Picking The Right Paddle
One of the greatest things about pickleball is the simplicity of the rules. In just a matter of minutes, someone completely new to the game can walk onto the court and start playing. Now, if only the same could be said for picking the best pickleball paddles.
How Do You Pick the Best Pickleball Paddle?
Picking the best pickleball paddle requires pairing the most important elements of a paddle with a player's skill and style. The key to finding the best pickleball paddle is to find the proper balance of core material and thickness, surface material, paddle weights, and grip size for an individual player. Below are a few essential things to consider when selecting what paddle is right for you.
1. Paddle Core Materials
The core is the structural guts found in every pickleball paddle, and it's frequently formed as a sheet of honeycomb shapes and then wedged between both faces of a paddle. Pickleball paddle cores can be made with a range of different materials, using several techniques and structural shapes.
Polymer Core Pickleball Paddles - Power and Control:
The most popular core material in use today is polymer, sometimes referred to as polycore or polypropylene core. Polymer core is a durable and flexible plastic material in pickleball paddles. It provides a nice balance of power and control. This should be your default core material as a new player.
Some pickleball paddles may even use some sort of hybrid approach to the core. For example, some manufactures use carbon fibre within their polymer cores for added performance and durability.
The right core material can provide more power, added accuracy, and improved control while helping reduce shock and absorbing vibration. Choosing the best core material suited to your playing style is essential for optimizing your game.
2. Paddle Core Thickness
Core thickness in pickleball paddles refers to the distance between the inside edges, that is, the depth of the paddle's internal core. This measurement is usually given in millimeters, where thick cores tend to be between 16-20mm while thinner cores start around 11mm. Thickness can vary widely across paddles.
A thick core will give you greater control with each hit, as it softens the impact of the ball as it makes contact with the paddle surface. Conversely, a thin core will create more power.
Thick core (15-20mm) = more control
Thin core (11-14mm)= more power
What you gain in control with a thick core, you lose in power, and the opposite is true for a thinner core. You'll find this balance between touch and power is quite a common dilemma as you decide on the best pickleball paddle. The right combinations will give you the ideal pickleball paddle for you, and support your style of play where you need it most.
3. Paddle Surface Materials
You might be surprised by how many options you have for paddle face materials - from wood to hybrid materials, if it can be attached to a pickleball paddle, it probably exists.
But, most often, you'll encounter either fibreglass, carbon fibre, or graphite paddles today. Here's what you need to know about all three.
Fibreglass Surface - Power Material
Of the three surface materials on this list, fiberglass is the heaviest, but also the most flexible. When the ball hits a fiberglass face, it sinks in a little and then fires off the face of the paddle, much like a spring uncoiling. Between the extra weight and elastic effect, it's able to generate greater power.
Graphite Surface - Finesse Material
Graphite is a lightweight yet remarkably strong material, proven to be ideal for many sports, but certainly pickleball. When the ball strikes a graphite paddle, its structural integrity helps spread the force of each hit evenly across its entire face. This creates a larger sweet spot on your graphite paddle, but also comes at the price of relative power.
Carbon Fibre Surface - Balanced Finesse and Power
Carbon fibre is even lighter and stronger than graphite. Carbon fibre is technically a subtype of graphite and is widely popular today and used by the majority of high end paddle manufacturers. It acts as a good balance between what's most loved about fibreglass and graphite paddles.
It's the closest thing to finding an optimal compromise between finesse and power, and is part of the reason this is the most popular surface material for any versatile paddle.
4. Paddle Handle Grip Size
When you go to purchase a pickleball paddle, one thing you'll want to know with certainty is the grip size that best suits your hands. And we're not referencing the style of grip you use, instead, this is all about the dimensions of your grip.
Grips and handles are often used interchangeably, but in the world of pickleball they mean entirely different things. A paddle's handle is the length measured from the buttcap to the neck of the paddle (usually between 4"-6"), while its grip circumference measures the size around the handle (usually between 3 3/8"-4 3/8"). Most players will purchase a pickleball paddle around the 4 1/8" to 4 3/8" circumference.
A big factor in grip size is the thickness of the paddle core. There are limits to how small grips can be based on the thickness of the paddle, overstretching a certain threshold can compromise the structural quality of an entire paddle.
Why Grip Size Matters
Grip size is an important factor when selecting a pickleball paddle because it affects the way you handle and control your shots.
Too small and you'll be fumbling with your hold more than you'd like - fatigue and poor control follow suit. Too big and you won't be able to get the right grip, losing control of your shots in more ways than one.
