PING PONG TABLE BUYING GUIDE

It was during the winter evenings of Victorian England that Ping Pong emerged as an upper-class amusement sport. Holding some notebooks and hitting the champagne cork, never did they know that these people were indeed creating history together. Ping Pong has travelled a long stretch of time to reach the present day where it has got recognition of being one of the most desirable sports in the whole world. It is a game of speed, skill and dedication as much as it's funful. A player needs to have special attention in the game as well as in buying the best Ping Pong equipment for the practice purpose. Even if Ping Pong is a recreational sport for someone, it is always wise to know which equipment would be the best for their needs. Choosing a Ping Pong paddle is a hustle in itself. Every table looks great in the store, but not all of them last a fortnight. One must always do a detailed research before getting a table home. We are here to make that easy for you. This article is solely dedicated to provide you with a detailed buying guide for a Ping Pong paddle. Once you are done noting down the specifications, you can always read some of the reviews about Ping Pong tables by pingpongbeast.com to choose the best table for yourself. 

Here are some of the features that you must look into before bringing a Ping Pong table home. 

Table-top/Playing Surface 

One of the first and foremost things that must be looked into while choosing a Ping Pong table is the playing surface, cause that’s what that matters the most for playing. The table-top thickness would be of the range of ½” to 1”. For a decent playing experience, the thickness any less than 19mm would be a waste of money and energy. The tables featuring thickness any less than that would give absolutely no bounce and would warp up way too soon. Ping Pong tables are crafted out of particle boards. While buying you must look for a medium density board that has a high percentage of resin, providing a good amount of warp resistance to the table-top. For a table to be apt for playing Ping Pong, the surface must give about 21 cm of bounce to a ball dropping from 30 cm of height. Tables now-a-days have multiple layers to give an amazing finish, and also some amount of weather-resistance. When it’s an outdoor table that you want to purchase, always look for one that has a decent weather resistant feature as well. 

Ping Pong tables, mostly have a wooden play surface. However, when it’s about outdoor playing, these surfaces are not advisable. Wooden ones wear off too fast in weather adversities. For that matter, aluminium play surfaces with weather resistance have become really popular today. These tables have a wooden core inside an aluminium shell making them completely weather-proof and apt for outdoor use. These tops prevent warping as well. 

Frame and Undercarriage 

The durability of the Ping Pong table depends on its undercarriage. Tables coming at a low cost often use aluminium or galvanised tubing which results in making the table shaky real soon, and they end up collapsing even before you have begun enjoying it. Good quality tables use heavy steel tubing and a solid and durable centre transport frame. Oval or square tube legs strengthen the table stiffness even more. The number of connection points and cross beams used are also directly proportional to the solidness of the table. Always make sure that you don’t get blinded by just the looks of a table. Stiffness and durability is what you must look for. 

Playback and Storage 

We often want a Ping Pong table that can be easily stored and take minimum of space. Most of the Ping Pong tables (especially, indoor ones) come with the system of folding the table from the centre to provide both, a storage and a playback position. Make sure you look for a table that has no gaps between the folded structure, or you’ll keep losing your ball to the gap in between your practice sessions in the playback position. Also get a table that locks up while folding so that it doesn’t roll away or trip during storage. 

Locking Mechanism 

The modern day Ping Pong tables come with a unique locking mechanism which prevents accidental closure or opening of the table. Undesired opening or closing can be very irritating and also can injure one’s fingers or feet while storing or opening the whole structure. If you come across a table that has a good locking mechanism, don’t think twice and simply bring it home. 

Net and Post System 

Net and post sets are easily available in the market, and can be assembled and attached pretty conveniently. But the market also has an abundance of Ping Pong tables that come with the net and post sets affixed. You might or might not need to assemble and attach it completely. You can also get a table that has an integrated post system attached which makes the net always deployed, whether you are playing on the table or not. These net and post sets make the playing experience even better as they ease out the assembly part for us. 

Assembly 

Most of the tables come with an instruction manual and need to be assembled. There also are some brands that manufacture and bring out tables that come 90% pre-assembled and it hardly takes 10 minutes for someone to get it all ready for playing. You might also get completely assembled Ping Pong tables, and the whole assembly thing depends on the maker of the table. Choose a table that fits your desire of whether or not you want to toil your energy in the process of assembling the table. 

Conclusion 

Now that you have all the features that Ping Pong tables come with, you can check on the boxes of your desired features and choose a table online or offline, considering the reliability of brands and the price range you want the table at. Also, make sure you have your playing area decided so that you do not end up getting a Ping Pong table that doesn’t even fit in your playing space. Your skill level can also contribute to your buying decision. If you are a beginner, you might not need to have a pro-level table, and so, you can purchase a low budget one. Similarly, if you are an intermediate or professional level player, your table choices would vary depending on that. Get a table that suits you best. 

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