Comparison Butterfly Zhang Jike ZJX6 vs Butterfly Timo Boll Platin

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.

— Attacker. The attacking style of play requires high speed - it is this indicator that, as a rule, dominates the characteristics of rackets of this style.

- Protective. 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 twists and cuts. Accordingly, “defensive” racquets 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 racquets have approximately equal speed and control.

Each style has its own specializations. For example, attacking racquets may be designed for maximum speed - or a combination of slightly lower speed with an increased degree of control; in universal models, the relationship between speed and rotation depends on which direction the emphasis in the design of the product is shifted - towards attack or defense; and so on.

Also note that a certain style may include not o...nly ready-made rackets, but also blades (see “Type”).

— Direct. The simplest form, assuming a flat surface of the handle, without extensions/contractions or bulges/troughs. For some players, this shape may well be optimal, but in general, straight handles are considered less comfortable than flared or anatomical ones. Therefore, although quite a lot of such rackets are produced, they are noticeably smaller than models with other types of handles, and they mainly belong to the initial class (1 *, 2 *), although there are rare exceptions.

— Flared (conical). The handle of this shape expands noticeably towards the end. This makes the grip more comfortable and secure than the straight shape, while tapered handles are easier and cheaper to manufacture than anatomical ones. Due to this, this option is very popular today, it is used in most rackets of all classes.

— Anatomical. This category includes pens, the shape of which is optimized for the shape of the human hand. Usually, they have characteristic notches, where the fingers of the athlete fall when held; this can improve comfort of use and reduce fatigue. On the other hand, such handles are somewhat more complicated, and as a result, they are more expensive than straight or flared ones. In addition, they require increased attention when choosing: even a very small discrepancy between the profile of the handle and the size of the hand can cause inconvenienc...e and reduce all the advantages of such a racquet to zero. As a result, anatomical handles are somewhat less common than conical ones.

Note that the main selection criterion for the shape of the handle is solely the personal preferences of the athlete. There are no general rules about which option is “better” or “worse”: for different people, the optimal form often turns out to be different. Therefore, before buying, it is highly advisable to try the racquet in your hand and evaluate the suitability of its handle for your own requirements.

Note that the same racquet model can be produced in several modifications that differ in the shape of the handle; in such cases, the characteristics indicate all available options. And the bases (see "Type") are, by definition, produced with different shapes of handles; therefore, for this type of product, this moment is not indicated at all.

Table tennis rackets have 3 main practical characteristics: speed, spin and control. The general class of the product, the style of play (see above), the available techniques, the requirements for the player's skills, etc. depend on their values and ratio. One of the most popular designation options is on a hundred-point scale; This scale is also used in our catalogue.

The speed indicator describes how fast the ball will move after contact with the racquet. High speed values are extremely important for an attacking style of play.

Table tennis rackets have 3 main practical characteristics: speed, spin and control. The general class of the product, the style of play (see above), available techniques, requirements for player skills, etc. depend on their values and ratio. One of the most popular designation options is on a hundred-point scale; This scale is also used in our catalogue.

The higher the spin number, the more the ball will spin with the corresponding hit and the better the racquet is suitable for various twisting techniques.

Table tennis rackets have 3 main practical characteristics: speed, spin and control. The general class of the product, the style of play (see above), available techniques, requirements for player skills, etc. depend on their values and ratio. One of the most popular designation options is on a hundred-point scale; This scale is also used in our catalogue.

Control describes the overall handling of a racquet; Roughly speaking, this is an indicator of how easily it can be used to give the tennis ball exactly the speed, direction of flight and rotation that the athlete wants to provide. In principle, high values on the control scale will be comfortable regardless of the level of the player and the style of play; however, increasing the speed/rotation has a negative effect on control, as a “faster” or “twisting” racquet is usually more demanding on the accuracy of movements. Therefore, many models for professionals and experienced amateurs, usually, are distinguished by a low degree of controllability, and “beginner” rackets, on the contrary, have high control indicators and low speed / rotation.

Sponge is the bottom layer of the lining, located under the outer coating (rubber is most often used for such a coating). The thickness of the sponge determines the characteristics of the impulse that the racquet transmits to the ball, and, accordingly, the characteristics of the flight of the ball after the impact; in other words, this indicator affects all three practical characteristics of the racquet - speed, rotation, control. Accordingly, models for different playing styles (see above) also differ in sponge thickness.

So, a small thickness - up to 1.5 mm - is typical for protective style products, which are distinguished by low speed and good control. All-purpose rackets use sponges of the order of 1.5 – 1.8 mm, which provides a balance between speed and control. And thick sponges - from 2 mm - are installed in rackets for an attacking game, and the greater the thickness, the higher the speed and rotation, and the worse the control.

This racket model has an ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) certificate.

The ITTF - International Table Tennis Federation - is the world organization responsible for developing the official rules for international competitions and monitoring their compliance. These rules also include technical requirements for equipment used in international competitions. An official ITTF certificate is required to allow equipment (including rackets) to participate in such competitions; in other words, to participate in an official international tournament you will definitely need a racket with an ITTF certificate. However, in practice, having a certificate is more important taking into account another point: the ITTF puts forward quite stringent requirements for the quality of equipment. This has a positive effect on the quality of certified products, but it also imposes some restrictions: for example, the base of the racket must consist of at least 85% wood (see “Base Material”), and some types of spikes on the rubbers are prohibited.

It is worth noting that rackets of almost any class can have an ITTF certificate (see above), even very inexpensive models. A certificate can also be issued for sets - as a rule, this means that all complete equipment (net, balls, etc.) meets the ITTF requirements. But the bases (see “Type”) do not pass certification: a self-assembled racket may turn out to be...does not comply with ITTF standards, even if the foundation itself fits perfectly into these standards.

The total weight of the racquet or blade (see "Type"). Usually, in the first case, the weight values are in the range of 140 – 180 g; occasionally there are lighter models, mainly these are rackets of the "beginner" class 1 * (see above). For most bases, this figure is 50 – 100 g.

In general, lighter racquets are considered better suited for beginner players — in particular, light weight contributes to good control. And trained professionals can use more "weighty" inventory. In addition, it is believed that heavy rackets are better suited for the attacking style of play (see above), while light rackets are more convenient in defense. Well, anyway, the choice of weight depends on personal feelings: the racquet should not seem either too light or too heavy.