Engage Pursuit Maxx MX 6.0 & EX 6.0 Review | A Cheaper Alternative to the Pursuit Pro Series

Does the Maxx series deliver a similar feel and power/control output as the Pro series?

Playing with them, they felt and performed very similarly to the Pro line, and they certainly had the same identity and profile, offering easy access to power and pop without a stiff feel. The Pursuits are the only paddles I’ve played with that are not thermoformed but still deliver the same, and in many cases even more, power and pop than thermoformed paddles, making them unique and attractive to players.

I’m categorizing the Maxx MX 6.0 as a power paddle, just like the Pro MX 6.0, and the Maxx EX 6.0 falls into the all-court category, similar to the Pro EX 6.0.

Although they felt and played similarly, there were some subtle differences between them. Strangely enough, I found that I was able to control the Maxx versions slightly better than the Pro versions, especially when executing drops and maneuvering through the transition zone towards the net. When conducting power and pop tests using my radar gun, I noticed that the results for pop were almost identical to the Pro line. However, there was a slight decrease in power on serves. Interestingly, I view this small drop in power as a positive aspect, which I attribute to the enhanced control I experienced with the Maxx line. While I appreciate the power and pop produced by the Pursuit Pro line, I always found them a bit trickier to control due to their lively nature and bouncy feel. The Maxx versions performed slightly better in that aspect, which I liked. Although there was a gain in control, I didn’t perceive a significant loss in power while playing. However, I would still describe the Maxx series as being on the poppy and powerful side, meaning they require some adjustment if you’re coming from something more control-oriented. They also demand more skill in general to control and keep the ball down. Once you adapt your stroke to allow the paddle to do more of the work for you, the extra boost it provides simplifies your stroke, making it tighter and more effortless. This can be advantageous for your soft game and consistency. However, if you struggle to make this adjustment, you will likely find yourself popping the ball up more than usual.

When it comes to the size of the sweet spots, similar to the Pro line, the Maxx paddles offer stability and forgiveness, featuring oversized sweet spots, particularly the EX 6.0 model.

On the offensive side, these paddles have more power and pop than most, and when combined with their good stability, they require less effort to generate ball speed. Counters are strong, blocking hard-hit drives becomes easier, and finishing points is a breeze when the ball is left high. The Maxx MX 6.0 has a heavier swingweight at 125, which gives it a somewhat sluggish feel, although it feels lighter than the Pro MX 6.0. The EX 6.0 also has a higher swingweight for a standard-shaped paddle, coming in at 117. However, it does not feel excessively heavy and still maintains a good balance. I wouldn’t describe it as a super fast paddle, but it is manageable.

Personally, I wish the EX 6.0 had a longer handle length than 5″. As someone who plays two-handed shots, a longer handle fits my playstyle better. However, I understand that there are players who prefer the shorter 5″ length because they either rest their finger on the paddle or want to maximize the paddle surface area. Nevertheless, I believe there are generally more advantages to longer handles than shorter ones. Additionally, while on the topic of handles, these paddles still feature a blockier, larger grip size of 4 ⅜”, which is bigger than the typical 4 and a quarter-inch grip size.

Does the Maxx series have the same top-tier spin production as the Pro series?

When you touch the face of the paddle, it doesn’t feel exactly the same as many of the raw carbon fiber paddles available, although it is similar. So, I conducted spin tests and examined the surfaces under a microscope, and here are my findings. The left image shows the facing material of the Pursuit Pro, the middle image is of the Pursuit Maxx, and the right image represents the Pursuit Ultra. The Pursuit Ultras were released last year but didn’t gain much popularity due to their weak spin production. They were quickly replaced by the Pursuit Pro line.

I included an image of the Ultras because the Maxx paddles seem like a combination of the Ultras and the Pro line, and their spin production behaves similarly as well. While you don’t get as much spin on the Maxx line as you do with the Pro line, the spin is still good, although it’s not top tier like the Pro line. However, it’s certainly better than the Ultra paddles.

As a side note, the cleaning rubber blocks that are commonly used to remove the ball residue from raw carbon fiber paddles doesn’t work and shouldn’t be used on these. They aren’t a true raw carbon fiber surface.

How well does the Maxx series compete with the wide variety of good paddles at the $160 price point?

I think the Pursuit Maxx paddles are unique and relevant in the $160 price range because they retain the same defining characteristics as the Pro series, offering forgiving, easy access to power without being thermoformed. Powerful thermoformed paddles have a distinct, stiffer feel to them that not everyone likes, and these paddles are a great alternative to them.

However, the Pursuit Maxx series doesn’t spin the ball as well as the other $160 paddles with raw carbon fiber textures you’ll find in this price range. This is certainly a knock on the Maxx series and should be taken into consideration. If you want a top tier spin paddle, then you’ll either need to get a Pursuit Pro paddle or go with a raw carbon fiber thermoformed paddle from another brand.

My Recommendation

If you like the idea of the bigger power and pop while maintaining that softer feel of a control paddle then you’ll like the Pursuit paddles. Because the Maxx models maintain the unique identity of the Engage Pursuit series I think they are worth the price of $160 if they fit what you’re looking for.

If you’re a spin junky then you would prefer the Pro line over the Maxx line. But if you’re okay with good spin when everything else about the paddles are very similar to the Pro line then save some money and get the Maxx version instead of the Pro version.

I hope Engage makes the Maxx paddles in their thinner 13mm versions like they do with their Pro models someday. And if Engage is reading this review, then please make a variation of the EX 6.0 with a longer handle!

That’s everything I have for you, thanks for reading and I hope it helped. If you decide to pick one up, please use my code 20EFFECT on Engage’s website for a 20% discount and to support my review efforts.