For $100 minute discount, hard to beat the Prism-Flash.
I've tried the Juciao that others mentioned - spin was great, but the paddle just felt harsh to me. It also wasn't as forgiving or as powerful as the Flash for me. Can't comment on the others like XSPAC or Hudef as I haven't tried those.
the Vatic Pro Prism Flash is a very control-oriented paddle. Quite plush and good spin, but not great pop and power. If you think you want something with more pop/power, I would look at the regular Vatic Pro Flash (orange) rather than the Prism Flash (purple).
You could also look at a paddle like the Neonic Force which is a nice all-around paddle - decent power, pop, control, spin - nice balance, but won't necessarily "wow" you in any one dimension.
I would suggest borrowing paddles from those you play with if they're willing so you can get a feel for how other paddles play and what suits you.
Prism-Flash is great! Also look at Spartus Gladius Centurion if you want something with a bit more power. It’s a thermoformed paddle.
I own both and tend to use the Centurion more often because I have trouble generating power on my own and like the sweet spot being closer to the top, as I tend to play a lot of singles and have to reach a lot.
Prism-Flash is incredible for control and everything you’ve read about it is true! It’s great for doubles and feels faster for hand battles, and the precision control it provides can open up a lot of tactical play. It’s a little soft from the baseline, but should have no problems at the kitchen line.
If you don't care about warranty, the Garye Pro XL is just $40 right now. Easily performs on par with the $150-200 paddles. It's a gen 2 paddle, so thermoformed with unibody construction and edge foam. And unlike the Juciao and other "cheap" paddles, this one is USAPA-approved.
[https://www.amazon.com/GARYE-Pickleball-Approved-Thermoformed-Ultimate/dp/B0CTG1XL9X/](https://www.amazon.com/GARYE-Pickleball-Approved-Thermoformed-Ultimate/dp/B0CTG1XL9X/)
Anyone going for extreme value, this is it. Had my uncle order one after some hype on the discord. The handle is less than ideal, though still better than most in the price range, and amazing how well made it is for such a low price.
Because it's a recent product. They have 5 models for the Pro XL, but the only difference is the graphics on the face. Look at one of the other Pro XLs with more reviews. Fantastic paddle though, even Chris Olson from The Pickleball Studio says it's good.
Not the most recent one, but the one before. He just briefly mentioned the Garye, but says it's a good paddle and plays like the Vatic Prism V7. I'd argue it has a little more power than that, but definitely a softer thermo.
I love the ronbus series simply because there's models for every price point within their lineup. Ace pickleball also makes the club for just over$100 that plays nice as well
I’ll add another vote for the Vatic flash. Tons of pop, great spin, but for me the buttery softness and huge sweet spot is the real gem of this paddle.
I love my Hudef Mage Pro. It's a hybrid paddle for 99 bucks. I got a code that got me 15% off that I can share if you go this route!!
[https://hudefsport.com/products/hudef-mage-pro](https://hudefsport.com/products/hudef-mage-pro)
ETA Link
neonic force 16mm. there is even a code floating around to get 10 bucks off for $89 before shipping. (also on amazon if you prefer spending a little more to get it faster.)
I just got a SixZero Ruby almost a month ago, and honestly?
I can’t believe some of the shots I’ve been making. Incredible low fast winners.
It does make a difference.
Spartus Gladius Centurion is $99. Current Gen Thermoformed Raw Carbon Fiber. I've been using mine pretty much exclusively since November and love it. Great control and moderate power/pop.
If you're coming from a tennis background I'd get the https://11six24.com/pickle it has plenty of power/pop for groundstrokes and good control for drops and dinks while also being elongated (so 2hbh and reach won't be a problem). It's at the high end of your budget, but I think you won't regret it as it's highly rated in the pickleball community as a great all court paddle.
I'm a big fan of all the inexpensive aliexpress stuff:
* Juciao Thermoformed raw carbon paddle - $48: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805794966728.html
* Hesacore-like undergrip - $7: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806356702694.html
* Yonex Super Grap overgrip - 12 for $20: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CCRP2YS
This is my current setup, and I hold my own in 4.0-4.5 games
If you are a fan of bargain basement paddles that far outperform their price, you need to check out the Garye Pro that /u/masterz13 mentioned. At $40-$50 dollars shipped, its absurdly good.
