Less Guesswork, Better Setups: RubberMetrics and TableTennisStore

Picking table tennis gear shouldn’t be a guessing game. With so many blades and rubbers, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Rubber Metrics is a website that turns the “I’m not sure” into a narrow selection of “ideal set up options”. 

Finding the right table tennis gear can be difficult. Information is often scattered and sometimes contradictory.

One manufacturer rates a rubber’s speed at 95, another at 13, and a third at 9.5. Sponge hardness numbers follow different scales, if a scale is given at all. 

Online reviews offer valuable firsthand experience, but the feel of a rubber can vary greatly depending on the blade underneath it, the sponge thickness, and the reviewer’s playing level.

Complicating matters further, a racket is more than just three separate products. The blade, forehand rubber, and backhand rubber all interact. Then, add the playing environment, the table, the humidity, and the altitude you play at. 

Together, all these variables dictate total weight, balance, rebound, dwell time, throw angle, and overall feel.

RubberMetrics, was developed by software engineer and TT player Piet Althoff, residing in Germany, to solve this problem: How to objectively compare equipment without keeping dozens of tabs open to decipher incompatible ratings.

Instead of comparing unrelated manufacturer specs, RubberMetrics normalizes data onto a shared 0–100 scale. This makes it easy to evaluate blades, rubbers, and full setups side by side.

You can directly compare products and complete setups on the /compare page.

In the Racket Builder, you can select a blade, forehand rubber, backhand rubber, and sponge thicknesses. The engine simulates how those components interact, estimating overall speed, spin, arc, dwell.

In the standard Refine Mode, you can use your existing setup as a baseline. If you want a calmer backhand block or more dwell on your forehand, you can search for targeted upgrades without losing the general characteristic of the setup that already works for you.

The Smart Improve mode automatically spots imbalances in your setup and suggests refined alternatives tailored to your favorite strokes. It improves the strengths of the setup while trying to mitigate its weaknesses- all while keeping the character of the setup.

Standard setup analysis and flash recommendation tools are free to use and don't require an account.

No algorithm can account for every player’s unique timing, grip pressure, or physical strength. Even two sheets of the same rubber can vary slightly, and a setup that feels rock-solid to one player might feel dead or demanding to another.

RubberMetrics does not claim to select the "best" racket for everyone. The goal is to transform an overwhelming catalog into a smart, realistic shortlist.

Instead of asking, "What is the fastest rubber?" you can ask, "Can I make my opening against backspin easier without making my short game too lively?"

Try this in the Racket Builder, for example:

 If your backhand blocks often go long, you can lower the backhand target for bounciness or catapult, or look for more control, while keeping the rest of the setup close to what you already use.

If you want an easier first loop, you can look for more spin, dwell, or arc on that side instead of simply adding more speed.

If you play close to the table and want a more direct counter, you can adjust sharpness, arc, and catapult rather than just chasing a faster setup.

Equipment will never replace sound technique. However, the right setup can give your technique more margin, making it easier to trust your strokes under pressure.

Once you have your target set up, TableTennisStore.us is one of several table tennis websites, globally, that has the expertise and knowledge to effectively turn your digital selection into a match-ready racket. It also offers a large selection, and keeps up with new manufacturer additions. 

Based at the Westchester Table Tennis Center, store owner Ben Nisbet and his team bring decades of active playing experience to answer practical questions that may not provide.

Based at the Westchester Table Tennis Center, store owner Ben Nisbet and his team bring decades of active playing experience to answer practical questions that may not provide.

• Direct Shopping: Transfer your customized setup from RubberMetrics quicky and easily to TableTennisStore.us with quick search and find options in the search bar. Then use RMTEN e-coupon for 8% off all blades and rubbers, (except butterfly). 

• Expert Second Opinions: Get hands-on advice on handle shapes, sponge thickness, or custom blade sealing.

• Custom Assembly: Every blade is checked and professionally glued and cut so it arrives ready to play.

You got your new setup composition from the Racket Builder or the comparison pages.

But is the rubber in stock in the right sponge thickness and color? Which handle shape fits your grip? Does the blade need to be sealed before gluing?

Want a human to look over your choice before buying? Ben is here to help. He is an experienced player and can give you his opinion on the setup you just created.

TableTennisStore.us turns a digital selection into a match-ready racket.

How Does the Racket Builder Actually Work?

Ben: What actually happens when a player requests recommendations in the Racket Builder?

Piet: That triggers a somewhat complicated search function behind the scenes. The system evaluates tens of thousands of combinations against the player’s target profile and any other preferences they have set, such as budget or preferred brands.

Forehand and backhand are always evaluated together because neither side works in isolation. Each rubber affects how the blade flexes and responds, which in turn changes how the rubber on the other side feels and performs.

Then it gets even more interesting: the engine ranks the setups, “mutates” them, and lets them compete against each other. That's essentially how a genetic algorithm works.

The strongest results are then fed into an AI-assisted breakdown that explains the practical trade-offs and why one setup might suit the player better than another. In the end, the user gets three results that hopefully match the request as closely as possible- after quite a lot of invisible racket fighting behind the scenes.

Where Does the Data Come From?

Ben: Where does the data come from, and how reliable is it?

Piet: The data comes from manufacturer specifications, catalog data, known blade compositions, and community testing.

The most challenging part is normalization. I try to compare rubbers directly against one another across all the relevant characteristics. From millions of these comparisons, I can then build an absolute 0-100 score.

That gives us a reasonably objective baseline, but hands-on advice from experienced players, coaches, and retailers still matters a lot. The algorithm can't pick up a racket and hit a few forehands with it- at least not yet.

What's Next for RubberMetrics?

Ben: What's next for RubberMetrics, and how does TableTennisStore fit in?

Piet: Data quality is always the priority. If you tried the Racket Builder a couple of months ago, try it again- the recommendations are much better now.

Partnering with companies that understand the sport, like TableTennisStore, bridges the gap between online research and actually holding the physical racket in your hand. An algorithm can suggest a great setup, but you may still want an experienced specialist to answer questions about the final choice and build it properly.

What About Pips and Anti-Spin?

Ben: We see a lot of players looking for specialty setups, like pips and anti-spin.

Piet: There are pips in the database today, but the heuristics have primarily been optimized for inverted rubbers. I am currently developing a dedicated update with better modeling for short pips, long pips, and anti-spin.