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A Pickleball Paddle Buyer’s Guide: How to Pick the Right Paddle for You

by Braydon Unsicker
in Paddle Tips
June 21, 2022
Pickleball Paddle Buying Guide

There are 20 or so main stream paddle brands and even more knock off brands out there that collectively offer hundreds of different paddles you could choose from. On top of that, it seems like every paddle company uses the same marketing playbook that says their paddles are the perfect blend of power and control. Making it very difficult to determine how each paddle is different.

This pickleball paddle buying guide teaches you what characteristics of the paddle you should pay attention too, how the paddle’s specs effect paddle performance, and how to determine the type of paddle that’s best for you. This guide is very in-depth so I’ve broken it out into two sections. Section 1 showcases some simple tables that outline what paddle characteristics effect paddle performance. Section 2 offers an in-depth description of the five critical steps in the paddle selection process.

Table of Contents

Paddle Classifications

Before I dive into the dirty details, you should know the general paddle classifications. You have control paddles, all-court paddles and power paddles. Sometimes its as easy as knowing what style of paddle you want and then look for paddles in that category. Pickleball Effect’s affiliate paddle store has classified each paddle making it easy for you to narrow down your search. Check out our affiliate paddle store and use our intuitive filters to narrow down the list to find the paddle you need.

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Section 1: Simplified Paddle Buyer's Guide

Control VS Power

Pickleball Paddle Buyer's Guide - Control VS Power

Size of the Sweet Spot (Forgiveness)

Pickleball Paddle Buyer's Guide - Forgiveness

Generating Spin

Section 2: In-Depth Buyer's Guide

Learning How to Pick the Right Pickleball Paddle for You

I’ve been reviewing paddles for nearly two years and have come up with five things you should pay attention to when determining what paddle you should buy.
 
  1. The core
  2. The facing/surface material
  3. The shape
  4. The weight
  5. The handle length
Each element plays a role in the paddle’s power, control, forgiveness and spin. I’ll describe what goes into each element so you know how it affects the paddle’s performance. Let’s start by looking at the core.

Core Material and Thickness

Polymer
Polymer is the most common core material used by brands. I’d guess that 95% of paddles use a polymer core. You’ll see brands reference it as polymer, poly, polypropylene, or something similar to that. The material is essentially just a really hard plastic.
 
Polymer is durable, quiet, and offers a good balance of power and touch which is why it is the most popular core material.
 
Not all poly cores are equal in quality. You’ll see $30 paddles with a poly core and $200 paddles with a poly core. The more expensive paddles are using a higher quality polymer that doesn’t breakdown as easily and gives you a more consistent feel across the face.
 
Other than the quality of the polymer, other things you’ll see when the core material is described is core density. A higher density core uses smaller honeycomb cells so more of them are packed into the paddle. This gives the paddle a harder, firm feeling and offers more power compared to bigger celled cores. Unless a brand calls out that they are using a higher density core then you can assume they are using the standard bigger honeycomb cells.
 
To be real, there isn’t a whole lot a brand can do to differentiate their core from some other brands other than the density and quality.
Polymer Exceptions

There is one brand out there called Gearbox that doesn’t religiously use a polymer core. Some of their paddle cores are made of carbon fiber. You can check out my review of one of their paddles here. 

You might see aluminum cores out there on Amazon, but those are far less common and is not a core material used by major paddle brands. If you see an Aluminum core, I would stay away from it. They dent and wear out quickly. 
 
Core Thickness

The thickness of the core plays a big role in the performance of a paddle. 

A thicker core paddle is usually around 16 mm thick. Thicker core paddles are known for softening the feel of the paddle and increasing control. They also help stabilize the paddle so their is less paddle wobble from off center shots. 16 mm cores are the most popular and player friendly. If you are a beginner I would highly suggest a 16 mm core. That thickness is often preferred by the best players in the world too, including Ben Johns.
 
Thinner core paddles range between 10 mm and 14 mm thick and are known for having more power and pop at the expense of some feel and control. They are not as stable as a thicker core and will give you more feedback when you hit an off center shot.
 
The general rule is that as the core gets thicker, its softness and control increases. Conversely, as the core gets thinner, the harder the paddle feels off the face and it’s power increases.
How Does the Core and Its Thickness Impact Which Paddle I Choose?
The paddle core and thickness affect the performance of the paddle more than the facing of the paddle. So pay close attention to these elements of the paddle when you’re doing paddle research.
If are an aggressive player that likes to attack the ball, then you’ll like thinner polymer core paddles.
 
If you prefer control over power, then you’ll like thicker 16mm polymer core paddles.
 
If you want something in the middle, then you’ll like polymer core paddles at or around 14 mm thick.
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Paddle Facing/Surface Material

You’ll see three materials out there being used for the facing or surface of the paddle. Fiberglass, carbon fiber, and graphite. The facing of the paddle will affect the power, control, and size of the sweet spot.

1. Fiberglass (Composite)

Fiberglass used to be the most common material but carbon fiber has taken over. Of the three common facing materials listed here, fiberglass offers the most power. You’ll see it called composite sometimes, so just know that composite is the same thing as fiberglass.

Fiberglass is not as stiff as carbon fiber and graphite, so it acts as a sort of trampoline that takes the energy from the ball and transfers it right back. Because the material is not as stiff, it will also diminish the size of the sweet spot compared to carbon fiber and graphite.

2. Carbon Fiber

Carbon fiber is known for having better feel than fiberglass, but a little less power. It is a very stiff and durable material. Because the material is so stiff, the energy of the ball at impact is spread throughout the entire face and into the handle. This gives you better feel and a larger sweet spot but will take some power away because less energy is transferred back to the ball.

