When you’re looking to play pickleball regularly, you may be looking to invest in a pickleball paddle. Most players at some point wonder how to choose a pickleball paddle that’s right for them. So in this post, let’s take a look at what you should be looking for in your pickleball paddle based on your goals.
How To Choose The Right Pickleball Paddle For You
When you first start playing pickleball, you can play with any paddle. Your goal at that time may just be learning how to play the game, how to score, and what each shot feels like. But as you start regularly playing and wanting to get better, you may start taking your game seriously and look for a new paddle to help you with that.
Most players at some point start researching and looking for what is the best pickleball paddle on the market. But how to choose a pickleball paddle starts with what you’re looking for in your game. Ask yourself what it is that you want your paddle to help you with.
- Are you looking for power?
- Are you looking for control?
- Are you looking for speed?
- Are you looking for a paddle for elbow-related injuries?
- Are you looking for a paddle that can give you the most spin?
- Are you looking for a paddle with a longer handle?
When you’re looking for a paddle with a specific goal in mind, it helps narrow your search. The best pickleball paddle for a friend may not necessarily be the best pickleball paddle for you. Generally, you want to look at three different qualities when you choose a pickleball paddle: weight, paddle face material, and handle grip.
Pickleball paddles come in three different weight ranges: lightweight, medium weight, and heavyweight. Lightweight pickleball paddles are generally below 7.3 ounces. Paddles between 7.4 ounces to 8.2 ounces are considered midweight. And heavyweight paddles are above 8.3 ounces.
The weight range matters because it can affect your power, control, and hand speed. The paddle face material can affect the spin you can create. And the paddle handle grip is dependent on your hand size and whether you like to use a two-handed backhand. With those three qualities in mind, let’s take a look at some examples.
Best Pickleball Paddle For Power And Control
When you’re looking for a pickleball paddle to help with power, you will want one that is heavier in weight. The same applies to control because you will have a better feel for each movement with a heavier paddle. An example of a paddle that is heavyweight and great for power and control is the Diadem Warrior Carbon Fiber Pickleball Paddle.
If you love another paddle but it is not quite heavy enough to give you the power and control you need, you can add lead tape along the edges of your paddle. Keep in mind though that power comes with good form and applying the right mechanics on your groundstrokes.
You don’t get power by just using your arms to swing. A paddle will not necessarily give you more power if you’re not transferring your weight with each stroke. If you need pointers for a better form, a quick YouTube search will give you tips from top tennis and pickleball coaches.
Best Pickleball Paddle For Speed
If you’re looking for speed, you will want a pickleball paddle that you can handle in weight without much effort. For most players, that would be a paddle that is lightweight to midweight in range. There are many pickleball paddles on the market that fall in this category.
Examples include the Franklin Sports Pro Pickleball Paddle, which is also a great paddle choice if you have a two-handed backhand, and Engage Pursuit EX Graphite 6.0 Lightweight Pickleball Paddle.
To increase your hand speed, there are pickleball drills that you can do with a partner. Stand at the kitchen line with a partner across from you. Aim to hit volleys back and forth 10 times, then 20 times, increasing in increments each time. You can also practice against a wall to have a better reaction time.
Best Pickleball Paddle For Tennis Elbow
When it comes to pickleball paddles for tennis elbow that are currently on the market, there is no competition for the PROKENNEX line of pickleball paddles.
That is because the PROKENNEX paddles are lightweight in design with an edge guard. The paddle face is also meant to be shock absorbent so the force transferred to you is minimized.
Best Pickleball Paddle For Spin
If you’re looking for a pickleball paddle to give you spin, you should be looking for a paddle face with a textured, gritty surface. Most pickleball paddles do come with this feature when you buy them brand new. But this eventually wears off with continual use. Some paddles do retain their grit and texture better than others.
One example is the JOOLA Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16 Pickleball Paddle. This paddle is known for creating spin while retaining its texture. It is also great for power and control since it falls between the midweight to the heavyweight range.
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