And that's all without mentioning general discomfort. You can't play your best when you're thinking about your hand and how it feels; picking the right size is essential for top performance while also avoiding any uncomfortable blisters!
- X-Small-Small - 3 5/8" - 4” circumference for small hands
- Medium - 4-1/8” to 4-1/4” circumference fits most players
- Large - 4-3/8”+ circumference would be for large hands
*You can always make a handle circumference larger by adding an over-grip, it is very difficult to make the handle size smaller. Add an overgrip for a slight increase in circumference or a replacement grip for a larger increase in handle circumference.
5. Paddle Weight
A few ounces in paddle weight may not sound like much, but you’d be surprised at the difference it can make in your game. Most importantly, paddle weight affects reaction time and swing speed. A lightweight paddle can get you to the ball quicker, if you can’t get to the ball, you have no chance of making a return shot. Keep in mind a small weight difference of .10 of an ounce will not affect the weight of the paddle. For example a 7.5oz paddle is only .10 of an ounce lighter than a 7.6oz paddle which is about the weight of a penny.
A heavier paddle will help you drive the ball, but will provide less control of the ball, conversely, a paddle that is too light may not provide enough drive but will increase ball control. Also be aware that a heavier paddle can accelerate arm fatigue and joint strain.
A weaker player can sometimes benefit with a heavier paddle that has a higher deflection, making the ball travel faster and further with less player effort. Power and tennis players will feel more comfortable with a heavier paddle, balanced or top heavy. Some players use a heavier paddle in singles matches to get power shots to the baseline, and also use a lighter control/touch paddle in doubles matches.
Lightweight paddles (between 7.2-7.7oz) will absorbs less energy every time it contacts the ball, instead, your arm will start to pick up the heavy lifting. If you have a history of tennis and golf elbow, this probably won't be the best weight for you.A
Midweight paddles (between 7.8oz-8.4oz) will toe the line of power and control, so it's ideally suited for all skill levels and shots. Whether you're looking for a soft dink or a power serve, this weight class should suffice.
Heavyweight paddles (8.5oz +) If you need more power behind your shots, this is when you would want to pick a heavier paddle. But this comes with a huge disclaimer; heavy paddles are rarely good options for new players since they require a higher degree of control and placement to wield properly, and beginners rarely possess those skills.
And lastly a few additional things to consider when choosing the right paddle:
Price – Starter / entry-level paddles are perfect for kids and schools where equipment will be shared and possibly abused. Beginner paddles usually range from $50 to $100 and are typically made with durable composite fibreglass surfaces. A high priced paddle means more technology (i.e. thermoforming) and better surface material (i.e. carbon fibre) are going into the paddle itself, resulting in a higher performing paddle. However this does not necessarily mean it's any better than a lower priced paddle for winning those points- any paddle is only as good as the hand holding it!
Edgeless vs Edging- We occasionally get asked about edgeless paddles, some players find that when you hit a ball on the edge of an edgeless paddle it will respond better than hitting a ball on the edge of a paddle with edging. Firstly, if you are hitting a ball at the edge of any paddle (edge or no edge) your shot will not likely go in the intended direction. The reason that over 90% of all the pickleball paddles on the market have edging is very simple. Edging protects the edge of the paddle from damage (chips), and gives the paddle more perimeter weighting.
There are advantages in choosing an edgeless paddle however, you no longer have to worry about that edge guard coming loose after repeated ground hits (the #1 warranty issue in pickleball) although you'll want to protect that edge with some edge tape. You'll also have a paddle with a lower swing rate.
Warranty- You will find that there is a wide range of warranties on paddles, anywhere from 6 month warranty to lifetime warranties. Beware of companies selling high priced paddles and providing only 30 day warranties (or no warranty). Most reputable companies will offer at least a 90 day to one year warranties on their paddles. Anything less than that will likely be an entry level paddle with a short lifespan.
In Summary:
- A heavier paddle has more mass so it can provide more power to a player with a slower swing.
- A lighter paddle is easier to get where you want it quickly, is easier for a faster swing and creates less stress on your arm and shoulder joints.
- Carbon fibre hitting surfaces are the closest thing to finding an optimal compromise between finesse and power, and is part of the reason this is the most popular surface material for any versatile paddle.
- Choosing a paddle is like choose art- everyone will like something a little different and there's no one "best paddle" out there.
- Please remember, a paddle is only as good as the hand holding it for the most part, my famous line is "give a 5.0 player a wooden paddle and they will still play like a 5.0 player".