Choosing the right bat and rubbers combination is a daunting task.  The new technologies in malleable rubber, carbon, titanium, and wood composites bats created endless possibilities suitable for all skill levels.  Below you will find information and links that hopefully will help you make the right choices.

If you are new to the sport, be aware that your abilities and style of play are both extremely important in the selection of a bat and rubber combo. There is no point of spending a ton of cash on your equipment until your game has evolved.

If however you are somewhat experienced and you are still looking for the perfect bat, you may find in this page information that will help you in your quest.

A handle that fits comfortably in your hand will allow you to free your wrist. 

As you see, there are several types of handles.  It is said that flared is better for players with strong forehand while straight is more for players favouring their backhands however comfort is most important.

The weight of the blade is another element to consider.  An heavy blade will provide more power to the ball due to it’s mass compared to a lighter blade, however you would be able to move a lighter blade faster than an heavier one.  The bat’s centre of gravity will also noticeably affect the speed of the ball.  Most companies will provide the bat’s weight in grams however no information is readily available on the centre of gravity.  Adult beginners should stay within the mid range while kids should play with a lighter bat.

The speed of the bat is extremely important factor in the selection of the perfect combo.  Each manufacturer grade the speed of their bats on a different scale, which does not facilitate this task.  The bats are generally grouped in categories from defensive, all around and offensive which corresponds to their general speed.  These categories are further refined with plus (+) and minus (-) qualifications then each blade is graded individually.  Cost range from $15 to over $200.

Most beginners will select the fastest bat thinking that it will help them hitting the ball harder.  That would be a costly mistake.  More advanced players usually borrow a friend’s bat for a try out or make an educated guess based on reviews and ratings.  Unfortunately, there are not enough friends to try all of the blades available therefore careful research is important specially if one considers the costs involved. 

If you thought that the blade selection was making a choice difficult, choosing rubbers will make you literally dizzy.  In addition, good rubbers may cost you up to $80 per sheet, thus adding a significant cost to your combo.

There are 3 main types of rubbers: inverted, pips and anti-spin.  Click on the words to find additional information on how the rubbers actually affect the ball and look at this video for even more information.

The majority of good players worldwide, including world ranked players use inverted rubbers.  The name of the game is speed and spin and these rubbers are now the essence of the game.  Pips and anti-spin are used by players who want to introduce deception to their opponents.

The rubbers are ranked by speed, spin, control, hardness, and thickness.  Again, each of the manufacturer use their own grading method however similar to bats, and do give their rubbers a category based on the players’s style of play.  Of the 5 rankings, thickness is probably the least understood.  The thicker the rubber is, the more the ball will sink into it generating more spin and more speed.  Not to forget, the more the ball sinks into the rubber, the more the ball will take the spin of the opponent therefore require the player to put more spin than the opponent to control the shot.  Most players should stick with 2mm or less unless looping is your style of play then 2mm is the minimum that should be used.