The 7 Best Pickleball Paddles for Spin Reviewed
If you want an edge against your opponent in pickleball, you are going to need a paddle capable of spinning the ball. While it may only be effective against newer players, you can quickly become a seasoned player by adding this trick to your pickleball tool belt. Use this skill to increase your skill and take you from a beginner to an advanced player, but first, you need a capable paddle.
We found the seven best pickleball paddles capable of topspin and underspin. With a variety of price ranges, you can pick the perfect paddle. After, stay on to find out a little more information about spinning to help you pick the right paddle for your needs. Let’s play ball!
Best Pickleball Paddles for Spin
1. Paddletek Tempest Wave Pro Pickleball Paddle
While the Paddletek Tempest Wave Pro Pickleball Paddle has a substantial price, it offers great spin and unmatched accuracy. The design is sleek and simple, with multiple color options, all on black background. What you will love about this paddle is the long, wide-body, and professional feel. Start winning more games with the right equipment.
Another great feature with this paddle is the option to choose a standard or thin grip. The grip standard measures 4 3/8 inches, and the thin measures 4 1/8 inches. Both offer a grip length of 5 1/4 inches. A special cushioned performance grip increases playtime as it reduces fatigue and wicks away sweat.
This paddle gets a power rating of 8 out of 10 with a control rating of 9.5 and forgiveness of 9.5 as well. The textured graphite with a Tempest SRT core and polymer composite honeycomb gives you every advantage. All the paddles are equipped with a 1/8 inch edged shock guard too.
As for measurements, the total length gives you 15 7/8 inches of play space with a width of 8 inches. The professional paddle provides power and performance with a consistent sweet spot and a balanced weight of 7.6 to 8 ounces. Smart technology allows for explosive force while still allowing for extraordinary control. Take your game to a new level with this impressive paddle.
2. Onix Graphite Z5 Pickleball Paddle
Add flair to your game with bright colors using the Onix Graphite Z5 Pickleball Paddle. Choose from purple, green, yellow, blue, pink, and more to get a paddle you know is yours. Each comes with a black base color with the Z5 imprinted boldly on the face. Besides the fun color options, you get a wide-body paddle ready to spin.
With this pickleball paddle, you get a Nomex honeycomb core for power and control. A graphite face keeps the paddle lightweight, giving you the advantage in speed, pop, and maneuverability. The wide-body shape extends the width to give you more space in the sweet spot for ball contact.
Furthermore, the handle fits like a tennis handle with a flared wood handle. All this on a medium-weight of 7.5 to 8.2 ounces. Overall the paddle measures 15.5 inches long by 8.3 inches wide. An edge guard keeps the whole paddle intact and helps to control the ball.
Finally, the wide-body shape includes a 4 1/4 inch grip size. Onix makes a variety of paddles to help you get the control of your choice. For those who want the option to spin without the textured face, this is a perfect option to gain more control of your spin. Otherwise, you can try one of the options in the Evoke line, but these often sell out quickly.
3. Gamma NeuCore Pickleball Paddles with Honeycomb Grip
Find out why the Gamma NeuCore Pickleball Paddles with Honeycomb Grip sell out quickly and improve your game. The best feature of this company is the options! Choose a long paddle-like the Compass shown here or even a long handle with a standard face. While this paddle will not save you money, it will help you increase skill and defeat your opponents.
Experienced players will love the power and control that comes with this paddle, thanks to the elongated face with an enhanced sweet spot. A signature honeycomb cushion grip gives you predictable capability and management. Special NeuCore technology provides a 25 percent thicker large-cell core while staying responsive and quiet too.
Textured graphites give you more hitting surface for control and responsiveness. Moreover, it’s USAPA approved, meaning you can use it for tournaments once you go pro. The paddle measures 16 5/8 inches long by 7 1/8 inches wide with a thickness of 5/8 inches. Next, the grip length measures 4 1/4 inches.
Lastly, the paddle comes with a compass on the face on a gray background. It’s not a simple design as the logo and name are on too, with accents in red and black. It’s the textured face that makes this a great option for spins so you can get a leg up on the opposition.
