Choosing The Right Pickleball Paddle

Core Material and Thickness

Polymer

Polymer is the most common core material used by brands. 95% of paddles use a polymer core. You’ll see brands reference it as polymer, poly, polypropylene, or something similar to that. The material is essentially just a really hard plastic.

Polymer is durable, quiet, and offers a good balance of power and touch which is why it is the most popular core material.

Not all poly cores are equal in quality. The more expensive paddles are using a higher quality polymer that doesn’t breakdown as easily and gives you a more consistent feel across the face such as Fiber Lab paddles.

Other than the quality of the polymer, other things you’ll see when the core material is described is core density. A higher density core uses smaller honeycomb cells so more of them are packed into the paddle. This gives the paddle a harder, firm feeling and offers more power compared to bigger celled cores. Unless a brand calls out that they are using a higher density core then you can assume they are using the standard bigger honeycomb cells.

To be real, there isn’t a whole lot a brand can do to differentiate their core from some other brands other than the density and quality.

Polymer Exceptions

There is one brand out there called that doesn’t religiously use a polymer core. Some of their paddle cores are made of carbon fiber.

You might see aluminum cores out there on Amazon, but those are far less common and is not a core material used by major paddle brands. If you see an Aluminum core, stay away from it. They dent and wear out quickly.

Core Thickness

The thickness of the core plays a big role in the performance of a paddle.

A thicker core paddle is usually around 16 mm thick. Thicker core paddles are known for softening the feel of the paddle and increasing control. They also help stabilize the paddle so there is less paddle wobble from off center shots. 16 mm cores are the most popular and player friendly. If you are a beginner I would highly suggest a 16 mm core. That thickness is often preferred by the best players in the world too, including Ben Johns.

Thinner core paddles range between 10 mm and 14 mm thick and are known for having more power and pop at the expense of some feel and control. They are not as stable as a thicker core and will give you more feedback when you hit an off center shot.

The general rule is that as the core gets thicker, its softness and control increases. Conversely, as the core gets thinner, the harder the paddle feels off the face and it’s power increases.

How Does the Core and Its Thickness Impact Which Paddle I Choose?

The paddle core and thickness affect the performance of the paddle more than the facing of the paddle. So pay close attention to these elements of the paddle when you’re doing paddle research.

If are an aggressive player that likes to attack the ball, then you’ll like thinner polymer core paddles.

If you prefer control over power, then you’ll like thicker 16mm polymer core paddles.

If you want something in the middle, then you’ll like polymer core paddles at or around 14 mm thick.

Paddle Facing/Surface Material

You’ll see three materials out there being used for the facing or surface of the paddle. Fiberglass, carbon fiber, and graphite. The facing of the paddle will affect the power, control, and size of the sweet spot.

1. Fiberglass (Composite)

Fiberglass used to be the most common material but carbon fiber has taken over. Of the three common facing materials listed here, fiberglass offers the most power. You’ll see it called composite sometimes, so just know that composite is the same thing as fiberglass.

Fiberglass is not as stiff as carbon fiber and graphite, so it acts as a sort of trampoline that takes the energy from the ball and transfers it right back. Because the material is not as stiff, it will also diminish the size of the sweet spot compared to carbon fiber and graphite.

2. Carbon Fiber

Carbon fiber is known for having better feel than fiberglass. It is a very stiff and durable material. Because the material is so stiff, the energy of the ball at impact is spread throughout the entire face and into the handle. This gives you better feel and a larger sweet spot.

3. Graphite

Graphite is a type of carbon fiber that is a little more cost effective for brands but plays very similarly to a carbon fiber face. It is also known for having better feel than a fiberglass face.

4. Hybrids

You’ll see some brands use a combination of the three materials above that will produce performance based on the characteristics of the materials mixed.

A Note on Paddle Grit

Spin can be a very important part of someone’s game and grit plays a role in the spin a paddle can generate. There are two main types of grit you’ll see out there. You’ll see spray on or painted grit. This grit has a sand paper like feel to it and often wears out very quickly. Then you’ll see grit that is built into the facing material (commonly called raw carbon fiber). This grit tends to last longer and produce more spin. All Dark Matter Paddles use the raw carbon fiber surface.

Paddle Shape

The shape of the paddle will affect the size of the sweet spot, power, and maneuverability. According to the rules, the combined length and width, including any edge guard and butt cap, cannot exceed 24 inches and the paddle length cannot exceed 17 inches. So when we are looking at paddle shapes, those are the parameters that the brands have to work with.

1. Elongated Shapes

This shape is longer and is usually about 16.5 inches long and 7.5 inches wide. An elongated shape will give you more reach, power, and spin, but has a smaller sweet spot and has less maneuverability compared to other shapes.

2. Widebody Shapes

These are paddles with a wider face around 8.5 inches and a shorter length around 15.5 inches. This design offers the largest sweet spot and high maneuverability but at the sacrifice of reach and power.

3. Classic Shapes

This shape was the original paddle shape and is usually about 16 inches long and 8 inches wide. This shape sits between an elongated and widebody shape and as you can guess, offers a balanced mix of power, spin, forgiveness, and maneuverability.

Both the Dark Matter & Breathe paddle series come in elongated and wide body shapes.

Weight

Paddles will weigh between 7 – 8.5 ounces. Anything in the 7 – 7.6 oz range is considered lightweight, 7.6 – 8.2 oz is considered midweight, and anything greater than 8.2 oz is considered heavyweight.

How Does the Weight Impact What Paddle I Choose?

The lighter the paddle the easier it is to maneuver, which can be a big advantage while at the net when you get into fast exchanges with your opponents. The downside of a lighter paddle is that you have to swing harder to get more power out of it.

With heavier paddles, you don’t have to swing as hard to produce power because there is more weight behind the ball. This is nice when you’re dinking because shorter swings reduce the room for error and it gives you more time to get back into a ready position.

I’ve found that heavier paddles tend to be a little more stable at impact too, and don’t wobble as much if you hit the ball closer to the edge of the paddle. This increases consistency and reduces errors.

It’s not uncommon for players to add lead tape to the edge guard of their paddles, so if you get a lighter paddle and wish it was heavier, then you can always add some lead tape.

Handle Length

Some players like to have two hands on the paddle at all times while others only use one hand at all times. Then there are players like me that like to use two hands for backhand drives but only use one hand when at the net.

If you use two hands all the time then you’ll want at least 5..25 inches of handle length, but may prefer more. If you don’t ever use two hands then a standard 5 inch handle length should be good.

If you like to have your finger on the paddle face like a ping pong paddle, then you’ll want a shorter handle.

September 18 2024 0 Comments Kritik Gupta

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