Every self-respecting man cave needs a few play-things to entertain the troops when they come over. But what are the options? I looked around my space and saw that there was an area that needed filling. I didn’t want to clog up my man cave, but I did want something that would entertain.
Then I had an in-cave-epiphany… ping pong… what a great idea. A ping pong table that could be folded up when not in use and stored away in a corner far from sight. What a sensational idea I thought.
Now I have to warn you, there are a bucket load of tables available to the man-of-the-moment buyer, so look very carefully at the features and the storage capabilities of the table that you think will suit your needs. The table has to be sturdy enough to cope with what may be put on it, or more than likely, what has fallen onto it. Also, and God forbid, is it suitable for the kids? Will the little ones leave a lasting impression on your table, if you know what I mean, and if so, will it be an easy fix?
Once you have made the decision to go ahead and buy that new toy, don’t rush your research. If it takes you a bit longer to make a choice, then so be it, after all this purchase is going to be with you in your pride-of-place for a long time.
I had set my sights on a folding table, but I thought before I commit, I will look at all options available to the discerning Ping-Pong-table-purchaser. Where to start? Well I guessed I needed to find out what was out there, what types of tables were available, and would they fit into my budget.
The first tables I came across was the Joola range, they seemed like they were the crème-de-la-crème of ping pong tables. They had all the features like being the regulation size of 9 foot by 5 foot. Well there was something I didn’t know. Their tables also came partially assembled, saving me the hassle of reading those annoying instruction booklets that, well let’s face, are hard to read anyway. And it was a pretty affordable price, but I continued my search anyway.
- JOOLA - AN OLYMPIC TABLE TENNIS BRAND TRUSTED FOR 60+ YEARS: Launched in the 1950s, JOOLA has been the proud sponsor of the biggest tournaments in the world, Including the Olympics, World Championships, and US Open. Equipment designed for all levels
- 15mm MDF SURFACE TOURNAMENT QUALITY AT HOME: The JOOLA Inside Table Tennis Table is a competition grade, regulation size indoor ping pong table, perfect for playing in your home, office, or recreation center
- EASY AND QUICK ASSEMBLY: Set up this top-performing table tennis table in approximately 10 minutes out of the box. The tournament-grade regulation size 72" ping pong net set has a convenient clamp system for quickly attaching and removing from the table
I then found the Killerspin MyT7, wow what a masterpiece of table-tennis-technology. It had everything, even storage for your paddles and balls, and like most tables that you can buy, one side folds up so that you can “Play with yourself” excuse the pun. But when I saw the price tag I realized that it is really for the guy that plays all the time, not just for someone like myself who would bring it out only when all of my buddies came over.
- TABLE AND COVER BUNDLE: With this outdoor ping pong table and cover combo, you're ready to take the game outside while keeping your equipment safe from the elements
- STORAGE FOR PADDLES AND BALLS: Store up to 8 ping pong balls and 2 paddles at each end of the table with storage pockets that are built right into the table frame
- SOLO PLAYBACK MODE: Fold up one side of the table to practice shots and new techniques by yourself before trying them out on others, great for training or just for fun
I even considered the Best Choice Products 58 inch portable. This was a scaled down version of the ping pong table, designed for those tight spots, it is only 57 inches by 30 inches so it will petty much fit anywhere, and it is also very affordable.
But I finally settled on the Selva Foldable 4 Piece. It was the official tournament regulation size, it came with all the accessories that I needed and it was of a heavy duty construction, which I considered to be vitally important if it was going to be folded up and down all the time, but mostly I thought that the price was right for my needs and fit into my budget. Thankfully I could get away with the purchase without having to consult the “Minister for Finances”… the wife.
For those of you who already have a pool table in your home, there are conversion kits available that simply sit on top of your pool or billiards table. These are very handy and have easy storage for when you feel like using a cue rather than a bat. The one that I liked was the Harvil Table Tennis Conversion Top. It is a simple design that will set ontop of your pool table without scratching it, and it came with net and clamps. Importantly it was very well priced, good value for your hard earned cash.
- IDEAL CONVERSION TOP FOR INDOOR GAME TABLE - Look no further for the right ping pong conversion table. This Harvil indoor table tennis table is constructed of dense fiber wood with 8 soft, 3.94-inch EVA foam padding on the underside that protects your pool tables surface from scratches and marring. Its heavy-duty and a lot of fun to have. Assembled dimensions: 108 L x 60 W x 0.6 H inches / Weight: 101.38 pounds
- VIVID DESIGN and FEATURES - Cool blue dominates the table tennis top playing surface with a white logo and designed with sponge rubber strips plus edge banding to cover and reinforce all borders.
- COMPLETE WITH ACCESSORIES and A CLEAR ASSEMBLY MANUAL - Grab a buddy and follow the clear assembly manual in setting-up this ping pong table. Then, install the net plus black metal posts to complete your game table. All you will need are paddles and you are ready to play!
Like anything that you decide to include into your man cave, think about the pros and cons of your decision. A simple thing like a ping pong table sounds easy enough to play around with, but think about the problems like storage etc. before you go ahead with the purchase. Accessories are also something that you should consider, ping pong balls don’t last very long, especially when you heavy footed friends come over for an ale or two and end up treading on them.
You can order balls and bats at the push of a button, but remember the secret of any man cave accessory, maintenance is of the utmost importance. Take care of the net especially, this is vital to any in-cave-tournament that you may want to organize….even if it’s only to show all the guys just how good you are. But at the end of the day, it’s about having fun, and ping pong can be a lot of fun for a minimum investment.
I had chosen the table that I thought suited my needs and that would enhance the in-cave experience for me and my buddies. I knew that there were going to be some interesting weekends ahead with my new investment, and to be honest, I couldn’t wait to try it out. My man cave was now complete as far as my needs were concerned, but it may be different for you, there may still be that accessory out there that needs to be had, let’s face it, only you can be the judge of your in-cave-cravings. Once you decide on the right ping pong table then you’ll need these tips on how to improve your game.
