This Joola Rally TL 500 Review will help you decide whether this product deserves your money or not. At first, it is hard to point out the unique things about Joola Rally TL 500 among Joola’s numerous recreational tennis tables. Still, this table does stand out in its way.
Joola Rally TL 500 is an intermediate/professional table with brilliant additional features like ball holders. Other than that, its playability and durability can make customers happy like no other.
Keep scrolling to learn why I believe that Joola Rally TL 500 is worth your consideration.
Joola Rally TL 500 Review: Technical Chart
Joola Rally TL 500 Review: Feature Analysis
Tabletop and Undercarriage
Joola Rally TL 500 has an 18mm tabletop, a balanced point between the purely-recreational table of 15mm tabletops and the high-end ones.
Joola proudly claims that its playability is of tournament grade. From what I see, the bounciness and consistency are definitely much superior to low-budget tables. However, when placed next to expert 25mm tables, Rally TL 500’s tabletop fails to compare.
Nonetheless, I still think 18mm tables like Rally TL 500 are a wiser investment than 15mm tables. That is because when users level up, an 18mm tabletop will be a smoother transition into professional games.
What’s in charge of carrying the tabletop’s weight is the undercarriage. This feature is 40mmx40mm, a reasonable size for 18mm tables.
However, judging from its weight, it seems like Rally TL 300’s undercarriage is also heavier than some others of the same size. That leads to two things: firstly, it will be more robust and durable. Yet it also leads to less mobility unless the caster wheels are large enough.
Steel aprons
I have seen many beginners keep making the mistake of overlooking steel aprons. As trivial as they seem, these steel aprons protect the tabletop and preserve its flatness against time and humidity.
A poorly-made tennis table often features steel aprons that are loose or made of cheap materials. Such flaws will diminish steel aprons’ role significantly.
That’s why I am glad to say that Rally TL 500 has 1.5 steel aprons. They are also attached firmly to the table edge.
Net
The clamp-style net is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, no designs can rival clamp-style nets in terms of hassle-free setup. Producers seem to take in customers’ complaints about the complicated installation of more traditional designs and start turning to clip-on nets more and more.
However, they are also the most unstable design. Too often, their tension adjustment fails to do its job. These nets fall easily from their position as well.
Honestly, if I get to choose, I would replace this design with any other alternatives. But it is rare for nowadays tennis tables to feature otherwise, so I suggest not to overthink this detail.
Weight and Assembly
One thing about Rally TL 500 is that it is 84kg, a moderate weight compared to other 18mm tables.
There are a couple of disadvantages with heavy tables. First of all, the transportation. The bulkier packages are, the more likely they are damaged during delivery. It is not rare seeing online complaints about scarred tabletops or deformed frames due to harsh transportation.
It will require at least three adults to unpack and set it up regarding assembly. Fortunately, the table is 95% pre-assembled, so it will take around one hour to finish the installation.
Corner ball holders and Abacus scoreboards
Rally TL 500 features four corner ball holders; each can store three TT balls of 40mm.
This detail is fantastic because it helps customers save money on storage pouches, plus its design is sleek.
If you agree that recreational tables should look stylish to complement their surroundings, these ball holders won’t let you down.
Another additional feature, the abacus scoreboards, is not that impressive. Its steel glide falls off too often, so I barely use it. Nonetheless, this is still an exciting feature that needs stricter quality control to function correctly.
Table legs and Leg levelers
This table has 1.5-inches powder-coated steel legs, making them wear off much more slowly than regular paint. These legs also have rubber ends that protect your floor from scratches, plus their height is adjustable.
Caster wheels
Rally TL 500’s caster wheels are 3 inches in diameter. This is the expected size of 18mm tables’ caster wheels. What’s worth mentioning is that there are not many tables that weigh as heavy as Rally TL 500. That makes its weight-wheel ratio slightly off.
The caster wheels seem to function decently on a flat floor. However, I notice slight inferiority in mobility compared to, say, Stiga Advantage Pro. However, if you plan to take this table outside on a nice weather day, don’t. These caster wheels can’t take that much.
Playback mode and Safety latch system
It will be a big mistake if Joola skips this feature on Rally TL 500, which they don’t. Beginners can benefit significantly from this application because it helps them practice striking back.
To activate this mode, you need to work on the safety latch system. Start by folding up a table half, then use this device to keep the table in that position, and that’s it!
Quick Rundown of Joola Rally TL 500
- TOURNAMENT QUALITY AT HOME: Competition-grade 9x5 foot regulation size indoor table tennis table and net set perfect for your home, office or community center. Made by the official table brand of US Open and US Nationals Championships
- NO HASSLE, QUICK SET-UP: Comes 95% pre-assembled. Assembly time: 15 minutes and you’re ready to play! Simply attach the legs with only 8 bolts TOTAL. Tournament grade net is a simple clamp design for easy attachment
- RELIABLE/LEVEL PLAY: Durable 3/4 inch (18 mm) thick medium-density fiberboard (MDF) multi-layer painted surface for a consistent and reliable ball bounce. The table sits on thick steel legs with leg height adjusters to ensure a level playing surface
- SEPARATE HALVES FOR PLAYBACK MODE & COMPACT STORAGE: Folding halves sit on separate 4-wheel trolley systems for mobility when alone or nested together. Utilizing the automatic anti-tilting locks, easily unfold one table half for solo playback mode
- CORNER BALL HOLDERS AND ABACUS SCORER: In addition to the sleek, black top, the table features four ball holders and two magnetic abacus scorers making it a great, stylish addition to any home. Each ball holder holds 3 40mm JOOLA table tennis balls
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