12 Best Short Pips Rubbers: Reviews and Recommendations (2026 Updated)

Traditionally, or in mainstream table tennis, most players use inverted rubbers on both sides and focus on a two-winged topspin game. However, beyond this dominant style, pips-out play has been gaining popularity in recent years, with more and more players—myself included—choosing this approach.

In our previous articles, we introduced the 12 best long pips. So naturally, today we’re going to take a look at the 12 best short pips.

In fact, short pips offer several advantages. They require less brushing and allow for more direct, straightforward hitting, making them relatively simple and easier to master. In our earlier blog posts, we also covered some playing techniques and strategies for using short pips.

The use of short pips rubbers has largely been associated with penhold playing styles since it takes advantage of the sharp angle spin that is used for classic Chinese table tennis play.

However, a new trend has arisen among the offensive players, making use of short pimple rubber on their forehand attack. This rubber creates a much faster racquet response and puts the ball into more spin when attacked by opponents from around the world.

It has become extremely popular as it allows one to develop alternatives in their game in order to compete in different types of matches against different opponents.

There are lots of world-known short pips players such as Liu Guoliang, Deng Yaping, He Zhiwen, Mima Ito, etc. So in this blog, we shall introduce you to several best short pips rubbers in table tennis.

Best short pips for forehand

Butterfly IMPARTIAL XB

The Butterfly IMPARTIAL XB rubber slides flawlessly on quick transitions with its dynamic balance of power, speed, and spin. XB stands for Extra Balance, a system that results in a competitive combination of cylindrical and trapezoidal particles.

The pellet’s elasticity makes it highly malleable, allowing users to feel its softness and control under various degrees of force applied. Drafted at a ratio by the natural arrangement of the pellet and the system within it, this table tennis rubber is built to perform – whether offensively or defensively – while giving players an edge in any game.

When using the Butterfly IMPARTIAL XB rubber, players maximize their capabilities through small movements and fine-tuning of the ball. The speed of the rubber is fast, providing an advantage while defending, and the rebounding power is sufficient.

The texture of the pellets themselves allows for manipulation when undergoing smaller forces so that players can easily control each movement. Additionally, with its notable drop capability, this rubber catches onto a strong rotating ball.

Pros:

• The rubber has great control and better spin than other short pips.
• Overall performance is balanced. The rubber also has great speed.

Cons:

• A little bit expensive

Overall rating:

• Speed: 9
• Spin: 7
• Control: 8

Friendship RITC 802-40 TRUST

The Friendship RITC 802-40 is a phenomenally popular table tennis equipment well known for its vertical pips. As a result, it’s favored by professional players from all corners of the globe, especially those Chinese players who have found that it produces proficiently precise and powerful attacks as well as being proficient in countering incoming spin.

However, RITC 802-40 is quite old rubber so the Friendship Company developed a new version that is called RITC 802-40 Trust. Basically, these two rubbers are similar but the 802-40 trust has better speed and spin.

Professional players love using this short pips rubber because it enables efficient attack play and make it suitable for both backhand and forehand strike. It has an interesting spin sensitivity that can be taken advantage of depending on the incoming spin during gameplay.

 

Friendship RITC 802-40 Trust has been used by many top penhold players.

Pros:

• The rubber is ideal for forehand attacks. The ball has a really low arc and is easy to drop down.
• Great speed make it a great choice for penhold players. The sudden change of location makes it difficult to receive the ball for your rivals.

Cons:

• The spin is not so great compared to Butterfly IMPARTIAL XB.

Overall rating

• Speed: 8.5
• Spin: 6.6
• Control: 7

Nittaku Moristo SP

Nittaku Moristo SP is an impressive short pips rubber that provides exceptional speed, power, and control. Its low and conical hashed pips are engineered on a thin rubber sheet so the 2.2mm sponge can deliver powerful performances. This ultra-soft, small-pored white sponge provides extra elasticity to generate attacking shots and solid blocks.

This rubber provides powerful attack shots, as well as amazing blocking capabilities due to its super-elasticity, making it an ideal choice for those who want to dominate their opponents with relentless exchanges. Its speed gives you the edge needed in close matches, allowing you to take control of the game and hit shots previously thought impossible with other rubbers.

The most well-known user of this rubber is the Japanese player Mima Ito, who is famous for her violent and powerful forehand.

Pros: 

• Nittaku Moristo SP is good for fast attacks, especially when you play close to the table.
• It has a great performance in blocking too.