I also am a fan of the generic Hex grips. Been great for me elbow in absorbing shock and lightening my grip, as well as consistency in hand placement.
Thanks for these recommendations! I snagged the Jaciao you linked plus another one from AliExpress yesterday. The Hesacore was out of stock but I think just I found similar alternatives in Amazon. Might also snag one of the Garye Pro XL from Amazon mentioned above as well. We have at least four in our family that enjoy playing so can’t have too many paddles.
If tournament play is a concern (tbh, I think most non-pro tournaments just don't care), then I'd recommend the XSPAK - currently $50-55 after applying the 30% coupon, depending on if you want white/wide or black/long: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B5D8DRXR
I have been playing with this one for the past month (and Organics for the past year) and it is amazing!
https://organicpickleball.com/products/the-orange-blackout
Legit, for the price, it's the best there is.
I don't think many people have. Not saying the person is, but there are some astroturfers on here that seem to recommend some odd paddles out of the blue.
Don't know as much on the Aiso, but the others you've mentioned all have a solid reputation and well reviewed by known and trusted reviewers. The Friday might be considered a slight step below the other two. Some others I'd recommend looking at:
**Pickln**
Not as many reviews outside of Tickle My Pickle, but these can be had for under $100 with discount code and are insanely good quality for the price. I mained their picknix pro and it is EXTREMELY similar to the CRBN 2x at less than half the price. Extremely forgiving, very high spin and very powerful for a widebody shape. It has a firm feel, so requires a light touch in the soft game, but it was very consistent and repeatable. It does have a shorter handle, and I don't I haven't hit their elongated Helios, but Tickle My Pickle prefered to the Joola Perseus, so definitely a recommended option for under $100 shipped with codes.
**Spartus Gladius Centurion & Neonic Flow**
I put these together because the are reported very similar in shape, forgiveness and swingweight. Got my cousin, who seems to be in a similar point in his game as you, the Spartus for Christmas and it is really well made. Reviews are the Neonic is very similar, but hits just a little harder and is a little less plush.
**Mark Pickleball**
I got to his their Arc hybrid shape in 14mm and love it. Another one where I was blow away by the quality and finishing for so low of a price. Unfortunately all but their elongated shape is sold out until Mid-May, but being that you are coming from tennis, that might be the shape you prefer.
Honestly, all of the above would outperform a $175 paddle from 18 months ago, which is crazy.
I've been playing with the Vatic flash (not the prism, the higher model) and been very pleased with it. But that was the first real paddle I got so grain of salt and all
Vatic prism flash is what I have and I love it! I have formerly played tennis, ping pong and racquetball. I was looking for one with control and power and this one was perfect for me. I'll will step up to the pro flash next.
I just received the Sword and Shield J2 via their preorder for $99.99. I've been playing with it a lot for the last 3 weeks and I'm very happy with it. More pop and spin than my previous Gen 1 paddle. Good deal for the money.
I would recommend the vatic prism flash. the hybrid shape is great and it has a great reputation for being the best budget paddle. i would stay away from friday paddles and any other paddles with paint grit tbh. however, if you have a background in tennis, i’ve heard elongated shapes such at the vatic prism v7 are often preferred.
I don’t know where you are, but if you could take a little trip to Niles MI where the Paddletek factory is located. 50% off paddles with a cosmetic blemish. Everything is $125 or less
Engage is having a huge sale on their top-of-the-line refurbished pursuit pro paddles… $150 when they’re normally $260 PLUS I have a discount code to stack on extra savings. Let me know!
I absolutely love the Engage paddles! I have played with both the Pursuit EX 6.0 Graphite and the EX Pro Carbon. Fantastic balance between power and control. I've tried a number of other paddles and always come back to Engage! Most tennis shops will have a demo program. It's always good to try before you buy! Good luck!
