to live in Miami and I don't remember experiencing anything like this. The clubs I went to didn't always have AC on at night either.

The issue here isn't that it was 90% humidity in California recently, it's that it was also about ~40F or ~5C at night. Air condenses easier at cold temperature, but most places aren't very humid when it's relatively cold.

 

[Lazer]

I used to live in Miami and I don't remember experiencing anything like this. The clubs I went to didn't always have AC on at night either.

The issue here isn't that it was 90% humidity in California recently, it's that it was also about ~40F or ~5C at night. Air condenses easier at cold temperature, but most places aren't very humid when it's relatively cold.

Sorry but, we have that all the time in the summer...
At freezing temperatures the humidity turns to frost and in higher temps to due. In SO California there is very little if any (except close to the ocean) due in the mornings. Currently in Stockholm Sweden we have higher humidity than Los Angeles California...

I'm afraid I don't believe there is a humidity problem in SO Cal...

Cheers
L-zr

 

[Arkady]

Every player in the UK is laughing at that one, 🤣. It's better to say that humid conditions are different and you just have to know how to adjust.

Is every player in England ignorant about physics and science or just you?


Table Tennis: Effect of Humidity on Racket Rubber Tribology | SpringerLink

How do you deal with humidity? (pingskills.com)

 

[Michael Zhuang]

I'm telling You, You gott'a start using real rubbers and quit these toy ones... 😉

Seriously, Southern California has a desert climate, I lived there for 13 years. Anaheim, Garden Grove and Huntington Beach. Except for very close to the Pacific ocean I would say its a dry climate. Its more humid here in Sweden during summertime and I haven't heard any rubber complaints like this yet.

Cheers
L-zr

Well I remember Victor had the same problem of slipping in the humidity with his Stiga Dragongrip rubbers. Are those also toy rubbers?

Anyway I'll try again today and see if its better.

 

[brokenball]

I play in an air conditioned room most of the time so I have no problems. I have been around the world. The east side of a continent i the northern hemisphere tends to be more humid like the east coast of the US or east Asia. Southern CA can be very dry with its Santa Ana winds but they don't blow all year.
Learn to deal with it or play in an air conditioned/de-humidified rooms.

Humidity is a big thing to me since I have a camper. I am always running a de-humidifier to keep that moisture from condensing inside the camper. I most keep the camper humidity below 60%
My camper is small. De-humidifying a TT hall would take some serious electric power. Often you don't want to cool, just remove the moisture. However, that is done by cooling air until the water condenses then passing the drier air back over the warm compressor to cool it down and restore the air temperature.
This is not cheap the way electric rates are going up.

 

[Lazer]

Well I remember Victor had the same problem of slipping in the humidity with his Stiga Dragongrip rubbers. Are those also toy rubbers?

Anyway I'll try again today and see if it’s better.

Yes if this is the case.

Cheers
L-zr

 

[Lazer]

I play in an air conditioned room most of the time so I have no problems. I have been around the world. The east side of a continent i the northern hemisphere tends to be more humid like the east coast of the US or east Asia. Southern CA can be very dry with its Santa Ana winds but they don't blow all year.
Learn to deal with it or play in an air conditioned/de-humidified rooms.

Humidity is a big thing to me since I have a camper. I am always running a de-humidifier to keep that moisture from condensing inside the camper. I most keep the camper humidity below 60%
My camper is small. De-humidifying a TT hall would take some serious electric power. Often you don't want to cool, just remove the moisture. However, that is done by cooling air until the water condenses then passing the drier air back over the warm compressor to cool it down and restore the air temperature.
This is not cheap the way electric rates are going up.

In SO Cal they have mostly desert climate even without Santa anas’s and air conditioning it is OK. Believe me I lived there for 13 yrs…

Cheers
L-zr

 

[Michael Zhuang]

Actually when I run my fingers down the center of the rubber, it seems like it slips more than the sides of the rubber. I've been using this rubber for 5 weeks now, so maybe the rubber itself is also starting to wear out a little