Getting my paddle today. Played at my dads red center as a kid. They had pickleball nights in Ft.Myers. Ends up it was a pickleball hot bed, and hosted tons of official competition. He left about 10 years ago, and haven’t played since. I didn’t know it was becoming popular. I thought it was only older people, but I was wrong. Can’t wait to play again.
I'm a new player. I play tennis two or three times weekly and ping pong regularly. I've just been using the club's paddles to borrow, so this video really helped me out. Thanks so much. I really appreciate the information on the weight of the paddle.
Thank you for your video about selecting a paddle. I am considering getting involved in the sport. I'm going to the indoor courts this week, and your videos have giving me a very good understanding of the sport. Thank you.
Thank you for this video. I'm new to Pickleball & looking for a paddle. I figured similar to other sports I've played there was probably a weight & material verses control & performance. Thank you for the straight up explanation. I'm an old Softball & Tennis player I'm looking forward to playing Pickleball.
Great job. I’m inspired. I’m at the Plaza hotel in Las Vegas and they have 12 beautiful pickleball courts and thinking that we can do this. Thanks for the advice.
So glad I found this site. Great advice as I am currently looking to buy a new paddle. I love my Paddletech Element that I have played with for 6 years. They are not making these anymmore and I know I love Paddletech so I think I will stay with this brand. I like polymer honeycomb.
Thanks for all your videos. I stopped counting how many I’ve watched. I’ve spent some time selecting my second paddle reading blogs and watching videos. I selected the Engage Elite Pro. I only play once but it seems to be an awesome paddle. Today, I added an overgrip mostly to increase the grip size(thanks again for your video on the subject). I was surprised by the difference in weight. I wish now to have bought a lighter paddle to take in account the 0.4 once increased that is not negligeable . I’m playing in a few days to see the difference. Any comment or suggestion? I’ve not seen this potential issue in any blogs or videos I’ve read so far.
I'm glad they've been helpful! Hmmm, an overgrip shouldn't add too much to the weight. Did you measure the weight before and after? I'm intrigued! Since you're using an Engage paddle, what you're most likely feeling is the top heaviness of the paddle. Engage paddles tend to be a bit more top-heavy. So if you're not used to top-heavy paddles like that then it's going to surprise you at first. Does that make sense? Definitely let me know how things progress and thanks for stopping by!
Take off grip wrap and drill 1/6 diameter shallow holes.on both sides.spacing out ,especial alternate hole patter on opposite side so they don't line up to the other side holes.then take a 1/8 diam or use same as other holes and drill through end cap o the grip.collect the shavings and use a digital scale to calculate how many you need achieve desired wheight...I would fill the surface of the hole with lightweight spackling,then regrip old then new double layer grip.just don't drill to many holes,never across the grip side aline holes from opposite side...stagger pattern,evenly spaced.
Shop the latest pickleball shirts and more at the link below! For a limited time use the discount code pickleball for 20% off your purchase! 🥒🏓 jcstyles.creator-spring.com/listing/dink-all-day-pickleball?product=87
The supplier weighted it before shipping. The weight of the grip is on the packaging. I went to a sport shop and looked to a variety of over-grips and the weights range from 0.2 to 0.6. So, mine is average. Now, 0.4 ounce is small however, this can easily shift a light paddle to a standard weight paddle, if my calculations are right. I played once with the over-grip. I still like the paddle however I believe I can feel the difference in weight. My point is : Everyone insists on the importance of the paddle weight. However, no one mentioned to take in account the over-grip weight (or select a low weight over-grip). Thanks for your support.
Hye Barrett, love the channel, thanks for all of the info. Any good rules on circumference for the grip? I am finding conflicting info on whether the index finger rule is good, measuring the ring finger length, etc. What do you recommend?
Thank you and you're welcome. Personally, I just go by feel. Most people, particularly men, will be fine with 4.25". I know some women who like 4", but whatever feels good. I wouldn't worry about it too much, but if you're afraid of getting a grip circumference that's too small, you can always overgrip it multiple times to get a thicker handle. Hope that helps! Thanks for stopping by.
