FAQ Of Paddle Choosing

The best way to select a paddle is to try them out! Ask your fellow pickleball players if you can test-drive their paddles. Try various weights and grip sizes. If you find a paddle that feels good and balanced in your hand try to get that paddle’s weight. We will hand weigh paddles to match the weight that you are seeking. If you don’t have access to a wide variety of paddles to test, our Paddle Guide is a helpful tool to narrow the choices.

 

Your first paddle should have a classic pickleball paddle shape. You can add specialty paddles once you have a great classic paddle in your bag. The classic paddle is approximately 7 ¾ - 8 inches wide and 15 ½ - 15 ¾ inches long. Most of the paddles we sell are classic-sized paddles.

 

Fiberglass paddles often weigh a little more that carbon fiber paddles. Because they are a little heavier than carbon fiber  paddles, carbon fiber paddles are considered to have more power and control, Fiberglass paddles are considered to limited budget recreational players.

 

Looking to improve control? Select a light-weight or middle-weight paddle with a smaller head size. Control is all about maneuverability and quick responses. Be lighting-fast with a lighter, smaller paddle.

 

How long a paddle lasts depends on how you care for it and how often you play. Top-notch players who play daily usually expect to retire a carbon fiber paddle after about one year. For people playing a couple of times a week, a paddle should last around three years. 

 

All paddles will have some sort of "sweet spot" in the center of the hitting surface, regardless of the dimensions, as does a tennis racquet, baseball bat, or table tennis paddle. It's a matter of physics, nothing else. The key is to hit the center of the paddle, which takes practice and coordination.

 

Paddles are not made specifically for indoor or outdoor play. Balls are made specifically for indoors or outdoors, but not paddles.

 

Paddles are not made specifically for men or women. Paddles are gender-neutral.

 

Former tennis players or racquetball players often like a paddle with a longer handle like the Enforcer, Power or Elite paddles. The longer handle enables a two-handed backhand and more room for quick hand switches.

 

Longer paddles handles, such as those five inches or longer, provide more reach on ground strokes, added leverage on serves and slightly more power overall. Pro power series paddles come with longer handles .

 

Pickleball paddles have a rigid paddle face. The USA Pickleball Association measures how rigid a paddle face is, by measuring the paddle face’s deflection. The Association tests paddles by putting a weight on the center of the paddle face and measuring how much the paddle bends under the weight. This measurement is the paddle’s deflection. Most people might think of this as “flex.”

 

Grip a paddle with your normal grip and see if you can slide the index finger of your other hand between your fingertips and the heel of your hand gripping the paddle. Your finger should fit snugly between the two without your having to move your fingers. If you must shift your fingers farther away from the heel of the hand to get your index finger in between the two, the grip might be too small. If you have space between your index finger and your fingers or heel of your hand, the grip might be too large.