Pickleball Paddle Buying Guide

At ONIX Pickleball, we offer pickleball paddles for every level of player from our top-of-the-line performance paddles to our aspiring intermediate player paddles, to starting out recreational paddles. Each paddle is unique and different, and we’ll break down each type, core, face, size, and weight in an easy to follow guide so you can make the best pickleball paddle decision proven to produce results.

Best Pickleball Paddle for Feel and Head Speed:

The Malice DB and Malice pickleball paddles provide the best feel, touch, and head speed of any paddle in the ONIX lineup. The Malice paddles are preferred for reducing vibration.

Best Pickleball Paddle for Power:

New to ONIX is the Evoke Premier Raw Carbon pickleball paddle, known for its raw carbon face giving it both a blend of pure power and control
The Evoke Premier has long been a flagship of the ONIX Pickleball lineup as one of the most precise and powerful pickleball paddle. A new Premier version is our Evoke Premier CT-16, featuring a 16mm core for even more power than the original Premiers.

best pickleball paddle and best pickleball rackets are the evoke premier paddle

Best Pickleball Paddle Under $100

The ONIX Graphite Z5 Pickleball Paddle, which retails for $99.99, is the most popular paddle in the ONIX line because of its outstanding touch and control. The Z5 is the best pickleball paddle for intermediate and beginner players.

Best Pickleball Paddles for Control:

Newest and most advanced paddle, the Mayhem will give you maximum control with patented technology from ONIX
The ONIX Outbreak features a graphite face reinforced by TeXtreme Technology, which increases stiffness and strength, giving players pinpoint control

Best Pickleball Paddle for Kids:

The Z Junior paddle is perfect for young players learning the game or junior players entering the sport for the first time

Types of Pickleball Paddles:

Wooden paddles are more for entry level, they are heavier and less expensive.
Composite paddles are lighter and tend to have more control.

Types of Cores:

Nomex Honeycomb Core: balanced, strong and durable.
Aluminum Honeycomb: easier touch, ability to soften shots made at the net
Polypropylene Core: Quieter, has a balanced blend of touch and power.

Paddle Faces:

Graphite: strong, lighter surface, has more touch and control
Composite: harder, tends to be more powerful, less control
Raw Carbon Fiber: The raw carbon fiber surface provides a naturally textured paddle surface to increase spin and control for professional shot making

Graphite Paddles:

Evoke Tear Drop
Evoke XL
Z5
Stryker
React
Summit
Voyager
Voyager Pro
Outbreak

Composite Paddles:

Evoke Tear Drop
Evoke Pro
Evoke XL
Z5
Stryker
Stryker 4
Summit C1
Vertex
Evoke Premier
Mayhem
Malice
Malice DB
Z1
Z3
Z Junior

Raw Carbon Paddles:

Evoke Premier Raw Carbon

Aluminum paddles:

Recruit 3.0

Wide body paddles:

Composite Evoke Pro
Graphite Z5
Composite Z5
Graphite React
Graphite Subzero
Voyager Pro
Outbreak

Oversized body:

Graphite Evoke XL
Composite Evoke XL
Composite Stryker 4
Graphite Stryker 4
Recruit 3.0

Teardrop body:

Standard body:

Graphite Slammer
Composite Slammer
Malice
Malice DB
Mayhem

Blocker body:

Composite Vertex

Elongated:

Composite Summit C1

Impact Paddle Shape:

Evoke Premier
Evoke Premier CT-16
Evoke Premier Raw Carbon

Paddle Shapes:

Wide Body — this is the most popular pickleball paddle shape and has a generous sweet spot.
Oversized — Smaller, but has a more powerful sweet spot
Tear Drop — balanced, and comparable to racquet sport paddles
Standard — longer handle, more torque
Impact — increases reach and maximizes baseline power
Elongated — gives players much longer reach

Paddle Weights: