A paddle may be the most important piece of equipment you need when playing pickleball. While pickleball paddles are primarily unisex, there are a couple of features to remember when shopping for a female athlete. At JustPaddles, we don’t differentiate our paddles by gender, but our Paddle Experts get the question, “What’s the best pickleball paddle for a woman?” quite often. So, our Paddle Experts put this article together to guide you in the right direction!
First things first, the best pickleball paddle for a woman is the one that will help improve your game the most. Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer or one-size-fits-all guideline. So, where do you start? How do you narrow down the hundreds of paddle options available to you? While we’re writing this for our female readers, these tips apply to anyone with a smaller hand and a strong aversion to heavyweight pickleball paddles or power pickleball paddles.
Top three things to keep an eye out for when shopping for the perfect paddle for women:
1. Grip Thickness
Paddle grips are categorized into “Thin” and “Standard.” A thin grip is best for smaller hands that prefer paddle control and grip comfort. A standard grip offers more comfort for larger hands and may offer increased control for players with more arm strength. While a standard grip tends to be the best fit for most players, a thin grip tends to be the best fit for female players.
2. Paddle Weight
Paddle weights are categorized into lightweight, middleweight, and heavyweight designs. Lightweight paddles are 7.3 ounces or lighter, middleweight paddles are between 7.3 and 8.4 ounces, and heavyweight paddles are 8.5 ounces and heavier. While the most common weight option and best fit for most players will be the middleweight class, lightweight paddles tend to be preferred by most female players.
3. Experience Level
Last but certainly not least is your experience level. At JustPaddles, we have youth, beginner, intermediate, and professional-level paddles. Beginner paddles are best suited for those players who are just getting into the game, and professional designs are considered to be some of the absolute best paddles on the market. For intermediate, those are the best of both worlds, so we tend to recommend intermediate paddles for most players.
Now that you know what to look for, here are 5 of some of the best pickleball paddles for women.
Best Pickleball Paddles for Women
JOOLA Simone Jardim Hyperion CFS 16mm Heavyweight Carbon Fiber Pickleball Paddle
Built for a legend of pickleball, Simone’s signature Hyperion CFS 16 was designed to encompass everything needed in a pickleball paddle. Power, spin, control, feel, and stability.
- Paddle Weight: 8.2 - 8.6 oz
- Paddle Face Material: CARBON FRICTION SURFACE (CFS)
- Paddle Core Material: Response Honeycomb Polymer Core
- Paddle Shape: Elongated
- Core Thickness: 16 mm
Armour Sara Ash Signature Middleweight Composite Pickleball Paddle
Sara Ash helped design a paddle with one of the most forgiving sweet spots in pickleball. Forgiving, spin-friendly, powerful, and a warm design make this paddle a winner across the board.
- Paddle Weight: 7.7 - 8.1 oz
- Paddle Face Material: Composite Fiberglass
- Paddle Core Material: Polypropylene
- Core Thickness: 13 mm
ProXR Beth Bellamy 16mm Eastern Slim MiddleweightComposite Pickleball Paddle
Need to bring the heat? Say no more. ProXR’s Diamond Series paddle was designed by one of pickleball’s winningest players, Beth Bellamy (43 Gold Medals,) and was built for ball-blazing power. More power? More points!
- Paddle Weight: 8.2 - 8.4 oz
- Paddle Face Material: Composite Fiberglass
- Paddle Core Material: Polypropylene Honeycomb
- Paddle Shape: Elongated
- Core Thickness: 16 mm
Selkirk VANGUARD 2.0 Epic AvaLee Lightweight Carbon Fiber Pickleball Paddle
AvaLee is Pickleball's first and only paddle designed exclusively for women, by women. The lightweight design of this model makes it more controllable. As an all-around paddle with an extended handle, the ability for a two-handed backhand is enhanced (a popular technique among women). Other key features include:
- USAPA Approved
- Made In The USA
- AvaLee Special Colorway: Arizona Sun | Dragonfly Blue | Rose Purple
GAMMA Lindsey Newman Havoc Middleweight Composite Pickleball Paddle
One of the best players on planet Earth, Lindsey Newman worked closely with Gamma to build lightweight, touch-friendly, control paddles perfect for the player looking for line-painting accuracy and level 10 touch.
- Paddle Weight: 8.0 oz
- Paddle Face Material: Textured Composite
- Paddle Core Material: NeuCore Polypropylene
- Paddle Shape: Elongated
- Core Thickness: 15 3/8 mm
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There you have it. Everything you need to know when looking for the best pickleball paddles for women. However, please contact our Paddle Experts if you have any additional questions. They’re available via phone at 866-382-3465, email at experts@justpaddles.com, or live chat on the website!
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