GEAR
REVIEWS by JACK BANDEL
ENGAGE ALPHA PRO PADDLE
Look / Cosmetics: 4 / 5 Usual black carbon paddle face with colorful painted edge guard and minimal lettering. Elongated 16.5 x 7.5 " shape, with a 5.5 " handle length( good for two-handers). The bevels on the handle feel very pronounced, like a tennis handle. This is a Gen 3 thermoformed unibody paddle, with foam injected around the top and sides. Comes in 16 and 14mm thickness— I playtested the 16mm. Weight was 8.1 oz.
Serves / Returns / Groundstrokes: 4.5 / 5 Was able to jump right in with this paddle, serving deep and putting the ball where I wanted. Power was easily measured with how much effort I put into the swing. The ball dipped nicely when I gave it more of an upward motion, taking a little speed off. Power level was high but not uncontrollable. Felt very light through the air on full swings.
Touch / Feel / Spin: 4 / 5 This paddle has a unique feel that is neither crisp nor muted. Just maybe slightly crisp— a nice middle ground. The balls came off the face fast, and it is very forgiving and predictable. Spin was above average and the light swing weight makes for a great counterpunching paddle in the kitchen. What surprised me was how stable it felt with this light swing weight.
Sound / Sweet Spot / Playability: 4.5 / 5 Sweet spot was above average and the response was very consistent all over most of the paddle face. Playability was pretty high for an advanced paddle like this, which was aided by how forgiving it is on mishits. Very quick through the air and easy to maneuver at the kitchen line. Sound on contact wasn’ t offensive.
Summary: 4.25 / 5 Very well-rounded paddle that swings easy and gives you great power and spin, but lets you control it at the same time. Really does everything exceptionally well without any noticeable flaws. If you want a paddle that packages a little of everything in one, this is it.
Price: $ 259.99 To purchase, visit engagepickleball. com / collections / allpaddles / products / alphapro( use code: PBMAG).
For more info, go to the Pickleball Paddle Reviews group page on Facebook. Paddle Manufacturers: Contact Jack Bandel at jackbandel @ gmail. com if you’ d like your products to be reviewed.
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