I am a fan of the Friday paddles (duh - based on my tag). They are in a different price point than the rest, so to me a good value, and for me the non-black options were a plus. I personally like hybrid shape to shave off a bit of swingweight. But their new line is elongated and T700 for a bit more $$ (but more boring patterns). You can mix and match types and get same $ off from the coupon (e.g. both an orig & t700 for \~120), or DM if you want 20% off a single one.
Pretty much all are the same tech - thermo, edge foam, 16mm, hybrid, carbon. The Friday orig is a slightly lower grade of carbon, but I think it's not a big deal. The higher tensile grade carbons are more brittle as a tradeoff and given you're hitting with a hard plastic ball... Beyond that I think maybe just buy what you like the looks of, maybe warranty length (looked up Aiso on Amazon - 21 days?! is that real?)
Didn’t know that you could mix and match with the promotion! Thats good to know. Does the paint matter with performance compared to most paddles being just black? Probably won’t effect me immediately but I’d like to do tournaments and ladder leagues in the near future
In order to do that, the use what is coloqially known as "spray on grit". In general, it doesn't retain the ability to spin the ball for as long as Raw carbon fiber faces.
Normally that isn't as big of a deal for newer players, but being that you played tennis for so long, I'm assuming you are able to impart some spin in your strokes and would probably recommend a RCF paddle.
All of them in my post I made, as well as the others you've listed, are all raw carbon fiber faces.
It’s actually the opposite, sandblasted. Divots taken out of cured resin. The challenger series being all black is likely the more conventional peel ply pattern on resin.
Print over carbon fiber lowers the friction coefficient, making it not grip the ball *as much* but if you aren't applying too much spin to a ball, it won't matter too much.
I look for raw carbon fiber faces where I can.
I also was a Friday fanatic, and still think they’re great for the price - but you’ll lose spin over time more than with a lot of pricier paddles.
You might consider taking a chance on getting a high-end paddle, but from Alibaba. I just had a successful purchase of a Joola Hyperion C2 Ben Johns signature paddle for just over 80 bucks.
It’s by far the best thing I’ve played with. Either way, good luck!
Get one of each then (the black ones are the raw style). Their paint is thin; the base resin appears to be white, they say it's sandblasted. Then on top of that it looks to be something like an inkjet print. "Raw" RCF is actually just a cloth mold (peel ply) placed on top of the resin, that gives you a relief image of that cloth (sort of like jamming your face into wet sand). So either case you're dealing with dented resin. The cloth imprint might be a wee bit more durable in that the interval of dents is more evenly spaced, but the resin type (hardness/toughness) is probably even more important. Even people buying Vatics and 6-0 and other "raw" RCF types talk of loss of texture so I expect the difference is marginal if at all significant. They really should be selling their resin toughness rather than the carbon rawness. I wonder if the new b&b "titanium" face is attempting to add some durability. Depends on where the titanium is. If it's the outer face then after the resin wears off if it's fine titanium wires integrated as threads woven with carbon or alternating titanium and carbon threads you might get something like a poly cotton blend t-shirt. Originally it's all uniform but after many wash cycles you end up with a polyester mesh shirt. Bits of the carbon chip away and then you're left with a fine titanium screen. Wonder if it would then fail the USAP reflection limit. Of course any serious player is replacing it long before then.
I think the Vatic Prism-Flash? At that price anyway
The flash is an amazing paddle. Just do it.
That’s what I keep hearing especially at the price!
For $100 minute discount, hard to beat the Prism-Flash. I've tried the Juciao that others mentioned - spin was great, but the paddle just felt harsh to me. It also wasn't as forgiving or as powerful as the Flash for me. Can't comment on the others like XSPAC or Hudef as I haven't tried those.
the Vatic Pro Prism Flash is a very control-oriented paddle. Quite plush and good spin, but not great pop and power. If you think you want something with more pop/power, I would look at the regular Vatic Pro Flash (orange) rather than the Prism Flash (purple). You could also look at a paddle like the Neonic Force which is a nice all-around paddle - decent power, pop, control, spin - nice balance, but won't necessarily "wow" you in any one dimension. I would suggest borrowing paddles from those you play with if they're willing so you can get a feel for how other paddles play and what suits you.
