There has been a rapid growth in the popularity of pickleball over the recent past to the extent that it is currently among the most treasured outdoor recreation and fitness activities. Whether you are a pickleball expert or someone just hearing about this fast-growing sport, everyone needs to gear up and head to the pickleball court!
Pickleball paddles have witnessed rapid innovation over the last few years. The perfect time for a paddle upgrade is often when you want to enhance your playing skills. So when picking a pickleball paddle, the most important features you should look out for are the material, weight, and dimensions. Below, we will review some of the best pro pickleball paddles to see what they have on offer.
Comparison Chart
Best Pro Pickleball Paddles Reviews
Paddletek Pro Pickleball Paddle
After participating in several playing sessions, and you want to upgrade your paddle, consider getting the Paddletek Pro Pickleball Paddle. The paddle has unmatched power and accuracy due to its balanced weight and extended sweet spot. This enhances your speed, finesse, and maneuverability. The Tempest Wave Pro is available in various colors to fit your preference.
Review
This paddle has a textured graphic surface and a tacky performance grip that complements each other, giving you better control and accuracy in every shot. It is a superior quality paddle, excellent in shock absorption while packing significant power to strike back at your opponent with precision and accuracy.
The Tempest Pro Paddle utilizes Smart Response Technology that adds strength to the feel and sensitivity of the initial Tempest Wave. It has a more forgiving and broader sweet spot for repetitive responsiveness on the paddle face. Simply put, the paddle is control oriented and does not trade off the power you are used to in the Tempest models.
Depending on your preference and playing style, you can choose to go for a thicker grip or a lighter one. It has a 5.25-inch long handle, providing you with sufficient additional space for grip adjustment for added control or reach. Its 8-inch broad graphite face makes for an extensive sweet spot with a smooth feel regardless of where you hit.
With these paddles, you can take your slams and skill shots to the next level, thanks to the quality of the materials. You can also vary the actual grip size to a maximum of 1/8 inch.
The Tempest Pro line has grown to create various shape options for players. This enables players to use the same five-star paddle technology they love, with a shape choice that suits their play best. Tempest Wave Pro is a conventionally shaped paddle having a broad sweet spot. It sets the industry control benchmark. However, you’ll have to dig deeper into your pockets for all these excellent features, as this paddle is a bit pricey.
Pros
- Light-to-medium weight with sufficient power
- Smart Response Technology Core
- The wrap grip is cushioned
- Outstanding spin control
- Excellent control level
Cons
- It is costly
Selkirk Amped Pickleball Paddle
Established by a pickleball-playing family, the Selkirk brand is behind several reputable paddles. However, the Amped Epic ranks higher than most thanks to its fiberglass face, delivering significant spin while shaping your shots. Its standard face is also ideal for all-court play.
To reduce fatigue, it has a polypropylene honeycomb core guaranteeing effortless smashing and lobbying. This, together with its low weight, makes it an ideal medium-weight choice. You can find this paddle in various colors, shapes, and weights to match your play style and needs. Amazingly lightweight, it adds extra reach to your game for outstanding tournament results.
Review
This Selkirk Amped paddle is an excellent paddle with a lot of power and control. It is a thick paddle that stands out from the rest and may take you some time to adjust to it. Its fiberglass face makes the paddle very powerful while also providing significant ball spin. The paddle weighs 8 ounces and is ideal for advanced, strong players.
The paddle is a widebody and has a fiberglass face and polymer core. It is closely related to the S2 with only slight variations. The S2 paddle length is identical to this one, though the S2 has a shorter handle than Epic, giving it a slightly longer face. If you are used to playing tennis, you will feel instant comfort with this long-handle, face-heavy Epic paddle.
One standout feature of the Amped line that is not seen in other Selkirk products is the utilization of a brand-new patent-pending polymer material (polypropylene) for the core. The new tech is dubbed “X5” and is displayed on the paddle.
With a lighter-than-usual core, the engineers made a much thicker paddle. This is the most outstanding variety of the Amped Epic from other pickleball paddles.
The manufacturer made this paddle available in green, blue, red, and orange. Its visual design is beautiful and distinguishes it from other paddles in the market. It also serves as a reminder of its exceptional quality.
However, the short grip and wide surface may feel cumbersome for people with small hands.
Pros
- Features vibration dampening
- Large sweet spot
- Improved sound
- Has torque suppression
- Neutralizes ball variations
Cons
- It has a short grip
Franklin Sports Pro Pickleball Paddle
If you are prepared to take on the big leagues, then the Franklin Sports Pro Pickleball paddle is one piece of equipment you should not lack in your inventory. It is a pro-level pickleball paddle guaranteed to elevate your game a level higher. It has an embedded carbon fiber design tailored to enhance speed and spin while letting you maintain control and balance. Its core is strong and dense, has no dead spots, and has a nice, thick grip. The paddle is USAPA approved for tournament-level and competitive play.
Review
Franklin Sports is rapidly elevating the standards of pickleball paddles all around with the unveiling of their signature Pickleball paddle. This Franklin Pro Paddle is designed to meet top professionals’ standards. Its surface is extra textured to create amazing traction for an easier ball spin. The polypropylene core helps reduce vibration and also makes for a broad and versatile sweet spot.
