Monday, November 16, 2009

What To Look For In A Ping-Pong Table

By Andy Zain

There are lots of ping-pong tables on the market. Many to choose from, depending on your skill level, budget, and dedication to the sport.

For starters, the reasons for buying a ping-pong table for a family of young kids will be different than buying for if you're a serious player.

Aside from your approach to playing, other factors exist, too. These include the thickness of the tabletop, the table's sturdiness, and tabletop surface. You'll also want to consider its storability, too.

It is not necessary to spend a lot of money on a ping-pong table. This is especially true when the majority of its use will be by a family with young children. Buying a less expensive table is ideal. While learning how to play, there will be less concern when the table is beat up or misused.

On the other hand, if you or someone else begins to have a more serious approach to the game, then your approach might change. A more expensive table that requires more care or maintenance might be more prudent.

Storability would come into play next. In a place where space is a concern, an easy-folding table should be considered. One person is all that's needed to pack up this table and store in the corner of the room.

If you have more room, then buying a table that can just be left down all the time is a viable alternative, too. However, any table with rollers is not a bad idea, for the sake of convenience.

Table top thickness is the next issue to consider. The serious player will swear that a thickness of 1 inch is necessary. However, many people opine that a thickness of three-quarters of an inch is acceptable.

The thicker table is more expensive, of course. Usually, much more so, yet the difference in play is not too noticeable unless you're a serious player. Therefore, unless you are serious, the difference play due to thickness is not worth the overwhelming difference in price.

Regardless of how much you spend or what thickness your table top is, you should buy a sturdy table. A table with strong legs will stand up to the test of time, not to mention the rough treatment it might get from kids. Strong legs supporting the table will simply make it more durable and last longer.

What buying a ping-pong table boils down to is your satisfaction with it. Your table should have a smooth finish, no rough edges or patches. And the ball should bounce consistently anywhere on the table. A good test to determine this is to drop a ball from a foot off the table. If it consistently bounces back up 9-10 inches, then you're okay.

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