In the modern era of table tennis, the backhand side is just as important as the forehand side.
In the past, most players would block, hit, push, and play topspins in the same proportion with their backhands. It was even viable to not topspin at the elite level on the backhand side.
In 2004, Ryu Seung Min won the Olympics without a backhand rubber, a feat thatâ€s hard to fathom given the current tactical and technical state of the sport.
Today, even penholders flick the ball, loop, and counterloop with their backhand sides. And, if you take a look at most table tennis clubs around the world, even beginners attempt to play backhand open-ups and loops.
This can be explained, among other things, by the advancement of modern equipment and what it allows us to do.
Thatâ€s why, in this article, weâ€ll go over our top 7 picks for the best backhand rubber for every playing style and level. Looking for the best forehand rubber? We’ve got you covered as well.
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Many of these rubbers also feature in our list of the best table tennis rubbers you can buy. If you want to explore 50+ rubbers filtered by the characteristics you care about, you can also check out our rubber review database.
Best Overall Backhand Rubber – Butterfly Tenergy 19
Specifications
- Weight (Cut): 49g
- Speed:High
- Spin:High
- Control: Medium
- Tackiness:Slightly Tacky
- Hardness: Medium (36° Butterfly scale)
- ITTF Approved:Yes
- Sponge Thickness:1.7mm, 1.9mm, or 2.1mm
Summary:The Butterfly Tenergy 19 is the ideal backhand rubber. It has all the characteristics you’d want from a backhand rubber: great feeling, medium hardness, lots of explosiveness, and tons of grip. It is perfect for both active strokes and passive strokes.
Recommended For:
Playing Characteristics
The Tenergy 19 is ideal for playing topspin shots such as loops and open-ups. You get tons of spin, the throw angle is medium-medium/high and it is very fast when you accelerate onto the ball.
As for blocking, this rubber is great if you know what youâ€re doing. It is spin sensitive, but less so than the Tenergy 05 for example, and itâ€s also less bouncy, so you get relatively good control.
I also love it for the serve receive: both the passive serve receive and flicks are great. As for flicks, you get good clearance over the net, acceleration, and spin, and it isnâ€t that hard to touch short.
It is not the best choice for chopping, so if youâ€re more of an all-rounder, youâ€re probably better off choosing one of the next rubbers on this list. The Tenergy 19 is ideal for complete attackers who block, loop, open up, and counterloop.
Who the Butterfly Tenergy 19 Is Suitable For
The Tenergy 19 is perfect for intermediate-level players up to professional play. Recommended for USATT 1600+.
Benefits
- Superb balance between speed and control.
- Tons of grip.
- Great feeling.
Drawbacks
- Tenergy-levels of speed require good touch and technique.
- Price.
Best Hybrid Backhand Rubber – Butterfly Dignics 09c
Specifications
- Speed: High
- Spin: Very High
- Control: High
- Tackiness:Medium tacky
- Hardness:Hard (44° Butterfly Scale)
- ITTF Approved:Yes
- Sponge Thickness:1.9mm or 2.1mm
Summary:The Butterfly Dignics 09c is a superb backhand rubber because of its spin, its control, and its arc. It is one of the most favored rubbers by professional players because it’s perfect for playing spin and counter-spin shots.
Recommended For:
Playing Characteristics
The Dignics 09c is probably the best rubber for topspins, period. It is the spinniest rubber available, it has a high throw angle, and tons of dwell time for a rubber with such a fast top-end speed.
As for blocking, this rubber is quite peculiar. It is spin-sensitive, very hard, and not that bouncy, so it feels different than most other rubbers. Itâ€s just a matter of getting used to it, really.
In terms of serve receive, the Dignics 09c is a great rubber because its grip and throw angle make it great for flicking. Touching short is also quite easy.
As for chopping, it isnâ€t bad, but itâ€s far from the best. You can definitely pull off the odd chop with it and come back to the table, though.
Who the Butterfly Dignics 09c Is Suitable For
In my opinion, the Dignics 09c should only be used by players with higher swing speeds, as itâ€s a very hard rubber. Recommended for 1800+ USATT players with fast strokes.
Benefits
- Spinniest rubber available
- Great control
- Unlimited power reserves
Drawbacks
- Need high swing speed to use it
- Price.
