Thickness of topsheets?

[PaddyPolar]

Does the thickness of the topsheet affect the rubber as much as the thickness of the sponge? If not, then how does the thickness of the topsheet affect gameplay?

 

[Fnub]

Usually
thick topsheet = spin game is easier
thin topsheet = flat game is easier

 

[PaddyPolar]

Usually
thick topsheet = spin game is easier
thin topsheet = flat game is easier

Then why isn't the thickness of the topsheet advertised and promoted as much as the thickness of the sponge? In fact, i can't really find that many rubbers that specify this anywhere.

 

[Fnub]

Then why isn't the thickness of the topsheet advertised and promoted as much as the thickness of the sponge? In fact, i can't really find that many rubbers that specify this anywhere.

Don't really know. Maybe if manufacturers made different topsheets on the same sponge they would have to get the LARC which costs money. So they just offer a lot of sponge variations

 

[latej]

Then why isn't

Because some believe that obfuscation and inclarity will guarantee at least some money. Maybe it indeed does lead to some spread...

Imo, it should be in the rules of table tennis. The rubber is allowed, if and only if the producer clearly states:

- sponge hardness
- sponge density
- topsheet thickness
- pimple structure:
- pimple height
- pimple diameter
- pimple distance/pattern

So far they state only sponge thickness, wow. Should we ask Brussels to enforce some rules about consumer protection? Oh, okay, I forgot, I retract all I said and keep silent.

 

[lodro]

Don't really know. Maybe if manufacturers made different topsheets on the same sponge they would have to get the LARC which costs money. So they just offer a lot of sponge variations

BUT THEY DO !!!!
I have Rubbers with the same LARC number and they do not only have a different quality and color of the sponge, the top rubber is completely different too. Naturally these play completely different to their counterparts with the identical number.

 

[lodro]

Oh, okay, I forgot, I retract all I said and keep silent.

Clever boy. You know exactly that this has nothing to do with us players, it is all between the ITTF and the manufacturers. 😁

 

[Fnub]

BUT THEY DO !!!!
I have Rubbers with the same LARC number and they do not only have a different quality and color of the sponge, the top rubber is completely different too. Naturally these play completely different to their counterparts with the identical number.

Chinese manufacturers try to save money by making "new" versions of the "old" rubbers with the same LARC number. Like rxton5

 

[lodro]

Chinese manufacturers try to save money by making "new" versions of the "old" rubbers with the same LARC number. Like rxton5

Exacery 😂

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

Does the thickness of the topsheet affect the rubber as much as the thickness of the sponge? If not, then how does the thickness of the topsheet affect gameplay?

thin topsheet max sponge thickness = ultimate bounciness = max power = max speed = easily achieve Mach 2.5. Hurrah! 😍❤️❤️❤️

 

[latej]

Sorry for waking this up...

@zeio, any material about pimple structure and its influence of the playing properties?

I could write about my experience, but I'd rather read something "objective" ;-) TIA...

 

[zeio]

Effects of Pimple Height of a Table Tennis Rubber on Ball Rebound Behavior
https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/49/1/55

Below are a few other studies (restricted access) by the same authors on the effects of pip structure and density.

Effects of pimples structure of a table tennis rubber on ball rebound behavior by finite element analyses
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jsmeshd/2019/0/2019_C-35/_article/-char/en

Effects of pimple density of a table tennis rubber on ball rebound behavior
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jsmemecj/2020/0/2020_J23405/_article/-char/en

Proposal for an evaluation index for the performance of a table rubber based on three-dimensional quantification of its pimple structure
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jsmeshd/2020/0/2020_C-3-1/_article/-char/en