Barrett, Enjoy your videos. I prefer paddles where the head feels light and center of gravity is more in the handle. Any recommendations for that or suggestions as to how to find paddles that fit that description? Thanks.
Hi, I'm a pretty good tennis player, but just tried pickleball for the first time yesterday with someone else's paddle. They told me to definitely buy a good paddle, not a cheap one... Which one do you like the most? Or do you have something like a top 5 list?
I don't think the elongated is just for slower players or players who want it easier to reach. I would think the elongate would give you more leverage (ie power) when hit in the sweet spot - the bonus is reach.
I cant figure out my proper grip size, the example of measuring ring finger to lifeline doesnt work. I have very small hands and the smallest most available paddle is a grip size is 4.25 which feels a fair bit bigger than the well used paddle i started with, should there be a space between my thumb & forefinger while gripping the paddle?
It's hard to say if there should be a gap between your thumb and finger in your case because I can't see what's going on. I'm hesitant to say. If you want, you can use my contact form on my site and contact me that way. I'll be able to help you from there.
From a new subscriber I first want to thank you so much for your dedication and sharing valuable information on this game. I had my first lesson today. 25 years of racquetball has me slicing, spinning & wanting to kill the ball low. I know I have a lot of work ahead to improve my game. My question to you is unique: I am ambidextrous. I need a paddle that can easily be switched from hand to hand during the game. I was told this was allowed and I needed an elongated paddle for ease of switching. Can you confirm this and recommend one given my background? I am so grateful for your videos!
Thanks, Naomi! You can certainly switch hands if you'd like to, but what paddle you use won't matter much. I would just go with whatever you're comfortable with.
Great information but my recommendation would be to shoot these videos outdoors. They make them more interesting. And if there was a way to demonstrate some of the differences in a video that would also be helpful. Although very informative this was a little dry. Thanks!
Of course, I ordered my paddles BEFORE watching this video! Why couldn’t I have found you before??? I ordered an XS XSPAK lightweight 8oz paddle set of 4 for our family to play. We are all newbies so... what do you think? Okay for now? I want something that will take us from extreme beginner to intermediate level. Thank you so much!!!
As a beginner, I don't think you should stress out on picking which type of paddles. I just found a set which is almost the cheapest on amazon...2 balls and 2 paddles for $39+. I play badminton and have seen people spent more money on the gears rather than on improving their skills. If your skills are bad, the gears won't help much.
Like Harry said below, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Once you get the feel for pickleball and the craze sets in (believe me, it will!) then come back and watch more videos about paddles. But for now, just go play with what you have. It'll be fine.
🙋🏻♂️I’ve just started but am already hooked. I bought the Evoke Engage but soon borrowed an Optima with a glossy surface which created WAY more spin for me. Can you recommend the best paddle for maximum spin creation? 🙏
I've heard great things about the ProLite Crush "PowerSpin" (yes, it's actually called the "PowerSpin") and seen it in action, and unlike some paddles, its spin poses a serious threat to an opponent. If I were to say another, it would be the Onix Z5 series (composite has more spin, graphite has more "pop")--I know someone who just got this and as someone who likes to play with spin, it really changed his game. Both of those are on the cheaper (and heavier) end, but they're great picks. Now, if you want a paddle that has both serious power and spin, go with the Tempest line from Paddletek--there is a reason some of the top pros use it, and it focuses slightly more on spin than power whereas the Bantam EX-L (also from Paddletek) focuses slightly more on power than spin. Hope this helped...!
