*Review of new Pursuit Pro models can be found here*
Engage Pickleball is a well known pickleball brand that is focused on creating paddles for high-level play. Their commitment to creating paddles that take the game to the next level is not matched by many other brands. To give you an idea, Engage had there new Pursuit paddles in the works for over three years. You heard that right. Three years.
If you’ve watched any professional pickleball, then you’ll probably recognize the Pursuit from players like Dekel Bar, Jessie Irvine, and Rob Cassidy. They all play with a Pursuit paddle. And those are just the more well known pros that use it. I’ve seen the Pursuit in the hands of several up and comers and middle ranked players too.
Engage’s Pursuit lineup of paddles includes the MX, MX 6.0, EX, and EX 6.0. All the paddles use the same core, face, and technology, but have different shapes and thicknesses. It’s nice that you have so many options, but it can be confusing too. I have a guide towards the bottom of this review that explains the differences of each model so you know which one to pick to best fit your game.
For this review, I played with the standard weight of the Pursuit MX and Pursuit MX 6.0 models. After drilling and playing over 20 games with the paddles, I’m excited to share my review of their performance.
Performance Summary
The Engage Pursuit paddles have a graphite surface and polymer core. This combination of materials usually means more control than power. However, surprisingly, the ball jumped hot off the paddle to give you lots of power, more than any other graphite or carbon fiber surfaced paddle I’ve played. This extra pop did make them harder to control, though.
They didn’t have a soft feel to them that is usually associated with a graphite or carbon fiber paddle, but they played consistently and predictably like one. This enabled me to adjust and develop a good feel with them over time. The feel for dinks and blocks came quickly, but it took me some time to make the adjustments to consistently hit good soft shots from the midcourt and baseline.
Typical to Engage fashion, their heavily textured face really grabs the ball and makes it easy to add spin and place shots. A deadly combo with the power the paddles had.
The unforeseen extra power, consistent face, and heavily textured surface enable you to mix up your shot selection and really go for it when you’re playing. Additionally, the easy access to power and spin allow you to focus more on placement which helps you find that allusive sweet spot of precision and power.
I’ll admit, even after a couple of weeks of playing with the paddles, I found myself launching some returns past the baseline after I thought I had a handle on the power. So know that the control doesn’t come immediately with these.
To me, the features in these paddles that help my offensive shot making outweighed the adjustments needed for my soft game. But that might not be the case for everyone.
The bottom line: The paddles deliver consistent power from the baseline and net. Have easy access to spin. But are harder to control with the bouncy face.
Overall Quick Stats
Because Engage offers various shapes and thicknesses each version will play a little differently. I love the options they give you but it can be confusing so I explain the differences in detail below.
Is this the right paddle for you?
If you think this is the right paddle for you, pick one up from Engage for 20% off with code 20EFFECT.
Shop EngageAttacking
One of the first things I noticed with the Pursuit paddles was the unexpected pop it gave you. Graphite surface paddles are known for softening up the paddle and sacrificing some power. Not this time, though. The extra pop and heavily textured face made the Pursuit a weapon in your hands.
The unexpected pop combined with the traditional benefits of a graphite face made them very versatile. The extra power was most noticeable with shorter swings like counter punches and quick volleys at the net. The extra power it gave me in those moments was a huge plus for my game. I was able to end those quick volley exchanges much quicker than usual.
The extra power was also nice for serves, keeping your opponents back, and pounding groundstrokes. Though, I thought the benefit from the baseline was less noticeable than the difference I felt when attacking at the net.
The spin you could generate with them was maxed out. They are on par with the best spin paddles on the market. This easy access to power and spin allowed you to mix up your shot selection and beat your opponents in a variety of ways. Whether you were coming at them with a ground stroke, roll volley, punch, or flick, you could execute your attacks with power and precision.
The heavily textured surface did not wear down on me at all after three weeks of playing with them nearly everyday. Not all paddles can say this (looking at you Franklin Pickleball).
All the benefits of the extra power from the paddle did have its drawbacks with the soft game that I’ll dive into here next.
Soft Game
Graphite paddles often boast a larger sweet spot and soft feel. The Pursuit paddles certainly maintained a large sweet spot, but they didn’t have that same soft feel I’m accustomed to with graphite paddles. Instead, they have this light crisp feeling to it that was very pleasant but took more time to develop a strong touch with.
Dinks and blocks at the net came naturally. The paddles extra pop and spin friendly face helped me be more offensive with my dinks and keep my opponents on their toes. However, drops from the transition zone and baseline did not come as quickly with these paddles.
