One of the most anticipated and exciting paddles to come out this year is the ProKennex Black Ace pickleball paddle. But with so many other paddles on the market right now, is this a contender to be your next paddle? Let’s take a look at what makes the ProKennex Black Ace pickleball paddle different from others and how it plays.
ProKennex Black Ace Pickleball Paddle
ProKennex pickleball paddles are known for their kinetic technology that is meant to absorb shock and reduce vibration. While maintaining the same technology, the ProKennex Black Ace has a carbon fiber face that allows impressive spin comparable to other spin paddles on the market.
When you think of a power paddle, ProKennex may not be the brand of paddle that first comes to mind. At 10mm and weighing less than 8 ounces, the ProKennex Black Ace is making waves with how much power it produces without weighing you down with extra weight.
But how does it actually play?
What The Average Pickleball Player Has To Say
When looking for pickleball paddle reviews online or any product review, we look for what the average user has to say. Why the average? Because the majority of users of this product are everyday, recreational players that may or may not play pickleball tournaments. These players are not necessarily looking to compete all the time or aspiring to be pros in the future.
So here is what they have to say.
Drew – Player Profile
- Level player usually plays at: 4.0+
- Number of days per week playing pickleball: 3 – 5 days/week
- Other paddle(s) used: Diadem Warrior, Joola CFS 16, Franklin Signature
- Verdict: Does not like the paddle. Drew finds the paddle’s control to be worse than any other paddle he’s used. For him, dinks and resets require a lot of adjustments. Drew dings that spin is quite good, comparable to the Joola. He finds that there is more power when hitting overheads or even speedups. But at the level Drew wants to play and move up in, he finds the lack of touch the paddle gives him to be limiting.
Pedro – Player Profile
- Level player usually plays at: 3.5 to 4.0
- Number of days per week playing pickleball: 2 – 4 days/week
- Other paddle(s) used: Diadem Icon
- Verdict: Loves using this paddle. Pedro’s preferred style of play is driving and banging, but he also has a tennis elbow that flares up. He loves that the ProKennex Black Ace is a power paddle while being light to use. Pedro finds his net game with the handle battles are easier to win since the paddle is lightweight for hand speed.
Katherine – Player Profile
- Level player usually plays at: 3.0 to 3.5
- Number of days per week playing pickleball: 2 – 3 days/week
- Other paddles used: Franklin Signature, Joola CFS 16
- Verdict: Does NOT like it. The most noticeable thing about the ProKennex Black Ace was how loud the paddle sounded every time she hit the ball. She found that the ball would just “die on the paddle” and didn’t feel any control or touch when dinking. The only positive is the power.
Amy – Player Profile
- Level player usually plays at: 3.0 to 3.5
- Number of days per week playing pickleball: 1 – 2 days/week
- Other paddles used: Joola Hyperion CFS 16 Swift, Selkirk Power Air, Franklin Signature
- Verdict: Finds the paddle to be ok. Amy came from a tennis background and found the spin that the paddle can impart is similar to the Joola. However, she found this paddle to have the least amount of control at the net next to the Selkirk Power Air. Since consistency and touch are still something Amy is working on, she does not recommend this power for others like herself.