Having the right equipment to play Ping Pong is very important, but another important and sometimes overlooked factor is the appropriate Ping Pong clothing. In this article I will outline different items of Ping Pong apparel that are appropriate for playing in.

Shirts:

The first item of clothing we will discuss is the Ping Pong shirt which is often made out of cotton material. Because this material is lightweight it enables players to move effortless through the air to reach the ball. Many of the leading Ping Pong manufacturers such as Butterfly, Nittaku and Joola produce their own shirts each designed in range of unique colorful designs, complete with their logo emblazed on the forefront. A reminder is to make sure that you avoid wearing a white shirt because this is generally the same color as the white Ping Pong ball which can lead to interference with the opponents view and may result in an umpire requesting you to change your shirt.

The traditional Ping Pong shirt is collared with two buttons although some prefer playing with shirts that have no collars.

Also a personal tip that I give to many Ping Pong players is to tuck their shirt in while competing, or else you risk catching your bat on the bottom of the shirt and affecting the shot about to be played. This is definitely not something you want to occur during a crucial point!

Sweatbands:

This is one item of Ping Pong clothing that I couldn’t do without. Sweatbands are the ideal sweat absorber and an essential clothing accessory especially if you are prone to sweating large amounts during a game. Personally I prefer to use both a wristband and headband while practicing and competing as I make every effort possible to stop sweat interfering with my game. Another piece of advice that I give to players who sweat large amounts is to always ensure they have a change of clothes, especially shirts as well as a backup of sweatbands.