Wide stiff pips (ika short pips) is NOT a backhand rubber. And 99% of you do not have what it takes to use it on BH
Posted: September 20th, 2025, 2:41 am
Let me make something clear first.
(click link >) wide or stiff pips ika (incorrectly known as) short pips) is the first official rubber type in table tennis (known as hardbat in the pre-sponge era of table tennis before 1951)
Wide or stiff pips(with sponge) is still THEORETICALLY the best rubber type in table tennis .
Why in theory ?
Because you need to be both naturally talented as well athletic enough to be able to use it.
Why ? Because it is strictly a close to the table rubber and requires the best reflexes and foot speed etc to be able to always take the ball at its height of bounce. Yes it has the advantage of being quite insensitive to spin but you always need to be in position and also have the better feel for the ball , which almost most all of us don't, the lower your level is.
Yes if you can deliver the your ball from Point A (your side of table) to point B (on opponent's side) consistently at highest speed (without ANY distracting and unnecessary spins) you do not need any spin at all in any racket sport . But of course this is pure theory & this is why almost all of us mere mortals need spins (back spin or top spin) to control the ball better with better consistency and pull the ball down on the opponents' side of the table (or court).
So what this means is that only very few of us (especially shakehanders) are capable of using wide pips even on the forehand let alone backhand. (Asian grip (aka penholders) may have a little bit more luck using wide pips on forehand...there had been a few Asian grip world champions using wide pips on forehand but I am only aware of only less than 5 or 6 European grip (shakehand) players who had reached top 10 ranking using forehand wide pips)
That said , given the natural biomechanical and other limitations of backahand is any racket sport and probably more in table tennis , the probability of anyone (especially an amateur) being successful using wide pips is even lower.
So what is the best option for almost all players, especially amateur and beginner players ?
I thought you would never ask.
The one & only best backhand option is actual OX long pips for almost all amateurs (both at the table blockers or away from the table choppers in the 40+ plastic ball only era.
Actual long pips with thicker sponge is the ONLY viable option for the away from the table semi-pro or pro choppers in the 40+ plastic ball only era. .
Wide pips is the absolute worst & even sort of a novelty rubber for your backhand.
Anti is not too far behind and next worst.
You may even be better off using a spinny inverted rubber on your backhand (rather than wide pips or anti) if you are terrified of social rejection for using (actual) long pips
(click link >) wide or stiff pips ika (incorrectly known as) short pips) is the first official rubber type in table tennis (known as hardbat in the pre-sponge era of table tennis before 1951)
Wide or stiff pips(with sponge) is still THEORETICALLY the best rubber type in table tennis .
Why in theory ?
Because you need to be both naturally talented as well athletic enough to be able to use it.
Why ? Because it is strictly a close to the table rubber and requires the best reflexes and foot speed etc to be able to always take the ball at its height of bounce. Yes it has the advantage of being quite insensitive to spin but you always need to be in position and also have the better feel for the ball , which almost most all of us don't, the lower your level is.
Yes if you can deliver the your ball from Point A (your side of table) to point B (on opponent's side) consistently at highest speed (without ANY distracting and unnecessary spins) you do not need any spin at all in any racket sport . But of course this is pure theory & this is why almost all of us mere mortals need spins (back spin or top spin) to control the ball better with better consistency and pull the ball down on the opponents' side of the table (or court).
So what this means is that only very few of us (especially shakehanders) are capable of using wide pips even on the forehand let alone backhand. (Asian grip (aka penholders) may have a little bit more luck using wide pips on forehand...there had been a few Asian grip world champions using wide pips on forehand but I am only aware of only less than 5 or 6 European grip (shakehand) players who had reached top 10 ranking using forehand wide pips)
That said , given the natural biomechanical and other limitations of backahand is any racket sport and probably more in table tennis , the probability of anyone (especially an amateur) being successful using wide pips is even lower.
So what is the best option for almost all players, especially amateur and beginner players ?
I thought you would never ask.
The one & only best backhand option is actual OX long pips for almost all amateurs (both at the table blockers or away from the table choppers in the 40+ plastic ball only era.
Actual long pips with thicker sponge is the ONLY viable option for the away from the table semi-pro or pro choppers in the 40+ plastic ball only era. .
Wide pips is the absolute worst & even sort of a novelty rubber for your backhand.
Anti is not too far behind and next worst.
You may even be better off using a spinny inverted rubber on your backhand (rather than wide pips or anti) if you are terrified of social rejection for using (actual) long pips