I didn't hear any thing about the raised border plastic scrape gaurds.some protrude into and above paddle alot and ate 1/16 or 1/8 on each side.it just seams dumb to me to have any protrusion border at any thickness.today the guy I played with and that hears me talk about the matter and always says ,your not gonna be hitting the ball way off middle paddle to matter.he lost barely to me in a long match...but in that match he had 3 balls that after I several and long vollys ,he hits the ball off center and hit that edge.all 3 times he had me dead after getting to the ball.he tried to soft hit it since I was back.they all shot off paddle in surprising unexpected directions AND I went from dead no chance to return.to him hitting easy kill shots out and 2 into net....the plastic bumper cost him 3 points.. I won because he had the plastic.im a really good newby player .I beat everyone at the 30 court full capacity place I go.usually win every game.and I play with a wooden ,smaller than regulation length and size of all the standards.git it at ROSS....for 4 $.im looking to buy a new paddle.when I borrow a good one and play with it ,the improvement is noticable.but the plastic thing isn't noticeable to me.becuse I'm going from a wooden much narrower ,shorter racket that I'm used to.you have to hit more balls in center because of that,so when I borrow one ,I don't easily mishit the ball..but if I'm spending the money to buy a good paddle,then I don't want the occasional rratic riccochet.and I would like a slightly longer handle or at least a round knob to help for those barely was an inch short,I been thinking of making my own paddle.
You could look at the AMPED Epic. But I have to warn you though, spin is a bit overrated in pickleball! If you can, try out people's paddles until you find something you like.
I almost wished I could put a think layer of rubber on the paddle surface so that I would be able to spin the ball more and play the game more aggressively like Ping Pong and tennis! I know the older players would not agree with me! LOL
Ah yeah, I understand that. No rubber paddles unfortunately. Spin doesn't matter as much in pickleball. What about the tactile feel of the ball hitting the paddle? Do you like to be able to feel the ball strike the paddle? Or do you like it to be soft?
You could have just posted text with everything you said here, and people could read it a lot quicker than you speak it. Also, people could just go back in the text to recheck a point. But, man, you sure do like the camera.
Me listening to this and scrolling through pickle ball paddles looking for the prettiest ones 😂🤦
Haha I understand!
😂😂😂
I was too! Looking for a purple/pink combo!
YESSSSSSS MUST BE CUTE!!!!!
LOL! Paddle fashion!
Getting my paddle today. Played at my dads red center as a kid. They had pickleball nights in Ft.Myers. Ends up it was a pickleball hot bed, and hosted tons of official competition. He left about 10 years ago, and haven’t played since. I didn’t know it was becoming popular. I thought it was only older people, but I was wrong. Can’t wait to play again.
Wow that's awesome!
I'm a new player. I play tennis two or three times weekly and ping pong regularly. I've just been using the club's paddles to borrow, so this video really helped me out. Thanks so much. I really appreciate the information on the weight of the paddle.
My pleasure and welcome to pickleball!
Thank you for very down to earth explanation. Thanks for the video.
This video helped! Thank you. I can see your sincerity in really wanting to help others. 😊
Thanks a lot for the worthy explication about pickleball paddles selection. It really strongly helped me.
THANK YOU FOR A VERY HELPFUL, EASY TO UNDERSTAND VIDEO.
My pleasure, thanks for watching.
Thank you I have been looking for paddles for a while now
Awesome, definitely check out my other paddle guides if you need moer help.
@@PickleballKitchen thanks
Great information presented in an understandable way. Excellent for beginners. Thank-you
Thank you for your video about selecting a paddle. I am considering getting involved in the sport. I'm going to the indoor courts this week, and your videos have giving me a very good understanding of the sport. Thank you.
Thanks for checking out the videos. Let me know how it goes!
You’re a great ambassador for the sport. I’m trying to get into the sport from tennis and this is helpful.
Thank you very much! I do have a video that helps people transition from tennis to pickleball so definitely check that out
@@PickleballKitchen 🙏🏼
Great video!! Thanks for the help Barrett!!
Thanks. Excellent presentation!
My pleasure, thanks for watching.
Boy, a lot has in 5 years! $300 paddles out there, its seems like the average is now $199. Good tips that are still relevant to a new player.
VERY helpful. Took a screenshot of your summary and made notes on it. Now I'm off to shop for my first paddle!
What did you get and how have you liked it? Thanks
This was very helpful, thank you!!!
My pleasure! Make sure you check out my latest paddle guide on this channel for some updated info.
This was excellent info!! Thank you!!
Thank you for this video. I'm new to Pickleball & looking for a paddle. I figured similar to other sports I've played there was probably a weight & material verses control & performance.
