The quality of equipment we use in any sports, impacts our game. The same case is in Pickleball also. Different materials are used to make pickleball paddles and the trend of using different materials keeps changing with evolving technology and time. But, out of so many options what is the best material for pickleball paddles? Which material pickleball paddles should you choose? And what’s the importance of choosing the best material pickleball paddles? We will cover everything here.
I am a passionate player of Pickleball and I have played hundreds of games at different levels in my career. I have used pickleball paddles of different types of materials like wood, carbon fibre, fibreglass, graphite, aluminium, polymer and many hybrid materials. With my personal experience, I will be covering the pros and cons of using each of these materials and will be suggesting you the best for your optimum performance in game.
Pickleball has evolved too much in the last decades and newer technologies are introduced in their manufacturing. Despite the traditional materials, companies are focusing on developing new and advanced materials for pickleball paddles which help the players to elevate their skills and improve their game experience. But, too many options in the market confuse the new player’s about choosing the best material for pickleball paddles. So, here we will help you to choose the best option for you.
What is the best material for pickleball paddles?
The available options of different materials for pickleball paddles includes wood, graphite, fibreglass, carbon fibre, aluminium core, polymer core, etc. Let’s discuss each one in detail to find out the best material for the pickleball paddles:
Graphite pickleball paddles:
On the basis of my personal experience, I found that graphite is one of the best and most popular choices for pickleball paddles. Graphite is a lightweight material but rigid also. So even after its lightweight, it is possible to generate enough power to hit shots with graphite material pickleball paddles.
The lightweight graphite paddles are helpful in fast movements and provide good control and manoeuvring during long rallies in the game. The core of the graphite paddles have a larger sweet spot as compared to other materials which is good for accuracy in shots and generates more power on shots.
Carbon fibre pickleball paddles:
Besides the graphite, carbon fibre is also among the popular and most used pickleball material. It is also a light weight material and provides more durability and generates power. It is more expensive than the graphite that’s why people prefer graphite paddles more. The carbon fibre spreads the energy evenly over the paddle surface thus absorbing more energy.
A special type of carbon fibre paddles T700 are very popular because of their lightweight which are easy to maneuver and are durable so they last long. The stiffness of carbon fibre provide more power to shots and enhance your game to the next level.
Fibreglass pickleball paddles:
Fibreglass is also a light weight material and it is a little cheaper than the carbon fibre and graphite material that’s why most of the beginners and intermediate players like paddles made of fibreglass. They are durable also.
The sweet spot in fiberglass is very small when we compare with the carbon fibre and graphite paddles so it is less chance that ball strikes over the sweet spot of the paddle. If the ball strikes outside the sweet spot then the generated power is lesser than the expected and the ball doesn’t seem to go in the direction where you intend to send.
The energy distribution over the paddle surface is also lesser so you may observe some vibration when the pickleball strikes over the paddle. But, all over the paddle made of fibreglass is a good choice of you are an intermediate player or your budget is lesser.
Composite pickleball paddles:
These paddle are made with a material that is a mixture of two or more materials like fiberglass, carbon fibre, polymer, etc. The mixture of different materials leads in acquiring different properties of the materials in one place.
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These paddle are more affordable and are lighter in weight, they are also durable and can also withstand with power shots without any type of scratch or dent over the paddle surface.
Wooden pickleball paddles:
Wooden pickleball paddles are used in starting of the pickleball. But as the time evolved and demand for new and advanced paddles increases, newer materials are introduced to manufacture pickleball paddles.
Still many people use pickleball paddles. These are heavier in weight and less durable. You have to hit the ball hard and it’s not easy to maneuver the wooden paddle. The sweet spot is also small. But the wooden paddles used to be very cheap. You can even get a wooden paddle in $15 to $20 price range.
Why is it important to select the best material for pickleball paddles?
The material of your paddle impacts your game and performance, so it’s important to choose the best always.
More control:
If you have a pickleball which is heavier in weight then it’s not easy to maneuver it and it also increases your response time. But if you are playing with a lighter paddle, then it’s easy to make fast movements of your hands and provides better grip and control.
Durability and power:
The durability and power generation of the pickleball paddles depends completely on the quality of the material used in your paddles. If the material is like carbon fibre or graphite, then your paddle are more durable and long lasting.
Conclusion:
So, here we discussed some popular material used in pickleball paddles and now you can decide what is the best material for pickleball paddles? It depends from person to person because everyone has his unique style of playing. So, it’s better to make your own decision on the basis of your playing style.
If you are an intermediate player and have a median budget, then you can go with the fiberglass paddles. If you are an advanced or skilled player and going to play official tournaments and there is no budget limit, then the graphite or carbon fibre paddles are best option for you.
So, if you think that this article really helped you in choosing the best material for pickleball paddles, then you can share it with your friends so that they can also equip themselves with best Paddles.