After three weeks of drilling/playing 3-4 times a week is when I finally felt like I had a strong control of the paddles from the midcourt and baseline. If you haven’t developed your sense of touch through practice, then it might take you a little longer to reign the pursuit in.
The face plays very consistently, though, so I got better and better with finesse shots after each day I played with them.
Though I wouldn’t describe these as control paddles, they have the ability to be controlled once you get used to them. It still has a softer feeling than other power paddles like Selkirk’s Vanguard Power, or molded paddles from Gearbox and Prokennex. But, it’s not the same super soft feeling of other graphite paddles I’ve played. So, be willing to work on your touch after you buy one. Developing a strong touch with them is possible, it just takes a little more time than control-focused paddles.
Other Player Comments
Picking Between the Pursuit MX, EX, MX 6.0, and EX 6.0
Each paddle in the Pursuit lineup uses the same core and face material, but Engage gives you a few options to select the right combination of shape, thickness, and weight that fits your play style and needs. I love this! It seems like most performance paddles come in one shape and thickness, but Engage lets you customize.
The extra options can be a little confusing, though, so here’s a breakdown of what’s available to you.
| Technical Specifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Length x Width |
Handle Length |
Core Thickness |
|
MX |
16.5″ x 7.5″ (Elongated) |
5 3/4″ (Long Handle) |
1/2″ (Thin Core) |
|
MX 6.0 |
16.5″ x 7.5″ (Elongated) |
5 3/4″ (Long Handle) |
5/8″ (Thick Core) |
|
EX |
16″ x 8″ |
5″ |
1/2″ (Thin Core) |
|
EX 6.0 |
16″ x 8″ |
5″ |
5/8″ (Thick Core) |
Weight Options
You have three weight options you can select with each paddle variation. The lighter the paddle the quicker it will be in your hands but you’ll lose some power and stability. Then the heavier you go the more power and stability you get but you have to wield a heavier paddle which can slow you down in hand battles.
I play-tested with their standard weight options which is their heaviest choice. They both weighed about 8 oz. I personally prefer heavier paddles and may even add some led tape to the head to bring the total weight to around 8.4 oz.
The Pursuit MX and MX 6.0
The MX and MX 6.0 share the same elongated shape and longer handle that is very popular right now, especially at the top level of the game. This shape gives you more reach, whip, and power at the sacrifice of a smaller sweet spot.
The MX has a thinner core of 1/2″ or 13mm. This thickness offers you more power and pop. During my play test, the thinner core of the MX had noticeable increase in pop though it wasn’t significant. The thinner core gave me more feedback and I felt more connected to it than the thicker core. But, that wasn’t a shared opinion with others who tested the paddle with me.
The MX 6.0 has the thicker core of 5/8″ or 16mm. This thickness is very common. More players prefer the thicker core because of the added shock absorption it gives you. During my play test, the MX 6.0 did have a noticeably softer feel to it and allowed you to control the pace of the ball better than the thinner core, though it still offered plenty of power.
The Pursuit EX and EX 6.0
The EX and EX 6.0 share a more traditional paddle shape and a shorter handle. This shape and handle length gives you a larger paddle head and a larger sweet spot. This enables you to be more consistent with off center hits and enjoy a stronger soft game.
The EX has a thinner core of 1/2″ or 13mm. This thickness offers you more power and pop. During my play test, the thinner had a noticeable increase in pop though it wasn’t significant. The thinner core gave me more feedback and I felt more connected to it than the thicker core, which made soft shots easier to control. But, that wasn’t a shared opinion with others who tested the paddle with me.
The EX 6.0 has the thicker core of 5/8″ or 16mm. This thickness is very common. More players prefer the thicker core because of the added shock absorption it gives you. During my play test, the EX 6.0 did have a noticeably softer feel to it and allowed you to control the pace of the ball better than the thinner core, though it still offered plenty of power.
Who would like these paddles?
I’d recommend these paddles for more advanced players in the 4.0+ range or even solid 3.5 players. This paddle is armed with what a modern pickleball player needs. With the game getting faster and more balls coming back, you need the ability to hit a variety of shots with more power, precision and consistency to beat your opponents and Engage’s Pursuit paddles enable you to do just that.
If you haven’t developed your own sense of touch it will be more difficult for you to absorb and control shots with these paddles, but their predictability off the face gives you the consistency you need to get a strong sense of touch with it over time.
Is this the right paddle for you?
If you think this is the right paddle for you, pick one up directly from Engage for 20% off with code 20EFFECT.
Shop EngageBraydon competes at the 4.5 level and plays in 5-10 tournaments a year. He plays/drills 3 to 4 times a week and would play more if time allowed it.
