PRODUCT REVIEW
PADDLETEK
BANTAM
TS-5
PADDLETEK
ELEMENT
PADDLETEK
PHOENIX
PRO
Weight: 7.0 - 7.5 oz
Length: 15.5" Width: 7.75"
Core: Polymer Honeycomb
Surface: Fiberglass
Price: $85
Weight: 7.6 oz
Length: 15.5" Width: 7.875"
Core: Polymer Honeycomb
Surface: Fiberglass
Price: $69
Weight: 8.4 - 8.8 oz
Length: 15.75" Width: 7.75"
Core: Polymer Honeycomb
Surface: Polycarbonate
Price: $75
PADDLETEK
PHOENIX
ULTRA II
PADDLETEK
POWER
PLAY PRO
PADDLETEK
TEMPEST
Weight: 10.5 oz
Length: 15.75" Width: 7.875"
Core: High Tech Polymer
Surface: Polycarbonate
Price: $95
Weight: 8.1 oz
Length: 15.75" Width: 7.875"
Core: High Tech Polymer
Surface: Polycarbonate
Price: $75
Weight: 7.6 - 7.9 oz
Length: 16" Width: 8"
Core: Polymer Honeycomb
Surface: Graphite
Price: $95
PICKLE-BALL INC
ATTACK 2.0
PICKLE-BALL INC
CHAMPION
ALUMINUM
PICKLE-BALL INC
ELITE
POWER
Weight: 7.9 - 8.3 oz
Length: 15.5" Width: 8"
Core: Aluminum Honeycomb
Surface: Carbon Fiber with Vinyl
Price: $76
Weight: 7.5 - 8.0 oz
Length: 15.75" Width: 8.75"
Core: Aluminum Honeycomb
Surface: Fiberglass
Price: $82
Weight: 7.4-7.6 oz
Length: 15.875" Width: 8.875"
Core: Nomex Honeycomb
Surface: Graphite
Price: $85
CORES
The main types of paddle cores
are aluminum, nomex/aramid,
polypropylene and polymers. Though
less expensive, maple wood is another
option for the traditionalist, but is
rapidly being phased out due to stronger,
more durable and lighter materials
entering the market.
Some paddle cores are solid, but the
overwhelming majority are made with
some sort of honeycomb style materials.
The composition of those cores can vary
widely. Even cores made up from the
same materials can vary in wall density
and honeycomb size. All paddles are not
created equal. These factors all play into
how a paddle will play, how durable it
is, and how much it weighs. That being
said, there are some general common
characteristics exhibited by each of these
materials.
Aluminum core paddles are highly
customizable in terms of honeycomb
size and wall thickness and thus weight
and performance. The aluminum core
paddles that fall on the heavier side will
tend to have more power (pop) than
lighter ones offering more control and
touch. They are strong and resilient and
resistant to developing “dead spots.”
Aluminum core paddles can be given
a softer touch by combining with a
lightweight/softer surface such as
graphite or carbon. Similarly, they can
be combined with other materials such
as fiberglass to create paddles with more
power.
Polymer core paddles, involving
a newer material in terms of its use
in pickleball paddle production, have
become very popular in the last few
years due to durability and resistance
to dead spots. Polymer is generally a
heavier material, contributing to its
reputation for power (pop) but has less
“natural” pop than aluminum or nomex/
aramid cores of the same weight. These
cores are combined with a number of
different facing materials, primarily
polypropylene, but also fiberglass (more
pop/power) and more recently graphite
Continued »
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
31