Pickleball Paddle Resource Guide

The paddle resource guide will help you through the process of finding, selecting, and caring for your pickleball paddle. If you still have questions or need help shopping for your next paddle, please contact our Paddle Experts. They are standing by to help. You can call/text 866-382-3465, email experts@justpaddles.com, or you can click here to live chat.

How To Choose A Pickleball Paddle

In this paddle resource guide, our Paddle Experts will cover everything from learning how to choose the right type to figuring out which model is the best pickleball paddle for you. Now, let's begin.

How do I choose the right type of paddle?

Graphite Face	Great for dinks and driving the ball down the court	Shop Now
Carbon Fiber Face	Provides incredible control on the ball with power	Shop Now
Aluminum Face	A terrific option for beginners looking to get into the game	Shop Now
Polypropylene Core	The best option for players looking for control and power, and it is the least noisy paddle	Shop Now
Nomex Core	Great for players wanting speed and power, but it is the loudest paddle	Shop Now
Aluminum Core	A great option for players that like to play around the net. Louder than a poly core, but not louder than a nomex core paddle.	Shop Now

How do I determine what weight of paddle I should be using?

JustPaddles recommends looking at several factors when selecting a paddle weight. However, two of the biggest factors will be (1) the type of player a person wants to be and (2) possible arm, wrist, elbow, or shoulder issues that could exist for you.

Lightweight Pickleball Paddles

For a player that wants to have the best control around the net and prefers dink shots, a lightweight paddle that is 7.3 oz and below is typically the best. Lightweight paddles are also decent options for players that have pre-existing arm, wrist, elbow, and shoulder injuries.

Middleweight Pickleball Paddles

For a player that wants to sacrifice some power and some control, but prefers to play a well-rounded game, they are typically best suited with a middleweight paddle. Middleweight paddles are going to weigh between 7.3 oz and 8.4 oz. Middleweight paddles are going to be the best option for the majority of players out there. They are great for beginners who are not sure of their style yet, and they are also the best options for players that have pre-existing arm, wrist, elbow, or shoulder injuries.

Heavyweight Pickleball Paddles

For a player that likes power and getting hard shots from the baseline, they are best suited with a heavyweight paddle. Heavy-weight paddles weigh 8.5 oz and up, and the heavy weight makes them the least attractive option for players with pre-existing arm, wrist, elbow, and shoulder injuries.

What grip thickness do I need?

One way to measure what grip size you need is by the player's height.

Under 5'2": 4" grip
5'3" to 5'8": 4 1/8" to 4 1/4" grip
5'9" and taller: 4 1/2" grip

Another way to measure what grip size you need is by measuring your hand from the middle crease on your palm to the end of your ring finger. Grips typically range from 4" to 4 1/2" and increase by 1/8" increments.

Measuring hand for pickleball paddle grip

Which material is better: Graphite, Carbon Fiber, Fiberglass, Aluminum, or Wood?

One material is not necessarily better than the others. Each material is going to offer unique pros and cons. What it ultimately comes down to is a personal preference.

Fiberglass

Most common face material used
Typically the face material that provides the most power
Has a textured surface, which can help a player with more spin
Is flexible so it helps use the core material of the paddle to generate power

Graphite

Light and strong, which provides power and control
Lightweight, but stiff which helps spread the ball strike consistently over a larger area of the paddle
Great for dinks, but also works for driving the ball down the court without too much effort
A top choice among competitive and professional players.

Carbon Fiber

The newest face material for pickleball paddles.
These paddles tend to have the largest sweet spot
Incredibly stiff, which helps provide incredible control on where the ball goes.
Can return a hard hit shot back with power, or easily take power off for a soft shot
Typically the most durable paddles on the market

Hybrid

Least common face material available
Has a soft feel, but provides great power.
Blends two face materials together, which is typically graphite and fiberglass

Aluminum

A great option for beginners
Typically heavier than paddles with other face materials

Wood

The original pickleball paddles
Typically the heaviest paddles
Usually made out of birch or maple wood
A great option for beginners

Should I buy a Polypropylene Core, Nomex Core, or Aluminum Core paddle?

Polypropylene

Least amount (quietest) of noise of any paddle core
The softest and most flexible core
The flexibility helps dampen a shot, but still has power
Best option for all types of play

Nomex

Hardest core
First core used to create composite paddles
Great option for players wanting speed and power
Absorb less energy which redirects the ball back quicker
Most popular core among singles players

Aluminum

Typically the lightest core material
Great option for players who like a strong game around the net
Excellent option for players willing to sacrifice power for control
Louder than nomex core paddles, but lighter sounding than poly cores

Do I need a paddle with an edgeguard or one that is edgeless?

It really comes down to preference of the player. The majority of paddles will have an edgeguard and the edgeguard is designed to protect the paddle from knicks and scratches that you might get from regular use or when the paddle scrapes across the court. Edgeless paddles are less common, but the lack of edgeguard helps extend the hitting surface of the paddle and provides a bigger sweet spot. The lack of edgeguard does make the paddle more susceptible to knicks and scratches though.

Which paddle offers the biggest sweet spot?

There are a few different factors to consider when finding the paddle with the biggest sweet spot. However, a paddle that features a carbon fiber face and is edgeless will feature the biggest sweet spot. The overall size of the paddle face will factor into the sweet spot size as well.

Which paddles are the most popular? What is the best paddle on the market right now?

Once you have filtered your search on JustPaddles, our paddles are defaulted to list in the order of most popular. The best paddles on the market right now will depend on who you are asking. Here at JustPaddles, we carry a wide variety of great brands because we realize everybody has their own personal preference.

How long will my paddle last?

We cannot guarantee that a pickleball paddle will last a specific amount of time, because there are so many variables that can affect that. Those variables include the amount of use the paddle receives, the number of players using the paddle, and how well the pickleball paddle is protected. Most pickleball paddles do feature a warranty or manufacturer's warranty.

What are the best pickleball paddle care tips?

Limit the paddle to individual use
Try not to use the paddle in cold temperatures
Store the paddle in climate-controlled areas, to avoid the paddle getting hot and cold
Use both sides of the paddle to avoid constantly hitting the ball in the same place

Our Paddle Experts at JustPaddles want to help! They can be reached through email at experts@justpaddles.com. You can chat with them through the live chat feature. And lastly, they can take your toll-free call at 1-866-382-3465.