Table Tennis Rubbers

About Table Tennis Rubbers (pips-in rubber, inverted rubber, pimple rubbers, short pips, long pips)

ITTF Racket Covering / Rubber rules

2.4

THE RACKET

2.4.1

The racket may be of any size, shape or weight but the blade shall be flat and

rigid.

2.4.2

At least 85% of the blade by thickness shall be of natural wood; an adhesive

layer within the blade may be reinforced with fibrous material such as carbon

fibre, glass fibre or compressed paper, but shall not be thicker than 7.5% of

the total thickness or 0.35mm, whichever is the smaller.

2.4.3

A side of the blade used for striking the ball shall be covered with either

ordinary pimpled rubber, with pimples outwards having a total thickness

including adhesive of not more than 2mm, or sandwich rubber, with pimples

inwards or outwards, having a total thickness including adhesive of not more

than 4mm.

2.4.3.1

Ordinary pimpled rubber is a single layer of non-cellular rubber, natural or

synthetic, with pimples evenly distributed over its surface at a density of not

less than 10 per sq. cm and not more than 30 per sq. cm.

2.4.3.2

Sandwich rubber is a single layer of cellular rubber covered with a single

outer layer of ordinary pimpled rubber, the thickness of the pimpled rubber not

being more than 2mm.

2.4.4

The covering material shall extend up to but not beyond the limits of the

blade, except that the part nearest the handle and gripped by the fingers may

be left uncovered or covered with any material.

2.4.5

The blade, any layer within the blade and any layer of covering material or

adhesive on a side used for striking the ball shall be continuous and of even

thickness.

2.4.6

The surface of the covering material on a side of the blade, or of a side of the

blade if it is left uncovered, shall be matt, bright red on one side and black on

the other.

2.4.7

Slight deviations from continuity of surface or uniformity of colour due to

accidental damage or wear may be allowed provided that they do not

significantly change the characteristics of the surface.

2.4.8

At the start of a match and whenever he changes his racket during a match a

player shall show his opponent and the umpire the racket he is about to use

and shall allow them to examine it.