One could argue that the thickness of the sponge under the rubber is as important as the table tennis rubber itself. I’ll do a brief introduction to the sponge thickness, but as a quick note, your sponge will usually come with the topsheet you choose.
Simply put, thicker sponge makes the ball bounce off the racket more, while a thinner sponge provides less spring.
Some people say that with a thicker sponge, the ball can sink a little deeper into the rubber so that more of the ball’s surface area is contacted by the pips on the rubber, giving the player a better chance to put spin on the ball or make a cut. However in my experience (and this could be related to my playing style), I like how a thinner rubber slows the ball down so I can control it more. A thinner sponge (or no sponge) with longer pips is a good way to put spin on the ball, but if you are an offensive player and want to rip it with some speed, a thicker sponge can give you a little extra bounce.
As I said above, some people think a thicker sponge will give you more of a chance to get surface area from the racket onto the ball, but in my experience, slowing down the ball with a thinner rubber has worked better for me.
In my personal experience, I fell I can get more spin on the ball with a thinner sponge, but like to vary the type of table tennis rubber and sponge that I use on each side giving me the option to slow it down or speed it up as I wish.
As with anything else, it all comes down to your own playing style, level, control, and preferences. If you just want to send it back with the back hand, but have a little more touch with your forehand (like me… I’m still working on my backhand control), you should really experiment with different pip lengths and sponge thicknesses for the right balance of power, bounce, and control for you.
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