What exactly are social rubbers (& functional rubbers) in tabletennis ?

[boost spin]

I hear this new phrase "social rubbers" of late a lot as opposed to functional rubbers
What does this really mean ?

[do loop]

Social rubbers are named as such because they serve no functional purpose in the current 40+ plastic ball ONLY era.
Some of these rubbers were functionally useful in the 38+ ball era. but are no longer useful or viable in the 40+ plastic ball ONLY era.
Then there are also rubbers that are contextually social rubbers. I will explain below,

There are 4 types of social rubbers (all this applies only to competitive players & not players only playing for exercise or those who lie claiming that they play for fun)

1, Spinverted used on weakside (usually backhand for most humans) > spinverted rubber becomes a social rubber in the context because these players are using spinverted NOT because it is functionally the best rubber for them . But more so because they want to look cool & socially acceptable to robotNazis who control the sport & the ITTF. There are also other players who may not clearly understand that spinverted is NOT the best backhand rubber for them. All these competitive players must be using functional super pips on their backhand and not spinverted
2. Short pips used on weakside (usually backhand for most humans) > Short pips (with sponge) is theoretically the BEST forehand (strongside) rubber if one is talented enough to be able to use it (very few are, especially shakehanders…….look at the world ranking list (shakehanders) thru sponge era history). However short pips is the absolute worst weakside (backhand) rubber. Take a look at this webpage to understand why. Again most players who use short pips on backhand do not fully understand why it is useless or they use it because they are honorary loopers terrified of robotNazi rejection for using super pips.
3. Anti-spin used on weakside (usually backhand for most humans) > The time for antispin rubbers has come & long gone. Antispin rubber are almost as useless short pips as weakside (backhand) rubber. Antispin users either do not understand this or they are honorary loopers just like weakside short pips users not wanting rejection from robotNazis
4. LARC Long pips used on weakside (usually backhand for most humans) > Long pips on ITF LARC are a little better than above 3 options but they are also utterly useless in the 40 + plastic ball ONLY era to be functionally useful & that is why they are also social rubbers.

So for most amateurs that leave only one type of rubber as functionally somewhat useful in the 40+ plastic ball ONLY era for your weakside(backhand) (Execept for those few amateur players who can use spinverted rubbers on backhand like a pro can) .That is the super pips.

To summarize (with few exceptions) , for a competitive player

For forehand there are only two types of rubbers
1. Spinverted , if you have learned to loop from your youth
2. Short pips if you are one of the few who are talented enough to use it or for those like older players who never learned to loop (true heavy top spin not just driving and counter driving) or have other physical limitaions that prvent them from looping

For your backhand there are only two types of rubbers
1. Spinverted if you can use like a pro realistically (not just in your fantasy)
2. Super pips ONLY (not short pips, not anti & not LARC long pips, which are are all just social rubbers & are pure garbage in the 40+ plastic ball ONLY era)



Please visit the 3 topics below to understand what super pips are.
What are super pips
Difference between LARC Long pips and super PIps
Pip Design Parameters and playing characteristics