Niupipo has been a really strong Amazon brand the past few years known for their inexpensive starter packs. They recently made a move to make a performance paddle line which the Voyager Pro is a part of. After receiving a comment from a reader that they moved from a $200 paddle to this $105 paddle, we decided to give it a try. We were curious to see why our reader switched and if we think it stacks up against other performance paddles that cost nearly twice as much.
After drilling and playing the Niupipo Voyager Pro for two weeks, here is my review of its performance.
Performance Summary
The first thing that struck me was how light it felt in my hands, I liked that. It was easy to maneuver and stay ahead of the ball with quick volley battles. With its textured surface I was able to generate a good amount of spin, and when I hit the sweet spot just right I could hit some really great shots with it.
I would classify this paddle as a power paddle, I really had to slow down my dinks and thirds to keep them low. Its power did come at a sacrifice of touch. It took several days for me to develop a good sense of control with it and even then I felt like I had to hit the paddle right in the sweet spot to hit the ball where I intended it to go. It had a tight sweet spot which caused me to make more unforced errors than normal, especially when I was at the net. I also found blocking the ball to be more challenging as I had to be very careful to not pop it up or send it long as it bounced quite hard off the surface of the paddle.
The power of the paddle did come in handy on put-aways and drives. When I hit the sweet spot I could put plenty of heat on the ball and put lots of pressure on my opponents. Its extra reach and power enabled me to be more aggressive at the net and take more shots off the volley. In particular, my volley speed ups were much better because of its nice power and spin potential. With how light and powerful the paddle was I was able to surprise my opponents more frequently than with a more traditional control paddle. This was a highlight of the paddle for me.
The bottom line: This paddle performs well offensively and has a combination of speed, power and maneuverability that is tough to find in less expensive paddles. However, it’s smaller sweet spot and harder feel made it difficult to control.
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Price: $105
Quick Stats
| Technical Specifications | |
|---|---|
|
Weight |
7.8 oz avg |
|
Length x Width |
16.5″ x 7.5″ |
|
Thickness |
14 mm |
|
Facing Material |
Graphite |
|
Handle Length |
5.2″ |
|
Handle Circumference |
4.25″ |
Paddle Design and Technology
The Voyager is an elongated paddle (16.45” X 7.45” W) with a 5.2” handle. The handle length is long enough to play two handed shots though it’s not super comfortable with those. The slightly longer handle should also help give it some extra power and spin.
The voyager claims to have a 16 mm core, but it definitely looks and feels more like a 14mm. The facing material is a graphite textured surface is usually known for softening up a paddle and increasing the size of the sweet spot though I didn’t experience that like I expected.
Attacking
This lightweight paddle packs a punch. When I hit the ball just right on my drives I often got weak returns and could be deadly in the transition zone. When opponents left the ball up, I could punish them for it.
My favorite aspect of the paddle was using it on volley speed ups at the net. The lightness and power of the paddle was effective at catching my opponents off guard and with the high maneuverability of the paddle I was able to quickly hit their counters and keep the pressure on them.
I was able to get some strong serves in with plenty of topspin which led to some points off the serve I don’t usually get. I also hit the net a few times on the serve because I was adjusting to the extra power and spin.
Soft Game and Defense
The Voyager Pro has a hard feeling off the face and it’s not the most forgiving so my soft game was weaker as a result. It took me a while to hit good thirds and get used to it when dinking. I really had to hit the ball softly to keep my third shots low. With how strong the ball comes off the paddle I had to be very careful not to hit it too high. The challenge was if I miss-hit the ball it would often go into the net.
There was less margin for error with dinks and drops. I did get better with my dinks and drops over time, but I was never as consistent with those shots as I would have liked.
Additionally, the paddle wasn’t as stable as I’m used to with my Selkirk Vanguard Invikta so if I missed the sweet spot of the paddle when blocking a well hit drive I could feel the paddle twist a little and the ball came off weaker. But if I caught the center of the paddle I was able to counter punch them back with good pace.
Other Considerations
When you buy this paddle it comes in a nice, padded and branded box that looks really nice. It also comes with a paddle sleeve which is great to have as well. I really liked this extra attention to the packaging. Many of the expensive brands don’t give you this nice of packaging and I think it makes them look bad.
Who Would Like This Paddle?
The big selling points of this paddle are that you get good spin, easy maneuverability and power for a great price. Its drawbacks were its tighter sweet spot and harder feel that led to some inconsistency.
I think this paddle is better than all the beginner and entry level paddles I’ve played but I don’t think it quite stacks up with performance level paddles in the $150-$200 range like I was hoping it might.
If you want to upgrade from your entry level paddle to add more reach and power to your game then I think this is a good option. Its spin and power will enhance your offensive ability.
If you’re looking for something that offers more feel and control then this paddle may not be the best fit.
I like that Niupipo is making more affordable performance level paddles. I look forward to seeing what they develop next.
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GET FITTEDRiley competes at the 4.0-4.5 level and plays in 2-3 tournaments a year. He plays/drills 1 to 2 times a week and would play more if time allowed it.
