Now you want to think about power versus control.
Lighter paddles offer better control over your dinking
and soft game, but will make it tougher to drive the
ball hard when needed. Heavier paddles offer more
power because of the extra mass behind the ball,
but this may cause you to lose control over your soft
game. Experiment and find what gives you a well-
balanced game. Make sure your paddle has enough
power for you to easily get your serves and returns
deep in the court without having to swing too hard.
If your balls are landing short too often, try a more
powerful paddle. If you are popping up your dinks a
lot, try a model made more for control. This power
versus control equation is key, but also the one
element that’s different for everyone, so find what
works best for you and your game.
Finally, you must consider handle size and length.
This is an often overlooked part of the paddle, but
it’s probably one of the most important pieces of the
puzzle. The handle is your only connection to the
paddle and control over the paddle face, so having
the right grip is critical to controlling your shots. Hold
the paddle like you are shaking hands with it. With
your normal relaxed grip, you should have a little
space between your fingertips and your thumb pad—
about ¼” to ½”. If your fingertips almost touch or
touch your thumb pad, your grip is too small. If there is
a space larger than ½”, then it’s probably too big.
Too large or small grip circumference can cause
discomfort in the form of “tennis elbow” and hinder
your play. The length of the grip can also make a
difference. If you place your index finger on the back
of the paddle or like to slide your hand up the grip
for more control, then try a paddle with a shorter grip
length. If you like to hit a 2-handed backhand or if you
have overly large hands, a longer grip will work better
for you. Remember, grip size is easily customizable,
and it’s much easier to make a grip larger than
smaller. Grip length is something that isn’t fixable, so
make sure the length is good from the start.
So there you have it! The blueprint to finding the
perfect paddle! How will you know when you’ve found
“the one”? The paddle will feel like an extension of
your hand and arm, and it will allow you to play your
best pickleball more frequently. If you are trying out a
paddle and, after a few weeks, you never play as well
as you know you can, ditch it and move on. It’s not
“the one.”
It takes some trial and error, but eventually you’ll
know when you’ve found your perfect match. •
Jake Bandel reviews Pickleball paddles for his website
pickleballpaddlereviews.net.
16
PICKLEBALL CENTRAL
RALLY GRAPHITE POWER 2.0 PICKLEBALL CENTRAL
RALLY NX GRAPHITE
Weight: 7.7 - 8.1 oz.
Dimensions: 15.75” x 8.125”
Core: Polypropylene
Honeycomb
Surface: Graphite Polymer
Composite with Vinyl Overlay
Price: $64.99 Weight: 7.2 - 7.8 oz.
Dimensions: 15.75” x 8.125”
Core: Nomex (Aramid)
Honeycomb
Surface: Graphite with
BOPP overlay
Price: $69.99
PICKLEBALL CENTRAL
RALLY TYRO 2 PRO PICKLEBALL CENTRAL
RALLY TYRO
Weight: 7.6 - 8.1 oz.
Dimensions: 15.625” x 7.75”
Core: Polypropylene
Honeycomb
Surface: Fiberglass Composite
with Polycarbonate Overlay
Price: $59.99 Weight: 6.8 - 7.1 oz.
Dimensions: 15.625” x 7.75”
Core: Polypropylene Honeycomb
Surface: Polymer Composite
Price: $44.99
PROLITE
SUPERNOVA PROLITE
TITAN PRO
Weight: 7.7 - 8.2 oz.
Dimensions: 15.5625” x 8.125”
Core: QuadCore™ Polymer
Honeycomb
Surface: Carbon Fiber
Price: $135 Weight: 7.4 - 8.0 oz.
Dimensions: 15.5” x 7.8125”
Core: QuadCore™ Polymer
Honeycomb
Surface: Carbon Fiber
Price: $125
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