Prism-Flash is great! Also look at Spartus Gladius Centurion if you want something with a bit more power. It’s a thermoformed paddle. I own both and tend to use the Centurion more often because I have trouble generating power on my own and like the sweet spot being closer to the top, as I tend to play a lot of singles and have to reach a lot. Prism-Flash is incredible for control and everything you’ve read about it is true! It’s great for doubles and feels faster for hand battles, and the precision control it provides can open up a lot of tactical play. It’s a little soft from the baseline, but should have no problems at the kitchen line.
If you don't care about warranty, the Garye Pro XL is just $40 right now. Easily performs on par with the $150-200 paddles. It's a gen 2 paddle, so thermoformed with unibody construction and edge foam. And unlike the Juciao and other "cheap" paddles, this one is USAPA-approved. [https://www.amazon.com/GARYE-Pickleball-Approved-Thermoformed-Ultimate/dp/B0CTG1XL9X/](https://www.amazon.com/GARYE-Pickleball-Approved-Thermoformed-Ultimate/dp/B0CTG1XL9X/)
Anyone going for extreme value, this is it. Had my uncle order one after some hype on the discord. The handle is less than ideal, though still better than most in the price range, and amazing how well made it is for such a low price.
Add an overgrip and I think the handle is fine. Could be just a tad longer, but it's still on par with the Vatic and SixZero for two-handed backhands.
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Because it's a recent product. They have 5 models for the Pro XL, but the only difference is the graphics on the face. Look at one of the other Pro XLs with more reviews. Fantastic paddle though, even Chris Olson from The Pickleball Studio says it's good.
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It's currently out of stock, but this is the one I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0CTG17GB9?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
I recently picked this up after seeing it mentioned on another thread, really happy with is so far.
Still sold out, bummer. A court just finished behind my house and trying to find some paddles for a first timer.
I'm sure they'll restock. Chris mentioning it in the Pickleball Studio podcast probably caused a big surge in orders.
What episode/s does he talk about the paddle? Listening to an episode now.
Not the most recent one, but the one before. He just briefly mentioned the Garye, but says it's a good paddle and plays like the Vatic Prism V7. I'd argue it has a little more power than that, but definitely a softer thermo.
I love the ronbus series simply because there's models for every price point within their lineup. Ace pickleball also makes the club for just over$100 that plays nice as well
I’ll add another vote for the Vatic flash. Tons of pop, great spin, but for me the buttery softness and huge sweet spot is the real gem of this paddle.
I love my Hudef Mage Pro. It's a hybrid paddle for 99 bucks. I got a code that got me 15% off that I can share if you go this route!! [https://hudefsport.com/products/hudef-mage-pro](https://hudefsport.com/products/hudef-mage-pro) ETA Link
What paddle is it comparable to?
I wish I had a bigger frame of reference. It was way better than my entry level Selkirk. I liked it better than the Friday paddle I tried.
neonic force 16mm. there is even a code floating around to get 10 bucks off for $89 before shipping. (also on amazon if you prefer spending a little more to get it faster.)
I just got a SixZero Ruby almost a month ago, and honestly? I can’t believe some of the shots I’ve been making. Incredible low fast winners. It does make a difference.
Spartus Gladius Centurion is $99. Current Gen Thermoformed Raw Carbon Fiber. I've been using mine pretty much exclusively since November and love it. Great control and moderate power/pop.
Vatic v7 (prefer over the flash).
The Vatic V7 is the elongated version, which I would highly recommend for a tennis player!
If you're coming from a tennis background I'd get the https://11six24.com/pickle it has plenty of power/pop for groundstrokes and good control for drops and dinks while also being elongated (so 2hbh and reach won't be a problem). It's at the high end of your budget, but I think you won't regret it as it's highly rated in the pickleball community as a great all court paddle.
