2024 Hot List Silver Award

The R1 Nova is a unique paddle that uses a weave thermoforming design to improve its durability compared to traditional thermoformed paddles. 

Many people expected this paddle to hit and feel like a traditional thermoformed paddle but it actually plays with a softer feel and absorbs pace better. That’s why we categorized it as a control paddle and not an all-court paddle. Albeit, a more offensive styled control paddle. It has a crisper feel than your pure control paddles but it’s not as stiff as traditional thermoformed paddles.

It has a combo of good baseline power and softer touch at the net which makes it really attractive. Its one downside is its smaller sweet spot than you’d expect which can hinder gameplay. To overcome this issue, I recommend adding lead tape to optimize performance.

The bottom line: Anyone seeking more control without giving up too much power will like the Nova. It’s a nice bridge between a pure control paddle and an all-court style paddle.