Thank you for the straight up explanation. I'm an old Softball & Tennis player I'm looking forward to playing Pickleball.
I think anything below $100 will be fine for you. Welcome to pickleball!
Great job. I’m inspired. I’m at the Plaza hotel in Las Vegas and they have 12 beautiful pickleball courts and thinking that we can do this. Thanks for the advice.
That's great! Make sure you check my most recent paddle guide as well.
So glad I found this site. Great advice as I am currently looking to buy a new paddle. I love my Paddletech Element that I have played with for 6 years. They are not making these anymmore and I know I love Paddletech so I think I will stay with this brand. I like polymer honeycomb.
If you like the Element, then yeah, definitely stay with Paddletek.
Thanks alot,excellent advice well presented!
This video was awesome. Great advice and you helped me out a lot. Thank you
I like to play a bunch of spin. I like wide body paddles. I just ordered an Onix Z5, because of the rough face. Hope it spins nice.
Thanks for all your videos. I stopped counting how many I’ve watched. I’ve spent some time selecting my second paddle reading blogs and watching videos. I selected the Engage Elite Pro. I only play once but it seems to be an awesome paddle. Today, I added an overgrip mostly to increase the grip size(thanks again for your video on the subject). I was surprised by the difference in weight. I wish now to have bought a lighter paddle to take in account the 0.4 once increased that is not negligeable . I’m playing in a few days to see the difference. Any comment or suggestion?
I’ve not seen this potential issue in any blogs or videos I’ve read so far.
I'm glad they've been helpful!
Hmmm, an overgrip shouldn't add too much to the weight. Did you measure the weight before and after? I'm intrigued!
Since you're using an Engage paddle, what you're most likely feeling is the top heaviness of the paddle. Engage paddles tend to be a bit more top-heavy. So if you're not used to top-heavy paddles like that then it's going to surprise you at first. Does that make sense? Definitely let me know how things progress and thanks for stopping by!
Take off grip wrap and drill 1/6 diameter shallow holes.on both sides.spacing out ,especial alternate hole patter on opposite side so they don't line up to the other side holes.then take a 1/8 diam or use same as other holes and drill through end cap o the grip.collect the shavings and use a digital scale to calculate how many you need achieve desired wheight...I would fill the surface of the hole with lightweight spackling,then regrip old then new double layer grip.just don't drill to many holes,never across the grip side aline holes from opposite side...stagger pattern,evenly spaced.
Very nice explanation thanks!
My pleasure, thanks for stopping by!
Very helpful! Thank you so much for this video.
My pleasure, thanks for watching
An extremely informing and helpful video.
Ernie T
Great video
Thanks you, you explain everything very well....
Thanks!
Thanks for the information. Question. I have small hands so does the length of the handle matter?
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jcstyles.creator-spring.com/listing/dink-all-day-pickleball?product=87
Great info .Thank you💜
Really liking your content. You've got a new subscriber.
Thank you!
Very good video. Thank you
Thank you too!
Quick question, does am approval from USAPA mean anything?
Good video. You explain things well. Thanks.
My pleasure!
Very thorough, thank you.
My pleasure.
The supplier weighted it before shipping. The weight of the grip is on the packaging. I went to a sport shop and looked to a variety of over-grips and the weights range from 0.2 to 0.6. So, mine is average. Now, 0.4 ounce is small however, this can easily shift a light paddle to a standard weight paddle, if my calculations are right.
I played once with the over-grip. I still like the paddle however I believe I can feel the difference in weight.
My point is : Everyone insists on the importance of the paddle weight. However, no one mentioned to take in account the over-grip weight (or select a low weight over-grip).
Thanks for your support.
Thanks for the update, I'm going to look into this and may report on it in a podcast episode.
Love your info. Thanks!
My pleasure, thanks for stopping by!
Thank you!
Hye Barrett, love the channel, thanks for all of the info. Any good rules on circumference for the grip? I am finding conflicting info on whether the index finger rule is good, measuring the ring finger length, etc. What do you recommend?
Thank you and you're welcome.