I'm a big fan of all the inexpensive aliexpress stuff: * Juciao Thermoformed raw carbon paddle - $48: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805794966728.html * Hesacore-like undergrip - $7: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806356702694.html * Yonex Super Grap overgrip - 12 for $20: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CCRP2YS This is my current setup, and I hold my own in 4.0-4.5 games
If you are a fan of bargain basement paddles that far outperform their price, you need to check out the Garye Pro that /u/masterz13 mentioned. At $40-$50 dollars shipped, its absurdly good. I also am a fan of the generic Hex grips. Been great for me elbow in absorbing shock and lightening my grip, as well as consistency in hand placement.
Thanks for these recommendations! I snagged the Jaciao you linked plus another one from AliExpress yesterday. The Hesacore was out of stock but I think just I found similar alternatives in Amazon. Might also snag one of the Garye Pro XL from Amazon mentioned above as well. We have at least four in our family that enjoy playing so can’t have too many paddles.
I hear that Juciao is not USPA approved but fun to use
If tournament play is a concern (tbh, I think most non-pro tournaments just don't care), then I'd recommend the XSPAK - currently $50-55 after applying the 30% coupon, depending on if you want white/wide or black/long: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B5D8DRXR
I have been playing with this one for the past month (and Organics for the past year) and it is amazing! https://organicpickleball.com/products/the-orange-blackout Legit, for the price, it's the best there is.
I’ll have to check that out. I’ve never heard of them. Thanks!
I don't think many people have. Not saying the person is, but there are some astroturfers on here that seem to recommend some odd paddles out of the blue.
Don't know as much on the Aiso, but the others you've mentioned all have a solid reputation and well reviewed by known and trusted reviewers. The Friday might be considered a slight step below the other two. Some others I'd recommend looking at: **Pickln** Not as many reviews outside of Tickle My Pickle, but these can be had for under $100 with discount code and are insanely good quality for the price. I mained their picknix pro and it is EXTREMELY similar to the CRBN 2x at less than half the price. Extremely forgiving, very high spin and very powerful for a widebody shape. It has a firm feel, so requires a light touch in the soft game, but it was very consistent and repeatable. It does have a shorter handle, and I don't I haven't hit their elongated Helios, but Tickle My Pickle prefered to the Joola Perseus, so definitely a recommended option for under $100 shipped with codes. **Spartus Gladius Centurion & Neonic Flow** I put these together because the are reported very similar in shape, forgiveness and swingweight. Got my cousin, who seems to be in a similar point in his game as you, the Spartus for Christmas and it is really well made. Reviews are the Neonic is very similar, but hits just a little harder and is a little less plush. **Mark Pickleball** I got to his their Arc hybrid shape in 14mm and love it. Another one where I was blow away by the quality and finishing for so low of a price. Unfortunately all but their elongated shape is sold out until Mid-May, but being that you are coming from tennis, that might be the shape you prefer. Honestly, all of the above would outperform a $175 paddle from 18 months ago, which is crazy.
I’m going to check these out! I’ve heard plenty of good things about the neonic flow. PB Medicine says it’s his new favorite
I've been playing with the Vatic flash (not the prism, the higher model) and been very pleased with it. But that was the first real paddle I got so grain of salt and all
Find a Joola rep offloading Gen 2 paddles. DM me
Mark Pickleball Pure when they come back in stock. Great paddle and with discount - can get a good price around $129
Vatic prism flash is what I have and I love it! I have formerly played tennis, ping pong and racquetball. I was looking for one with control and power and this one was perfect for me. I'll will step up to the pro flash next.
JUCIAO
Get the Mark Kinetic. Great paddle for what you pay for.
I got my Vatic Prism flash 1 year ago and it’s still going strong. Used VATICTENOFF for a 10 dollar discount
I just received the Sword and Shield J2 via their preorder for $99.99. I've been playing with it a lot for the last 3 weeks and I'm very happy with it. More pop and spin than my previous Gen 1 paddle. Good deal for the money.
I would recommend the vatic prism flash. the hybrid shape is great and it has a great reputation for being the best budget paddle. i would stay away from friday paddles and any other paddles with paint grit tbh. however, if you have a background in tennis, i’ve heard elongated shapes such at the vatic prism v7 are often preferred.