3. Graphite

Graphite is a type of carbon fiber that is a little more cost effective for brands but plays very similarly to a carbon fiber face. It is also known for having better feel than a fiberglass face and produces a similar amount of power as a carbon fiber face. From my testing of paddles, it’s hard to tell the difference between a graphite and carbon fiber face.

4. Hybrids

You’ll see some brands use a combination of the three materials above that will produce performance based on the characteristics of the materials mixed.

A Note on Paddle Grit

Spin can be a very important part of someone’s game and grit plays a role in the spin a paddle can generate. There are two main types of grit you’ll see out there. You’ll see spray on or painted grit. This grit has a sand paper like feel to it and often wears out very quickly. Then you’ll see grit that is built into the facing material (commonly called raw carbon fiber). This grit tends to last longer and produce more spin.

How Does the Facing Material Impact What Paddle I Choose?

The facing of the paddle doesn’t have as much of an effect on the performance of the paddle as the core, but it certainly makes a difference. You want to pay attention to the type of facing used in combination with the thickness of the core.

If you want a true power paddle, then you’ll look for a thinner poly core with a fiberglass face.

If you want a true control paddle, then you’ll look for a thicker poly core with a carbon fiber or graphite face.

It can be good to mix control and power elements together. For example, you might want a thicker core paddle with a fiberglass face. The thicker core will give you great control while the fiberglass will give you some power so you can put away balls when you need to.

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Paddle Shape

The shape of the paddle will affect the size of the sweet spot, power, and maneuverability. According to the rules, the combined length and width, including any edge guard and butt cap, cannot exceed 24 inches and the paddle length cannot exceed 17 inches. So when we are looking at paddle shapes, those are the parameters that the brands have to work with.

1. Elongated Shapes

This shape is longer and is usually about 16.5 inches long and 7.5 inches wide. An elongated shape will give you more reach, power, and spin, but has a smaller sweet spot and has less maneuverability compared to other shapes.

2. Widebody Shapes

These are paddles with a wider face around 8.5 inches and a shorter length around 15.5 inches. This design offers the largest sweet spot and high maneuverability but at the sacrifice of reach and power.

3. Classic Shapes

This shape was the original paddle shape and is usually about 16 inches long and 8 inches wide. This shape sits between an elongated and widebody shape and as you can guess, offers a balanced mix of power, spin, forgiveness, and maneuverability.

How Does the Shape Impact What Paddle I Choose?

You’ll find all sorts of shapes there. As long as the shape complements the core and facing, then you’ll be good. 

For example, if you want an elongated paddle for the extra reach and power, then try to find one with a carbon fiber facing to help increase the size of the sweet spot. If you have an elongated shape with a fiberglass face, then that’s two elements of the paddle shrinking the sweet spot which may not be the best combination.

Handle Length

The length of the handle can vary between 4.5 to 6 inches. Because the total length plus the width of the paddle cannot exceed 24 inches, every inch you add to the handle length takes away some surface area of the paddle face.

Here’s a video showing an experiment I did with various paddle shapes and handle lengths. The results were interesting. You can watch the video if you’d like, but I essentially discovered three things:

  • The longer the handle the more power and spin you can generate
  • Longer paddles equal more power and spin
  • Lower level players generate more power on average with shorter, wider paddles because they aren’t as consistent at hitting the center of the paddle

How Does the Handle Length Impact What Paddle I Choose?

Some players like to have two hands on the paddle at all times while others only use one hand at all times. Then there are players like me that like to use two hands for backhand drives but only use one hand when at the net.
 
If you use two hands all the time then you’ll want at least 5..25 inches of handle length, but may prefer more. If you don’t ever use two hands then a standard 5 inch handle length should be good.
 
If you like to have your finger on the paddle face like a ping pong paddle, then you’ll want a shorter handle. 
 

Weight

Paddles will weigh between 7 – 8.5 ounces. Anything in the 7 – 7.6 oz range is considered lightweight, 7.6 – 8.2 oz is considered midweight, and anything greater than 8.2 oz is considered heavyweight. Some brands may vary slightly in the ranges they use for each weight class, but these classifications give you the general idea.

How Does the Weight Impact What Paddle I Choose?

The lighter the paddle the easier it is to maneuver, which can be a big advantage while at the net when you get into fast exchanges with your opponents. The downside of a lighter paddle is that you have to swing harder to get more power out of it. 

With heavier paddles, you don’t have to swing as hard to produce power because there is more weight behind the ball. This is nice when you’re dinking because shorter swings reduce the room for error and it gives you more time to get back into a ready position.

I’ve found that heavier paddles tend to be a little more stable at impact too, and don’t wobble as much if you hit the ball closer to the edge of the paddle. This increases consistency and reduces errors.

It’s not uncommon for players to add lead tape to the edge guard of their paddles, so if you get a lighter paddle and wish it was heavier, then you can always add some lead tape.

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Summary

When you’re on the hunt for a new pickleball paddle, look at core material and thickness, facing layer, shape, weight, and handle length to determine what paddle will compliment your game.
 
Learning about the materials and designs of paddles described in this article enables you to see past the marketing jargon and find the right paddle for you.
 
It always helps to watch and read reviews about the paddle you’re interested in too. Check out my paddle reviews to help you find the best paddle for your game.

Try Our Paddle Fitting Quiz

Not sure what paddle to get? Take our paddle fitting quiz and we'll recommend some paddles that suit your game.

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