4. Pickleball Paddle Textured Surface by Esper
Get a clean graphite paddle with the Pickleball Paddle Textured Surface by Esper. With this paddle, you can focus on your spin instead of modeling a brand with an affordable paddle ready to improve your game. The company even throws in a few extras, including over-grip tape, a wrist band, a headband, and a neoprene cover to protect your paddle.
Starting with the basics, this paddle is for beginners looking to advance their game and learn new skills. You can do this with a textured graphite surface using graphene molding with a roughness up to USAPA standards. Add in a hollow-carved design and to allow you to spin the ball faster with extra power and speed. It allows you to control the ball’s direction and falling point for increased flexibility.
Experienced players will love this paddle, too, as it’s only eight ounces making it a lightweight option. The circumference measures 4.25 inches, and it’s wrapped with an extremely comfortable sweat-absorbing cushion to prevent fatigue. Overall the paddle measures 15.5 inches by 7.9 inches by 0.5 inches.
Several layers make up this paddle, including a honeycomb core for control and a slim edge guard to reduce mishits. Gain control of your game with this easy-to-control paddle. Find out the advantage of using a textured paddle instead of a smooth paddle with this loved choice.
5. Rally PXL Graphite Pickleball Paddle by Pickleball Central
Get the Rally PXL Graphite Pickleball Paddle from Pickleball Central and choose three sporty styles, all at an affordable price. This is a textured paddle with four color options, all paired with black, including blue, red, yellow, and our favorite, purple. Pick this option if you need or want an extra-long head size.
At 16.5 inches in length by 7.25 inches in width, this paddled is shaped to give you power and reach for better baseline drives. The PLX is ultra-lightweight, too, at 7.6 to 7.8 ounces giving you a chance for quicker reactions, faster strokes, and time for adjustments too. A large sweet spot gives you another advantage too.
The paddle uses a textured graphite face with a composite polymer honeycomb core to deliver an incredible paddle. Together, the internal and external organs of this paddle provide a powerful tool ready to give you enhanced ball control, placement, and even spin. Next, the perforated cushion grip measures 4.25 in both circumference and length to maximize the playing surface. It’s ergonomically cushioned too for grip and to minimize sweat and fatigue.
Finally, the paddle is USAPA approved for tournaments and is made right here in America. Pickleball Central is one of the most popular pickleball manufacturers in the world, and they guarantee satisfaction. The only downside with this paddle is it’s not beginner-friendly, so make sure you are at least slightly advanced before giving this fabulous paddle a try.
6. Big Dill Pickleball Co. Infinity Fiberglass Pickleball Paddle
Why not bring a pickle to your pickleball game? Pick the Big Dill Pickleball Co. Infinity Fiberglass Pickleball Paddle for a fun image of a pickle playing pickleball. Don’t worry, you get more than just a fun design, but also a great paddleball and a neoprene cover to keep your paddle safe. It’s an affordable option too.
Using premium materials, this paddle offers a lightweight fiberglass surface for speed and power. A wide-body gives you a powerful pop while still reducing noise and maintaining strength. Add a propylene honeycomb core for more speed and agility.
The ball can handle your spins but keep in mind this option does not offer a very textured surface, so it’s better for skilled players and not beginners. Any player can use this paddle, though, including professionals and beginners. It’s very lightweight at 7.7 ounces, making it ideal for any player, and includes an edge guard too.
A padded, non-slip cushion handle allows for comfort, grip, and control. The circumference is 4.5 inches with a perforated handle with padding to absorb sweat and to reduce fatigue. The dimensions 8 inches by 15.5 inches with a handle length of 4.75 inches. Use this paddle both indoors or outdoors.
7. Engage Encore Pro Pickleball Paddle
While a little pricy, the Engage Encore Pro Pickleball Paddle offers everything an advanced or professional player everything they need to spin a ball. First, though, choose from several patterns and designs, all with a vintage faded design. However, you cannot pick the size as it only comes in standard size with a weight between 7.8 to 8.3 ounces. Either way, it’s a lightweight option.