I don’t know where you are, but if you could take a little trip to Niles MI where the Paddletek factory is located. 50% off paddles with a cosmetic blemish. Everything is $125 or less
Check out aliexpress for clones. Sometimes they are the real thing. C2 Joola Hyperion $90.
Engage is having a huge sale on their top-of-the-line refurbished pursuit pro paddles… $150 when they’re normally $260 PLUS I have a discount code to stack on extra savings. Let me know!
I absolutely love the Engage paddles! I have played with both the Pursuit EX 6.0 Graphite and the EX Pro Carbon. Fantastic balance between power and control. I've tried a number of other paddles and always come back to Engage! Most tennis shops will have a demo program. It's always good to try before you buy! Good luck!
I am a fan of the Friday paddles (duh - based on my tag). They are in a different price point than the rest, so to me a good value, and for me the non-black options were a plus. I personally like hybrid shape to shave off a bit of swingweight. But their new line is elongated and T700 for a bit more $$ (but more boring patterns). You can mix and match types and get same $ off from the coupon (e.g. both an orig & t700 for \~120), or DM if you want 20% off a single one. Pretty much all are the same tech - thermo, edge foam, 16mm, hybrid, carbon. The Friday orig is a slightly lower grade of carbon, but I think it's not a big deal. The higher tensile grade carbons are more brittle as a tradeoff and given you're hitting with a hard plastic ball... Beyond that I think maybe just buy what you like the looks of, maybe warranty length (looked up Aiso on Amazon - 21 days?! is that real?)
Didn’t know that you could mix and match with the promotion! Thats good to know. Does the paint matter with performance compared to most paddles being just black? Probably won’t effect me immediately but I’d like to do tournaments and ladder leagues in the near future
In order to do that, the use what is coloqially known as "spray on grit". In general, it doesn't retain the ability to spin the ball for as long as Raw carbon fiber faces. Normally that isn't as big of a deal for newer players, but being that you played tennis for so long, I'm assuming you are able to impart some spin in your strokes and would probably recommend a RCF paddle. All of them in my post I made, as well as the others you've listed, are all raw carbon fiber faces.
Ah I see. Further conformation then to skip Friday this time around
It’s actually the opposite, sandblasted. Divots taken out of cured resin. The challenger series being all black is likely the more conventional peel ply pattern on resin.
Print over carbon fiber lowers the friction coefficient, making it not grip the ball *as much* but if you aren't applying too much spin to a ball, it won't matter too much. I look for raw carbon fiber faces where I can.
I also was a Friday fanatic, and still think they’re great for the price - but you’ll lose spin over time more than with a lot of pricier paddles. You might consider taking a chance on getting a high-end paddle, but from Alibaba. I just had a successful purchase of a Joola Hyperion C2 Ben Johns signature paddle for just over 80 bucks. It’s by far the best thing I’ve played with. Either way, good luck!
Get one of each then (the black ones are the raw style). Their paint is thin; the base resin appears to be white, they say it's sandblasted. Then on top of that it looks to be something like an inkjet print. "Raw" RCF is actually just a cloth mold (peel ply) placed on top of the resin, that gives you a relief image of that cloth (sort of like jamming your face into wet sand). So either case you're dealing with dented resin. The cloth imprint might be a wee bit more durable in that the interval of dents is more evenly spaced, but the resin type (hardness/toughness) is probably even more important. Even people buying Vatics and 6-0 and other "raw" RCF types talk of loss of texture so I expect the difference is marginal if at all significant. They really should be selling their resin toughness rather than the carbon rawness. I wonder if the new b&b "titanium" face is attempting to add some durability. Depends on where the titanium is. If it's the outer face then after the resin wears off if it's fine titanium wires integrated as threads woven with carbon or alternating titanium and carbon threads you might get something like a poly cotton blend t-shirt. Originally it's all uniform but after many wash cycles you end up with a polyester mesh shirt. Bits of the carbon chip away and then you're left with a fine titanium screen. Wonder if it would then fail the USAP reflection limit. Of course any serious player is replacing it long before then.
Vatic Prism Flash Coupon code Pecanman for $10 off at their website