Best European Backhand Rubber for Advanced Players – Butterfly Dignics 05
Specifications
- Weight (Cut):48g
- Speed: High
- Spin: Very High
- Control:Medium-High
- Tackiness:Slightly Tacky
- Hardness: Hard (40° Butterfly Scale)
- ITTF Approved:Yes
- Sponge Thickness:1.9mm or 2.1mm
Summary:The Butterfly Dignics 05 is a superb backhand rubber because of its touch, spin, and control. It is one of the most favored rubbers by professional players because it’s perfect for playing every single shot in an offensive player’s arsenal, from the serve receive to the counterloop.
Recommended For:
Playing Characteristics
The Dignics 05 is a great rubber for topspins, but you need to have a high swing speed to get good acceleration out of it. The spin is on par with the Dignics 09c as probably the spinniest rubber on the market.
As for blocking, this rubber is just perfect. It isnâ€t that bouncy, itâ€s quite hard and stable, and it has great touch. Itâ€s probably my favorite rubber for blocking.
In terms of serve receive, the Dignics 05 is great, especially for pushing and touching short. Flicking is also great but requires good acceleration.
As for chopping, it is a relatively good rubber because of its speed and control.
Who the Butterfly Dignics 05 Is Suitable For
As with the Dignics 09c, the Dignics 05 should only be used by players with higher swing speeds, as itâ€s a very hard rubber. Recommended for 1800+ USATT players with fast strokes.
Benefits
- Spinniest rubber available
- Great feeling and control
- Best rubber for blocking
Drawbacks
- Need high swing speed to use it
- Price.
Best Balanced Backhand Rubber – Butterfly Rozena
Specifications
- Speed: Medium
- Spin: High
- Control:Medium-High
- Tackiness:Slightly tacky
- Hardness: Medium-soft (35° Butterfly Scale)
- ITTF Approved:Yes
- Sponge Thickness:1.7mm, 1.9mm, 2.1mm
Summary:The Butterfly Rozena is one of my favorite backhand rubbers, and my top pick for intermediate-level players. It is ideal because it’s superb for looping, blocking, and receiving serves. It has tons of control but also good speed and spin when you want to take the initiative.
Recommended For:
Playing Characteristics
The Rozena is a great rubber for topspins just because of how consistent it is.
It is a relatively fast rubber but not to the point that itâ€s hard to control, far from it. Itâ€s very easy to get the ball on the table, and thatâ€s the key when it comes to backhand rubbers if you arenâ€t all that confident in your loops and open-ups.
As for blocking, the Rozena is ideal. It is bouncy enough so that active blocks can be dangerous, but not to the point where you lose out on control.
In terms of serve receive, the Rozena is great for flicking, pushing long, touching short, you name it.
As for chopping, it is a relatively good rubber because of its control.
Who the Butterfly Rozena Is Suitable For
The Butterfly Rozena is ideal for players who already have mastered the fundamentals and want a modern rubber to attack with confidence. Recommended for 1200-1800 USATT.
Benefits
- Very confidence-inducing
- Great feeling and control
- Ideal for both looping and blocking
Drawbacks
- Not as much speed or spin as the Tenergies or Dignics
Best Value Backhand Rubber – Nittaku Fastarc G-1
Specifications
- Weight (Cut): 49g
- Speed:High
- Spin:High
- Control: Medium
- Tackiness:Slightly Tacky
- Hardness: Medium-Hard
- ITTF Approved:Yes
- Sponge Thickness:1.4mm, 1.8mm, 2.0mm, or MAX
Summary: The Nittaku Fastarc G-1 is our pick for best value because it’s not only a superb backhand rubber but it’s also nearly endless in terms of durability. It is a fine offensive rubber that lasts 2, 3 even 5 times what other rubbers do.
Recommended For:
Playing Characteristics
The Fastarc G-1 is a great rubber for topspins. Itâ€s what youâ€d expect of a modern backhand rubber. Itâ€s high throwing, spinny, and quite fast, with good control.
As for blocking, this rubber is great. Its speed is ideal but due to its high throw, youâ€ll need to get used to closing your racket angle a bit more.
In terms of serve receive, the Fastarc G-1 is great, especially for flicking. Touching short and pushing long is also good.
We liked it quite a bit for chopping because we could generate quite a bit of spin with good control.
Who the Nittaku Fastarc G-1 Is Suitable For
We recommend the Nittaku Fastarc G-1 for intermediate and advanced-level players who want a great offensive rubber without breaking the bank. Recommended for 1600+ USATT players.
