Selecting a Paddle

When it comes to selecting a paddle, the best and simplest answer is: it’s usually the one that feels good when you swing it. 

But what makes a paddle feel good? Different paddles all have various characteristics that contribute to how it plays. These include different head sizes, core firmness, weights, and most importantly–balance points.

The balance point is the center of gravity of the paddle, or the midpoint at which the weight is evenly distributed between the handle and the head. It’s also one of the greatest influences on how a paddle feels in the hand. Even two paddles of the same weight will feel very different depending on if it's head-weighted (with the balance point closer to the head) or handle-weighted.

Imagine holding a hammer by its handle. With its center of gravity towards the head and further away from you, it feels heavier. However, imagine instead holding it by the head with the handle facing up. The hammer will feel lighter, but in both cases the weight is the same. It all comes down to how that weight is distributed, which affects the overall feel of the paddle in hand. This is where the balance point comes into play.

In practice, head-weighted paddles usually provide more power behind hits as well as control over volleys at the net. However, they can also make it tougher for players to control drives.

Handle-weighted paddles generally provide better control over drives as well as a lighter-weight feel in the hand. However, players will need to swing their arm faster to create power behind hits, which the lighter-weight feel can help make easier.

Weight can also influence how a paddle feels alongside the balance point. For example, when you combine a heavier weight along with a balance point towards the head, sometimes a paddle can lean into feeling too heavy and risk giving you arm fatigue or pain.

When it comes to how a paddle comes into contact with a ball, core firmness and head size are the main influences.

With advances in paddle design, many players are adopting oversized paddle heads like we use for many of our paddles rather than the smaller "standard" head size. A larger head helps give more surface area to hit the ball along with a bigger sweet spot because of it. Though some, optically, like to see a smaller head size to keep their opponents on their toes.

In the end, paddle selection is very subjective. What is right for one player might be completely wrong for another. We recommend trying different paddles at your local pro shop or from other players until you find one that fits you best! We hope that will be a Xenon paddle!

Proper maintenance and replacing defective paddles is also very important! As you play, the core of a paddle will gradually break down. This will in turn affect the weight, feel, as and how it makes contact with the ball. As a paddle’s core loses its firmness, it can also put more strain on your arm to get the same level of power from it.

Though paddles are built to last a long time, any paddle will still wear down under heavy shots or more frequent use. Inevitably the core and even the face will lose some of its resilience, so while it will still work, there will be a loss of power and control. We recommend replacing a paddle anytime between six months to two years, depending on the amount of use and style of play.