Let’s consider what you need from your first good paddle. Slowing the ball down, keeping your dinks low, and being able to hit good drop shots are all skills unique to pickleball that don’t often come quickly and take time to develop. No matter what your sports background is. Because of this, a control oriented paddle will typically benefit your game more than an all-court or power paddle. Interestingly enough, many pros choose control paddles over others.
In addition to control, a more forgiving paddle with a larger sweet spot will benefit your game by helping you reduce errors and keep more balls in play as you continue to develop your ability to consistently hit the center of the paddle.
Looking for the right paddle to fit your game? Take our paddle fitting quiz for three recommendations that will match your style of play.
Now that we know we need something that gives us good control and forgiveness, let’s look at a couple of nuances like paddle shape & handle length and decide what’s best for you there. Figuring out these nuances depends on your background before you played pickleball. Mainly, do you have racket or paddle experience from other sports or is this your first time playing a racket or paddle sport?
If you’ve played a lot of tennis, racquetball, squash, or something else like those then you probably will like an elongated shaped paddle with a longer handle. There are three types of shapes you’ll see, elongated, standard, and widebody. Elongated paddles are a little longer and skinnier compared to the other shapes. The sweet spot on elongated paddles is higher on the face similar to a tennis or racquetball racket and will feel more familiar to you. Additionally, you’d probably like a handle that’s at least 5” long or even a longer handle that’s 5.25”+. The longer handle would feel more familiar to you and opens up more ways to manipulate the paddle and create shots.
Based on this criteria, here a few recommendations of control paddles that have the specs considered above.
This paddle is from a new brand that’s challenging the performance and price of paddles and they scored a home run here. It offers great control, big spin, and good forgiveness for an elongated shape. Handle length is 5.4″ long.
Price: $99.99 (Use code 10EFFECT for a discount)
This is one of the most popular elongated control paddles and it has a longer handle at 5.5″. It’s extra long handle and higher spin rating adds some offensive ability to the higher level of control it offers.
In this situation, because you’re not as familiar with having a racket in your hand, a standard or widebody shape would benefit you more than an elongated shape. A standard and widebody shaped paddle has a sweet spot closer to the middle of the paddle which is closer to your hand and makes it easier to manage and be more consistent. A standard and widebody shaped paddle also has a more generous sweet spot and offers more forgiveness in general. Then, when it comes to handle length, a handle that is 5.25” or shorter will give you more stability which makes it easier to connect with your paddle.
When it comes to price for a good paddle, a mid-market paddle will cost somewhere between $80-$140 while performance paddles will cost between $150-$250. You’ll get a little better control, spin, and power from performance paddles but it’s only a marginal difference. I would recommend getting a good mid-market paddle and as your game progresses you can get a performance paddle down the road. Of course, if you have the budget, it certainly won’t hurt to get a performance paddle.
Based on this criteria, here a few recommendations of control paddles that have the specs considered above.
This paddle is made by Selkirk and is one of the best mid-market control paddles. It has the shorter handle and wider face that gives it good stability and forgiveness. Plus, it’s not bad on the spin side of things which doesn’t hurt.
Price: $179.99 (Use code 10EFFECT for a discount)
I hope this was helpful. It can be overwhelming to pick a paddle when there are so many options out there. I’ve reviewed a lot of paddles and have helped even more people find the best paddle that fits their needs, playstyle and budget. The paddles recommended above are all paddles I’ve reviewed and think are good place to start your search and find your first legit paddle. For some other options, check out our paddle fitting quiz for customized recommendations.
Looking for the right paddle to fit your game? Take our paddle fitting quiz for three recommendations that will match your style of play.
