Site Products

Butterfly Table Tennis Rubber Guide

The rubber on your table tennis blade influences the way you play table tennis. It can dictate your overall technique, strategy, and style of play. Choosing the right table tennis rubber for your racket can be overwhelming, which is why Butterfly has created this Table Tennis Rubber Guide. We want to help players at every level select the correct ping pong paddle rubber that fits their needs. View our simple guide to learn how to choose between different table tennis rubber types. Find the right rubber at Butterfly to start improving your gameplay today.

Inverted Table Tennis Rubber
Inverted Table Tennis Rubber


Inverted Rubber (Pips In)
This ping pong paddle rubber is best suited for putting spin on a ball due to its breadth of contact surface with a ball.

Short Pips Out Table Tennis Rubber
Short Pips Out Table Tennis Rubber


Short Pips-Out Rubber
This rubber is not easily affected by the opponent’s spin due to its narrowness of contact surface with a ball. It will knock a ball away.

Long Pips Table Tennis Rubber (with Sponge)
Long Pips Table Tennis Rubber (with Sponge)

 

Long Pimples Rubber (with Sponge)
This will serve a ball with unexpected spin due to the various movements of pimples in hitting a ball.

Long Pips without Sponge Table Tennis Rubber
Long Pips without Sponge Table Tennis Rubber

 

Long Pimples Rubber (without Sponge)
This is light and easy to handle. It doesn’t have much elasticity, so you can shut the power of explosive Top-spin balls down.

 

Anti-Spin Rubber

This is a kind of inverted rubber but has little friction. It is not easily affected by the opponent’s spin.

 

What Sponge Thickness Should I Choose?

What is sponge thickness should I choose?

Many rubbers offer multiple sponge thicknesses. The sponge layer, the area between the top-sheet and the wood, acts as a trampoline. Thinner sponge will be less “springy” and have a hard feel, as the ball will generally sink to the wood surface, producing less spin and speed. Thicker sponge will have a soft feel and will be faster and provide more spin as the ball will sink deep into the sponge layer catapulting it outward with tremendous velocity and increased spin. If you are unsure about which thickness to choose, 1.9mm sponge is always a safe bet.

 

 

What is Sponge Density?

In the highly technical world of table tennis equipment, Butterfly strives to give our customers as much information as possible to help each person choose the equipment that best meets their needs. To that end, we are now publishing a list of Sponge Density Ratings. In general, the higher the number the denser (harder) the sponge. Players who swing harder prefer the harder sponges. The denser sponges have more stored energy but also require more racket speed to compress the sponge and release this energy. The all-round player or players with shorter strokes will prefer sponges with medium or softer sponges.

 

How can I provide proper care for my racket?

Your racket should be protected at all times as the rubber will naturally begin to deteriorate once in use. Dirt, dust and oil will accumulate on the surface during play. It is necessary to clean your table tennis rubber during play as well as after each playing session. Specifically formulated cleaners and a sponge will rejuvenate your rubber surface and prolong its life span. Protective film will add a layer of defense from the air for your rubber sheets. A racket case will reduce the amount of time your paddle is out in the open and exposed to the elements. The additional padding will also help cushion the blow, should you happen to drop your racket. By all means, keep your racket out of the heat. Anywhere your racket will come in contact with intense heat, such as the interior of your car, are places you should certainly avoid storing it.

 

When should I change my rubber sheets?

Worn Rubber Edges
Worn Rubber Edges

Top-Sheet Deterioration
Top-Sheet Deterioration
A rubber’s performance will deteriorate as time and the elements take their toll. The rubber will produce less spin than it once did and will not feel as lively. The life expectancy of your rubber sheet will vary depending on how often you play.

A Good Rule of Thumb:
[# of days played/week] = [# of times to change/year]

Latest News

Nico Callaba – Two Backhand Loops, Two Forehand Loop

August 15, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly, Nicolas Callaba is executing Two Backhand Loops, and Two Forehand Loops https://youtu.be/cjJsfUjln2w… Read More

Karina Xiao – Multi-ball Random Play from topspin

August 15, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Karina Xiao is executing Forehand & Backhand Loops from topspin… Read More

Lingshaui Meng – Forehand Short Push

August 14, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Lingshaui Meng is focused on Forehand short serve return https://youtu.be/7j9tqj3Qhsg… Read More

Taiwo Adeyinka – Backhand Flip

August 13, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips,  Taiwo Adeyinka is working with is student on the Backhand… Read More

Kanak Jha vs. Tomislav Pucar | WTT Champions Yokohama 2026

August 12, 2026
(By Butterfly Americas) American table tennis star Kanak Jha faced Croatia’s Tomislav Pucar in the Men’s Singles Round… Read More

Arantxa Cossio Aceves – WTT Skopje Singles Highlights

August 12, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) n this Bowmar Sports Tournament Highlights,  Arantxa Cossio Aceves is in action in Singles at… Read More

🎥 Episode 13: Ask The Expert Live With Logan Rietz | New apparel and accessories!

August 11, 2026
(by Bowmar Sports) Butterfly Americas is back with another Ask The Expert Live featuring Logan Rietz, where he… Read More

Ovtcharov Cuts Moregard’s Title Defense Short at Europe Smash

August 11, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) One of the most exciting runs of the last year was that of Truls Moregard… Read More
View All News

Get the latest from Butterfly

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.