Benefits
- Fast and spinny
- Good control and high throw
- Incredibly durable and adequately priced
Drawbacks
- Not as fast or spinny as top-of-the-line rubbers
Best Backhand Rubber for All-rounders – Andro Rasanter R42
Specifications
- Speed:Medium-High
- Spin:Medium-High
- Control: High
- Hardness: Medium-soft (42° ESN Scale)
- ITTF Approved: Yes
- Sponge Thickness:1.7mm, 2.0mm, ULTRAMAX
Summary: The Andro Rasanter R42 is a superb backhand rubber because of its control. It is the ideal rubber for beginners, intermediate-level players, and all-rounders who value control, spin, and touch more than anything else.
Recommended For:
Playing Characteristics
The Andro Rasanter R42 is great for looping. Itâ€s extremely easy to get loops on the table, open-ups carry great spin and itâ€s overall a very confidence-inducing rubber for attacking.
This is also a great rubber for blocking. Its speed is quite manageable for a rather offensive rubber so itâ€s easy to control incoming speed and spin.
In terms of serve receive, the Rasanter R42 is ideal as it has great control and touch as well as good enough spin for flicking the ball.
We also liked it for chopping because of the feeling and control it gave us over the ball.
Who the Andro Rasanter R42 Is Suitable For
The Rasanter R42 is ideal for all-rounders and developing attackers. We recommend it to players in the USATT 1000-1600 rating range.
Benefits
- Very confidence-inducing
- Superb feeling and control
- Great for topspins as well as blocks
Drawbacks
- Not the best for power looping
Best Backhand Rubber for Beginners – Yasaka Rakza 7 Soft
Specifications
- Speed:Medium
- Spin:Medium-High
- Control: Very High
- Hardness: Soft
- ITTF Approved: Yes
- Sponge Thickness:1.7mm, 2.0mm, ULTRAMAX
Summary: The Yasaka Rakza 7 Soft is the ideal backhand rubber for beginners because it’s the best rubber to learn backhand techniques with. It’s offensive in nature, but with superb control, and it is ideal for those who want to learn the attacking game but are just starting out.
Recommended For:
Playing Characteristics
The Yasaka Rakza 7 Soft is the ideal rubber to learn how to topspin because of how much dwell time and margin for error it gives you. It does pack a punch if you swing hard, though!
As for blocking, this rubber is extremely forgiving and controllable, mainly because of its very manageable speed.
In terms of serve receive, the Rakza 7 Soft is great as it makes things a whole lot simpler: Touching short and pushing long is effortless.
As for chopping, it is a good rubber because of its control.
Who the Yasaka Rakza 7 Soft Is Suitable For
The Yasaka Rakza 7 Soft is ideal for players who are just starting out and want to learn all the backhand techniques. Recommended for 0-1200 USATT players.
Benefits
- Great feeling and control
- Very confidence-inducing
- Ideal for learning the game
Drawbacks
- Will need upgrading at some point
- Not that much speed or spin
Backhand Rubber Buyerâ€s Guide
If you’re looking for an in-depth guide to help you out, we’ve got the most extensive article covering what to look for when selecting a new rubber. Perfect for beginners, or anyone looking to upgrade their equipment. Don’t want to read thousands of words? Here’s a quick guide to buying a backhand rubber.
Several key factors influence which backhand rubber to go for. The main one is the speed of the rubber you choose, which will also determine its control.
If you take a look at our choices, we have included very fast rubbers, such as the Tenergy 19, and much slower ones, such as the Rakza 7 soft.
There is a world of difference between the speed and control of these two rubbers.
This makes sense if you think about what players they were designed for: the Tenergy was developed with professional players in mind while the Rakza was designed to suit even basement players who are just picking up the sport.
So, the main thing you have to nail is the speed of your rubber. If you choose a rubber thatâ€s too fast, you wonâ€t be able to control it properly.
However, if you choose a rubber like the Rakza 7 Soft and youâ€re an intermediate or advanced player, youâ€ll want a faster rubber because youâ€ll feel that it’s too slow for you.
You will also want a harder rubber as you improve, as softer rubbers are easier to bottom out and arenâ€t that stable overall when playing at higher speeds.
Alvaroâ€s a qualified ITTF Level 1 Coach who’s been playing Table Tennis since he was 15 and is now ranked within the top 50 in his native Argentina. He loves to compete in provincial tournaments and is always looking for ways to improve. Alvaro made his favorite memories with a racket in hand, and he joined the RacketInsight team to share his passion with other players!
Blade: Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC | Forehand: Butterfly Dignics 09c | Backhand: Butterfly Tenergy 19
Playstyle: The Controller
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