Personally, I just go by feel. Most people, particularly men, will be fine with 4.25". I know some women who like 4", but whatever feels good. I wouldn't worry about it too much, but if you're afraid of getting a grip circumference that's too small, you can always overgrip it multiple times to get a thicker handle.
Hope that helps! Thanks for stopping by.
Very helpful thanks
My pleasure!
great video ! thanks
Thanks for watching!
Barrett, Enjoy your videos. I prefer paddles where the head feels light and center of gravity is more in the handle. Any recommendations for that or suggestions as to how to find paddles that fit that description? Thanks.
I’m 5’11” 250lbs and I play ice hockey (so I’m strong), what paddle should I get? (No budget) My aim is pretty bad, but in terms of power I’m a beast
Can you talk about the thickness please?
Is the the cheap Costco Wiftflyte paddle good enough to begin with?
I just wanna win, man
Don't we all... 😉👍
Helpful. Thanks
My pleasure.
Hi, I'm a pretty good tennis player, but just tried pickleball for the first time yesterday with someone else's paddle. They told me to definitely buy a good paddle, not a cheap one... Which one do you like the most? Or do you have something like a top 5 list?
Following…
So I’m used to playing tennis with a 13.5 oz racket,, does that mean I should play with a heavier pickleball paddle??
is a wood paddle allowed
Hi I just found this video. What’s your recommendation for those with tennis/pickleball elbow? Thank you !
I can't talk about tennis elbow, but for tennis players, Pro Kennex and Engage seem to be the go to.
As a big guy I use lightweight paddle most of the time as I am a full control player. Throws people off. Lol
I bet!
Good info
What about thickness of the paddle. Some are thin and some are thicker
I don't think the elongated is just for slower players or players who want it easier to reach. I would think the elongate would give you more leverage (ie power) when hit in the sweet spot - the bonus is reach.
No, you're thinking tennis rackets. Pickleball is a push game. Leverage is rarely a thing.
Thank you
My pleasure.
I cant figure out my proper grip size, the example of measuring ring finger to lifeline doesnt work. I have very small hands and the smallest most available paddle is a grip size is 4.25 which feels a fair bit bigger than the well used paddle i started with, should there be a space between my thumb & forefinger while gripping the paddle?
It's hard to say if there should be a gap between your thumb and finger in your case because I can't see what's going on. I'm hesitant to say. If you want, you can use my contact form on my site and contact me that way. I'll be able to help you from there.
From a new subscriber I first want to thank you so much for your dedication and sharing valuable information on this game. I had my first lesson today. 25 years of racquetball has me slicing, spinning & wanting to kill the ball low. I know I have a lot of work ahead to improve my game. My question to you is unique: I am ambidextrous. I need a paddle that can easily be switched from hand to hand during the game. I was told this was allowed and I needed an elongated paddle for ease of switching. Can you confirm this and recommend one given my background? I am so grateful for your videos!
Thanks, Naomi! You can certainly switch hands if you'd like to, but what paddle you use won't matter much. I would just go with whatever you're comfortable with.
LOL...back when pickleball first started the paddles were plane old I/4 inch plywood.
Great information but my recommendation would be to shoot these videos outdoors. They make them more interesting. And if there was a way to demonstrate some of the differences in a video that would also be helpful. Although very informative this was a little dry. Thanks!
You need to see my recent videos. :)
Of course, I ordered my paddles BEFORE watching this video! Why couldn’t I have found you before???
I ordered an XS XSPAK lightweight 8oz paddle set of 4 for our family to play. We are all newbies so... what do you think? Okay for now?
I want something that will take us from extreme beginner to intermediate level.
Thank you so much!!!
As a beginner, I don't think you should stress out on picking which type of paddles. I just found a set which is almost the cheapest on amazon...2 balls and 2 paddles for $39+. I play badminton and have seen people spent more money on the gears rather than on improving their skills. If your skills are bad, the gears won't help much.
Like Harry said below, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Once you get the feel for pickleball and the craze sets in (believe me, it will!) then come back and watch more videos about paddles. But for now, just go play with what you have. It'll be fine.
Thank you both!!! We had a really good time playing today; beautiful day in Chicago for outdoor play 😊
Awesome!
