[unwind]

TIL that a table tennis racket is made of a blade (the wood/composite/whatever substrate with the handle) and the rubbers which are the sheets of rubber that you glue (?) on. Thanks.

As with everything, name brand blades can have prices that appear expensive to a complete outsider.

[1]: https://www.stigasports.com/eu/dynasty-carbon-xu-xin-edition...

[oblio]

And as with every sport, until you're at a <<very>> competitive amateur level (low level tournaments), getting equipment which is more expensive than say, 20-30% above the absolute basic level from reputable brands is a waste of money :-)

Something like this: https://www.stigasports.com/eu/allround-evolution-table-tenn...

Can take you very far if you're just beginning. By the time you're actually tired of it (probably a few years into the future), you're knowledgeable enough to figure out if you want something more expensive and exactly what you'd like.

[ragazzina]

From your link

>Very offensive 5+2-ply blade.

It took me a moment to get this, the racket looked pretty pleasant to me. I wonder what makes a racket more offensive or defensive, would it be the shape? Or maybe the weight distribution.

[oblio]

Not shape, per se, they're the same shape for competitions (+/-).

It's the weight, weight distribution and rigidity.

A very heavy, stiff and top heavy blade would be very offensive, since it would generate a lot of speed but you'd be lacking in control.