Ping Pong Ball Online Store

Not All Ping Pong Balls Are Created Equal

It’s important to realize that not every ping pong ball is manufactured to the same specifications, using the same material or with the same results – and that’s OK. Whether you are serious about playing table tennis, or you enjoy a fun game of ping pong, you need to understand that the ping pong balls you see in the aisles of the supermarket or liquor store are not going to help your game! When choosing a ping pong ball, start with 1, 2, 3. The first thing you need to know about ping pong balls, is that there are three main types and they are categorized with a star system ranging from one to three.

• A 1-star ping pong ball is the softest. These are popular with youth players and beginners because the bounce they provide is the simplest to hit off any table.
• A 2-star ping pong ball is great for rallying, practicing and training. If you are feeding table tennis balls into a machine – this is the perfect grade.
• A 3-star ping pong ball is considered competition worthy at any level because it provides true reaction to spin and delivers accurate flight.

Understanding the Differences Between Table Tennis Balls

In addition to selecting the correct ping pong ball for your level of play, you also should know the slight variances many table tennis balls have when it comes to material, size and color. The Li-Ning Table Tennis superstore offers balls that are approved by the International Table Tennis Federation as well as the Chinese Table Tennis Association, so be sure to look for those stamps. Starting in 2014, all ITTF events began using plastic “poly” ping pong balls in place of the original celluloid material. By 2017, these plastic table tennis balls were improved again using an ABS type of plastic.

The idea behind these new types of plastic ping pong balls is that they are more environmentally-friendly and the newer, improved versions have proven to show better roundness and durability in the table tennis balls. You will also find that they perform better on most ping pong table surfaces. As for the size of ping pong balls, you will notice either a 40mm or 40+ on most regulation table tennis balls. The 40+ plastic balls have grown in popularity with competition players whereas the slightly smaller, 40mm celluloid balls are tried and true because they are a bit more durable and usually come at a lower price.