How often do you need to replace your paddle?
i got bad knees and can get too low so i might need the long paddle...
can you update this vid to include the carbon fiber paddles. Thanks!
I may be putting a video out about this soon.
🙋🏻♂️I’ve just started but am already hooked. I bought the Evoke Engage but soon borrowed an Optima with a glossy surface which created WAY more spin for me. Can you recommend the best paddle for maximum spin creation? 🙏
I've heard great things about the ProLite Crush "PowerSpin" (yes, it's actually called the "PowerSpin") and seen it in action, and unlike some paddles, its spin poses a serious threat to an opponent. If I were to say another, it would be the Onix Z5 series (composite has more spin, graphite has more "pop")--I know someone who just got this and as someone who likes to play with spin, it really changed his game. Both of those are on the cheaper (and heavier) end, but they're great picks. Now, if you want a paddle that has both serious power and spin, go with the Tempest line from Paddletek--there is a reason some of the top pros use it, and it focuses slightly more on spin than power whereas the Bantam EX-L (also from Paddletek) focuses slightly more on power than spin. Hope this helped...!
Carbon fiber?
I didn't hear any thing about the raised border plastic scrape gaurds.some protrude into and above paddle alot and ate 1/16 or 1/8 on each side.it just seams dumb to me to have any protrusion border at any thickness.today the guy I played with and that hears me talk about the matter and always says ,your not gonna be hitting the ball way off middle paddle to matter.he lost barely to me in a long match...but in that match he had 3 balls that after I several and long vollys ,he hits the ball off center and hit that edge.all 3 times he had me dead after getting to the ball.he tried to soft hit it since I was back.they all shot off paddle in surprising unexpected directions AND I went from dead no chance to return.to him hitting easy kill shots out and 2 into net....the plastic bumper cost him 3 points.. I won because he had the plastic.im a really good newby player .I beat everyone at the 30 court full capacity place I go.usually win every game.and I play with a wooden ,smaller than regulation length and size of all the standards.git it at ROSS....for 4 $.im looking to buy a new paddle.when I borrow a good one and play with it ,the improvement is noticable.but the plastic thing isn't noticeable to me.becuse I'm going from a wooden much narrower ,shorter racket that I'm used to.you have to hit more balls in center because of that,so when I borrow one ,I don't easily mishit the ball..but if I'm spending the money to buy a good paddle,then I don't want the occasional rratic riccochet.and I would like a slightly longer handle or at least a round knob to help for those barely was an inch short,I been thinking of making my own paddle.
Here I come Selkirk Invikta!!!
Let me know how it works out!
Don't like the pop from a Z5. Considering a Evoke Premier instead..
Target has two paddles and two balls for < $25.
What about the pickleball players paddles ? Could you review those ?
I'm from a Ping Pong and tennis background. I'm looking for a paddle which will give me more control so I can spin the ball more!!!
You could look at the AMPED Epic. But I have to warn you though, spin is a bit overrated in pickleball! If you can, try out people's paddles until you find something you like.
So far I only liked the game, but I hate the paddles!
What bugs you about them? Let's see if I can help you out.
I almost wished I could put a think layer of rubber on the paddle surface so that I would be able to spin the ball more and play the game more aggressively like Ping Pong and tennis!
I know the older players would not agree with me! LOL
Ah yeah, I understand that. No rubber paddles unfortunately. Spin doesn't matter as much in pickleball. What about the tactile feel of the ball hitting the paddle? Do you like to be able to feel the ball strike the paddle? Or do you like it to be soft?
Amazon'd one for $25
Why pay $160+ for any paddle?? What are you getting that makes that paddle so much more expensive??
😂
I wish I had an 8 inches wide…….paddle
You could have just posted text with everything you said here, and people could read it a lot quicker than you speak it. Also, people could just go back in the text to recheck a point. But, man, you sure do like the camera.
Ads are political crap
Sorry I didn't like this video as it doesn't CC as I'm hearing impaired. :(
Thanks so much for letting me know about this. I will try to get this enabled on my channel as soon as possible.
Quick question, does am approval from USAPA mean anything?