Cons:

• It is relatively slow. Nittaku Company lists it as their slowest short pips rubber.

Overall rating

• Speed: 6.8
• Spin: 7
• Control: 7.6

Best short pips for Backhand

Victas VO>101

The new Victas VO> 101 is great short pips rubber that features built-in High Energy Tension Technology, making it both incredibly fast and capable of generating powerful spin. The sheer speed of the rubber makes it difficult to defend against, as balls that otherwise would have been easy blocks take off from the table before your paddle is able to react.

Made with the expertise of both Japanese and German researchers, this high-tech rubber features an optimized pips geometry which gives it great pips-out effects and a flat trajectory that will pressure unsuspecting opponents.

Pros:

• A quite deceptive short pips rubber
• Has great speed and control
• A great choice for backhand

Cons:

• A little bit heavy. It would be perfect if it was much lighter

Overall rating

• Speed: 9.1
• Spin: 7.9
• Control: 9.2

Tibhar Speedy Soft XD

Tibhar Speedy Soft XD is the perfect rubber for competitive table tennis players who crave complete control of the ball. This combination of catapult-rich sponge and wide pimples on the rubber surface offers a multitude of advantages.

Not only does it provide speedy balls during open play, but its high portion of integrated natural rubber and high elasticity of the pimple rubber also produce more spin and better control than ever before.

Also, we recommend it as a backhand short pips rubber also because some players like to use pimple rubbers to chop. So if you are a chopper, then this rubber is also a great choice for both blocking and chopping. You can choose the way to return the ball according to the distance to the table.

Pros:

This rubber has great control

• It has good performance with plastic balls nowadays
• Great performance for backhand chopping

Cons:

• Less spin

Overall rating

• Speed: 8.0
• Spin: 7.7
• Control: 7.7

Yinhe Uranus Poly

Yinhe Uranus Poly is an amazing new rubber specifically designed for the current rules and the brand-new non-celluloid ball.

The world of table tennis was shaken up after the change of ping pong balls, but Yinhe has responded with a superior replacement that expertly harnesses the underlying tensor effect in order to maximize speed and control.

Players who prefer pips-out styles will be ecstatic after trying it: Uranus Poly provides faster rebounds than before, better ball contact, and improved arc generation, ultimately allowing players to become more aggressive in their offense.

Yinhe Uranus Poly makes it light and unpredictable, presenting an elusive challenge to other players.

Pros:

• It is super friendly to both beginners and advanced short pips rubbers players. Most players only need a short time to be used to it.
• Has a very cheap price
• Has great control and is good for blocking

Cons:

• Less spin

Overall rating

• Speed: 8.5
• Spin: 7.5
• Control: 8.5

Best short pips for chopping

Dawei 388C-1

The Dawei 388C-1 is quite similar to the long pips Dawei 338D-1 in that both are very versatile rubbers that can adapt to a wide range of playing styles. Whether it’s chopping, close-to-the-table blocking, or attacking, this rubber handles all techniques well.

That said, in my opinion, the 388C-1 is a very distinctive short pips rubber—and a well-known one too, with a reputation comparable to the 563, though their playing styles are almost the complete opposite. The 388C-1 has a noticeably hard feel, with both the sponge and the pips being on the firm side.

It offers strong elasticity and excellent sponge support, and once you put power into your shots, it really comes alive with a powerful, direct hitting sensation. The impact feels solid and forceful—something that many other short pips simply can’t match. It’s aggressive and explosive. For choppers, this means that after defending, switching to offense can be especially troublesome for the opponent to handle.

Interestingly, the 388C-1 has a rather unusual characteristic: its spin reversal effect can vary dramatically depending on the sponge thickness and blade pairing. When matched well, pushes and blocks can produce very strong spin reversal; but with the wrong setup, that effect can almost disappear. It’s quite a quirky trait.

Of course, just like the 338D-1, one of the biggest attractions of this rubber is its outstanding value for money. It’s very affordable, making it an excellent choice for players who are transitioning from inverted rubbers to short pips and want to try the style without a big investment.

Pro

• Great spin
• Cheap Price

Con

• Need to be paired with proper blade

Overall Rating

Speed: 8.5

Spin: 8.3

Control: 7.7

Friendship/729 802

Friendship 802 is an amazing short pips rubber for serious choppers, as it boasts superb elasticity, fast speed, and high levels of friction to boost spin and give you maximum control of the ball. I personally recommend that people use a sponge of 1.0mm as it has a better feeling when you chop far away from the table.