Stay in control with unmatched performance with all the advanced qualities you need in a paddle. With this paddle, you can optimize control, ball placement, spin balance, and power. Use the paddle for smooth control with the ball placement for both hard and soft hits.
Another great advantage of this option is a larger “sweet spot to enhance ball contact and improve control. It also has specialized skin for the appropriate surface roughness. Paired with the core, you get a full spectrum paddle. The core includes a polymer honeycomb, and the skin uses a special fiberglass design.
Overall, the size measures 15 1/2 inches long x 8 1/8 inches wide with a grip of 4 1/4 inches. One feature you will love is the quietness of the paddle, especially if you live very close to your neighbors and they find the noise irritating. Finally, a target on the paddle makes it easy to center contact with the ball.
Buying Guide for Pickleball Paddles for Spin
Before you pick a paddle, take a look at a few key features to consider when it comes to pickleball and spin. The right paddle will improve your game faster, but you need to know which one is right for you.
Size
Worry more about the grip size when you need to spin. The grip needs to fit firmly in your hand. Do not pick a grip that’s too large for your hand as you do not want injury to your wrist. Besides, a smaller grip gives you more control and stability. Go by your height to determine which size grip to get. Players under 5 foot 2 should choose a 4-inch grip; move up to 4 1/4 inches for 5’3” up to 5’8”, and for taller players, choose a 4.5-inch grip.
Shape
Focus on the sweet spot when you want to spin—the more sweet spot available, the better the spin. For the best bet, pick the standard shape of 15 inches by 8 inches or some similar rectangular shape. With this larger size and shape, you have more room to work your magic and hit the ball! Longer paddles can work too, as they increase reach, as do wider paddles. Try out a few shapes to find what works best for you.
Material
Spins can work on any paddle; however, certain paddles definitely do a better job. As paddle come in three main materials, including wood, composite, and graphite, you have some options. For spin, you will want to learn to graphite as it’s textured and gives you extra room to make contact with the ball and get it to do what you want.
Keep in mind that graphite paddles often cost more, but they are light and powerful. Make sure you are committed to the sport before spending the money on an expensive paddle. Once you are in the game all the time, you will be happy you spent the money and did not decide to buy a plastic, wood, or composite paddle.
As for core material, paddles have three main options, including Nomex, aluminum, and polymer. We left the aluminum options out as they are heavy and can increase fatigue and lesson control because of their weight.
Weight
The best weight for spin is usually a lightweight to middleweight paddle. Pickleball paddles can come in a range of 6 to 14 ounces, with the options on this list coming in around 7 to 8 ounces each. With this range, you can gain control but still, keep drive. What’s really great about mid-weight paddle is it needs less arm strength to gain speed. All these factors work together to help you spin in a serve.
Questions About Pickleball Paddles for Spin
What is USAPA certified, and do I need it in a spin paddle?
While USAPA certification is important, the approval simply means the paddle does not reflect to the point of blinding your opponent to give yourself an unfair advantage. If you are playing pickleball at any level above causal or beginner, then you need to make sure you have a quality and conforming paddle. You want to win but do so with your technique and speed, not with a paddle not guaranteed to keep your opponent’s sight.
Which factors count the most to create spin?
When it comes to pickleball, you need to worry about the hitting surface size, the material, the grip size, and the weight. You know, so everything but the color. Keep in mind, you won’t be spinning every time you serve, so pick a paddle that can spin and pull some other punches too.
While the paddle is important, technique counts more when it comes to creating spin. Watch this video to learn how to properly put spin on a pickleball ball:
Can I use spin in a tournament according to the rules?
Spinning is legal, but you need to read the rule book as there are important considerations about the rules and legality of the spin. Check out the International Federation of Pickleball Tournament Rulebook for all the details paying close attention to the service rules.
Conclusion
Improve your pickleball game and spin with the Paddletek Tempest Wave Pro Pickleball Paddle. Unique technologies combine to give explosive force and control, all in a durable design. From the textured graphite face to the balanced weight, this paddle gives you increased maneuverability and speed to take your spin to the next level.