The extended handle and general paddle length allow players to utilize double-handed backhands and delight in their hit choices with the extended point of contact.
It is a superior quality paddle that features the new MaxGrit textured surface tech, tailored to optimize spin while reducing vibration.
This surface material, MaxGrit, is approved by USA Pickleball and is made to offer better traction on the ball’s surface for enhanced spin rate and optimal control. Furthermore, the fiberglass surface layer and polypropylene core guarantee a durable and strong base with an extended sweet spot for reliable, easy contact during shots.
The paddle is a new performance pinnacle and is certified by USAPA for tournaments and competitive play. Its quality is a professional standard and is designed by pros, meaning it is a premium quality paddle tailored to compete to win at the topmost levels.
If you like your paddles brightly colored, then you’ll love the array of colors available for this paddle. It comes in white, pink, blue, and black with a streak of orange.
On the downside, this paddle wears out quickly, and you may need to replace it frequently if you play often.
Pros
- Thick grip
- Enhanced speed and spin
- Strong and dense core
- Variety of colors to pick from
Cons
- Quickly wears out
ONIX Voyager Pro Pickleball Paddle
Take your pickleball prowess higher with this Voyager Pro paddle from ONIX. It has a polypropylene core and a premium-coated graphite face to give you an amazing feeling. ONIX has incorporated a thicker core material than the earlier Voyager, giving the paddle greater control. This brand-new Voyager Pro has a broad body and, thus, a larger sweet spot. It is the best option if you are a pickleball player seeking to play with the perfect combination of control, spin, and power.
Review
This ONIX Voyager Pro Pickleball paddle’s shot strength and return placement are amazing. The half-inch paddle edge width of the Voyager Pro and its heavier weight performs excellently in power volley and soft dinking battles.
It has an ample grip length (5 inches) and a standard handle circumference of 4.25 inches. If you would rather use wider handles, there is the option of adding an extra high-quality layer of grip tape. The graphic design of the paddle face is stylish and is among the standout features of this paddle.
This ONIX paddle is high-performance, ideal for advanced players and serious beginners, and has an unrivaled price-to-performance ratio. It is a paddle that places its emphasis on control. Its precision-cut polypropylene and premium-coated graphite face retain the original Voyager touch, though the thicker core material enhances shot control.
This wide-body paddle has a big sweet spot for better touch shots. The calculated design lets players consistently put the right amount of torque and spin on the ball.
Pros
- Good balance of speed and power
- Better touch and pop for powerful return swings
- Broad sweet spot
- Lightweight
Cons
- Not ideal for beginners
JOOLA Solaire Professional Pickleball Paddle
The Joola Solaire Pro Pickleball Paddle has a unique design that allows it to do almost everything an advanced player desires. With it, you can perform slice serves and also have reliable comfort and stability. JOOLA incorporates a uniquely designed foam towards the perimeter of this paddle to maintain even weight distribution and form a sweet spot running from edge to edge. Its faces use Carbon Friction Surface (CFC) to maximize spin and ensure accurate pickleball direction.
Review
The head of this Solaire CFS is a wide 8 inches, giving it a well-balanced and solid feel, partly because of the incorporation of Hyperfoam Edge Wall from JOOLA. This is injected below the edge guard surrounding the perimeter of the paddle head. It is among the heavier paddles on the market and can output enhanced power levels, especially on overhead slams and groundstrokes.
It has a 5 ½ inch grip length with a circumference of 4.13 inches, which allows sufficient space to use double-handed strokes. In addition to the long edges inserted foam, JOOLA uses superior-grade polymer honeycomb core material for enhanced strength and durability.
This JOOLA Solaire Pickleball paddle combines a reactive honeycomb polymer core and Carbon Friction Surface resulting in excellent spin and power. The power paddle comes in a forgiving shape, ranking it among the most user-friendly power paddles on the market.
It is pro-proven that the special head curvature of this pickleball paddle facilitates reduced drag while increasing the swing speed. Thanks to its Hyperfoam Edge Wall technology, the injected specialized foam adds to the stability and weight of the paddle, thereby extending the sweet spot for more consistent edge-to-edge play.
It uses the Carbon Friction Surface technology for an advanced, durable Carbon-Flex5 textured surface that harnesses raw power to give a maximum spin. The core, reactive honeycomb polymer, is uniquely tuned for high-level players to maximize the bounce consistency and feel required for each shot.
The handle is carbon-forged, giving you the utmost flex for extra comfort and power. Additionally, the handles are elongated with an anti-slip, perforated ridge grip to create the best hold performance whereas increasing shock absorption. It is also perfect for a two-handed shot.
Pros
- Great grip
- Outstanding topspin
- Good power
- Broad sweet spot
Cons
- Ribbed grip causes discomfort
Final Verdict
If you have been to the pickleball court, the most probable question on your mind is what is the best pickleball paddle. However, the answer to that question depends on the pickleball player and their style of play. As a player, you will have different preferences, weaknesses, and strengths that affect your pickleball paddle choice.
From the above paddles, the Joola paddle is great for those who want extra grip due to its ribbed handle. The Paddletek paddle is our top pick for better control and touch, vibration absorption, and powerful swings. If you enjoy a splash of color on your paddles, then go for the Selkirk or Franklin Sports paddles.