The higher speed provided by Friendship 802 gives choppers just the right amount of pushback when defending, allowing them to stay in even with more offensive players and create offense from defense. Its versatility means it makes for a great partner at close tables with double-sided attacks or your signature left push-right attack playstyle.

Note: Here what we are talking about is Friendship 802, not 802-40

Pros

• Great defensive short pips rubber
• Easy to use

Cons

• Less deception

Overall rating

Speed: 8.0

Spin: 7.8

Control: 8.8

Victas Spectol S1

If you’re looking for a short pips rubber specifically for chopping, the best place to start is by looking at what top defensive players are using. One of the most well-known representatives of short pips chopping is Hou Yingchao. On his backhand, he used to play with TSP Spectol, which has since evolved into what we now know as the Victas Spectol S1.

 

Spectol is famous for its outstanding control and stability—qualities that every defensive player values most. Instead of focusing on generating extreme spin, the priority is to keep the ball consistently on the table with minimal errors. On top of that, it still offers good variation and decent speed. However, compared to the newer S2 and S3 versions, it lacks built-in sponge tension, which means it provides less rebound and a weaker catapult effect.

Pros

• Great stability makes it ideal for choppers
• Have good speed and vatiation

Cons

• Lack built-in sponge tension

Overall Rating

• Speed: 8
• Spin: 8
• Control: 9

Best short pips for defense

Palio Flying Dragon

It is well-known that short pips rubbers have the defects of less spin. The Palio Flying Dragon rubber helps restore the effectiveness of the traditional Chinese fast-attacking method with greater spin.

The special needle-like single crystalline additive of Japan’s epoch-making PANA-TENTRA in the formula of flying dragon rubbers is designed to improve the dynamic friction coefficient, resistance, and stability of the rubber surface.

This unique combination results in a powerful but stable spin, plus a surprising amount of speed from its internal energy. Players can even approach the spin level of reverse rubbers all while maintaining the properties of positive stickers.

As it compensates for previously identified defects in spin, this new short pips rubber offers an exciting alternative to current rubbers – making it an ideal choice for those looking to master their gameplay.

Pros

• Strong spin
• Sometimes have a similar experience with the inverted rubbers
• Great performance in blocking and fast attack

Cons

• Sometimes the rubber feels a little bit harder

Overall Rating

Speed: 8.7

Spin: 7.3

Control: 8

Butterfly Flarestorm 2

Butterfly Flarestorm 2 is a rubber with powerful speed, precise acceleration, and devastating attack capabilities. Hitting the ball at rapid speed can deny opponents offensive onslaughts easily and open up opportunities to take advantage of opponents through counter-attacks.

Defending against your opponent’s plays can require accuracy and assertiveness to outwit them, and the soft design of this rubber allows players to have strong control during defensive shots.

Pros

Superfast speed

Good performance in blocking

Cons

Some players may find it hard to be used to its great speed at first

Some players may even find it hard to control when they change from other normal short pips rubbers

Overall rating

Speed: 9.3

Spin: 7.2

Control: 8.0

Butterfly Challenger Attack

Butterfly Challenger Attack has a great balance between offense and defense. Its unique properties provide control in a variety of hitting angles. With great speed and spin induced by controlled strokes and a soft, yet surprisingly deceptive touch, it allows for smooth and easy blocking and hitting alike.

Many people use it as a defensive backhand rubber because it has a nice soft controllable touch, which makes hitting and blocking go easy. This is perfect for pips-out players who are looking for added spin variation and greater control over the opponent’s shots.

Butterfly Challenger Attack is used by U.S. Women’s champion, Gao Jun.

Pros

• Can be used for both attack and defend
• Has very good control

Cons

• The speed sometimes is slow

Overall Rating

Speed: 8.0

Spin: 7.1

Control: 8.1

More thought about the best short pips rubbers

Short pips rubbers are one of the trickiest and most unique pieces of equipment in all of table tennis. With their small, irregularly-shaped rubber spikes, they provide a very unpredictable spin when the ball is hit.

This is due to the reversed spin technique that short pips encourage—by slightly brushing back against incoming shots, a player can make quick changes to the direction and speed of the opponent’s return.

Players have to choose the correct and proper short pips rubber according to their playstyle and preference.

What is your favorite short pips rubber? Please leave your comment below!