Foam Era Has Changed Pickleball-Here Are Two of the Best Pickleball Paddles Right Now

This is a versatile controller, and although it has a lot of power, it’s perfect for someone who wants to improve the consistency of their game.

Cheapest way: SLK Valkerie photo ($80) is about half the price of the Dauntless and has no new technology, but it’s a solid option for someone looking to buy a paddle to play once a month or on vacation. You get a fiberglass face and a polymer core, so you don’t have a lot of grit to make a lot of toppin, and it doesn’t last long, but Selkirk makes good paddles with good grip and weight. This steering wheel is very similar to the SLK Evo, which was the first sedan I bought with my own money and I’ve been loving it (you get a carbon fiber face for more durability. the current version of the Evo).

Lots of energy: The first player who wants more power should take a look Jojolemon Shark 002 ($100). (This is also billed as a paddle paddle, but I’m not a paddler and I don’t like paddles made for that style.) It has a face that uses carbon and Kevlar for maximum comfort. Although this is a traditional third-generation thermoformed system and does not have full foam, it has foam injection on its surface which helps to reduce vibration and control in a good position and gives what I would consider a lot of strength.

Top Expert Right Now: Paddletek Honeyfoam TKO-X

New Paddletek Honeyfoam TKO-X ($250) is my favorite mat after testing this year’s offerings from a dozen brands. Paddletek paddles are notoriously poppy, and the older generations have been one of my choices for power players. The Honeyfoam Series, which is the full release version of the Reserve I tried it last year, and it’s a Goldilocks paddle precisely because it makes the Paddletek work better and the quality of the foam. This is a paddle that lets you swing with complete confidence – it’s powerful and precise in equal measure. I have never tried another paddle that has as much pop as this one without giving up anything.

Photo: Martin Cizmar

TKO-X uses three types of foam. The center is very thin foam. The lower half of the paddle has a closed EVA foam that provides excellent energy return and absorption. Surrounding the outside of the paddle is a third type of foam that helps create a sweet spot. The face is raw carbon, which gives great spin.

Cheapest way: Onix Hype X ($90) doesn’t have as large and forgiving a sweet spot as I’d like if I were just starting out, but its thermoformed honeycombs hold plenty of music while playing continuously. This is a popular choice for advanced players for a reason, as it is under $100 but has a carbon fiber face and weight distribution to favor heavy hitters.

Some Fun Paddles

Here are some of the paddles I tried this year.

Photo: Martin Cizmar

Upload it again: If you are serious about spinning, you know that the first thing to fail on a pickleball paddle is the textured carbon fiber face. The gritty style that spins the ball at wonky angles ends in less than 50 games with one paddle, making it difficult for you to get your paddle up again. The Reload solves this problem. For $200, you’re getting three paddles and the option to buy new ones for $22 to $25. The paddle also lifts easily, and I had no problem putting in new paper or sticky paper that wasn’t stuck.

Photo: Martin Cizmar

The price of SXY PKL: Another way to make paddles green is to make them from natural materials (if you played pickleball in the days before its popularity, maybe you played with a wooden board). The SXY PKL nods in that direction with its bamboo face (mainly carbon). This paddle looks like anything else on the court and people are drawn to it. The bamboo face is surprisingly gray and feels like fine sandpaper to me. It’s a solid paddle, even for $200 you can do better, if it doesn’t look too good.

Scorpion Pioneer Plus LED: Want to avoid the summer sun by playing in the evening, or just looking out on the field? The Scorpion LED paddle ($100 for a two-pack) charges via the USB-C port on the bottom of the handle and lights up in two colors. It costs $50 per paddle and plays like a $30 paddle, but I’ve used it badly. It has a honeycomb core and a fiberglass face, so don’t expect much spin. There are balls included, or combine them Franklin’s glow-in-the-dark ball.